ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. on Broncos draft: “There isn’t a whole lot in this class”
May 1, 2022, 12:22 PM
The grades are in.
It seems like everyone and their brother is offering up an NFL Draft grade, and while the Denver Broncos did well with Pro Football Focus, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. wasn’t as kind.
Kiper is probably the most widely known NFL Draft critic out there, so when he writes something up, fans will generally want to give it a look. Kiper acknowledged the Broncos didn’t have a first-round pick for a good reason (the Russell Wilson trade), but wasn’t a huge fan of Denver’s draft class overall past their top two selections.
Here’s what he had to say:
The Broncos sent their first- and second-round pick in this draft to Seattle to acquire Russell Wilson — I think they’re OK with the outcome of the deal — and they had already added a second-rounder from the Von Miller trade to the Rams. I liked their top pick enough, because Nik Bonitto (64) is a fit for their 3-4 defense. He already is advanced as a pass-rusher and is fast off the snap. He led the FBS in pressure percentage last season at 18.3%. He needs to get much better against the run, though, because he is going to struggle to play on early downs.
Greg Dulcich (80) is my second-ranked tight end, and he should take a bunch of the vacant snaps left by Noah Fant going to Seattle. This was a big hole for Denver. Cornerback Damarri Mathis (115) ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine, while Eyioma Uwazurike (116) was a four-year starter at Iowa State, and he could play defensive end in the Broncos’ scheme.
One other thing to mention is that Denver added a 2023 third-round pick when the Colts traded up to No. 96, so that’s a nice get. While obviously the Wilson trade is great for Denver, there isn’t a whole lot in this class past Bonitto and Dulcich.
The last sentence is particularly harsh, and probably the reason Kiper gave the Broncos a “B-” for their final grade, after praising both Bonitto and Dulcich.
Elsewhere around the AFC West, Kiper gave the Chiefs a “B” grade, the Chargers checked in with a “B-” mark and the Raiders earned a “B” for their efforts. So, according to Kiper, no one in the division really separated themselves with this draft.
Look, we all know draft grades literally the day after are interesting exercise. We’re much better served to re-visit these classes in three, four or five years and we’ll have a much better idea of an actual grade.
In the meantime, all the guy the Broncos picked on Saturday have some work to do. And it’d be awful fun if they can prove guys like Kiper wrong with a newfound chip on their collective shoulders.
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