10 Prospects for Broncos to Monitor Ahead of 2020 Supplemental NFL Draft
Every year, there is a second NFL Draft called the supplementary draft, and this time around, it could be more interesting than ever before. Due to the current state of affairs in the world with the COVID-19 virus still resulting in shelter-in-place orders across the U.S.
With so much uncertainty about the upcoming football season, both NFL and college, many are expecting a large number of underclassmen who returned to school to apply for eligibility in the supplemental draft. If that indeed happens, there are many prospects that could be of interest to the Denver Broncos.
When it comes to the supplemental draft, teams are split into three groups. The first group includes teams that have six or fewer wins, the second group is seven or more wins that didn’t make the playoffs, followed by teams that made the playoffs. Each group is randomized to determine the order for the draft.
Teams bid on players by rendering their pick based on a round value and if multiple teams put in a bid, the highest bid gets the prospect. The catch is, if a team indeed makes a supplemental pick, and say the bid was at the second-round level, that team will be deducted the pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
College players put in a petition to be allowed into the supplemental draft and each player is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. To be eligible, players have to be three years removed from high school football.
Typically, players enter based on a change to their eligibility status for the ensuing season and are entering their final year of eligibility for college ball. Due to the circumstances, the people who review it may be more open to allowing players to enter the supplemental draft.
The supplemental draft is something that GM John Elway recently spoke about along with the potential of more players entering the NFL this route. It was made clear that the Broncos are monitoring that possibility.
Potential Supplemental Prospects to Monitor
There are a few players that could decide to apply for the 2020 supplemental draft that could be of interest to the Broncos. Here are the prospects to monitor to potentially putting in a petition.
- Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
- Alex Leatherwood, OL, Alabama
- Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
- Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State
- Marquez Stevenson, WR, Houston
- Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
- Walker Little, OL, Stanford
- Trey Smith, OL, Tennessee
- Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State
- Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
There are many others to monitor as well, but these are prospects who really stand out as potential targets/fits for the Broncos. One big thing to watch is whether the NFL will budge from the wording for the supplemental draft because of the coronavirus.
You see, the verbiage is that players that returned but saw a change in their eligibility, and technically, these prospects aren’t seeing changes to their eligibility. These are uncertain times for many businesses and that includes the NFL.
The supplemental draft is in July so there is still time to get some answers prior and what changes or doesn’t change in with regard to the country opening back up and/or the virus burning itself out could be the deciding factors for how the NFL and college players approach the supplemental draft.
UPDATE: The NFL announced on Thursday that it won't make changes to the supplemental draft this year. Eligible prospects must be entering their final year at college and have lost their eligibility in order to petition for entry.
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