Three under-the-radar prospects every Broncos fan needs to know
Jul 25, 2023, 5:49 AM
The Denver Broncos are ready to begin their training camp next week at Centura Health Training Center. Fans are going to be excited by what they see on the practice field.
They’re mainly going to be excited because head coach Sean Payton is bringing real football back to the summer. Instead of “jog throughs” and no practices featuring 7-on-7 or 1-on-1 drills (like former HC Nathaniel Hackett), fans are going to see their favorite team go through the rigors of camp to establish the best roster they can find.
You’ll get to see some of the brightest stars in the NFL at Broncos camp. However, you’ll also be introduced to some players you may not know much about. These sleeper prospects could get plenty of notice during the few weeks of training camp.
So, who are some of these under-the-radar prospects that could become fan favorites? Let’s take a look.
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Taylor Grimes | WR
Undrafted out of Incarnate Word this year, Taylor Grimes could make the 53-man roster. He was not one of the players I felt would do that after the priority free agents were picked up, but after watching him this offseason, I feel better about that idea. Now, I think he’s destined for the practice squad, but if Grimes flashes in the preseason, then the Broncos may not be able to sneak him through without another team plucking him away.
Grimes is always open, and he catches everything thrown his way. This is not hyperbole. This is not just practice observations where he’s running routes on air. This statement comes from watching him perform in 1-on-1 drills and team drills. Grimes uses his quickness to get open, and he understands how to set up defenders before he makes his break.
I think he could be a fine slot receiver for the Broncos. Perhaps he needs time to develop, but I think for what he’s asked to do from the slot, Grimes is ready to produce. He has strong hands, good concentration when passes are coming in, and Grimes has the body control to work the sidelines. I’m going to predict that one of the players fans talk and tweet about the most will be Grimes in the first week of training camp.
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Christopher Allen | LB
Don’t forget about Christopher Allen. Undrafted out of Alabama in 2022, Allen was given the largest contract of any UDFA last year. He was placed on Injured Reserve in August of 2022, and Allen spent the year recovering from the injuries that caused him to fall in the draft. Now, he’s ready to prove that not only should he have been drafted but that he can be a playmaker in this league.
I had Allen graded as a fourth-round prospect in this draft class, and had it not been for injury concerns (ACL 2018, Foot 2021) he would have heard his name called during the draft. Allen is not a finished product as a pass-rusher, but he’s got the natural agility and burst to get after the quarterback regularly.
The Broncos have a concern when it comes to the lack of experience at the EDGE position. Allen can get after the quarterback, and that’s a skill this team needs. I could see him making the final roster and getting on the field as a special teams player and a part-time pass-rusher.
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Jaleel McLaughlin | RB
Another undrafted player who is going to make splash plays in camp and I suspect in the preseason is RB Jaleel McLaughlin. He is the all-time leading rusher in all of college football (all levels) and watching McLaughlin at Youngstown State was a joy from a fans and evaluator’s standpoint. You’re going to watch him at camp, but watch carefully because McLaughlin is so fast, he can score from anywhere on the field.
Speed is the name of the game with McLaughlin. The Broncos have plenty of power backs, but the speed they need at the position is with the rookie. McLaughlin not only can fly by defenders, but when he changes direction, he doesn’t lose much speed. That’s why he can make players look silly who try to tackle him. He’s not a big back, but (like Phillip Lindsay before him) McLaughlin is not afraid to run between the tackles.
McLaughlin is also a great receiver. He’s not like many running backs – a good target out of the backfield. Instead, McLaughlin can line up in the slot and run routes. He’s great on screen passes, swing passes, wheel routes, and even on my personal favorite – the Texas route. These types of plays should be used in the Sean Payton offense, and it will help QB Russell Wilson greatly to have a weapon like McLaughlin touching the ball. If he has a good camp and follows that up with a good preseason, it’s going to be difficult to sneak him through to the practice squad.
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