Finding Broncos: Two Auburn Tigers Defenders to Add Depth
The Denver Broncos have a sincere need to add depth to the defensive line both along the interior and at the edge position. With injury concerns to Randy Gregory and Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto coming along slowly, and a relative lack of quality depth, adding to the edge room is near the top of the list of needs going into 2023.
Denver added Zach Allen to replace Dre’mont Jones in free agency. Still, with Mike Purcell on the last year of his deal and DeShawn Williams signing a deal in Carolina, the Broncos are poised to increase the roles of unproven depth pieces in Eyioma Uwazurike and Matt Henningsen.
Eku Leota | Edge | Auburn
Pros:
- Explosive pass rusher that has an incredible burst off the line of scrimmage.
- Good blend of size, speed, length, and play strength.
- Solid in the running game with the ability to shed blockers relatively easily.
- He takes on pulling blockers aggressively and can be difficult to move off the spot against the run.
- He has good length and uses it well to keep blockers out of his chest plate.
- Active hands that fight consistently to keep separation.
- Effort player that constantly tries to disrupt the passer as the play breaks down.
- Despite being a rotational player, he racked up 85 total pressures and 20 sacks in his four-year career.
- Had 18 pressures and four sacks in five games in 2022.
Cons:
- Suffered a torn pectoral muscle in 2022, then a calf strain heading into the combine.
- Pass rush skill set is lacking refinement.
- Much of his production was from second and third efforts rather than instantaneous pressures.
- Missed a lot of sacks on tape due to a higher target area and poor tackling technique.
- Tight in the hips and lacks the desired bend around the arc.
- Lateral agility is lacking on twists and stunts.
- An upright pad level that can stall his pass rush and limit his leverage.
- Rawness in his pass rush plan needs to be developed.
Overview:
Eku Leota is a bursty pass rusher that wins with speed and effort. However, he is still raw due to playing as a rotational player for his first three seasons and missing most of 2022 with a pectoral injury. Leota uses his length well and has active hands, but technical refinement and learning the game's finer nuances are needed at the next level.
He has a high upside as a pass rusher moving forward, specifically as a wide-nine technique that can win with his good first step off the snap. In addition, he can have some success as a run defender early on due to his aggressiveness when taking on blockers and setting a firm edge while also having the ability to ride a blocker toward the boundary and create good angles for his playmakers behind him.
Fit with the Broncos:
While Eku Leota is a raw player, there is a path for him to see the field as a run defender early for the Broncos' defense. He appears to be much better suited for that role coming off of the seven or nine-technique than Nik Bonitto is currently. Injury concerns could see him slide a round or two, so his high upside to the fold on day three would be a solid investment.
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Colby Wooden | DL | Auburn
Pros:
- He showed a lot of position versatility, lining up in multiple different alignments on both sides of the defense.
- He is a high-effort player that continuously keeps himself moving.
- He has a nice first step rushing from the inside to insert himself into the gap.
- He is a solid run defender with room to grow as he develops his technique.
- Upper body strength frequently flashes with a solid push-pull technique.
- Has nice swim and spin moves to separate from blockers easily.
- Shows a nice pop with heavy hands.
- He has upside as an interior pass rusher in a one-gap scheme where he can attack the B-gap.
Cons:
- Inconsistency is all over his tape.
- Not overly explosive or twitchy.
- He needs to find the right scheme and coaching to maximize his ceiling.
- Bend is lacking to be a true edge defender coming around the arc.
- Pad-level inconsistency is easily his biggest flaw.
- He needs to play to his length much better than he does.
- His hands are a little inactive, showing in stack-and-shed scenarios and counter moves as a pass rusher. Hand placement is also very inconsistent.
- Lateral agility is lacking to be effective on twists and stunts.
- Inconsistent anchor at times and can be bullied down the field against double teams.
Overview:
Colby Wooden is a versatile defensive lineman who saw action at multiple positions along the front with varying degrees of success. Much more suited as a penetrator than a two-gapping lineman, Wooden does a nice job of inserting himself into gaps as a run defender with a good first step and timing off of the snap. There are some play strength inconsistencies throughout his tape, but he flashes powerful hands at times and has a nice swim move that he uses to shed blockers at the point of attack.
Wooden has some production as a pass rusher with 17 sacks over the last three seasons, but there is much more to be desired, specifically when coming from the edge as a five or seven-technique defensive end. He has some stiffness in his hips and lacks bend, making him a more linear rusher that needs to play to his length more to be successful moving forward. His best fit for immediate success is as a four or five-technique defensive end in an even-front alignment where he can crash the B-gap as a pass rusher and slash against the run.
Fit with the Broncos:
The Broncos acquired Zach Allen in free agency to fill the five-technique defensive end position as a starter, but Wooden would fit as a rotational backup for the Broncos' defense as he continues to develop in his technique. However, Vance Joseph prefers his defensive lineman to be able to eat blockers and allow the linebackers to flow to the football, especially on the strong side of the formation.
Wooden can play more of the backside seven-technique and have some success there, but overall his fit is a bit wonky due to his inconsistent anchor against double teams. As a pass rusher, Wooden would fit as a developmental piece that can attack the B-gap and push the pocket. He has a lot of upside in that role but has to show more consistency in his pad level and ability to counter against stronger players as they latch into his chest plate to be relied upon as a full-time player early in his career.
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