Draft breakdown

[Javalon]

Originally posted by broncos4ever
I agree. We really need Wilson and Mobley. Wilson would be a salary cap casualty, but I don't see it. The Broncos seem to sign the players they want to keep to long range contracts. I think it will be up to Wilson whether he wants to stay or not. It is a two-way street, if you know what I mean.

Yep, you're right. I hope that the chemistry he's built up with the defense this year means that he wants to stay. I haven't heard any disgruntled talk from him so I'll assume there'd be no reason for him to leave other than money.

[broncos4ever]

Originally posted by Javalon
And Pierce should NOT replace Wilson. If the Broncos let Al go, I'll have lost some serious faith in the head guy's talent assessment.

I agree. We really need Wilson and Mobley. Wilson would be a salary cap casualty, but I don't see it. The Broncos seem to sign the players they want to keep to long range contracts. I think it will be up to Wilson whether he wants to stay or not. It is a two-way street, if you know what I mean.

[Javalon]

Originally posted by broncos4ever
Do you mean Pierce or Foster? I think you mean Pierce if you are talking about Al Wilson. Foster should replace Salaam.

And Pierce should NOT replace Wilson. If the Broncos let Al go, I'll have lost some serious faith in the head guy's talent assessment.

[Elway]

I did mean Pierce.... duh... too much late night posting on my part. With the injuries Pierce is getting a little playing time, but not enough to warrant being a full time starter.

[broncos4ever]

Originally posted by Elway
Foster is on the two year plan, watch and learn this year, and be a starter next year if we can't afford to keep Wilson.

Do you mean Pierce or Foster? I think you mean Pierce if you are talking about Al Wilson. Foster should replace Salaam.

[Elway]

Foster is on the two year plan, watch and learn this year, and be a starter next year if we can't afford to keep Wilson.

[broncos4ever]

Originally posted by bcollin1
You know what cracks me up?

Every year, I watch the NFL Draft.

Every year, I wait with baited breath every time the Broncos are up.

Every year, they announce the Broncos' pick, and I go:
"WHO??"

I watch college football almost religiously. I pay attention to players from all around the country. I have been known to look at the prep report, to keep an eye on upcoming talent.

But the coolest thing is, I've stopped worrying about the fact that I almost NEVER know who the guys are when the Broncos announce their picks. You know why?

Because, unlike the vast majority of teams, the Broncos pick up someone with potential, and then (hope you're sitting down)...


...they COACH them to become better players.

Montae Reagor, Eric Brown, Tory James, Ashlie Lelie, half our D line this year, basically our whole secondary...

I'm not saying we don't pick up free agents, but the ones we do NEVER seem to do as well as the guys we draft and train. If it wouldn't have cost so much, I'd have been doing cartwheels if we'd have kept Reagor and left Gardener to go elsewhere.

Don't even get me started on Kennison, Dale Carter, T-Buck, Denard Walker, and Pittman.

Oh, one question I asked a couple weeks ago that remains unanswered:

WHERE THE HELL IS THAT PUNK-A$$ GEORGIA BULLDOG WE PICKED UP IN THE FIRST ROUND???

I'm certainly not saying Carlisle is much better, but at least Carlisle wasn't a first-rounder and at least Carlisle PLAYS!

It really does look like Kwame Harris was the best of the Offensive Tackles for this year. But as you said Broncos draft for Potential and if Foster can show his potential that most draft experts think of him, he will be a starting left tackle for years to come.

Pierce will get valuable playing time this year it looks like.

