Finding Broncos: 5 Plausible Targets at No. 64 in Draft

After trading for Russell Wilson, the Denver Broncos don't make a draft pick until the end of the second round as they sit with the No. 64 overall selection. With the Broncos' first pick not coming until the end of Round 2, it's hard to pinpoint prospects that could be there for them.

After all, it only takes one team to fall in love with a player for the draft to get wonky. If nothing else, the draft is unpredictable.

Denver shocked many during GM George Paton's first draft by selecting Patrick Surtainn II with the ninth overall pick, then trading up for running back Javonte Williams in Round 2. That unpredictability makes it even more challenging to figure out which prospects could be there for Denver at pick 64 in this year's draft.

However, five prospects that would make sense for the Broncos seem to be valued as late second-round picks or early third-round picks. If any of them were there and Denver went their way, it would be easy to see why.

Let's dive in on these names.

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Tyler Smith | OT/IOL | Tulsa

Smith is a physical mauler as a run blocker, but he has a lot of development needed in pass protection. The biggest issue in pass protection is how grabby he gets leading to holding penalties. His reliance to grab and hold will have to be coached out.

Smith has the versatility to play in any scheme, and that inside viability boosts his value. However, he is still raw from a technical standpoint, so it all balances out. Despite his upside, that's why he's still a potential target with the 64th overall pick.

You often hear the term 'upside' during the draft, which speaks to how good a player can be. With Smith, his upside is outstanding, and if NFL coaches can develop him, he could be one of the better right tackles in the NFL. In addition, he is such a presence in the run game that defenses have to constantly respect his side of the line.

That could mean defenses sit players towards Smith's side and even makes play-action passes even more dangerous. So while he still has a ways to go in pass protection, he brings good value, for a tackle, in the passing game.

The Broncos brought Smith in for a visit, suggesting they have an interest in him. It will be interesting to see whether he's still on the board for Denver at 64th overall or whether Paton will consider a trade-up to get him.

Key Stats (Per Pro Football Focus):

1,779 Blocking snaps played.
Allowed 18 total pressures with two sacks in college.
A total of 24 career penalties, with 16 in 2021.
93.9 Run blocking grade in 2021.
75.3 Pass blocking grade in 2021.

You can read our full Finding Broncos scouting report on Smith here.

Abraham Lucas | OT | Washington State

Lucas allowed a lot of pressures during his college career but few sacks in comparison. In terms of his pass protection, he is viewed as one of the better pass-blocking tackles in the class. However, he is a detriment when it comes to the run game and needs work there.

Lucas has some issues with his lateral agility on tape, but he answered some concerns during the Combine testing. The 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle are the two best drills for testing agility, and Lucas tested in the 98th and 97th percentile, respectively, for both. That could mean he focused on improving there or being out of pads didn't hinder his movement.

With what he brings to the offense, Lucas would be a good fit for the Broncos. He has shown he can work laterally, and even if he needs some work to be more consistent, it is a bet worth taking. In addition, Denver trading for Wilson creates some pressure to ensure the team can protect him and keep him from taking as many hits as he did in Seattle.

While Lucas could start Day 1, he would likely be thrown into the competition at right tackle. Billy Turner, Tom Compton, and Calvin Anderson are under contract in Denver and ready to compete, so the Broncos wouldn't just hand the job over to a rookie. If Lucas didn't win the job, having a year of development on the bench wouldn't be the worst thing either.

There seems to be a wide range of opinions on Lucas in and around the NFL. Some analysts don't think he would be there with the 64th overall pick, while others believe he could fall to the fourth round. Denver brought Lucas in for a visit, which could mean nothing, or could mean everything.

Key Stats (PFF):

Played 3,006 total blocking snaps in college.
Allowed 49 total pressures and four sacks in college.
Called for 11 total penalties in college.
91.0 Pass blocking grade in 2021.
68.3 Run blocking grade in 2021.

You can read his full Finding Broncos scouting report here.

Josh Paschal | Edge | Kentucky

Paschal is an amazing story as he took time away to battle cancer and came back to the football field with some excellent play. There are no questions about his work ethic, desire, or love of the game.

Teams who want a versatile defender are going to love Paschal. He can play in a two or three-point stance and remain capable as a pass rusher and run defender. You can move him around on the defensive front and have some creativity with a NASCAR package.

