The college bowl season is upon us, and there are several prospects the Denver Broncos should be scouting through this process.

The team has more than a few holes to fill on the roster, and there’s no better way to do that than the NFL Draft.

Broncos general manager John Elway recently told DenverBroncos.com he was going to be on the scouting trail during bowl season.

“We’re going to go to a lot of different bowl games and see different players. We’ll hit the road a little bit for this month. In January, we’ll start getting busy on the personnel side and that’s trying to make this football team better,” Elway said.

“It’s an exciting time of year.”

Who are the players the Broncos should be interested in?

Let’s take a look at potential NFL players who will be participating in the bowl games the week of Dec. 17.

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Dec. 20

DXL Frisco Bowl

Louisiana Tech vs. Southern Methodist

Louisiana Tech defensive end Jaylon Ferguson could decide to come out after his junior year. Seen as a fifth- or sixth-round pick, Ferguson may also decide to stay in school for one more year to improve his draft stock.

He plays with good leverage and with an unrelenting intent to get after the passer. That leads to losing his eyes on the ball-carrier as a run-defender and having plays run around his side.

SMU has two players with draftable grades for 2018: Wide receiver Courtland Sutton could be a first-round pick, and defensive end Justin Lawler has a fourth- or fifth-round grade.

At 6-foot-4-inches, 215 pounds, Sutton has great size and can make plays over smaller cornerbacks regularly. His wingspan gives him a great advantage in the red zone, as evidenced by his 22 touchdowns during the past two years for SMU.

He’s a willing blocker and has the strength to hold up at the point of attack when tasked with that role.

Lawler is a high-motor player who gets plenty of push after engaging with a blocker. He doesn’t have a ton of moves to get after the quarterback, but he uses his strength to either bull rush or shed blockers quickly on his way to the passer.

While others may be more athletic, Lawler is a strong edge-setter who plays with discipline.

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Dec. 21

Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl

Temple vs. Florida International

Temple senior defensive back Sean Chandler could be a fifth- or sixth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Chandler’s cornerback instincts mean he can line up at free safety, but he plays with the mentality of a strong safety. He can track a quarterback’s eyes to lead him to the pass, and he’s known to get his hands on the ball.

When a receiver does make a catch, Chandler is not afraid to make a big hit or a sound tackle.

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Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Central Michigan vs. Wyoming

Central Michigan has two prospects grading out as potential 2018 NFL draft picks: Senior defensive end Joe Ostman could be a fifth-round pick, while senior tight end Tyler Conklin has a seventh-round or priority free agent grade.

Ostman has strength at the point of attack, and he can stack-and-shed the blocker in front of him. He does a good job of diagnosing a play as it unfolds and will even throw a spin move in here and there on passing downs.

Conklin is tough, measuring in at 6-4 and 240 pounds as a move tight end. A broken foot in preseason camp prevented him from surpassing the numbers (42 receptions-560 yards-6 touchdowns) he posted as a junior with the Chippewas.

A converted tight end, Conklin’s also played wide receiver during his short football career. He’s still raw at the position and needs work as a blocker.

Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen is a potential first-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft. In fact, ESPN’s Todd McShay had the Broncos selecting Allen in his first mock draft of the year.

Allen has all the quarterback tools scouts love. He’s big (6-5, 233 pounds), mobile enough to threaten a defense with his legs, and has a rocket arm. Allen does not hesitate to throw deep, but his short and intermediate accuracy needs work.

A shoulder injury cut short his final season in college, but he is expected to play in this game and is certainly a player to watch with some comparing his skill set to Joe Flacco or Carson Wentz.

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Dec. 23

Birmingham Bowl

Texas Tech vs. South Florida

South Florida cornerback Deatrick Nichols, quarterback Quinton Flowers, and defensive tackle Deadrin Senat all have draftable grades in 2018.

Nichols is not a physical player, but he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty in run defense. He’s got good closing burst to the ball and recovery speed to catch up to a receiver who gets by him initially.

Flowers lost both of his parents before going to college and is one of the most inspirational stories in all of college football. He plays quarterback for the Bulls but may transition to running back at the NFL level.

He’s got incredible stop-start ability as a runner and tremendous burst when he sees a hole to run through.

Senat is a short (6-1) and stout defensive tackle at 305 pounds. He stays low and is tough to move because of his low center of gravity.

He does have a bit of burst to get to the ball, but mostly he holds the point of attack and tries to get penetration from the middle of the line.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

San Diego State vs. Army

San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny and tight end David Wells are players for the 2018 NFL Draft to watch in this game.

At 220 pounds, Penny runs with power and speed. He can grind down an opponent and is always a danger to gash a defense for a long gain.

He also has experience as a returner.

Dollar General Bowl

Appalachian State vs. Toledo

Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside and wide receiver Cody Thompson grade out as potential 2018 draft picks.

Woodside gets rid of the ball quickly. Working from the shotgun formation, he shows good mechanics when the pocket is clean.

Thompson is a willing blocker with no regard for taking on larger defenders. He can work underneath routes effectively, looks the ball into his hands consistently, and keeps his feet after contact.

 

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