Finding Broncos: 5 Under-the-Radar WRs for Post-Round One Consideration

Finding Broncos scouts the 2020 NFL Draft class to find the best Mile High fits. Everyone is intent on the Denver Broncos taking a wideout in round one.

Even if that happens, there's been buzz that the Broncos could 'double-dip' at the WR position. The question is, who are the best fits that can be had on day two of the draft and beyond? Here are five WRs flying under the radar you should be aware of.

John Hightower, Boise State

Pros

Has value as a returner
Tremendous variation of speed through routes
Has great burst
Can be a gadget player or regular receiver
Has good length to get balls far away from him
Has good awareness on the outside to make sure feet come down inbounds
Quick acceleration
Great stop and go
Works well on comeback routes with how quickly he can stop & flip direction

Cons

Stronger press corners can hold him up at the line
Not a contested-catch getter
Doesn’t pluck the ball & lets it into his body
Doesn’t seem to have that competitive fire on the field
Deep-ball tracking is inconsistent
Timing is off far too often
Routes need to run faster
Routes need to be cleaned up

Overview

Hightower has good speed and agility to be used in multiple ways on offense. His touchdown production in college was outstanding and he found multiple ways to score. There are some finer details that need to be cleaned up as a receiver, but his positive traits are a draw for many offenses.

Fit with Broncos

Not only would Hightower bring the speed to the Broncos offense, he'd bring the ability to do multiple other things the team needs. With his ability as a returner, he adds competition for Diontae Spencer, who really struggled at times last year. With the versatility of Hightower, he would add a lot to the Broncos receiver corps.

Omar Bayless, Arkansas State

Pros

Will go & bail out the QB
Fantastic year in 2019
Can attack deep & had three TDs over 70 yards in 2019
Steps it up in the red zone
Elite ability in the air
Uses his hands to attack vertically
Gliding mover that eats space up quickly

Cons

Allows corners to push him off his routes
Needs to be more physical on the jump balls
Route tree is & will need to remain limited
Smaller than ideal hands
Has some drop issues
His release from press coverage needs to be cleaned up
Sluggish in his routes
Struggles to sink his hips in breaks
Large number of contested catches due to issues separating

Overview

With good size and ability to go get contested catches, it is easy to see the draw with Bayless. There are multiple concerns with his route running that teams will have to spend time working on to clean up, but he can have an impact right away. The place he is at as a receiver right now likely limits him to a red zone threat, but he has potential for more.

Fit with Broncos

Bayless is an intriguing fit for the Broncos. He does well on contested catches, which is what the Broncos get out of Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick, but he offers a little more downfield than either of them. In the end, Bayless may be too similar to those two receivers for the Broncos to really look in his direction.

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Tyrie Cleveland, Florida

Pros

Great length
Plucks the ball away from the body
Plenty of value on special teams as a gunner and returner
Can get additional yards downfield
Hands are solid
Uses route leverage very well
Quick to find the hole in zone coverage

Cons

Didn’t meet expectations at Florida
Delays into routes
Decelerates giving away route intentions
Long speed isn’t ideal
Physical corners shut him down
Route running isn’t crisp at all
Not a sudden mover
Needs to use his size

Overview

There is a concern with Cleveland because he never played up to his potential in college. He does offer solid speed, but there are a lot of issues with his routes. His issues with timing and delays in his routes can make life easier for opposing corners.

Fit with Broncos

Denver needs speed, and while Cleveland has solid long speed, it may not be good enough. With the Broncos, there is also the concern with how limited he is. He does offer some really good special teams value, but it may not be an upgrade over what Diontae Spencer brings to the team.

Joe Reed, Virginia

Pros

Has a good compact build
Special teams value as an explosive returner & on coverage units
Has good vision as a return man
Body control is really good
North/South runner that doesn’t waste time going East/West
Rolling acceleration
Works well after the catch

Cons

Mostly a catch-and-run receiver
Shifts down on deep balls
Struggles tracking at good speed
What separation he gets he will give up
Lacks good burst out of his breaks
Acceleration is slow
Easy to limit to a small portion of the field for corners
Limited route tree
Not a concerning deep threat for defenses

Overview

Underneath, Reed really can do work but you want more from him to challenge deeper and intermediate areas of the field. He is just a very limited receiver that can have an impact, just in a smaller role than some teams may want. That limited role will have it be harder for him to stick to around for long.

Fit with Broncos

If Denver can get speed to stretch the field, Reed can come in as a big underneath threat to help round out the unit. Reed plays well getting the ball into his hands quickly and letting him make a play after the catch, which is a part of the Pat Shurmur offense. He may not have the potential to be a No. 2 or 3 receiver, but as a WR4 or 5, to have a few plays designed for him could result in some bright moments.

Marquez Callaway, Tennessee

Pros

Size & speed is good for the NFL
Deadly with the ball in his hands on special teams
Has strong, quick hands
Has good length to high-point catches
Ball tracking is very good
Eats cushions quickly
Makes some good adjustments in the air to make the catch
Has the speed to draw penalties from grabby corners
Has good agility
Foot quickness is impressive
Special teams value as returner & gunner

Cons

Easy for defenders to push to the boundary
Route-running needs a lot of work
Route-tree at Tennessee was basically three routes
Takes time to gather into breaks & comebacks
Doesn’t use burst for separation
Plays slower than he is at times
More speed variation through his routes
One speed-runner
More consistency is a must

Overview

The Tennessee receiver is going to get interest because of his play on special teams. Callaway's play as a receiver is limited which is going to require a lot of work to be more than a bottom-of-the-depth-chart option. What opportunities he can get on offense early on will be a result of the speed that he offers up.

Fit with Broncos

Callaway can bring good speed to the Broncos' offense as well as improving their special teams unit. The one big concern with Callaway is how similar he is to Spencer. Denver could create a battle between the two players. One thing that Callaway does bring that Spencer doesn't is the option to be a gunner on special teams.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel and @MileHighHuddle.

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