There’s a line of thinking in the NFL that if you are going to fail with a young quarterback, you want to fail fast. In other words, surround that quarterback with enough talent to be able to evaluate whether he is the future of the franchise. If you don't allow a young quarterback the proper weapons, you can end up drudging through a multi-year no-man’s land, afraid to move on for fear of doing so too early while also making excuses for the QB based on the players around him. Finding out what you have as quickly as possible is a line of thinking that I’m in full favor of — and it’s one that the Broncos have put into action with their haul in the 2020 NFL Draft.
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PFF's Sam Monson wrote shortly after the first round of the NFL Draft that selecting Jerry Jeudy was the best thing the Broncos could have possibly done for Drew Lock’s development. Jeudy’s ability to consistently create separation and give Lock more open targets will be a massive help to the second-year quarterback. Not only did Jeudy fall into their lap at 15 — a dream scenario considering many thought the Broncos might have to trade up to secure one of the top-three wide receivers in the draft — but they continued to attack the offense with selections of KJ Hamler in the second, Lloyd Cushenberry in the third, Albert Okwuegbunam in the fourth, PFF favorite Netane Muti in the sixth and Tyrie Cleveland in the seventh.
Starting up front, the Broncos’ offensive line was in better shape than many believed in 2019, coming in at 12th on PFF’s end-of-season offensive line rankings. The moves on the interior in both the draft and free agency have only solidified that group.
Graham Glasgow started at left guard, center and right guard over the past three seasons for the Detroit Lions, putting up overall grades of 70.0 or higher each year. Cushenberry has some concerns with quickness as a pass protector, something that is mitigated a bit at the center position, but his ability to move bodies will be appreciated in Denver. Lastly, Muti was PFF’s IOL1 in this year’s draft. The injuries are clearly a concern and caused him to slip, but this guy’s highlight reel from his healthy freshman season at Fresno State (a favorite of Mike Renner) is absurd. I encourage you to watch the whole thing, but here is just a taste of it.
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