Finding Broncos: Five Prospects to help the Defensive Front Seven

There are solid starters in place for the Denver Broncos with their front seven on defense, but they need to improve their depth. While the 2023 Draft class isn't great, the defensive side of the ball has good depth at most positions. The defensive line is lacking, but edge and cornerback have excellent depth, with linebacker and safety being solid.

Durell Nchami | Edge | Maryland

Pros

Despite the limited reps, his production rates were solid.
He kept things clean with only four penalties.
He has good flexibility and ankle flexion to bend the arch.
There is a good burst to close on the ball.
His motor runs hot, and he will work to chase down plays from behind.
There is good versatility with where you can line him up on defense.
There is limited experience on special teams, but the results were good.

Cons

Limited experience, with only 1,005 snaps over four seasons.
The limited experience is a result of injuries where he missed half of 2021 and all of 2019, which lingered into 2020.
There isn't a lot of power to his game, and he can get bullied at the point of attack.
The technique is lacking, and there aren't a lot of tools in his arsenal.

Fit with Broncos

The Broncos need to add depth at edge, and the class is deep. While it is impossible to predict, Nchami is projected to go undrafted because of the injuries and lack of experience. However, Denver has taken shots on undrafted edges with an injury history before, and Nchami could be worth it as well.

Keion White | Edge | Georgia Tech

Pros

He is a versatile defender with a great build, frame, mass, and length.
He is an exceptional athlete that he uses consistently.
Freak athlete and build that can dominate with added technique to make the package more dangerous.
There is no doubt he has the skills to be a three-down player.
Dominate production in 2019 at Old Dominion and again in 2022 at Georgia Tech.
His body has plenty of power to get under pads and put blockers on skates.
There is a surprising ability to bend the arch, especially for his size.
The potential to be a weapon on the front is there, moving him around to attack the weakest point on the line.

Cons

He lacks refinement with his technique overall, especially as a pass rusher.
He is a ball of clay that has to be molded instead of relying on the physical traits that worked consistently in college.
Still learning how to play defense after transitioning from tight end.
He has only played 1,290 snaps on defense over three seasons.
Play recognition is understandably underwhelming.
He has to maintain body control and discipline.
He must learn to use his length more consistently, especially for the NFL.

Fit with Broncos

White is the prospect out of this group that will hear his name called first, and it could be before the Broncos' first pick. There are so many tools and traits to work with that you can't teach, and coaches will love him. The scheme doesn't matter for White, and if he is there when the Broncos are on the board, his raw versatility could be impossible to pass up.

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Tyrus Wheat | Edge | Mississippi State

Pros

Solid frame with good mass built throughout his body.
There is good experience with 1,843 snaps over three seasons.
His production was solid and consistent.
He did surprisingly well when dropping into coverage to bait quarterbacks.
There is good burst and explosion off the snap.
He does well to convert that initial explosion into driving power.
There is solid lateral range as a run defender, and holds up well at the point of attack.

Cons

A modest athlete who isn't overly explosive.
He doesn't have great length.
His hands are dead and inactive.
There is no pass rush plan with his attack, and he is a straight-up rusher.
While his percentage of missed tackles wasn't high, it is an issue, especially with his lack of length.
His awareness isn't great, and his instincts are not any better.

Fit with Broncos

Wheat is a good fit for the Broncos to help raise the room's floor. There isn't much there to be a starter consistently in the NFL, but as the fourth or fifth option as a rookie with the potential to be the third guy on the rotation. There is reliability in his play that gives him a significant boost as a prospect.

Thomas Rush | Edge | Minnesota

Pros

The size, frame, and length aren't great, but they are good enough.
He is a good athlete overall and uses it well.
He is praised for his football IQ.
He holds up well at the point of attack and has good enough power.
There are flashes when he drops into coverage to bait the quarterback.
He is able to finish his pressures consistently with a solid burst to close and secure the sack.
He kept it clean with no penalties called against him.
There is plenty of exposure on special teams where the results were reliable.

Cons

He only played more than 500 snaps in a season once and 1,274 snaps over five seasons.
His production was modest, with 39 pressures in the last two seasons.
There isn't an elite physical trait for him to fall back on.
His length sometimes creates an issue when it comes to securing tackles.
He might be more of a tweener between a linebacker and a true edge.

Fit with Broncos

Rush is another prospect that will likely go undrafted, but his football IQ will see him land somewhere. Even without the elite traits, he has enough to work as part of a rotation and contribute to special teams with added development. With the few draft picks the Broncos have, they'll have to look hard at the undrafted rookies, and Rush makes sense for them.

Carlton Martial | LB | Troy

Pros

He brings reliable play and experience on special teams.
There is great range, and he looks to have decent fluidity to change direction on tape.
He was praised for his football IQ, instincts, awareness, and leadership qualities.
His motor is relentless, and he plays to the whistle.

Cons

Extremely undersized, measuring 5-foot-7 and 210 pounds at the Senior Bowl.
Poor athlete to make up for the lack of size.
He will be extremely limited on defense if he sees any time there and could find himself as a special teams-only player, where he would have to excel.
The missed tackles are all over his tape.
With his size and athleticism, or lack thereof, there isn't a position for him on defense.

Fit with Broncos

Martial is hard to project to the NFL because he is an outlier and may not have a position on defense. However, there are good qualities to work with and attempt to develop him into a special teams ace, which is likely where he must carve out a career. If the Broncos feel they can get him going on special teams, then he makes sense as an undrafted free agent, but anything more than that, it'll need to be a pass.

With only five draft picks to work with, the Broncos have to make the most of their selections. They have done well in improving vital areas with their free-agent spending spree, but they are in a position where they'll have to fill out their depth with rookies with their few draft picks and undrafted free agents.

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