Day Two of the Draft Complete

John Elway surprised just about everyone by selecting Adam Gotsis, a defensive tackle from Georgia Tech with the 63rd pick of the draft. Before he was selected, I had never heard of him. He was a hot name before the draft and shot up boards and was expected to be gone in the third round. Although it may seem to be a reach based on draft analyst rankings, but Elway and co. have drafted well on the defensive line since he became the Vice President of Football Operations. 

This pick fits an immediate need for the Broncos and if he shows that he is polished and rehabs successfully he could find himself starting by the midway point in the season. Even if he does not crack the starting lineup, he will still play a role as a rotational player. Malik Jackson’s departure left a gaping hole at defensive end and although they signed Jared Crick, he is not the longterm solution at that position. 

He tore his ACL midway through the season last year, but he should be ready by the beginning of the season. His ACL injury should not be a longterm problem for him, which is why the front office felt comfortable drafting him in the second round. 

With the final pick of the day, the Broncos selected safety Justin Simmons out of Boston College. David Bruton and Omar Bolden left in free agency, and Darian Stewart is in a contract season, safety depth was much needed.

Simmons needs to be able to be in the rotation from day one. He does not need to be starter quality, but he needs to be good enough to give the starters a rest every now and then. He played free safety at Boston College so he will likely be Stewart’s eventual replacement. Simmons was the emotional leader on his defense, hopefully he can carry that over to the NFL.  

Thoughts on Denver Drafting Paxton Lynch With the 26th Overall Pick

Many thought the Broncos would have to move past the New York Jets in order to grab Paxton Lynch, but they obviously knew that New York would not pick him in the first round. They ended up trading up to the 26th spot to take their future quarterback, relinquishing the 31st and the 94th picks. 

After the draft concluded, there were reports that Dallas was also trying to trade up for the opportunity to select Lynch, but the possession of a first round pick enticed Seattle to accept the Broncos offer. Good job on Elway’s part to ensure that another team was not able to complete a trade before them to pick Lynch. 

John Elway possessed 10 picks going into the draft so I was not a surprise that he used one of his mid-round picks as ammunition to put himself into a position to draft a player that he really wanted.

Lynch is a polarizing pick among Bronco fans because many thought they would be able to get a project quarterback in the later rounds. Dak Prescott and Christian Hackenberg would both be available in the second and maybe even third rounds. However, I am a huge fan of this pick because Lynch has the highest ceiling of any of the other quarterbacks in the draft. Some have raised concerns of his ability to work from under center and his ability to read NFL defenses (which every rookie QB is unequipped for). 

The best case scenario for both Lynch and Denver is for him to take zero snaps during the 2016 season. Hopefully Sanchez is able to hold down the fort without getting injured or preforming poorly enough to get benched. 

Jon Gruden compared Paxton Lynch to Cam Newton during the ESPN broadcast of the draft, which is good but Gruden is known for overemphasizing player skill. I don't agree with Gruden’s assessment because Cam is much more athletic and more polished coming out of college. 

Lynch has a strong arm and athleticism, but he needs to work on his mechanics, especially since he will be transition to an offense that operates mainly under center. With that said, it is reassuring that Lynch compares closely with Cam according to a former head coach. 

The Broncos did a good job of getting the player that they wanted in the first round and without panicking a trading up before they needed to. Lynch may not be prepared to play this season, but I believe he is the quarterback of the future. Reportedly, Paxton Lynch was the number one quarterback on the Broncos board, ahead of the first two overall picks Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Although I might not agree with that, it is hard for me to criticize John Elway when it comes to ranking quarterbacks.