How the Lockdowns Benefited Broncos in Landing KJ Hamler in Round 2
The NFL Draft is now in the rear-view mirror, but the analysis continues. While John Elway didn’t cross off every need on the list, the Denver Broncos thoroughly attacked one of their biggest weaknesses entering the 2020 offseason. Needing to get faster, more versatile, and explosive at the offensive skill positions, it's safe to say — mission accomplished, Mr. Elway.
At least on paper.
Everyone is familiar with former Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy, whom the Broncos’ selected at No. 15 overall in the first round, but interestingly, the team's second-round selection — Penn State’s KJ Hamler — seems to be generating an equitable amount of buzz for the Broncos.
Sports Illustrated’s own Albert Breer expanded upon the buzz Hamler has generated after being selected by the Broncos.
I’d keep an eye on new Bronco K.J. Hamler. His name came up repeatedly when I asked scouts last week which picks and which classes they liked, and most thought he was hurt more by the pandemic than the other receivers he was competing with for draft position. Hamler’s rep is as a DeSean Jackson-type burner, and guys like that can usually help stamp such an assessment in the 40 in Indy—Bengals WR John Ross, the ninth pick in 2017 (who, by the way, just had his option declined), is a great example of that happening.
Well, because Penn State has a notoriously fast track, Hamler, as other past Nittany Lions have, decided to wait until his pro day to run. And then his pro day got canceled, which meant teams didn’t have a verified time on a guy whose calling card is his speed. You can understand why, then, some teams might get a little skittish over taking Hamler too high. So the Broncos got him at 46. Which is a nice bargain, if you consider that a, say, 4.30 in the 40 might’ve had Hamler sniffing the first round.
While fans look for reasons to fall in love with players, the draft is the exact opposite. There are many reasons to like players when evaluating, but slotting a draft board, teams will look for any and all variables to differentiate prospects. From injury history to character concerns, teams typically look for reasons not to draft a prospect as they do to select a player. One thing that always concerns teams is uncertainty.
Given the state of the sports world in the pandemic, and the lack of medical rechecks, many pro days and team visits were eschewed, generating more uncertainty in prospect evaluations than in recent history. This may have helped some players with years of tape at Power 5 programs and in possession of a Combine invite, but it hurt many players’ draft stock as well.
As Breer suggested, one player uniquely impacted was indeed Hamler.
Hamler looks fast on tape. His former coaches and teammates say he is incredibly fast.
Now teammate and Broncos’ fourth-round TE Albert Okwuegbunam trained with Hamler in Florida and stated that, “A slow time for KJ would be in the mid 4.3s. He was putting up ridiculous numbers. By far the fastest guy there. I have no doubt he would have hit the 4.2s range.”
While not replicating the controlled environment that is the NFL Combine and the 40-yard dash via an electronic timer, Hamler was clocked running a sub-4.0 40 during a kickoff return versus Michigan this past year. Hamler did not ‘confirm’ his speed at Indianapolis, but as the kids say, “yape don’t lie." Hamler can fly.
If Hamler had run in Indianapolis, there is reason to believe he could have gone as high as pick 21 overall where the Philadelphia Eagles selected TCU’s Jalen Reagor. The Eagles were a team desperate for WR talent and speed, despite being smaller than Reagor, so Hamler may have ended up in Philadelphia.
Just like Vic Fangio keeping a majority of Broncos’ coaching and scouting staff in Denver to ‘grind the tape’ during the Combine, Elway and company trusted what they saw in Hamler’s speed while on the field and took him at 46 overall despite not having his speed confirmed via testing. If Hamler had run, he easily could have challenged Henry Ruggs III for the fastest 40 this year at the Combine.
Jerry Jeudy is the crown jewel of the Broncos’ 2020 NFL Draft Class no doubt and should be an immediate contributor to go with the young receiving studs in Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant. However, the biggest steal for the Broncos could be second-rounder in KJ Hamler.
Hamler did not run in Indianapolis due to a hamstring injury and wanting to run at his pro say which was eventually canceled. If he had run, Hamler is likely not a Bronco today.
Doubling up at WR may have drawn criticism ffrom some of the talking heads, but turning a skill position weakness and lack of big-play ability into a strength in one draft class? Well, those criticisms could quickly fade the moment that speed on tape is validated on an NFL field.
In the modern NFL dominated by the spread pass game, speed kills and in just one offseason, the Broncos got a whole lot faster.
Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKendellMHH and @MileHighHuddle.
