Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Finding Broncos: 25 Intriguing Prospects to Consider in 2020 Draft
Considering the Denver Broncos situation, they really need to be putting in extra effort to scout the 2020 NFL Draft. The Broncos started 0-4, and teams simply don’t bounce back from that.
This is a team that has been exposed by its lack of talent and depth. The Broncos need to be looking at every position in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Let's take a look at the next list of 25 prospects in the 2020 draft that should be high on Denver's scouting list.
Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
Herbert is right there as the top quarterback of the draft class, and he has shown tremendous growth from last season. There isn’t much left he can prove this season, except showing up in big moments by making big plays. Teams will also be curious about his medical history which is pretty extensive.
Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa
Stanley is a very smart quarterback who works well in the red zone. There is still a lot teams need to see with his reads and accuracy, but he knows when to take risks and to take what is given. He is very much a guy that needs developing at the NFL level, but he will have a long NFL career, even if it is as a backup.
Anthony McFarland, RB, Maryland
It's been a rough year for McFarland who hasn’t answered the call as the bell-cow for Maryland. He is a speedy back that will make defenders miss and get big plays. Teams will love the dynamic he brings to an offense as an outside runner, but they will be scared by his lack of receiving skills and blocking.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
Taylor is a running back that has solid speed and power, but he wins with his vision. NFL teams who run a zone scheme are going to be drooling over Taylor. There haven’t been many runs where he has had to create for himself because of the strong Badger run-blockers and he has a high workload already. Teams will have to balance out the long list of pros with those two concerning cons.
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Such an amazing skill-set that is perfect for the modern NFL. He is right there as one of the top receivers of this draft class. There isn’t elite speed, but Lamb is plenty fast enough. His routes need work, but they are good enough for the NFL. Basically, his weaknesses are just areas that can use work for the NFL.
Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
A big play waiting to happen. Wallace has plenty of speed to stretch the field for an offense and has made many big plays already for Oklahoma State this year. He isn’t the strongest of players, and his route tree is limited, however, Wallace has shown many flashes of handling more as a route runner. There is also some shifty to his game too. It will be interesting to see whether he declares with the injury he sustained.
Josiah Deguara, TE, Cincinnati
A true safety net at the tight end position, Deguara is a jack-of-all-trades. He can block, catch, has good hands, runs solid routes, and is a solid athlete. There is a competitive fire, but his draft stock will be hurt with all of his limitations. However, he is a good depth option.
Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri
A big-bodied tight end that has good hands, and is a good blocker. In terms of these true in-line tight ends, there isn’t a better option in the draft than Okwuegbunam. There are multiple areas that need to be developed, but he is a safe option that is the type of tight end that will have a long career.
Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
A huge offensive tackle that is surprisingly nimble and a good athlete as well but there is plenty of power to his game. He is scheme-versatile because of checking every box for an offensive tackle. His technique will need to be cleaned up, but he has shown good technical growth so far this season. He did suffer a bad injury, but should be good to go by next season.
Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn
A true athletic tackle that is an excellent mover, Wanogho does a great job of getting into proper position, and because of the athleticism, he does it quickly. The downfall is his technique, which despite showing improvements this year, is still extremely raw. Teams have gotten themselves into trouble taking the athletic upside, raw tackle. Just ask Denver.
Nick Harris, IOL, Washington
Pretty far along on a technical level, Harris’ big issues are just toning down the aggressive nature of his play-style. His issues are more mental-level issues, which can be concerning to teams, however, he is well of technically that he can plug in at center day one.
Darryl Williams, IOL, Mississippi State
A smart interior lineman who falls short in multiple areas for interior offensive linemen, Williams' skills project best into a gap/power scheme more than a zone scheme. There will need to be work put in to get him stronger for the NFL game, but his smarts will be a huge plus in the middle of the offensive line.
