Finding Broncos: Five Prospects on Offense for Added Depth at Key Positions

Sean Payton was a big hire for the Denver Broncos, and the obvious goal is to right the ship. The fastest way for Payton to do that is to get the offense going, which has struggled for multiple years while the defense has done well. They have made some big additions to their offense in free agency, but they can still use depth at multiple positions.

While they only have five picks in the NFL Draft, they could add more by trading players or even moving down. However, no matter how many draft picks they end up with, they can go in many ways, and finding prospects to improve the depth is one of the paths before them.

Clayton Tune | QB | Houston

Pros

Solid size with excellent athletic tools.
There is excellent mobility to be a threat with his legs.
He was praised for his football IQ and leadership qualities.
He has a quick processor to make his reads and break down coverages.
Reliable when working in a rhythm offense relying on timing.
He keeps his eyes downfield while working out of the pocket.
There is a solid base with quality footwork to his game.

Cons

He doesn't have the best arm talent to target every level consistently.
The farther the ball travels, the more his accuracy and placement falters.
There isn't a lot of velocity to his passes, limiting his ability to make tight-window throws.
He can use some cleaning up with his throwing mechanics.
There are issues when throwing to the boundary and not leaving enough space for the receiver.

Fit with Broncos

When talking about Sean Payton and the quarterbacks he has worked with, you must mention Taysom Hill, the gadget quarterback. Clayton Tune isn't quite the athlete, but there is more to work with as a quarterback, with plenty of athleticism to do something similar with. Tune has enough to work with that can be worth working to develop into a solid backup option.

Tyson Bagent | QB | Shepherd

Pros

There is good size with a frame to add a little more mass.
Solid athlete overall.
He got plenty of experience and set multiple records at Shepherd.
He has great velocity on his throws with the arm talent to be reliable in the NFL.
There is no question about his toughness to stand in the pocket and take hits to deliver his throw.
He can accelerate his release and alter his throw angles to work around defenders.

Cons

While there is solid athleticism, it isn't a large part of his game.
The level of competition was not great, but he did dominate.
There will be a steep learning curve jumping to the NFL.
He will need to be more consistent with his release mechanics.
His lower body mechanics must be built up, which can help reduce placement/accuracy issues.

Fit with Broncos

Tyson Bagent is a pocket quarterback with decent mobility but does well to elude defenders in the pocket. A lot of development is needed for the NFL coming from Shepherd, but he has a lot to work with. If Sean Payton wants to take on a project at quarterback, not many have the potential Bagent does.

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Camerun Peoples | RB | Appalachian State

Pros

He has good size and mass on his frame.
Overall he is a solid athlete, but it comes with burst and explosiveness.
He does well working through poor tackle attempts.
Long strider runner that does well to get to his top speed quickly.
He does consistently well when attacking outside the tackles.
He can gather power prior to contact to bring some extra force.

Cons

He runs with a high pad level, and cutting the legs out from under can be easy.
One tempo runner with no variation.
There isn't much exposure as a receiver, and what little there is, isn't great.
Unreliable hands with three drops on 16 career targets.
There aren't any extra gears for additional speed.
His vision is lacking, and he has too many moments running into the defense's heart.

Fit with Broncos

Peoples is a physical runner that does better working outside the tackles with outsize zone concepts. While he isn't a homerun hitter without the long speed, he can work in the Broncos system when they want to mix things up. Of course, it would be ideal if there was more there as a receiver, which hurts his fit with Denver the most.

Kazmeir Allen | RB/KR | UCLA

Pros

Despite the poor testing, there is obvious speed on tape that didn't show with the testing.
Former track star who was able to hit 28 MPH on a treadmill.
He has good experience as a returner, where his speed and vision shine.
There is plenty of tread left on the tires, with less than 200 touches on offense.
He can be a dangerous weapon, creating mismatches and taking advantage of worn-down defenses.

Cons

The size is well below standard.
Extremely poor testing far below expectations at the UCLA Pro Day, with a 40-yard dash time of 4.55 seconds when projected was around 4.3 seconds.
There will be a limited role on offense as a gadget player with plays designed specifically for him.
Ball security is an issue, with three fumbles on 68 carries.
He dropped four passes on 106 targets.

Fit with Broncos

Kazmeir Allen will have to catch on and stick as a return specialist with some gadget ability on offense. While the Broncos can use his explosive playmaking ability, the fumbles, and limitations may not be worth the risk. However, they could still look his way to add competition for the returner jobs.

Derius Davis | WR | TCU

Pros

He has good speed and acceleration.
Plenty of experience as a returner with 98 total returns.
Despite having smaller hands, he does well holding onto the ball with one fumble.
There is a solid technique as a receiver, and the footwork to get off press is there.
He has multiple touchdowns when working as a returner.

Cons

Small body receiver who will be a gadget type receiver and returner only.
He muffed five punt returns.
He is easy to box out and punish for corners.
Hands are not the most reliable in securing passing.
He will need a role made for him on offense with specially designed-plays.
There is a lag in reaction with the ball in his hands.
There is a limited route tree due to his size.

Fit with Broncos

Derius Davis is a small receiver that will need a role made for him to work on offense. The Broncos have been working with a similar body type receiver in K.J. Hamler, but the results have been primarily a miss due to injuries. If they want to take a shot on a similar mold, Davis could be the way to look, though he is a lot farther from being an actual NFL receiver than Hamler was.

The draft class overall isn't great, and the positions on offense are a big reason why. With lackluster depth at multiple offensive positions, the Broncos will have to hope they find some hidden gems.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

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