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.
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