The Lead
As we inch closer to April 23, the crew here at DenverBroncos.com is turning its focus to the draft. Over the next two weeks, we'll take a closer look at four position groups that many believe to be areas of need for the Broncos: wide receiver, linebacker, cornerback and offensive line. For each position, we'll have analysis of who the best players are (ie. who may be options for the Broncos in the first round), who could be the top sleeper picks in the second or third round, highlights of the top prospects and more.
This week, we begin with wide receivers, the position group that most analysts believe to be the Broncos' biggest need. Our insiders Phil Milani and Aric DiLalla broke down the top group of wideouts to kick us off.
But, as this new mock draft from Sports Illustrated demonstrates, it's not good enough to just know the trio of CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III.
Ruggs appears to be a favorite pick by analysts for the Broncos — adding an element of speed that the team's wide receiver corps doesn't currently have. ESPN's Matt Bowen said last week that Ruggs' best fit was with the Broncos. This week, Bowen likened Ruggs' skills to that of Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill. Broncos fans would probably be happy with that.
In other wide receiver news, former Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk — who has been projected as a late first- or mid-second-round pick — had core-muscle surgery, according to reporting by Mike Garafolo. The NFL Network reporter noted that with offseason programs delayed indefinitely, Aiyuk opted to have the surgery now after the injury ailed him in recent months.
Be sure to stay tuned the rest of this week for more analysis and highlights of the wide receivers from the 2020 draft class here on DenverBroncos.com.
Below the Fold
Here's a couple more mock drafts to whet your appetite after all that draft talk. Former NFL RB Maurice Jones-Drew believes the Broncos can land former Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb at No. 15 in his most-recently updated mock.
His colleague Daniel Jeremiah, however, has the Broncos selecting defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw and his "unlimited potential" as they continue to beef up their defensive line.
And The Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran writes that he believes former Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz should be on the Broncos' radar.
We may not know when the Broncos will be back on the practice field, but we now know how they're staying in shape until that time comes. Strength and Conditioning Coach Loren Landow outlined his plans to keep players in shape during this strange offseason amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
