Denver Broncos: The First-Round Pick That May Never Come


Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

It is the season when everyone and their brother is a draft expert and every sports site has their own mock draft. The NFL draft, especially the first round, has become an event, but the fans of the Denver Broncos may have to sit that event out again. Last year, the Broncos traded out of the first round to pick up a couple more selections later in the draft. They still got the player they wanted in Derek Wolfe.

While everyone else is projecting who the Broncos are going to take with the 28th pick in the first round, I’m here to tell you they may not make a first-round selection.

The Broncos are probably going to be looking at three primary positions in the draft: defensive tackle, wide receiver and depth on the offensive line. Those needs could change depending on what the team does in free agency starting on March 12, but as of now, those are the areas of focus in the draft.

It just so happens that the 2013 draft is extremely deep at all of those positions and the Broncos can get good football players in the second, third and fourth rounds. So why trade out of the first round?

It’s simple. As of now, the Broncos only have seven picks, one in each round. In a draft this deep, having as many picks as possible is more important than making a selection late in the first round.

By trading back, the Broncos can probably pick up and extra selection or two and still get one of the players they want. The extra pick or two also allows John Elway to address additional needs instead of waiting till the end of each round.

Here’s a potential example to give you an idea of why trading out of the first round is not a bad idea. The Broncos trade the 28th overall pick to a team in exchange for their second and fourth round picks. Now the Broncos have two second-round picks and in a deep draft, that’s huge. In reality, there is not a lot of separation between players who are picked from the end of the first round through the second round.

If you are a fan of the Broncos who is having or attending a draft party in late April, you might want to think about having that party during the second and third rounds instead. We probably won’t know until the Broncos are scheduled to make their first-round pick, but don’t be shocked if they never make that pick at all.

Follow me on Twitter @Jemorrone7


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