Here's why Broncos Should Remain Open to Drafting Injured CU WR Laviska Shenault on Day Two
It's no secret that the Denver Broncos are on a wide receiver hunt this draft season. The Broncos have telegraphed their interest in the 2020 WR class, which is why fans watched the NFL Scouting Combine with such interest last week.
Wideouts like Alabama’s Henry Ruggs raised some eyebrows by posting a very impressive 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds. Ruggs' Combine performance likely pushed his draft stock too high for the Broncos to realistically have a chance at getting him without trading up.
As a result, GM John Elway could be resetting his board and formulating a plan B to look for higher-value WR prospects later in the draft. Could that search for value take the Broncos just up the road to Boulder to Colorado's Laviska Shenault?
Shenault is considered to have first-round talent by most scouts. Unfortunately, he wasn't fully healthy at the Combine and possibly exacerbated a core muscle injury while running his 40, which will require corrective surgery and a recovery timetable of 4-6 weeks, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
It will inevitably affect Shenault’s draft value. The injury is extremely bad timing for the 21-year-old, which will see him miss his school's pro day, denying him the chance to show off his considerable talents to NFL teams.
However, all is not lost for the young wideout, as the temporary set-back shouldn’t dissuade teams from drafting Shenault. If he falls to the second round, it would represent excellent value for Elway and the Broncos.
The last time Elway unearthed a receiving gem on day two of the draft was just two years ago in Courtland Sutton. The Broncos also have some notable franchise history when it comes to gambling on the pre-draft health of a wounded receiver.
Look no further than Demaryius Thomas, who had major injury concerns coming out of Georgia Tech back in 2010. He still heard his name called in the first round and that pick unquestionably paid off in spades, although the team didn't start getting a return on Thomas until his second year.
Elway’s contacts at CU led him to RB Phillip Lindsay only two years ago, despite him slipping through the draft process originally. If Elway has genuine interest in stealing Shenault this year, he will have to mine some local knowledge and recommendations from the coaches who have close relationships with the Colorado star wideout.
Elway will now have to rely on older analytic breakdowns of the receiver and have a willingness to attribute his slower Combine 40 time of 4.58s down to his current muscle injury. Shenault’s 56 catches for 764 yards and four touchdowns in his final year at CU should supply NFL teams with a body of work with which to accurately judge his draft value.
The native of Desoto, Texas has size, standing at 6-foot-2 and possessing a large catch radius, which will encourage teams to bet on his recovery from a relatively minor surgery.
The bonus for the likes of the Broncos is Shenault’s ability to break tackles in the open field, something Denver struggled to find last season. He has knowledge of running Wildcat formations and combined with his athleticism, he has the ability to make men miss and bring another dimension to the Broncos' offense.
Armed with a bevy of picks this year (11), Elway has enough ammunition to trade back into the second round if Shenault continues to slip during day two. Finding value to flesh out a roster very often hinges on taking calculated gambles on players high on talent but suffering through untimely injuries in the run-up to draft day.
If the Broncos are confident that Shenault will be fully fit for opening day, he might offer extremely good value at a more than an affordable price and also add a vital complement across from Sutton for Drew Lock to utilize next season as the Broncos attempt to catch up to the reigning Super Bowl Champions.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
