Broncos' Top-3 Breakout Candidates to Watch in 2021
During Thursday’s pre-draft press conference, Denver Broncos' GM George Paton conveyed how the entire organization has been working shoulder-to-shoulder to prepare for next week’s NFL draft. The GM displayed a reserved sense of confidence in his ability to select an impact player at the No. 9 overall selection.
Or, leverage the pick to make a trade to move up or down in the first round. After finishing with a 5-11 record in 2020, failure is not an option when adding impact players to the Broncos' roster.
Despite the gloom of last season, there were three young players that flashed a glimmer of hope with their potential towards improving next season’s record, each of whom has been earmarked for a breakout season in 2021.
Jerry Jeudy | WR
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Last year’s first-round pick, Jeudy ended up being last season’s most polarizing player. Broncos Country never cheered so loud or cursed so much watching him compete. When he was on, he displayed veteran's moves which shook defensive backs out of their shoes.
Jeudy possesses elite route-running skills which creates enough separation to gain big yards after the catch. Defensive coordinators have to account for where he is positioned on the field on each snap. But when Jeudy is off, his lows are really low.
At times, Jeudy dropped passes like they were a hot potato. In Week 16 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Jeudy had a whopping five dropped passes. But to the credit of Drew Lock, he kept throwing Jeudy the ball to help keep his confidence up.
Despite the drops, Jeudy possesses generational talent. Paired with No. 1 wideout Courtland Sutton, who is coming off a season-ending ACL injury suffered in Week 2, the duo can create big opportunities for the offense. If Jeudy takes advantage of the hard lessons learned in his rookie season, he can become the feared threat the Broncos drafted him to be.
Dre'Mont Jones | DL
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Jones, Denver's likely day-one starting defensive end opposite of Shelby Harris, put together some good tape last year for Vic Fangio to see his potential. Jones has all the tools to be a disruptive force for the Broncos, athletic and quick at the point of attack, and uses his speed and quickness to get offensive lineman off balance.
Jones' interior pass rush ability is his strength. Last season he had a Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade of 78.3. Starting right guard Graham Glasgow revealed during a recent interview on The Huddle Up Podcast that Jones was the toughest teammate to block in practice.
To fully maximize his potential, Jones needs to get stronger. At 281 pounds, his weight impacts his ability to stop the run, as evidenced by his run defense grade of 63.9. Coach Fangio has to be thrilled about the opportunity to pair Jones with Bradly Chubb or Von Miller in third-and-long passing situations.
Netane Muti | OG
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The final player to watch is the second-year offensive guard. Although there was a small sample size of games played in Muti's rookie season, he is a favorite of offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, and the coach has referenced his bright future with the organization.
Muti, Denver's sixth-round selection last year out of Fresno State, put up 44 reps on the bench press during the 2020 Combine, which were the most for any prospect since Stephen Pea threw up 49 in 2012. Muti is ultra-strong and leverages his strength to initiate contact with force but he will need to improve his footwork and pass protection skills to compete with incumbent Dalton Risner or the aforementioned Glasgow for a starting position.
At a minimum, the Broncos will have greater O-line depth thanks to Muti.
Bottom Line
The last few seasons for Broncos fans have been painful for fans. If the team wants roaring crowds back in the stands, Paton is going to have to add players that can make an immediate impact through the draft while accelerating development for current players that show promise.
Here's to hoping the confidence shown at his press conference translates to victories in the upcoming season.
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