If Broncos' Combine Contingent is Looking for a Blueprint, Just Rewind to Drew Lock

As the three-man crew of GM John Elway, Director of Player Personnel Matt Russell, and Head Coach Vic Fangio arrive at the NFL Scouting Combine to evaluate the top college talents, the trio comes secure in the knowledge that the Denver Broncos are projected to have 12 picks in the 2020 draft, which the team can use to seriously upgrade the roster.

The Combine has always received its fair share of criticism for being somewhat of a league-orchestrated sideshow in spandex. Fangio has already raised some eyebrows by stripping back the Broncos' party that will travel to scout the event, a move that has been mirrored by Los Angeles Rams head man Sean McVay.

This new approach isn't about Fangio discounting the importance of the Combine, but rather, a belief that a smaller, tighter-knit unit might produce a more structured and concise approach to finding the best available talent while saving significantly on travel costs.

If Fangio is looking for a viable blueprint when analyzing the ability and character traits of the draft class, he need only rewind to last year’s event and how composed and assured Drew Lock was when handling the pressure and expectations that come with the territory of being a prospective QB1.

In particular, the young star handled the media interviews at the Combine with a confidence, intelligence, and maturity that belied his years, especially when he talked about Elway traveling to scout one of his games at Missouri.

“Yeah, I actually didn’t know he was [Elway] was there at the time, so it probably helped a little bit – a little less pressure on the game," Lock said from the podium last year in Indianapolis. "But no, I had no idea but I appreciate him coming out there and giving me a little respect in the game, especially because of who he is. He is one of the greatest of all time and to be able to, in his eyes, might be able to take over his franchise means a lot to me."

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Of course, any aspiring quarterback is going to be blown away by one of the game's true legends coming to evaluate your talents. It’s a tactic that the Broncos' GM even used to great effect when he recruited a certain high-profile legend, Peyton Manning, to the Mile High City.

Simply being impressed by Elway’s interest would be understandable if you were Lock. What was more impressive, however, was how self-assured and focused the young QB was when he laid out exactly what he expected to gain from the Combine and his pre-draft process.

“Sure, we want to go as high as we can, but we also want to play in the league for as long as we can," Lock said. "And that’s what I’m for, just the best fit for me to be able to stay in the league as long as I can and prove to people that I’m one of the best QB’s."

When the NFL Draft kicks off on April 23, the Broncos will look to assemble game-breaking talent around Lock — the franchise's new leader. Most of the pre-draft buzz has Denver in the market for a deep-ball receiving threat even as early as at pick 15 in the first round.

Deciding to follow the template put down by Lock — finding the right Broncos 'fits' — would be ideal, particularly when it comes to judging the character and temperament of any potential draft picks. Finding potential Broncos who display the self-confidence and swagger that Lock did last year, along with the requisite athletic traits and football IQ, could be a slam dunk on draft day for Elway and company.

“I know I’m athletic enough to be in the NFL," Lock said. "I know that I have the arm strength to play, I can make any throw on the field, and I know I have the creativity out of the pocket to make plays when the pocket breaks down."

Armed with such vital information, perhaps the biggest surprise is that Elway didn’t rush up to the podium himself to make Lock his first-round pick last spring. This time around, should the front-office czar and his two Combine sidekicks fall in love with a prospect, maybe it’s not worth rolling the dice in the hope that he falls to day two.

Elway might have used up all his luck last year in getting Lock at pick 42.

Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.