The Broncos will take a high-risk, high-reward player in the first round
Given that the Broncos can secure their quarterback via a trade, my guess is that they take a home-run swing with their first pick. While there are several holes that need to be fixed on this team, this is still a championship roster, and Elway has the ability and job security to make a high-risk, high-reward move.
The two players that come to mind are Robert Nkimdiche and Jaylon Smith.
I wrote about Smith earlier this week, and the idea is that he’s one of the most talented linebackers to come out of college football in years, and injury or not, that’s worth betting on. He won’t play this season, and there’s a chance he doesn’t play next season, but that’s a risk the Broncos may be uniquely capable of taking.
Likewise, Nkimdiche is a top-five talent, but his off-the-field issues have forced him down into the latter portions of the first round, if not the second. He’d be the perfect replacement for Malik Jackson, and there’s probably not a locker room more suited to keep Nkimdiche in line than the Broncos’.