Zach Shackelford, IOL, Texas
Shackelford is a solid mover, with a good anchor and good strength. Projecting his scheme fit is a bit difficult as he is a tweener in that respect. He lacks the strength and power to drive for gap/power schemes, and his lateral agility is lackluster for the zone scheme. Playing him at center is a must to limit the number of one-on-one matchups.
Larrell Murchison, DL, N.C. State
Teams are going to love the effort that Murchison brings every snap. He is a very athletic and explosive defensive lineman who does his best work shooting gaps to make plays. His lateral movement is great and he has good range to chase down from behind. What he does need to work on is getting stronger and getting his hands to be more effective, especially for instances when he doesn’t win with his athleticism.
Neville Gallimore, DL, Oklahoma
'Big', 'strong' and 'freaky athlete' are words that come to mind with Gallimore. He has plenty of strength to hold his own against double teams, and the athleticism to provide interior pressure. There is a concern about conditioning and his processing, but this season has provided some answers to those concerns.
Robert Landers, DL, Ohio State
Landers has a solid first step that allows him to shoot gaps, but he struggles when that doesn’t work. There are concerns with moving laterally or recovering from losing the rep early on. There is good strength to drop and anchor and he has a solid foundation in technique. He has been part of a deep depth chart, and that may be how he needs to be used in the NFL.
Alton Robinson, Edge, Syracuse
Being explosive off the snap makes him hard to contain on the edge for offensive tackles. Robinson combines that explosive first step with good length and power and he knows how to use both. There is a good understanding of playing the gaps, and he has a good processor to read the play and attack the proper gaps. His technique is lacking as he tends to rely more on the traits.
Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State
His outstanding length is his best weapon and he knows how to use it. He won’t give up on plays and keeps fighting, and during that he keeps his pad level low, which isn’t common for college players. With his length, he has a good arsenal of pass-rushing moves that are even more effective. His processor isn’t the fastest, and he needs to get a lot stronger at the point of attack for the NFL. Right now he looks like just a pass rush specialist.
Monty Rice, LB, Georgia
A board-climber this season, Rice is showing a lot of improvements from last year. A great athlete with lots of range, Rice shows improved processing to read and diagnose plays. He isn’t the best at getting off blocks, but he can sidestep them to get into position to make a play. A very natural linebacker, especially in coverage.
Paddy Fisher, LB, Northwestern
Fisher is an old fashioned linebacker that has some concerns in coverage, especially for how athletic the game is getting. He does such a great job coming downhill and making plays against the run. His evaluation and overall grade will be helped by athletic testing, as there are concerns about how much of an athlete he really is.
Charles Snowden, LB, Virginia
Snowden is this year’s hybrid edge/off-ball as he does such a great job setting the edge against the run, but does a really good job when dropping into zone coverages. His length is insane, and that is what he uses to set the edge. His technique overall needs work in all phases, but the athleticism and his size will draw teams’ attention.
Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
Watching him, it is obvious he is still learning the position. Adebo has some bright flashes, but inconsistencies must be coached out for the NFL level. He is competitive at the catch point and doesn’t let the receiver make the catch cleanly. There is scheme versatility, but his best work comes in off-zone coverage.
Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
Ball skills for days with Gladney who has five career interceptions and 26 passes broken up. His patience, awareness and click-and-close are great. The skills he has are perfect for a cover-two scheme. There are tendencies of him getting bullied by bigger receivers, and his pedal needs more technique work.
Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
Versatile and athletic, Alabama asks a lot from McKinney, and he always shows up. His coverage play is great and he does a good job as a run defender and a blitzer. He is very well-rounded and what weaknesses there are, simply come down to a lack of elite range or burst. There is so much to like about McKinney.
Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State
With great size and athleticism with so many physical gifts, Nasirildeen is quickly rising up boards, and could hear his name called early in round two with the way he is playing. He is very explosive, has good range and is a very fluid mover. There are concerns with his tape, one of which being a lack of clarity to what is his natural position should be in the NFL.
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