The scheme doesn't matter as much with Paschal's versatility to play standing up or with his hand in the dirt. On top of that, the NFL is at a point where scheme on the defensive front isn't as significant. NFL coaches are doing a better job adapting to their players upfront instead of forcing players to fit a scheme.

Broncos' DC Ejiro Evero, who incubated as a coach in a combination of the Wade Phillips and Vic Fangio defenses, would love to have a versatile piece. With the value of pass rushers and how well-rounded Paschal is, Evero could pound the table for him.

Even with Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory in the fold, Denver needs more depth at the position. After this season, Chubb will be a free agent, as is Malik Reed, and Paschal would get a year as a rotational piece before stepping in as a starter.

Key Stats (Per PFF):

Picked up 68 total pressures over the last two seasons.
Picked up 63 total stops in the last two years.
Played 1,973 total snaps on defense in college.
90.2 run defense grade in 2021.
81.2 pass-rush grade in 2021.

You can read his full Finding Broncos scouting report here.

Cameron Jurgens | IOL | Nebraska

Jurgens has been a riser throughout the process, with some analysts saying he is right there with Tyler Linderbaum as the top center in the class. Like Linderbaum, Jurgens has concerns about his measurements and size for the NFL level, plus he doesn't have much versatility. While he can work in different schemes, Jurgens is a center-only prospect.

Playing at Nebraska, Jurgens was essentially alone on the offensive line that was ranked as one of the worst in college football. At times, he tried to do too much and paid the price with some bad reps. Putting him at center with some capable blockers next to him would allow him to focus on his job and play more consistently.

For an outside zone scheme like Denver, Jurgens has the lateral movement skills to work as a pulling center or on stretch runs. In addition, he has good length to get his hands on defenders quickly with 33-3/8-inch arms and has solid hand technique to make his length more effective.

With the time he put up in the 40-yard dash, Jurgens would be tied with the seventh-fastest for interior offensive linemen and fifth-fastest for centers. In addition, his 10-yard split would be tied as third fastest for centers and ninth for interior offensive linemen. Both would put him in some great company in terms of NFL talent.

The Broncos are looking at centers if you buy into who they're bringing in for their top-30 visits. Jurgens is another one Denver hosted. So the BRoncos could potentially value upgrading the center position enough to take Jurgens with the 64th overall pick.

Key Stats (Per PFF):

Played 2,067 snaps in college, with 2,066 coming as a center.
Allowed one sack and 34 total pressures in college.
Penalized 11 times in college.
73.5 pass-blocking grade in 2021.
71.5 run-blocking grade in 2021.

You can read his full Finding Broncos scouting report here.

Nik Bonitto | Edge | Oklahoma

Bonitto is a talented pass rusher with excellent and consistent production during the last two years when he had a significant role on defense. However, he has a lot of issues against the run, and some are concerned about his effort against the run. Bonitto is a case of how much a team values pass rush over run defense.

With how the NFL is moving forward, the more you can do defensively, the more valuable you are. As offenses get faster and up their tempo, you can't get caught with a liability in one area on defense. So with Bonitto, how much can you improve his run defense not to be a liability?

As a pass rusher, Bonitto is up there in this class. He has an explosive first step, solid bend, and some good technical foundation to be highly effective. However, he doesn't have a wide range of moves in his arsenal, but those he does have are technically sound.

Denver needs more from its pass rushers, which is why they targeted Gregory as a free agent. But, even with him in the fold, the Broncos still need to improve their depth and cover for the potential need a year from now with Chubb and Reed set to become unrestricted free agents after this year.

Bonitto could help get after the quarterback, but run defense was an issue last year, and the Broncos want improvement there, which could be bad news for the Sooner. Evero saw how Leonard Floyd was used in Los Angeles, so he could view Bonitto with a similar role.

Nik Bonitto is a capable pass rusher who can drop into coverage. If Denver views him similarly, he'd make a lot of sense at No. 64 overall.

Key Stats (Per PFF):

Career total of 122 pressures in four years, 101 in the last two seasons.
Picked up 69 stops in his career.
Played a total of 1,388 snaps on defense.
92.6 pass-rush grade in 2021.
73.7 run defense grade in 2021.

You can read his full Finding Broncos scouting report here.

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