Round 1: QB, Paxton Lynch
For whatever reason, there were some Broncos fans that were-- and still are-- determined to see Paxton start over Siemian, and I'm not sure what they're looking at. Paxton definitely showed some upside; one can clearly see he has the physical tools. In the game against Atlanta, he struggled, but he displayed determination and mental toughness, almost guiding the team to a comeback victory.
What could also clearly be seen was that Paxton wasn't ready. His footwork needs refining; he needs to work on following through with his throws, which goes back to the footwork. He needs to get more acquainted with the speed of the game, he looked overwhelmed at times. Apparently, one of his teammates is proving this assessment to be right.
Overall, I like his intangibles; he has a desire to learn, improve, and take advantage of whatever edge he can get to (possibly) win the starting QB position this year. Again, the physical tools are definitely there, I believe he just needs more seasoning. Grade: C
Round 2: DL, Adam Gotsis
Adam Gotsis was selected in the second round out of Georgia Tech. Honestly, I didn't get to see him play that much. I don't believe he saw much playing time until towards the end of the season, From what I saw, he plays with a high effort and generated some pressure at times. Obviously, defensive line coach Bill Kollar saw something in him that he went to Elway about drafting him.
Keep in mind, that Kollar was a part of the crew that drafted J.J. Watt when he was in Houston. People criticized the pick, because truthfully, he didn't have the name value as his peers in the draft, just like Gotsis. He turned out to be a three time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Not saying that Gotsis is the next Watt, just something to consider. As I said before, I didn't see a lot of Gotsis; I definitely didn't see enough of him to give him a fair grade, so I'll pass on this one. Grade: N/A
Keep in mind, that Kollar was a part of the crew that drafted J.J. Watt when he was in Houston. People criticized the pick, because truthfully, he didn't have the name value as his peers in the draft, just like Gotsis. He turned out to be a three time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Not saying that Gotsis is the next Watt, just something to consider. As I said before, I didn't see a lot of Gotsis; I definitely didn't see enough of him to give him a fair grade, so I'll pass on this one. Grade: N/A
Round 3: S, Justin Simmons
Justin was selected in the third round out of Boston College. Right now, he's more infamous (if you're a Saints fan) for the blocked extra point that led to the Broncos winning the game (see Will Parks). He wasn't expected to crack the lineup right away with T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart currently in front of him, but he has provided a lot of depth to the secondary.
I like his range and versatility. I'm sure some are going to give him some flak about Travis Kelce. I know it's still the NFL at the end of the day, and not to make excuses for him, but seriously, if I'm a QB, and I see a rookie trying to cover an All-Pro, Pro Bowl tight end, I know 9 times out of 10, Kelce's going to win that match-up, therefore, I would attack him all day.
I'm confident Justin's past that nightmare; if anything, I believe he's using that night as a tool to get better. I said prior to the season that he might be their best pick in this class. A safety with his range, versatility, and coverage skills are a dime a dozen. The future looks bright for Justin Simmons. Grade: B+
Round 4: RB, Devontae Booker
Projected to be the next Arian Foster, Devontae was selected in the 4th round out of Utah. I was surprised he dropped that low; the only RB I had ranked ahead of him was Ezekiel Elliott. There's a ton of upside with him: can run north, south, can bounce it to the outside, good receiver, and decent in pass protection.
He got off to a good start, but became hot and cold as the season went on, particularly after C.J. Anderson went down. I saw too many plays where he would tip-toe through the line. He fumbled a few times as well, but that wasn't a glaring problem, although that will put you in the coach's dog house much faster.
Despite an up and down season, Devontae showed flashes of the Arian Foster comparison. Aside from Simmons, he was another pick that I deemed as one of Elway's best in the class. The NFL learning curve takes time; everyone isn't going to produce right away like Ezekiel Elliott, or an Adrian Peterson back in the day. I'm willing to be patient with him.
He's no turtle, but he's not the fastest I've seen either, and I believe the newly implemented downhill running attack suits him (and Anderson) better. There's no doubt in my mind that he has the skills to be a dangerous back, it's just a matter of him putting it all together. Grade: B-
Round 5: OL, Connor McGovern
Connor was selected in the 5th round out of Missouri. He's the easiest one to grade; he basically was a red shirt during his rookie year, so I'm not going to give a him grade for last season. I'll wait and see what he does this season. Grade: N/A
Round 6: FB, Andy Janovich
In a league where the full back position is nearly obsolete, Andy is a part of a scarce bunch that still makes the position relevant. Former head coach Gary Kubiak still believed the FB had value, and wanted one in the draft. Another good find by Elway. He's everything one looks for from the position, and possibly more. He was the ideal blue collar, lead blocker that every running back loves, and he wasn't a bad runner and receiver when he was given some touches.
Even as a rookie, he made an immediate impact; the running game suffered after he went down with a season ending injury. I'm looking forward to seeing the havoc the Broncos backfield is going to cause with a healthy C.J., a more experienced Devontae, and a healthy Janovich helping to pave the way for them. Grade: A+
Round 6: S, Will Parks
Like his safety classmate Justin Simmons, Will is probably more infamous for their tag team play that won them the game against the Saints. After tying the game late in the 4th quarter, the Saints attempted an extra point to give them the lead, only for Simmons to take a leap of faith, if you will, and block the attempt. Will Parks scooped up the ball and returned it for a two point conversion, sealing the game for Denver.
The controversy is that Parks stepped out of bounds during the return. Of course, all of that is up for debate. As far as his play, to me, he resembled T.J, Ward. Decent in coverage, but his forte is head hunting, it's like having a smaller linebacker. He didn't crack the lineup either due to the aforementioned and Darian Stewart.
I like the dynamics Parks and Simmons brings; Simmons is more of the stealthy, rangy athlete, while Parks is more of a thumper. In the future, I believe this duo will continue to make the "No Fly Zone" great, and d*mn near impossible to throw against. Grade: B-
Round 7: P, Riley Dixon
Riley was selected in the final round of the draft out of Syracuse. He won a competition between himself and Britton Colquitt to become the Broncos punter, managing to win the job from the solid vet. He turned out to be another steal by Elway. He posted a net punting average of 41.3 yards, an NFL rookie record, his 28 punts that landed inside the opponent's 20 yard line was tied for 11th best, and he was named to the All-Rookie team. Grade: A+
All in all, I love the upside of this rookie class that has the talent to get even better. I await tonight's draft, but most of all, I await to see this year's rookie class kick a** with last year's rookie class. Overall Grade: B
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