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NFL.com Gives Broncos A+ Grade for Day 2 Draft Picks

How'd the Broncos grade out on Day 2 of the NFL draft? NFL.com weighs in.

The 2021 NFL draft is in the books and there are already draft grades coming out from analysts and draftniks alike. While it's a far too early look to the future and most of these players haven't even arrived in their new cities yet, it is fun to find out how other people feel about how the draft is unfolding in real-time.

Denver may have big-brained its way out of taking Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields with the ninth overall pick by opting to take Alabama cornerback Pat Surtain, but overall the team did a marvelous job of navigating the draft.

Trading up to get North Carolina's Javonta Williams, an explosive three-down running back, may have left a small bitter taste to some but really, this was a home run selection for the Denver Broncos. With Melvin Gordon and Royce Freeman on the last year of their respective deals, running back is a major need for the Broncos moving forward. 

Denver happened to get a player that some teams had as the top running back in the class to fill that need. A pair of trades in the third round recouped some of the value of trading up for Williams and also allowed the board to fall to Denver, giving the team a pair of high-value players in Wisconsin-Whitewater IOL Quinn Meinerz and Ohio State LB Baron Browning.

Browning, an incredibly versatile linebacker was widely projected as a second-round selection by many in the draft community. Landing him with the last pick of the third round is incredible value for an incredible athlete with starting upside. 

Meinerz is a small-school offensive lineman with big boy talent with a gut that has taken on a life of its own.

So how does the national perspective view Denver's Day 2 picks?

NFL.com's Chad Reuter wrote that the Broncos nailed, earning an A+ grade for their work on Day 2 from one of the best draft analysts in the business.

Analysis: Williams has a powerful running style that will allow the Broncos to control the clock while also enabling him to break off longer runs. Denver swapped a fourth-rounder for a sixth-round pick in a trade with Atlanta to move up for Williams, which is not overwhelming compensation. Meinerz can play guard or center in the NFL, but the Broncos announced him as a guard. He’s an excellent find in the late third round for a Broncos team needing more depth on the interior offensive line. Browning was my highest-rated player left on the board when the Broncos picked him at 105. He will anchor the team’s second-level defense with leadership and athleticism.

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With a solid B-grade for drafting the top cornerback in the class with their top selection, Reuter thinks the Broncos are owning the draft in some aspects.

Again, it's a little early to be doing some of these grading exercises, but the Broncos have done a great job in sticking to their board and identifying players that fill needs now and for the future.

All four of these players have a real shot at making a big impact immediately in Denver, with Meinerz having a true shot at upsetting the apple cart at the center position by stealing the job from Lloyd Cushenberry in training camp. Though he was announced at guard, Meinerz has that position flexibility to drop down to the pivot and have success immediately.


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