The Broncos get aggressive to grab one of the best still on the board

This morning, Cecil Lammey provided a list of the best players still available after the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Apparently, the Broncos agreed.

Denver traded their second-round pick (No. 41) and a fourth-round selection (No. 114) to move up five spots early on day two. With the 36th-overall selection acquired from Atlanta, Denver took running back Javonte Williams from North Carolina.

At 5-foot-10, 220 pounds, Williams is a powerful runner. He’s tough to bring down, bouncing off tacklers during his time with the Tar Heels. Here’s what Cecil had to say about the running back:

The best running back in this class is Javonte Williams, in my opinion. I love big backs and I cannot lie, and Williams fits that bill at nearly 215 pounds. He runs with plenty of violence as evidenced by his 75 broken tackles for the Tar Heels in 2020. Williams worked better as a receiver last year and could be a lead back in the NFL.

Did he think the Broncos should pursue the running back in round two? Affirmative.

They have Melvin Gordon as their starter, but he’s average at best. The team needs an upgrade at the position. Williams could work as a complementary back with Gordon in 2021 and then take over the backfield as the primary player in 2022.

The Broncos were on the same page. Williams was their guy, so they got aggressive to make sure they didn’t miss out on picking him. By all accounts, it’s a good way to start day two of the NFL Draft.

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