Finding Broncos: Two Michigan Wolverines to Bring Added Depth
The Michigan Wolverines have been an NFL pipeline for years, churning out hundreds of high-quality players that land on rosters across the league. This class is no different, with several Wolverines projected to be selected on the second and third days of the draft. There may even be one or two that sneak into the tail end of the first round.
DJ Turner | CB | Michigan
Pros:
- Incredible speed, running a 4.26 forty-yard dash at the combine.
- Really good athlete at the position with inside and outside versatility.
- Fluid hips that transition well, staying in phase easily while carrying the route vertically.
- Recovery speed is intense.
- Man and zone coverage versatility with patient footwork into and out of breaks.
- He does well in deep ball situations with good awareness of finding the ball.
- Great player in trail technique that catches back up to the catch point easily.
- He squeezes the receiver to the sideline and gets his head around quickly on deep routes.
- He likes to get physical and drives on ball carriers nicely.
Cons:
- Undersized for the position and lacks length.
- He runs directly into blockers and gets overpowered in the running game.
- Upper body mechanics and strength is lacking, leading blockers to be able to latch on and displace him out of run fits.
- Chase and tackle defender that has to lunge too frequently as a tackler.
- Some change of direction issues, especially across the middle of the field.
- Wrap and twist tackler that can get caught slipping off of ball carriers relatively easily.
- Bigger receivers can win against him with length and physicality at the catch point.
- He is too patient in his backpedal, sometimes causing him to be late to transition and catch up.
Overview:
Turner is a high-quality coverage corner who relies on his athleticism and instincts to stick with his man. His hips are smooth and fluid, which helps his ability to transition. The backpedal is patient, where he waits through the route break and uses his speed to catch up and get back into the hip of his receiver. With three interceptions and 17 passes broken up over the last two seasons, he has shown solid ball skills. However, with his lack of size and length, he has issues with bigger receivers. He gives a consistent effort with good technique, but that sometimes isn't good enough. The physicality is there as a tackler, but he has a bad habit of lunging into his attempts.
Fit with the Broncos:
As a versatile coverage cornerback that can play in any scheme, Turner fits rather well with the Broncos. He excels in close-quarters coverage, where he can mirror receivers and stay sticky, especially going vertically. Turner can turn and run with anybody, making him an intriguing defender for most defenses with his athleticism alone. Turner would immediately compete with Damarri Mathis on the boundary with a fail-safe as a high-quality nickel defender should his size fail him at the next level.
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ronnie Bell | WR | Michigan
Pros:
- Led Michigan with 62 receptions for 889 yards and four scores in 2022.
- An absolute dog as a run blocker, showing physicality with a good latch and grip strength.
- A smooth runner with an unlockable second gear.
- Strong hands that can pluck the ball easily out of the air.
- Good catch radius despite being a smaller receiver.
- Body adjustments and control are above average.
- Good speed variation throughout the route and finds holes in zone coverage easily.
- He leverages his route stems well, helping to create separation.
- He can be a manufactured touch player, with several rushing attempts in his career.
- A multi-positional player with slot, boundary, and backfield versatility.
- There is punt return versatility that makes him an attractive special teams player.
Cons:
- He lacks true top-end speed.
- He returned from a torn ACL in 2022, showing a lack of burst out of his breaks.
- He consistently slowed down at the top of the stem, allowing defenders to close on his routes.
- Change of direction skills are lacking, though the injury could have hampered that.
- Not a very reliable deep threat due to a lack of playing to top speed consistently.
- He doesn’t have much explosiveness in his lower half and doesn’t shrink cushions consistently.
- His release package off of the line of scrimmage is simplistic.
- Hand fighting in press coverage is below average, allowing defenders to disrupt his timing.
Overview:
There is good versatility, toughness, and grit with the receiver. He stands out as a blocker, attacking defenders with that nasty demeanor that lasts through the whistle. His route running has sophistication and nuance, where he does well to leverage defenders to get separation. Without the burst or top speed, he relies on instincts in space and nuance to be effective. When attacking the ball, he shows reliable hands with a good catch radius. Through his routes, he has good speed variation, though defenders can close on him easily. Since his return from an ACL, he hasn't been as sudden or fluid with his breaks, and there seemed to be cautious with certain routes.
Fit with the Broncos:
Ronnie Bell is a curious fit with the Denver Broncos because he doesn’t bring any elite traits to the fold they don't already have, aside from a bully mentality as a blocker on the boundary. He makes a ton of sense as a depth receiver with punt return ability, but with the top options already in place, Bell would be a lower-level roster placeholder for the 2022 season. However, he has WR3 upside should he continue to progress back from his knee injury, so spending a late-round flier on a good football player could be an option.
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