Renck: Broncos ‘lean’ toward Allen as NFL lacks ‘consensus’ on QBs

Mar 6, 2018, 12:00 AM Updated: 8:19 am

Josh Allen #17 of the North team — coached by the Denver Broncos staff — throws the ball during the first half of the Reese's Senior Bowl against the the South team at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

The lack of a consensus pick for the top-ranked quarterback heading out of the NFL Scouting Combine, among a group of potential picks at the Denver Broncos No. 5 draft position, came as a surprise to Denver 7’s Troy Renck.

Renck, who spent the week in Indianapolis covering the combine, told “Schlereth and Evans” on Monday morning that he was surprised by the “complete variance of opinions on these young quarterbacks.”

“From (Baker) Mayfield to (Sam) Darnold to (Josh) Allen to (Josh) Rosen,” Renck said, “they’re just all over the map. And usually, there’s the consensus guy.”

Alfred Williams echoed a similar sentiment later Monday during “The Drive,” saying:

“There are so many questions about the quarterback position and who is the real deal and who is not. I mean, that question and that debate is still going on. The fact that we don’t have the No. 1-overall draft pick at the quarterback position figured out by now …”

For example, from his first mock draft in mid-January to his latest last month, ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper Jr had Josh Allen No. 1-overall to the Cleveland Browns, with Josh Rosen going from the No. 2 pick to out of the top 10.

Kiper’s ESPN colleague Todd McShay had Sam Darnold as his top pick in his latest mock draft released early in February, and coming out of the combine Pro Football Focus had Baker Mayfield No. 1-overall to the Browns.

However, both Big Al and Renck seemed to come to a consensus of sorts on Allen, the heavy-armed gunslinger out of Wyoming.

“I’ve got to tell you, man. Josh Allen, this dude threw a ball 70 yards in the air, and I imagine the ball must have been in the air 50 yards. It was unbelievable to see that ball thrown as high and as far as it was,” said Williams, who added that he doesn’t “want anything to do with Baker Mayfield.”

Renck, on the other hand, had Mayfield in the mix for the Broncos, saying Denver’s “hedging a little” toward both the Oklahoma quarterback and Allen.

“It feels like now that they have a slight lean toward Allen and they certainly like Mayfield and his confidence and his personality and what that could look like in the pro game,” Renck said.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.