[broncos4ever]

Here is my opinion:

2000 Draft

Rnd Pick Ovrall Name Pos
1 15 15 Deltha O'Neal DB
2 9 40 Ian Gold DB
2 14 45 Kenoy Kennedy DB
3 8 70 Chris Cole WR
4 7 101 Jerry Johnson DT
4 18 112 Cooper Carlisle T
5 25 154 Muneer Moore WR
6 23 189 Mike Anderson RB
7 8 214 Jarious Jackson QB
7 40 246 Leroy Fields WR

O'Neal - Maybe - Leading interception maker. Hot and Cold. More cold this year. Ton's of potential. Could be trade bait.l
Ian Gold - Solid pick - Everyone out of Denver complains about his tackling against the run. It seems like he makes the tackle inspite of his size. Fast and this year looked to be a linebacker that would be in postion to intercept the ball. Interceptions we could use.
Kenoy Kennedy - Solid Pick - Tough player. Seems to be maturing. Ferguson looks to be pushing him .
Chris Cole - Maybe - Had tremendous potential, never lived up to it. He should be shining this year. Hot and Cold. Needs to break a couple to really look like a good return man. I keep cheering for him to do something and he does not.
Muneer Moore - bust
Mike Anderson - solid pick. Great fullback and half back.
Jarious Jackson - Maybe - 7th round pick that stuck around as a third string quarterback. What do you expect from a seventh rounder?
Leroy Fields - bust, but again a 7th rounder.

2001 Draft

Rnd Pick Ovrall Name Pos
1 24 24 Willie Middlebrooks DB
2 20 51 Paul Toviessi DE
3 25 87 Reggie Hayward DE
4 18 113 Ben Hamilton C
4 25 120 Nick Harris P
6 27 190 Kevin Kasper WR

Short of Draft picks for the 2001 draft. Who did we pick up that made us short? Was it a known player that is helping us now???

Middlebrooks - Bust for a first rounder - Never lived up to his potential. Has been a solid special teams player. Seems to be a wasted first round pick at this time.
Toviessi - Hurt right away - Bust
Hayward - Solid Pick - Had some good yards for us. Lost in the salary cap. He is a good pick, we just could not give him enough time to mature.
Hamilton - Solid Pick -- Can play center or guard - Will be on the offensive line for a long time unless injury.
Nick Harris - Solid Pick - at that time. If you remember Tom Rouen was not doing so well the year before. Harris had every chance to beat him out in training camp, but Rouen had the best camp he has ever had and beat him out because he was the veteran. We might have regretted that last year.
Kevin Kasper - Never matured - bust for Broncos, maybe will do something but some players never mature.


2002 Draft

Rnd Pick Ovrall Name Pos
1 19 19 Ashley Lelie WR
2 19 51 Clinton Portis RB
3 31 96 Dorsett Davis DT
4 33 131 Sam Brandon DB
5 9 144 Herb Haygood WR
6 19 191 Jeb Putzier TE
7 17 228 Chris Young DB
7 20 231 Monsanto Pope DT


Lelie - Maybe - Tremendous Potential to be Solid. I expect more than what I have seen this year. He drops too many balls. Rod Smith had that same problem as discussed until his third year. Lelie has to fight that and be more physical, and be a better blocker to meet his potential. Was working real well with Jake, will he go back to form once Jake becomes the starter again???
Portis - Solid Pick - Rookie of the Year. Always getting better. 2nd best offensive player on the Bronco team. (I think Jake is the first.)
Dorsett Davis – Has potential – Solid Backup – Had a chance to start but we had better free agents that were veterans that has more experience. We will see within time if he pans out. He was looking really good in training camp.
Sam Brandon – Solid Pick – Matured into a good safety. Has grown with the positon.
Herb Haygood – 5th round pick – for the Broncos he was a bust. Did not do much.
Jeb Putzier – Maybe - He has good hands but we have Shannon Sharpe, as long as we have Sharpe we don’t need Jeb. We also have Carswell who is an excellent blocker. Jeb does have potential he is just caught in the numbers game.
Chris Young – Maybe - Too early to tell. He is still here. Numbers game again.
Mosanto Pope – 7th round steal. Solid Pick.


Solid Picks – 10 out of 3 drafts
Maybe – 6 out of 3 drafts
Busts – 6 out of 3 drafts

Now that does not seem to be too bad of drafting to me. What have other General Managers done in 3 years? It would be interesting to see if others have done much better.

