Finding Broncos: Two Under the Radar Offensive Tackles

The Denver Broncos have not drafted an offensive tackle over multiple drafts, which needs to change. While they may be out of range for the position's top prospects, other options may be going under the radar.

Carter Warren | OT | Pitt

Pros

Effective working in a phone booth and grappling with defenders.
A smooth and fluid mover that can change direction with ease.
Praised for leadership qualities.
Does well to mirror pass rushers through their attack.
There is good clamp power in his hands.
Quick and clean setter in pass protection.
His angels, when climbing, are excellent and put him in a good position.
Calm, cool, and collected in pass protection.
Hands can work independently of each other.
Excellent length and a good prototypical size.
Punches had good enough power but are timed nearly perfectly every time.
Upper body mechanics are developed.
Fires off the snap and can get that initial push with that explosion.
Versatile in the scheme and has the traits to play at guard if he doesn't work as a tackle.
Long arms with an excellent wingspan.
Has a good recovery to rebound.

Cons

He suffered a season-ending injury that he is recovering from through the draft process.
Doesn't have a natural bend at the waist.
There are too many instances of getting too high with his pad level and losing leverage.
Has to play with a consistent and wide base.
There are concerns about lower body power to generate drive straight up as a run blocker.
His hand technique is fine, but placement can get away from him.
Needs to stay in balance through the reps instead of getting top-heavy.
Could do with more sand in the pants to help his anchor against bull rushes.
Doesn't play with the finishing demeanor you like to see.
Experience is fine, but he has one season with over 1,000 snaps and two seasons under 650 snaps.
He Got called for 16 penalties in 2,768 snaps.
Allowed nine sacks and 91 pressures on 1,662 pass-blocking snaps.
Can get caught oversetting with inside counter moves.

Overview

Warren got hurt early in the season, but his tape from 2021 is highly enticing. While he will need to work on his lower body mechanics, his natural abilities are easy to see. Ideally, Warren is given a year before competing to ensure he fully recovers and gets time to develop. Nevertheless, the injury is a big concern, and we could see him go round three if it is all clear or undrafted if there are lingering concerns.

Fit with Broncos

By the time the Broncos are on the clock, the top eight prospects at tackle are likely to be gone. Those are the clear day-one starters, so they must look at the next group of options. Warren is one of the better options, and his scheme versatility is a bonus. However, it will largely depend on how the Broncos view the medicals, especially with the team's terrible history of injuries over recent years.

What happens next on the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Please take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Asim Richards | OT/IOL | North Carolina

Pros

The length and wingspan are good enough.
Mean and nasty run blocker.
Powerful hands with excellent grip strength.
Plenty of power in his punch.
Can drop and anchor quite well.
Uses leverage to his advantage.
Shows he can use defender momentum to help win the rep.
Hand technique is good and active.
Had some good tape against some top pass rushers in college.
Great technique on double teams and slides off and climbs effortlessly.
Good awareness of stunts/twists.
Plenty of power in his lower body.
Does a good job keeping his body mechanics in sync.
He churns his legs to generate push.

Cons

Might end up as a guard in the NFL, but they showed well at the Senior Bowl as a tackle.
Timing with his punch in pass protection can be a tick or two late.
Lacks the explosive get-off on the snap.
His feet are heavy, and he has some clunky footwork in pass protection.
Balance is a significant issue with Richards, and he will lunge in pass protection too often.
Plasy with low hands, which can be easy to swipe.
Needs to play with a consistent base.
Not the best lateral mover.
Athleticism isn't ideal.
His recovery and reactionary athleticism aren't great and get him into trouble.
Lacks quickness in his slide.

Overview

Richards has some great traits to work as a tackle, and measuring with enough length is a good step for him. In addition, there are issues with speed and quickness around the corner, which could get him kicked inside in the NFL. However, at the Senior Bowl, he held his own when protecting the edge against all types of pass rushers.

Fit with Broncos

The Broncos are working on rebuilding their offensive line, and Richards could be a great option to help that with his versatility. There are traits to work at tackle and guard in the NFL, and that versatility is always a bonus, but he also has enough to work in multiple run schemes. Sean Payton loves versatility on the offensive line.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!

Add us as a preferred source on Google