Path To The Draft

[samparnell]

This type of list overlaps with a mock draft but does not typically align with a mock draft for good reason. This is one (qualified) person's take on the value/skill of the entire draft, and yes, it is essentially a BPA list at that. But teams don't all go BPA as a rule. Often they prefer BPA at position of need. As an example, if the BPA was a WR in your first selection, and you have the best WRs in the league, you will likely go for another player/position of need.

Therefore to answer your question, I suspect some of these players will be available at 64. But I will extend the offer to anyone responding to consider us moving up a little, with only a small loss of draft capital, if one of these folks was within close range of our first selection.

Ideally I would be offering a top 100 list, but because this was a current assessment of talent, I thought I'd use it.

Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan on NFLR "Movin' the Chains" looked at the 2021 Draft team by team and were inclined to conclude that more teams draft for need. This year's draft pool doesn't have a strong consensus best player(s) although most mocks have Hutchinson going first. Think there will be good prospects all through the Draft, but especially on day two.

The picks Denver gave for Russell mean Paton & Co. need to draft very well with what they have, especially this year and next. Paton has stated that he covets draft capital, so I'm inclined to doubt he would expend some in order to move up given the apparent lack of consensus on player rankings.

In the event Denver keeps the picks they now have, pretty good players should be available on day two. There may be some runs on players at certain positions that begin the first night and carry over to day two. That seems to happen with linemen, receivers and DBs.

Denver has six picks on day three and they did well there last year even without a pick in the fourth round. Now they begin day three with two consecutive picks in the fourth. Last year they picked Stearns in the fifth and Cooper in the seventh. All the guys they got on day three are still with the team except for Kary Vincent who was traded to Philly for number 206/sixth round in this year's Draft.

DJ's list is informative, but there may be more differences between the lists of draft analysts than what is usually the case.

[Hadez]

In view of the fact Denver’s first pick is number sixty-four at the moment, are you suggesting Paton will trade up?

He has said he will trade up or trade down.

Based on what Paton has done so far I would say that is more than just sending a message out.

I think our front office will have a list of potential key players that could add large and immediate value to this team. Combine that with a list of potential trade up partners. If those two come together we trade up.

I got the feeling there will be a larger list of trade down options and the more likely path as I think we have a good team and a big value on large amount of draft picks by the front office.

Best vibe I get from Paton on this front is he works all the possible options but does not over pay. I mean I think everyone has this overall plan but the skills with to actually pull it off is what sets Paton apart. I get the feeling sooner or later he will lose some of this as he succeeds and people avoid him just because they think he will get a good deal out of it.

The next step...which may already be in his plans...is to have large amount of draft picks...develop key players and flip the ones the team can not pay for draft picks. It was kind of done by the Pats but I think it could be done better.

[brianmcfarlane]

Not sure that this has been posted but the Broncos actually have 9 picks with Detroit's seventh round pick that was acquired via the Trinity Benson trade to Detroit ... it is the 234th pick in the draft. The Broncos did draft Jonathon Cooper in the 7th last year and he did contribute quite a bit in the 2021 season, so it is possible to get a player that can contribute ... Special Teams?

[CanDB]

Not sure that this has been posted but the Broncos actually have 9 picks with Detroit's seventh round pick that was acquired via the Trinity Benson trade to Detroit ... it is the 234th pick in the draft. The Broncos did draft Jonathon Cooper in the 7th last year and he did contribute quite a bit in the 2021 season, so it is possible to get a player that can contribute ... Special Teams?

It's never a bad thing to have draft picks....anywhere.

[CanDB]

Only one week away and no doubt, having a later 2nd rounder for starters does not elicit loads of draft excitement like a first does, especially a higher first. And I'm good with that. We got our QB.

But as I often mention, nothing is cast in stone in these drafts. Come next Thursday who knows where we will be selecting. Trades happen. And if we don't move up, no problem. My take is that all we want to do is nail a few of those early picks of ours, maybe catch some late round gold, and hopefully end up with a couple of starters and some depth players.

[sra84]

Only one week away and no doubt, having a later 2nd rounder for starters does not elicit loads of draft excitement like a first does, especially a higher first. And I'm good with that. We got our QB.

But as I often mention, nothing is cast in stone in these drafts. Come next Thursday who knows where we will be selecting. Trades happen. And if we don't move up, no problem. My take is that all we want to do is nail a few of those early picks of ours, maybe catch some late round gold, and hopefully end up with a couple of starters and some depth players.

This is what I call a "meat and potatoes" draft. It won't be flashy but it will fill up our roster, hopefully, with quality depth and improve our special teams.

Even though we don't pick til 64, I'm still excited and fully invested from start to finish. Not only to see whom we select, but also every other team, especially, our division rivals. And as an Ohio State fan, I like to see where their players go too.

I expect Paton to trade back at least 2 or 3 times somewhere between our picks at 96, 115, 116 and 145. He said he likes to have 10 picks in a draft. We have 9 at the moment but only a few next year. So ut wouldn't surprise me if we only come away with 7 or 8 this year, as he looks to add picks for next year.

I could also see us trade someone like Muti or Cushenberry (if we draft a guard or center like Strange or Jergens) for picks next year too.

6 days to go......

[CanDB]

Hey IB (if you are checking in). Do you think The Packers make a deal for a WR (ie. Metcalf/Deebo) by next weekend?

[CanDB]

This is one draft that if you make a good pick, it will be hard to critique it in terms of who you should have taken. Loads of balance, lots of good players in key positions.....although QB is average at best. Then again, you never know if a Corral or Howell may turn into long term quality QBs in the bigs, even though they may not go early.

And even at WR, where they may not be any All Pros (just yet), there are plenty of good ones who may excel.

[CanDB]

Here's a bit from Paton about the draft....

With the Broncos set to make their first selection at the end of the second round at No. 64 overall, followed by two more picks in each of the next two rounds, there is still an opportunity for Denver to move up or down during the draft. But Paton said if any upward moves are made, they likely would not bring the Broncos into the first round, instead just positioning them higher in the second.

"When we get to that second day, we'll be on the phone calling every team. We'll have an idea of what we want to do on that second day, especially as it starts dropping to the mid rounds," Paton said. "Then we'll decide do we want to move, do we want to stand pat, or do we want to move back? That kind of depends on who is there and how many players that we like are there."

I like this guy for another reason. His comments usually have some content, where as some GMs in sports say little. But yeah, I kind of doubt we would move all the way up to the first round given the cost to do so. But after day one, as he says, you reevaluate, and maybe come out swinging for day two. I'm sure if he covets a player that slipped past day one, he'd try to make a deal.

Conversely, depending on the depth of this draft, maybe he stays put or moves back.

[CanDB]

I see one player showing up more than before. Today they compared the mock drafts for the group at NFL Network, for The Jets, and at pick #4, 4 of the 6 had CB Ahmad Gardner on their mocks. Wow, I did not know he had risen to that type of status!

[lvbronx]

I see one player showing up more than before. Today they compared the mick drafts for the group at NFL Network, for The Jets, and at pick #4, 4 of the 6 had CB Ahmad Gardner on their mocks. Wow, I did not know he had risen to that type of status!

My Big Board for the 2022 Mick Draft is:

1 Mick Jagger
2 Mick Foley
3 Mickey Mouse

[samparnell]

My Big Board for the 2022 Mick Draft is:

1 Mick Jagger
2 Mick Foley
3 Mickey Mouse

Don't forget Mickey's Big Mouth.

[CanDB]

My Big Board for the 2022 Mick Draft is:

1 Mick Jagger
2 Mick Foley
3 Mickey Mouse

You got me good....