[Javalon]

Originally posted by BroncoCy
Drafting Reggie Hayward was the most badass pick ::takes off cardinal and gold shades:: On that list I think until Lelie pans out he might be the biggest dissapointment. BTW...now that I think of it, how did CP fall that far? He very well could be the best player in that draft today.

That's exactly what the Broncos wondered. As I understand it, they hadn't planned to draft a running back that high but they actually had him ranked as their #1 running back and felt he was too good to pass by.

It turned out to have been a fantastic move. Terrell never did get back to his old form and Portis is a more explosive back than Mike Anderson (no offense Mike). It's ironic but Portis deserves Lelie's first round pick contract more than Lelie does, at least to this point. I still have hopes for Lelie; it took Rod Smith until his 3rd season to bust out so I'm won't get too worried about Lelie until next season.

[BroncoCy]

Drafting Reggie Hayward was the most badass pick ::takes off cardinal and gold shades:: On that list I think until Lelie pans out he might be the biggest dissapointment. BTW...now that I think of it, how did CP fall that far? He very well could be the best player in that draft today.

[Javalon]

My bad. I just remembered that Rod was a rookie free agent. But the point is still the same.

[Javalon]

Originally posted by pikman
As you can see most of the players you singled out were mid to late rounders. That is where you build your team from, that and smart free agent signings. Not 1st rounders.

Yep. I've thought for a while that a smart team would trade its first round picks for second round and lower picks. That way you get more picks for a lot less money.

If a first round draft pick is a bust, you've really hurt your salary cap for a player who hasn't proven he can play in the NFL.

If a lower round draft pick is a bust, cut the dude because it will only slightly affect your salary cap. But think of how many players the Broncos have drafted late that were great. Rod Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Terrell Davis, etc.

You should also have more money to retain your own free agents while nabbing some from other teams. These are guys that have proven they can play in the NFL. (Usually)

Sure, there are some first rounders that end up worth the money. But there's an awful good chance they'll be a bust and then you're out the dough.

[pikman]

As you can see most of the players you singled out were mid to late rounders. That is where you build your team from, that and smart free agent signings. Not 1st rounders.

[bry422]

Here are Denvers selections for the past 3 drafts, not including 2003 because its too early to judge this years rookies.

2000 Draft

Rnd Pick Ovrall Name Pos
1 15 15 Deltha O'Neal DB
2 9 40 Ian Gold DB
2 14 45 Kenoy Kennedy DB
3 8 70 Chris Cole WR
4 7 101 Jerry Johnson DT
4 18 112 Cooper Carlisle T
5 25 154 Muneer Moore WR
6 23 189 Mike Anderson RB
7 8 214 Jarious Jackson QB
7 40 246 Leroy Fields WR

Gold, Kennedy and Anderson: Speak for themselves.
The rest can be classified as 'questoinable' to 'what the hell were they thinking?'
Muneer Moore? Ouch!

2001 Draft

Rnd Pick Ovrall Name Pos
1 24 24 Willie Middlebrooks DB
2 20 51 Paul Toviessi DE
3 25 87 Reggie Hayward DE
4 18 113 Ben Hamilton C
4 25 120 Nick Harris P
6 27 190 Kevin Kasper WR

Hamilton: I have no problem with him.
Questionable selections on all the rest.
Paul Toviessi? Double ouch!

2002 Draft

Rnd Pick Ovrall Name Pos
1 19 19 Ashley Lelie WR
2 19 51 Clinton Portis RB
3 31 96 Dorsett Davis DT
4 33 131 Sam Brandon DB
5 9 144 Herb Haygood WR
6 19 191 Jeb Putzier TE
7 17 228 Chris Young DB
7 20 231 Monsanto Pope DT

Portis and Brandon speak for themselves.
Pope: solid player for a 7th rounder.
Lelie: until he starts holding on to the ball, he's a ? mark.
The rest: nothing substantial.

These are my opinions, obviosly. How do you guys and gals feel?