Following the flurry of moves the Broncos made over the course of free agency, we have a pretty good idea what their strategy will be with their first-round pick.

The signing of Ja’Wuan James means the Broncos won’t be pursuing tackles Jawaan Taylor or Andre Dillard. The signings of Kareem Jackson and Bryce Callahan rule out taking a cornerback at the tenth pick, and although re-signing Jeff Heuerman doesn’t rule out taking a tight end like Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson with the tenth pick, it makes it much less likely.

In all likelihood, the tenth pick in the draft will either be a quarterback in Drew Lock or an inside linebacker like Devin White or Devin Bush. With that in mind, what players could John Elway target in the second round of the draft?

Mack Wilson

Yes, Devin White and Devin Bush are among the most likely picks for the Broncos at pick No. 10. However, if they decide to address their need at tight end or quarterback instead, or if a guy like Ed Oliver falls, that could change in a hurry.

If Elway takes a position other than inside linebacker with the tenth pick, they will almost have to select Mack Wilson at the top of the second round. There’s a fairly steep drop-off between the Devins and Wilson, but the drop-off from Wilson to the rest of the inside linebackers is like the Mariana Trench.

Mack Wilson is the third and last starting-caliber inside linebacker in the 2019 draft class and has plenty of talent. One NFL coach even told NFL Network’s Rhett Lewis at Alabama’s pro day that he preferred Wilson’s speed, strength and explosiveness a little more to White and Bush, but he didn’t have the same impact on the game that the Devins did.

Another draft analyst for NFL Network, Bucky Brooks, said that Wilson lacks the instincts and grit of White and Bush, but may have better coverage skills. Those coverage skills may lead to the Broncos favoring Wilson, as they’ve searched for a solid coverage linebacker since Danny Trevathan‘s departure.

Dalton Risner

Since the Senior Bowl, right tackle Dalton Risner has steadily climbed up draft boards, and now is viewed as a Round 2 lock, with the potential to sneak into the first.

What makes Risner so appealing is his versatility and his toughness. Although he primarily played right tackle at Kansas State, Risner did start at center and likely fits better there or at guard in the pros. That ability to play across the line would fill a major need for the Broncos as they have question marks at both guard and center, which we previously wrote about.

As for his toughness, there are few if any, players in the draft as gritty as Risner. During the week of practice at the Senior Bowl, Risner absolutely bullied opposing defensive lineman, choke-slamming Sutton Smith and even getting into a dust-up with Boston College’s Zach Allen.

Elway proved that he values toughness in his lineman by drafting Garrett Bolles in the first round, but Risner is far more refined than Bolles was coming out of Utah. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a local prospect, named to the Colorado All-State team twice during his time at Wiggins High School.

Irv Smith Jr.

The second member of the Crimson Tide to make the list comes in the form of their star tight end Irv Smith Jr. If that name sounds familiar, it could be because his father, Irv Smith Sr. was an NFL tight end for the Saints, Browns and 49ers for seven seasons.

While Smith Jr. doesn’t have the high-end upside of T.J. Hockenson or Noah Fant, he shows the athleticism and hands to be a factor in the passing game, while possessing the blocking ability to be strong in the running game as well. In his senior season, Smith Jr. hauled in 44 passes for 710 yards and seven scores.

While the Broncos did re-sign tight end Heuerman, both he and Jake Butt have serious issues with durability. Adding Smith Jr. would at the very least give the Broncos security and depth at the tight end position, and at best provide them with a sizable upgrade for years to come.

Dexter Lawrence

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was the anchor of the now-legendary Clemson defensive line that will have all four starters drafted in the 2019 draft, two of which (Christian Wilkins and Clelin Ferrell) are first-round locks.

While it would be a surprise for Lawrence to go in the first round, don’t let that fool you into thinking that he isn’t a first-round talent. Lawrence is one of the top players in the draft, but will likely slide due to his lack of pass-rushing ability.

Lawrence excels in stuffing the run but rarely gets to the quarterback, tallying just 1.5 sacks in 2018. However, despite his lack of sack production Lawrence made almost 20 percent of his tackles last season behind the line of scrimmage. With Domata Peko out the door, the Broncos could use a talented run-stuffer like Lawrence.

Like former Alabama defensive tackle and current Seahawk Jarran Reed, Lawrence has the potential to develop into more of a pass rusher. Reed fell to the middle of the second round as there were concerns around his pass-rushing ability, but in just his third season Reed racked up 10.5 sacks. Tied for the second most among defensive tackles with Fletcher Cox, and behind only back-to-back defensive player of the year Aaron Donald.