Broncos secure No. 5 pick in NFL Draft with loss to Chiefs
Dec 31, 2017, 11:45 PM
In an otherwise meaningless Week 17 matchup between AFC West foes, the Denver Broncos 27-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs helped the club inch into the top five for next year’s NFL Draft.
Heading into Sunday’s game, the Broncos rested in the sixth slot with the possibility of moving up to fifth or, in a worst-case scenario, falling as low as 10th (should Denver pulled off a comeback late they would have fallen No. 8).
But, with a Tampa Bay win over New Orleans, Denver secured a top 5 pick for just the fourth time in team history since the NFL merger in 1970.
Where the Broncos might go with the pick, however, remains unknown and reliant on several variables.
The Cleveland Browns — who have the top pick and the No. 4 pick — and the New York Giants could both have interested in drafting a quarterback. However, the two top prospects on most people’s draft boards — Sam Darnold from USC and Josh Rosen from UCLA — have not declared for the draft as of Sunday night.
With the assumption that both Darnold and Rosen make the pro jump, ESPN’s Todd McShay had the two quarterbacks going No. 1 and No. 2 to the Browns and Giants and Wyoming’s Josh Allen being selected at No. 5 by the Broncos.
In any case, whether through the draft, development, or free agency, Denver defensive end Derek Wolfe said last week that the team needs to make finding a quarterback it’s top priority.
“I think the No. 1 priority should be getting a quarterback,” Wolfe told Sandy Clough on Tuesday. “That’s not a knock on Trevor (Siemian). That’s not a knock on Brock (Oswiler). That’s not a knock on Paxton (Lynch). It might be one of those three.
“But figuring out who our starting quarterback is, and putting him in a position to be a leader, is the No. 1 priority, whoever it is going to be.”
But, for now, the only thing cemented about the NFL Draft is the top 20 picks (numbered below).
- Browns (0-16)
- Giants (3-13)
- Colts (4-12)
- Browns (via Texans (4-12))
- Broncos (5-11)
- Jets (5-11)
- Buccaneers (5-11)
- Bears (5-11)
- 49ers (6-10)
- Raiders (6-10)
- Dolphins (6-10)
- Bengals (7-9)
- Redskins (7-9)
- Packers (7-9)
- Cardinals (8-8)
- Ravens (9-7)
- Chargers (9-7)
- Seahawks (9-7)
- Cowboys (9-7)
- Lions (9-7)
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.
