Broncos Draft OL Kage Casey: What Fans Need to Know

The Denver Broncos know they have a future hole at left guard with Ben Powers entering a contract year. With two early fourth-round picks, the Broncos selected a left tackle out of Boise State, though it has been made clear he will be a guard in Denver, with the potential to slide out to tackle if needed.

With the draft in the books, let's break down Kage Casey's scouting report and examine how he fits in Denver.

Background

As a three-star recruit, Casey had interest from Oregon State, but when Boise State jumped in, that was the end of it. Casey committed to Boise State and had to redshirt his first year due to injuries.

Stats

Casey has played 2,730 snaps over four years at Boise State, all but 40 of which came in the last three years. He has allowed six sacks with 43 pressures over the last three seasons.

All but 19 snaps over the last three years came at left tackle.

Pros

Boise State Broncos offensive tackle Kage Casey (77) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There is great experience with Casey, and he was an iron-man starter to close out his Boise State career with 41 straight starts. He is praised for his football character and IQ, and is a family man with a good head on his shoulders, helping him stay focused on the field. His football IQ shows with how quickly and easily he reads and breaks down defenders throughout the game.

Casey has good movement skills, can reach defenders on the move, and has powerful hands that help sustain blocks. He handles counters well with those powerful hands, which can shut them down before they get into the movement.

When blocking on the move, Casey keeps his legs churning and driving through with force to generate movement. He's smooth and calculated with his movements, and has that tough, physical, and finisher mentality that you want in offensive linemen.

Casey can anchor decently well to slow down defenders on bull rushes. He plays with an even temperament and is technically sound, as he rarely gets called for penalties.

Casey's hands fire quickly and accurately, with a quick reset. Additionally, his awareness is among the top in this draft class, as he sees stunts, twists, and late blitzers well.

Cons

Casey's length isn’t great, and he struggles to keep defenders off his frame. His lack of length is compounded by shoulder surgeries in his history, and at times, he can struggle to bench defenders off his frame.

Casey isn’t explosive off the snap and can be late to get initial engagement, which hurts with his lack of length. He also doesn’t have a great base, and it's consistently an issue, limiting how much movement he generates in the run game.

Then there is the question of versatility, both in his position and in the scheme.

Fit With the Broncos

The Broncos are looking for a developmental offensive lineman, and Casey fits within the scheme. The question with him is whether he can fit the position.

Can Casey be a guard or play on the right side, or is he strictly a left tackle only? It sounds like the Broncos view him inside, but time will tell how well he thrives there as a career left tackle in college.

I had Casey ranked as the No. 4 tackle/guard in this class, with a third-round grade. So the Broncos got some value in him, drafting him at No. 111 overall in Round 4.

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