What if it’s not a quarterback at No. 9 for the Broncos in the draft?
Feb 8, 2022, 6:49 AM
The Denver Broncos have the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. With that pick, they have several options to mull over before the end of April.
If they don’t trade the pick away as part of a package to get Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, then drafting a quarterback at No. 9 is a possibility. I could see the Broncos turning things over to a rookie quarterback, but this is not a great class of passers and perhaps the team should look at other positions of need with their premium pick.
What if it’s not a quarterback? Who could the Broncos be looking at if they choose not to use the No. 9 overall pick on a passer? That’s an intriguing situation I wanted to examine – especially since there are several options (once again) for the Broncos to go over.
The Broncos cannot miss in the first round if they want to compete in the playoffs in 2022. They must find an impact player who can not only strengthen a weakness but also can be part of the young core general manager George Paton is building.
What if it’s not a quarterback in the first round? Let’s take a look.
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Derek Stingley Jr. | CB | LSU
The Broncos added a top-tier cornerback from the SEC last year when they selected Patrick Surtain II at the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. They could go back-to-back SEC cornerbacks at that spot if they were to go with LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. this year.
The Broncos defense would get two shut-down corners with Stingley in the fold. He’s an interception hog who does a great job when incoming passes get to him. Stingley has a knack for getting interceptions and at the very least he can knock plenty of passes away – when he’s tested. Stingley is the type of alpha-CB who will welcome the challenge of taking on an opponent’s best receiver on a weekly basis.
We should see Kyle Fuller and Bryce Callahan both leave via free agency this offseason. That leaves Ronald Darby and Surtain as the top corners for the team, and they could see Stingley as a better starting option on the outside than Darby. There is a huge difference in Darby’s and Stingley’s games – interceptions.
While Darby is known to get pass breakups, he doesn’t get interceptions (only eight interceptions in seven pro seasons). Stingley’s game is guaranteed to get more turnovers, and he had one season at LSU (2019) when he was heavily targeted and came away with six interceptions.
The Broncos offense should be better in 2022, and that means opponents may have to throw more and push for more touchdowns than they did in 2021. That could lead to opportunities for a guy like Stingley, and he would be able to take advantage of those situations. The Broncos defense has a ton of talent. Add a guy like Stingley and they would be a dangerous unit who could flip the field with turnovers.
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Evan Neal | OT | Alabama
The Broncos need a new starting right tackle. As I reported in my day three Senior Bowl report on DenverFan.com, the Broncos could be looking for an offensive tackle who could begin his career on the right side and then eventually be moved over to the left side. A player they could target with position versatility is Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal.
He’s played both left tackle and right tackle during his career with the Crimson Tide. Neal showed the ability to handle edge rushers as the blind-side protector for his quarterback. He also showed the road-grading mentality of your traditional right tackle. Neal is huge, measuring in at 6-foot-6 and 360 pounds and he’s got a ton of power to his game. Adding Neal would give the Broncos a tackle they could move around and build around with his strong attitude.
The Broncos have shuffled through right tackles seemingly every year since the Super Bowl 50 win in 2016. They’ve tried free agency to get their guy on the right side, but now might be the time to address the position with a premium pick in the draft. Neal is one of a strong group of tackles coming into the NFL this year. In my early grades, I have four OTs (Neal, Ikem Ekwonu, Charles Cross, Trevor Penning) in my top-20 of this year’s draft.
We’ll see what the future holds for left tackle Garett Bolles. He regressed a bit in 2021, and now the Broncos have moved on from OL coach Mike Munchak. It was Munchak who finally got through to Bolles, and that led to improved play and a new contract in 2020. That contract runs through 2024, but there is an out for the Broncos after the 2022 season if they want. If the Broncos were to move on from Bolles after this season, they would eat an $8 million cap hit – which isn’t that much if Bolles isn’t getting it done. Moving Neal from right tackle in 2022 to left tackle in 2023 is an option if the Broncos choose to select the talented Alabama tackle in this year’s draft.
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George Karlaftis | Edge | Purdue
I know the Broncos were watching the pass-rushers closely during the week of practice at the Senior Bowl, but those players aren’t options for them at No. 9 overall. Instead, perhaps the best power rusher in this class – George Karlaftis from Purdue – could be a gem of a pick in the first round.
Karlaftis was the type of player who shined from day one in college. He was a standout player as a freshman in 2019, and his play continued to get better and better with each following year. The junior is a top-10 pick in this draft, and there’s a chance – perhaps a good chance – that he’s already off the board by the time the Broncos pick at No. 9 overall.
He’s a technician with a refined pass-rushing technique. First, it’s his ability to hand fight and win consistently. He doesn’t get latched on by opposing tackles, and Karlaftis knows how to use multiple moves – and stack those moves properly – to get after the quarterback. He’s a high-intelligence player who understands how to use leverage and diagnoses plays quickly while he’s rushing around the edge. Karlaftis has a motor that won’t quit, and he’s a non-stop player who will grind down an opponent while he is getting stronger as the game is going on.
The Broncos hope to have a healthy Bradley Chubb in 2022. The former No. 5 overall pick (2018) has not played up to his potential, largely because he’s one of the most oft-injured players on the Broncos roster. Chubb has talent and is a hard worker, but the team should not trust him to stay healthy in 2022 even though it’s a contract year for him.
Behind Chubb, things are pretty thin on the edge. Adding a pass-rusher with a premium pick makes a ton of sense. Adding another pass-rusher later in the draft after taking someone like Karlaftis in the first round would be a good move too.
