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11 Under-the-Radar WRs Broncos can Target Later in Draft to Upgrade Offense
There was a clear issue with the Denver Broncos offense in 2019, and it persisted regardless of who started at quarterback. This is a team lacking a true No. 2 or 3 wide receiver, and it showed up multiple times this season.
Courtland Sutton was great, but teams found out ways to limit his impact later in games, which is where having those other receivers are a must. Thankfully for the Broncos, the 2020 NFL Draft is loaded with receiver talent.
It is the perfect time for Denver to draft a receiver or two and try and find that WR2 and WR3 they're missing. The Broncos have players worthy of being the WR4 and WR5, but they need more than that, especially if Drew Lock is going to turn the corner in year two.
With the 2020 WR class being so strong, there are plenty of prospects flying under the radar that the Broncos can go after in the mid-to-late rounds. Here are 11.
Denzel Mims, Baylor
Mims is probably a day-two receiver who you just aren’t hearing about often enough. He runs really good routes, has a huge catch radius, and the speed to challenge defenses deep. While he has a viable catch radius, he isn’t the most physical at the catch point, which is one area hurting his stock.
John Hightower, Boise State
Speed, speed and more speed is what Hightower brings to the table. He can help his team as a deep threat, returner, or even on jet sweeps. There is also some quickness with his routes, but the technical aspect of route running can be improved.
K.J. Hill, Ohio State
A really good route runner, Hill has good speed, good hands, and is just a jack-of-all-trades receiver. His lack of elite traits is hurting his draft stock in a class full of receivers with elite traits in spades. Hill is very natural and fluid with all aspects of being a receiver. One big concern is his catch radius.
Marquez Callaway, Tennessee
Another speed receiver that can come in and be a deep threat, Callaway will need work to be more than that for an offense. His route tree is limited, and he is one of the rare receivers that struggles dealing with off coverage more than press because he can fight at the line of scrimmage and then take off.
Tyrie Cleveland, Florida
Another speedy receiver that can take the top off of a defense. Despite how much speed he brings, he isn’t very quick, so there are going to be issues if teams try to use him underneath and get big plays from that spot. That just isn’t likely to be a part of his game.
Tyler Vaughns, USC
A long-stride receiver with good speed and natural deep ball tracking, coaches will have to work with Vaughns and teach him how to attack different coverages, which is lacking from his game. He has some quickness through his routes to help him get separation, and be a threat after the catch when paired with his speed.
Easop Winston, Jr., Washington State
Winston is the type of receiver you want to get the ball to quickly and then let him make a play. He does a good job of exploiting angles against defenders and making them miss as a result. His best routes are those that get him open quickly and with space to make a play. He may not be the best fit for the Broncos, but he could be a solid slot option anyway. Winston is a receiver that should be used in an offense that will spread out the defense.
Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
An outstanding athlete that can probably play any of the receiver roles a team may have, he is best suited as a slot receiver at the NFL level. He knows how to find the soft spot in zone coverage, and sit in it, then quickly turn to make a play with the ball in his hands. There is solid speed and quickness with Bowden as well.
James Proche, SMU
Not very athletic, or fast, but a smaller and reliable receiver that will find the soft spot in zone coverage. His hands are fantastic and can be relied on to make some really tough catches and in big moments. Proche is also very tough as a blocker and fits as a slot receiver that can be the quarterback’s safety net.
Jauan Jennings, Tennessee
A very reliable receiver in big moments, Jennings isn’t the most athletic receiver, but he is one of the toughest and he brings it ever snap no matter what he is asked to do. Jennings profiles as a position receiver, but there is decent speed to his game as well.
Warren Jackson, Colorado State
Jackson has tremendous size at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. He knows how to use that size to win, but at that size, he has surprising quickness. While he has over 1,000 yards receiving, he hasn’t faced the toughest of competition.
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