Finding Broncos: 5 Top-50 Prospects

Finding Broncos scouts the 2023 NFL Draft with a group of prospects projected to go in the first two rounds.

The Denver Broncos don't select until the beginning of the third round, meaning that the top talent in the class will likely be gone by the time they come on the clock. Regardless, teams still dive into almost every prospect for the "just-in-case scenario."

Zach Charbonnet | RB | UCLA

© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Pros:

• Prototypical size for a between-the-tackles runner.
• Powerful lower half that runs through tackles very well.
• He has good vision, pressing the hole and allowing his blocks to get set up.
• Burst through the hole is above average.
• Decent speed to rip off longer gains.
• Good hands as a pass catcher out of the backfield.
• Great in pass protection, coming to meet the defender in the hole rather than allow him to sneak through the offensive linemen.
• Highly productive player in college, with over 3000 total rushing yards and a 5.9 yards per carry average.
• He picked up 1,359 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in 2022.

Cons:

• He doesn't have the blazing speed to be a true home run hitter.
• Stiff hips that lack high-end change of direction ability.
• Better runner in outside zone than as a power runner in a gap scheme.
• He needs to play to his size better when going through the line of scrimmage.
• Upright pad level leads to a big target for tacklers in open space.
• Stop and start ability is below average.

Fit with Broncos:

There is a very slim chance Charbonnet falls to the third round, but if he does, the Broncos could have some interest. When working with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, Sean Payton showed he could be fluid with his run concepts. However, the scheme's base has been power gap concepts, which Charbonnet isn't the best fit for. Instead, he is better suited in an outside zone scheme, where he can press the hole and allow lanes to open up for him. 

Jahmyr Gibbs | RB | Alabama

© Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Pros:

• He has elite speed at the position.
• Quality first step and acceleration to put defenders on their heels.
• Fluid lower half that creates explosive jump cuts.
• Lateral agility is above average.
• Good vision in open space, creating difficult angles to catch up downfield while changing tempos throughout the run.
• Elite pass-catching ability out of the backfield.
• He can be split out as a receiver and be a dynamic threat.
• His well-rounded route tree makes him a highly desired offensive weapon for creative play callers.

Cons:

• Smaller player for the position.
• He has a thin frame that needs to add more mass to protect himself from big hits.
• He requires more patience behind the line of scrimmage to allow his blocking to set up.
• Forces the issue to the outside too quickly and gets out of the play design too often.
• Pass protection is a concern due to his size limitations.

Fit with Broncos:

Jahmyr Gibbs will likely be long gone before the Broncos select, as he is widely considered the second-best player at the position and a top-40 player in the class. That said, Gibbs is tough to defend in open space. Forcing him to play between the tackles is the best way to contain him, as he lacks the decisiveness to hit the hole and size to power his way through the offensive line.

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Anton Harrison | OT | Oklahoma

© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Pros:

• He started at left tackle for two years for the Sooners.
• Prototypical size and length for the position.
• He has decent movement skills, with smooth feet in his kick slide.
• Good pass protector running around the arc.
• Finds targets and lands on them in the second level.
• Heavy hands that land accurately.
• He keeps his head on a swivel and is constantly looking for work.
• He does a great job extending his arms and keeping defenders at bay.

Cons:

• Less than average athleticism.
• Lacks true power as a drive blocker.
• He can sometimes get upright, allowing defenders to beat him with leverage.
• He lacks the power to jar defenders and dictate the rep in his initial punch.
• He has slower foot speed in his kick slide and struggles on deep-angle pass sets.
• Below average recovery ability.
• He struggles with speed-to-power conversion from power rushers.

Fit with Broncos:

Anton Harrison has been hyped up as a potential first-round selection, maybe even a top-20 pick in a quality tackle class. The best counter against Harrison comes with a powerful Edge rusher that plays with good leverage and a low pad level, knocking Harrison back into the pocket. Harrison has a rough anchor ability and doesn't recover well against power. 

Miles Murphy | Edge | Clemson

© Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Pros:

• An absolute freak show of an athlete.
• Great size and length for the position.
• He has enough bend around the arc to win as a speed rusher.
• He can slide inside and win against tackles in the B-Gap.
• Scheme versatility is a big plus.
• First-step explosiveness is above average.
• He uses his long arms to set the tackle on skates and drive him back into the pocket.
• He has a nice spin move but needs to use it more.
• The production is there, with 36 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks in his career.
• He forced six fumbles in college.

Cons:

• The pass-rush plan lacks nuance.
• Relies on his speed and athleticism more than power and technique.
• He needs more refinement in his hand fighting to develop inside counter moves.
• He can get too far upfield as a pass rusher and allow tackles to ride him around the arc.
• Stiffness in his lower half causes a change of direction issues in short areas.
• Needs better identification in the running game.
• He missed many opportunities for production due to not finishing plays in the backfield.

Fit with Broncos:

Myles Murphy has seen a slight dip in his draft stock but should still be a first-round pick. Murphy has issues playing against bullies in the running game and identifying read-option plays. Quarterbacks that step up into the pocket can escape from his side as he gets too far upfield and loses contain behind him.

Drew Sanders | LB | Arkansas

© Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports

Pros:

• A versatile defender that can play off of the ball or rush the passer as an edge defender.
• A great athlete with a smooth lower half.
• Decent length for an inside linebacker.
• Really good range to track down ball carriers.
• Shows a decent amount of explosiveness in his first step.
• He extends his arms well as a stack and shed defender.
• Has decent sideline-to-sideline speed.
• Flashes a nice swim move.
• He can be effective attacking as a blitzer in the A-gap.

Cons:

• Tweener size with no true position.
• Lacks the ideal length for an edge defender.
• Lacks functional strength for a power player.
• Gets lost in the wash a lot.
• He is slow to read and can be late reacting to his keys.
• Misses a lot of tackles in open space.
• 19.7% missed tackle rate, according to PFF.
• Coverage skills are below average, with stiff hips moving away from the ball.
• Not a lot of experience and is very raw.

Fit with Broncos:

Drew Sanders likely won't be available for the Broncos. There is a lot of speculation about him being a possible first-round pick. Attacking Sanders with power in the running game and twitchy receivers in the passing game is the ideal way to neutralize his skill set. Sanders lacks mass and power, so he gets moved off the spot frequently. He also has some stiffness in his hips and lacks the desired change of direction ability in coverage.

Aside from Charbonnet, most of these players figure to be out of reach for the Broncos. However, if any of them were to fall into the middle of the second round, Denver may be willing to trade up to go and get them. Myles Murphy is the best natural fit of the bunch.

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