Finding Broncos: Five Versatile Offensive Linemen to Bring Needed Competition

The Denver Broncos made significant moves to improve their offensive line with the signing of Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers. However, there is still work to do. They could use additional competition at center, while also adding competition among the backups.

Ryan Hayes | OT/OL | Michigan

Pros

He has a good frame to add more mass.
He is a good athlete with burst and agility, with solid explosion.
He has enough versatility to play tackle or guard on either side of the line.
There is good play strength and solid movement skills to be scheme versatile.
He has the power to generate push at the point of attack.
His technique overall is solid, but the consistency isn't there.
He can generate torque to displace defenders set in their anchor at the point of attack.
There is good hand technique, and he quickly resets them when they get dislodged.

Cons

There is a need to add more mass to his frame, no matter where he ends up on the line.
While his movement skills are solid, he does have to improve his clunky footwork.
He doesn't have ideal length.
There is a lapse in technique, a concern coming out of Michigan.
There is a concern with his grip strength to sustain blocks.
He can drop into his anchor late, giving up ground to defenders.
He might be a guard only for multiple teams, which is a concern with his naturally high pad level and a bad habit of rising as the rep goes.

Fit with Broncos

Hayes is a solid prospect that is easy to coach and praised for his intangibles. He would be a good fit for the Broncos to work on developing while offering up enough to start in an emergency as a rookie. He would likely be a guard more than a tackle for the Broncos, which they need to revamp their depth.

Blake Freeland | OT | BYU

Pros

He is an elite athlete at the position, with solid size and length.
He is a leader on and off the field, with outstanding experience playing 2,690 snaps between both tackle spots.
The production is there in pass protection, allowing only two sacks and 41 pressures over four seasons.
He is effective in the run game, using his athleticism and solid technique to dislodge defenders and get some push.
He keeps his head up when pulling or climbing and works with timing.
There is quickness to his movement to hit his landmarks in a timely matter, and he comes into balance before engaging.

Cons

There needs to be added mass to his frame.
There are concerns if he can unlock his hips consistently when working laterally.
There is an issue with handling power, which was on display at the Senior Bowl.
He will likely find himself limited to a zone scheme and is a tackle only, hurting his value with power-based teams.
He has a naturally high pad level and has a bad habit of popping right up.
There needs to be refinement with his footwork when working in pass protection.

Fit with Broncos

What scheme teams run will be significant with Freeland's scouting profile. The issue with scheme fit is also why he isn't a great fit for the Broncos, as they are building up to be a power-run offense. If they ran a lot more zone, especially outside zone, Freeland would be a great fit. He is likely a third-round pick for teams that do, but it would be a risk for the Broncos to take him that early.

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Earl Bostick Jr | OT/OL | Kansas

Pros

He has good length and solid size.
He is a great athlete with good speed, burst, explosion, and agility.
He has good experience, with over 2,100 snaps over the last three seasons.
His production in pass protection is solid, with eight sacks and 55 pressures allowed over three seasons.
He can unlock his hips to boost his movement skills laterally.
Has is rapid with his footwork and kick slides.
He has good footwork with light and quick feet.
He does well to get into position to seal off running lanes on inside zone runs.

Cons

He is a little thin in the frame and could use a bit of mass, but he may not have room for a lot.
He kept things relatively clean, with only eight penalties in the last three years.
There isn't much power there at the point of attack.
He lacks sand in his pants to anchor and can be late to try and anchor down.
He lacks versatility as a tackle only in a heavy outside zone scheme.

Fit with Broncos

Bostick is another tackle that the scheme will play a significant role in his prospect portfolio. Teams that are heavy with zone runs, especially outside zone, will be higher on Bostick than gap/power teams. With that in mind, what the Broncos have done with their offensive line so far, suggests that Bostick isn't a great fit.

Dalton Wagner | OT | Arkansas

Pros

With plenty of length, Wagner has good size and build for the NFL.
There is plenty of experience playing 2,788 snaps over five seasons, with many starts under his belt.
His production during his career was good, with 12 sacks and 68 pressures allowed over five seasons.
Despite his natural height, he plays decently well with bend to keep the pad level low.
His timing and placement with his punch are consistent and strong.
He is a decent mover when climbing but needs to be kept inside the box.
There is a good habit of keeping his body working in sync to limit the damage caused by his heavy feet.

Cons

He isn't much of an athlete, with poor explosion and agility.
He is a clunky plodding mover with heavy feet.
He has a naturally high pad level.
There are issues with sustaining blocks, and making that second block.
His kick-slide isn't smooth or quick, and can see him strained around the edge.
There is poor balance and body control with his blocking.

Fit with Broncos

Wagner is a better fit for a gap/power scheme that will limit his movement and won't ask him to work outside the box very often. He is a tackle-only prospect, so his lack of versatility damages his value. With the Broncos building up a gap/power scheme, with some inside zone stuff, Wagner could work. More than that, he gives them a developmental option, though his ceiling isn't super high, to be a swing tackle option if the development comes.

Graham Barton | OT/OL | Duke

Pros

There is good size and a frame to add a bit more mass.
He has experience at center and left tackle and is praised for his versatility to play anywhere along the line.
He is praised for his football IQ.
There was a tremendous improvement in his technique from 2021 to 2022 in pass protection.
He cut down from 20 pressures and six sacks in 2021 to 10 pressures and two sacks in 2022.
He has solid power and movement skills to fit any scheme adequately.
He has excellent awareness of stunts and twists, with solid technique when passing off defenders.
There is good lower body power, and he flashes the ability to roll it up through his hips to generate push.

Cons

There was an issue with penalties over three seasons, with 15 flags thrown against him.
He lacks consistency with his technique in pass protection and, at times, seems to ease up during the rep.
While he has solid movement skills, there are issues with his range when pulling or climbing.
There is a bad habit of lunging and lowering his head on the second level, leading to whiffed blocks.
There needs to be improved recovery technique and better protect himself against counters.

Fit with Broncos

Barton is a solid prospect with a high floor and a low ceiling. While he may not have the room for growth to be a starter in the NFL, there is enough to work with as a backup tackle. He fits in well with what the Broncos do on offense and what they need on the offensive line.

This isn't a strong class for offensive linemen, but hidden gems can always be found. With only five picks, the Broncos will have to look hard for those gems to use the picks on and hope to find some among the undrafted rookies.

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