Sean Payton Reveals Broncos Had Extensive Meeting With QB Prospect

The Denver Broncos are doing their due diligence in their scouting process.

Denver Broncos v Las Vegas Raiders / Candice Ward/GettyImages

The chatter has remained non-stop when it comes to the Denver Broncos and their preparation ahead of the looming NFL Draft in April. Now around a month away until the highly-anticipated date arrives, some key details from the team's front office are beginning to unravel.

For a team clearly in the market for a new quarterback of the future, the focus for the coming weeks lies within how the Broncos will tackle this draft process, and which signal caller they could end up targeting. Stuck down the board with the 12th-overall selection in the first round, there's no guarantee the guy they aspire to get will be available. Still, the staff is leaving no stone unturned when seeking the next leader of this offensive unit.

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Head coach Sean Payton spoke to the press on Monday to reveal that he and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy had a private meeting the day after his Pro Day where the two spent notable time together, per Andrew Mason of DNVR Sports:

“For some of these guys, we'll have an individual day, separate," Payton said. "I wasn’t at J.J. [McCarthy’s] pro day, but we had a private the next day, where we sent him a bunch of information, spent four or five hours with him, and made him throw all over again. I think it's all part of a process and it can help lead to a more efficient and effective decision.”

Despite seemingly surging up draft boards with each passing week, Payton and the Broncos continue to keep a keen eye on McCarthy as their potential selection. The Michigan quarterback is fresh off a National Championship with the Wolverines, posting regular season stats consisting of 2,991 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions.

One aspect that sticks out when scouting McCarthy is the accuracy he presented in his last year for Michigan. Completing an elite 72.3% of his passes across the season, he possesses the key quality that Payton is seeking in his next man under center. He throws an accurate ball, can play within structure, and knows how to lead and win football games at a high level. Therefore, it's easy to see why the Broncos may have some interest

Still, it may be easier said than done to get hands on McCarthy once the official draft day hits. The demand for young quarterbacks is steep, so the board would have to fall in favor of the Broncos in the event there's no trade enacted to move up.

The answers to the questions of Broncos Country will soon be answered with the first round of the NFL Draft commencing on April 27th in Detroit.

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