ESPN Links Four Prospects to Broncos in Round 1 on Doorstep of Combine

Aaron Rodgers aside, the Denver Broncos have plenty of work to do during this offseason. A new head coach in Nathaniel Hackett has been announced with offensive coordinator Justin Outten, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, and special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes being introduced by the team on Tuesday.

The newest chapter for the Broncos has begun and GM George Paton will get to scout and evaluate prospects at the NFL Combine next week. This will be the first opportunity that Paton gets to attend the Combine as the Broncos GM due to last year’s event being severely limited due to the pandemic.

Although he’s in his second year of managing the franchise, next week’s Combine could be the first opportunity that we see Paton, Hackett and the rest of the organization together in Indianapolis.

On Wednesday, ESPN senior writer Jeff Legwold released an article explaining that Paton and the Broncos have resources at their disposal but a lot of needs, too:

“With quarterback, edge rusher, defensive tackle, right tackle, cornerback and linebacker on their need list, the Broncos need a successful draft as part of their offseason makeover.”

Legwold has covered the NFL for more than 35 years, attended his first NFL Scouting Combine in 1987, and has covered the Broncos since 2004. He expanded on prospects expected to be selected within the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL draft at the Broncos' positions of need.

With all eyes on winning football returning to the Mile High City, let’s review the four first-round prospects Legwold likes for Denver and what to watch for next week at the Combine.

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Devin Lloyd | LB | Utah

Last week, ESPN’s Todd McShay released his Mock Draft 2.0 and projected the Broncos to draft Lloyd. The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder converted from playing the safety position in high school to linebacker at Utah and was utilized as a MIKE, WILL, and SAM linebacker in college.

Lloyd has a high level of physicality and aggression as he flies sideline to sideline. His football acumen allows him to diagnose plays both pre-snap and in real-time showing an advanced understanding of the defense. In 2021, Lloyd played in all 14 games for the Utes and started 13 as the middle linebacker, recording 66 tackles, leading the PAC-12 with eight sacks, and four interceptions, including a pick-6 in the PAC-12 championship game against Oregon.

Malik Willis | QB | Liberty

At the Senior Bowl last month, Willis significantly improved his draft stock and was the belle of the ball with his red-hot stock increase. At 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, he makes up for his limited size with spectacular athleticism as a run-and-gun QB.

In today’s NFL, Willis is an ideal candidate for designed QB runs similar to what Baltimore does with Lamar Jackson. Willis is extremely tough, competitive, and has a rocket for an arm that was clearly on display in Mobile last month. It’s tough to evaluate Willis at a Division I school like Liberty after he transferred from Auburn in 2018, but it’s clear that the talent to play in the NFL is there.

Willis' biggest question marks surround his ability to process information quickly — specifically the defense pre-snap and his progressions. McShay previously mocked Willis to the Broncos in his early predictions for all 32 first-round picks last December. In 2021, Willis threw for 2,857 yards completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 27 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He additionally rushed for 878 yards and 13 scores on the ground.

Travon Walker | Edge | Georgia

At 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, Walker is an extremely versatile defender that can play multiple spots on the defensive line. During his time at Georgia, he’s played as a 3-, 5-, and 6-technique, along with time as an outside linebacker.

Walker is a natural run defender with exceptional hands that consistently combat opposing O-linemen. In the scouting community, Walker is continually praised for his initial punch off the line of scrimmage which shows him knocking blockers off-platform at the first point of attack. In 2021, the Georgia native played in 13 games and logged 33 tackles (17 solo), 7.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, two passes defended, and recovered one fumble.

Jermaine Johnson II | Edge | Florida State

There’s no secret that the 2022 draft class is deep with pass rushers, and FSU’s Johnson is the type of modern defender that NFL defensive coordinators crave. At 6-foot-4 and 259 pounds, he has the ideal frame and features of the classic defensive end but also has the athleticism and versatility to be disguised on the line of scrimmage.

Originally Johnson played outside linebacker for Georgia, so he has some familiarity with dropping into coverage, but was asked to put his hand in the dirt at Florida State. He’s exceptionally quick for his size and has a natural explosiveness in his lower body with nice bend as a pass rusher.

Last season Johnson played in 12 games for the Seminoles and recorded 70 tackles (33 solo), 17.5 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, two passes defended, forced two fumbles, and scored one defensive touchdown.

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