Broncos won’t have a lot of options for adding OT depth in the 2023 draft

The draft season is my favorite time of year. Now that April is here, I am going over my final rankings for this entire 2023 draft class. I’ve personally scouted over 400 players as I prepare to cover every day of the draft for Denver Sports.

Next up, I will examine the offensive tackle position. There are a few players with star power in this class, but I don’t think this group has the depth of previous seasons. That means if you want a tackle, then you’d better be in the market for one earlier in the draft.

The Broncos are set for the 2023 season with Garett Bolles at left tackle and free agent addition Mike McGlinchey at right tackle. However, I think they need to consider the future of the position – specifically on the left side – which means they could be in the market for a tackle at some point in the draft.

Here are my thoughts on the 2023 offense tackle class.

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We’ll Always Have Paris

The best offensive tackle in this draft class is Paris Johnson Jr from Ohio State. I say this with the knowledge that we haven’t seen Johnson play his best football. I think over his time with the Buckeyes, Johnson has been outstanding as a run-blocker. However, his pass-protection ability has been good but not great. He could be the first tackle off the board, but he needs some more time to fully develop.

Johnson can start from day one in the NFL, and he’s going to learn on the fly when it comes to better pass-protection techniques. Mainly, I think Johnson needs to play with more patience. He loves dominating his man (see his outstanding run blocking), and that makes him a bit too eager to punch or lean or lunge when pass blocking. Johnson was able to get away with that in college because of his elite athletic traits. In the NFL, Johnson is going to have to play with better timing and balance.

He’s incredibly athletic for a big man, and he’s explosive off the snap. I like the way he quickly gets into his set, and Johnson has the strength and length to keep even the best rushers at bay. Johnson is a mean player, and that mean streak makes him a favorite of mine. As aforementioned, Johnson is always looking to not only block his man – he wants to humiliate his opponent every snap. If he plays up to his potential, Johnson could be one of the best tackles in the NFL.

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Potential Greatness

In addition to Johnson, there are two or three more tackles who will be getting first-round consideration. The order they’re drafted will depend on what teams covet. I have Johnson as the top tackle in this class, but several teams I talk to have a different order when it comes to offensive tackles – but most teams consider four tackles as potential Day 1 picks.

Peter Skoronski (Northwestern) has a nearly flawless game. He’s a technician with great hands to latch onto defenders, and he’s got the footwork to mirror most any player he goes up against on the field. Skoronski lacks the length of a prototypical left tackle, and some may consider him a guard. I believe with his high football intelligence, and technical skills, Skoronski is best suited to playing tackle in the pros. He’s got a high floor because of his skill set, but Skoronski does not have the upside or peak potential of a player like Johnson.

Broderick Jones (Georgia) lacks the measurables of the prototypical tackle, but his athleticism and football IQ make him a top tackle in this class. In fact, he may be the most athletic tackle in this class, and there are some in the scouting community who describe Jones as having “cat-like” quickness. That’s a rare description for a man who measures in at 310 pounds. His hands are like Vise-Grips, and he can control his man at the point of attack. I’d like to see Jones improve his footwork after first contact, and there is some debate as to where he’s going to play in the NFL. Jones can be a left tackle, but some teams see him as a right tackle or a guard.

There is a chance we will see Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan selected in the first round. At the least, he should be an early second-round pick. Duncan has been a player scouts have talked about for years, and he’s got four years of starting experience coming into the NFL. Duncan is good at both run-blocking and pass-blocking. However, he lacks any standout trait other than strength. That’s a double-edged sword as Duncan will use his punching power to jolt a rusher, but then his feet go still, and he will start reaching. A pro coach will be able to teach Duncan more tricks than he learned with the Terrapins. That means Duncan is the type of player who should be a better pro than he was a collegian.

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My Favorites

Before the Senior Bowl, I thought a couple of these guys could fall within the range of the Broncos. Now, I’m not so sure they’ll be there when the Broncos pick at no.67 overall. They are some of my favorites, and I think Denver may miss out on them unless they consider a move up into the second round.

Blake Freeland (BYU) has the looks of a quality starter in the NFL. He’s got 35-inch arms which are outstanding when it comes to controlling a defender and maneuvering him to where Freeland wants him to go. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Freeland can work well in space, and he’s got the ability to block defenders on the run. At the NFL Combine, Freeland set a record for lineman with a 37-inch vertical leap. That shows up on film when Freeland is getting off the line of scrimmage at the snap. He’s quick into his set, and his length/strength make him tough to get by. Freeland is known as a coachable player, and he should be a favorite of whatever coaching staff gets to teach him.

Anton Harrison (Oklahoma) was a player I was touting for the Broncos when they still had the first-round pick from the Bradley Chubb trade. After the trade for HC Sean Payton, the dream of getting Harrison went bye-bye. Some see Harrison as a mid-round pick, but I’ve got a higher grade on him than most. He’s a favorite of mine because he will drive his opponents into the ground if given the chance. Harrison is an Earth mover as a tackle, and I appreciate his run-blocking. He’s got the athleticism to mirror rushers on the edge, and Harrison only gave up 4.0 sacks in three years of college ball. I’d like to see his hand placement improve in the NFL, and I want Harrison to work on his leverage as he tends to get too upright at times. Harrison may not be perfectly sound when it comes to technique, but the physical tools and attitude are them for him to be a Pro Bowl offensive tackle.

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Overall Grade

I like some of these tackles in this class, and I love a small handful of them. However, I don’t see the quality in the depth of this class. Mostly, there are role players or swing tackles in this class outside of the premiere players who should go off the board early. That makes this group of tackles a “C” in my opinion.

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