The Super Bowl confetti has settled, the Sheriff rode off into the sunset and free-agency has seen the loss of many Broncos country favorites—so what is next? Time to look to the future with the NFL draft that kicks off this Thursday night.
Shane Ray, Bradley Roby, Sylvester Williams, Von Miller, Tim Tebow, Demaryius Thomas are just a few kids that began as first round draft picks for the Broncos who quickly evolved into household names. What are the main moves you need to watch for in this year’s draft?
The Schedule (via ESPN)
Thursday, April 28
Round 1: 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, WatchESPN and NFL Network.
Friday, April 29
Rounds 2-3: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN*, WatchESPN and NFL Network.
*Coverage moves to ESPN 2 at 8 p.m. ET.
Saturday, April 30
Rounds 4-7: Noon ET on ESPN, WatchESPN and NFL Network.
3 things to expect from the Broncos
- Patience — In case you forgot, we won the Super Bowl (aka we are #1). That means we will be picking last in this years’ draft. We could very well not make a pick until very late Thursday night — expect hard core Broncos co-workers to play hooky on Friday.
- Quarterback — Peyton Manning’s retirement was not a shock to the organization. But Brock ditching us to go to the Texans? Sent the Broncos into a frantic search to fill the void. The Broncos initially gunned for San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick, but negotiations are at a financial standstill. Bringing in Mark Sanchez did not dazzle Broncos fans at first, but he is growing into the role. If the Broncos are unable to come to a decision with Kaepernick look for them to make a move in the draft for an additional quarterback to come in and compete with Sanchez.
In Elway we trust, right? - Offensive line — being the proverbial Achilles tendon of last season, it should be no surprise that rebuilding the offensive line is high atop the to do list for the Broncos. While the cream of the crop in specialty positions (quarterback, receivers, linebackers) will most likely be gone by the time the Broncos get to pick, the top offensive lineman will most likely still be available. Watch for top prospects like Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss), Ronnie Stanley (Notre Dame), Jack Conklin (Michigan State), Jason Spriggs (Indiana) or Germain Ifedi (Texas A&M) to fill this void for the Broncos.
Where to Watch: The Denver Draft Party
The Denver Draft Party
Celebrity Lanes (15755 East Arapahoe Rd, Centennial)
April 28 at 5 p.m.
To register for the event click here.
Party with the world champion Denver Broncos while watching the draft at the ultimate viewing party. Bowl, eat, drink and take pictures with at least 20 Broncos players. The event benefits the Active Force Foundation (AFF), a foundation that provides opportunity for physically challenged individuals to engage in a healthy lifestyle through sports experience and education.