Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports
Going into the 2015 NFL Draft, it was widely believed the Denver Broncos would spend an early pick on the offensive line in order to better protect Peyton Manning next season. In the second round of the draft, the Broncos landed that young offensive lineman with the pick of Ty Sambrailo, a very talented right tackle who will be a solid starter for the next ten years.
Despite coming out of Colorado State, Sambrailo plays with excellent technique and balance. He understands angles well and Sambrailo’s football intelligence is pretty impressive. He doesn’t have the elite athleticism of some of the other top offensive tackles in the 2015 class, but Sambrailo will provide the Broncos with an immediate upgrade over Chris Clark on the right side of the line, and he should really provide the entire offense with a boost. The Broncos know that if they want another chance at a Super Bowl win, they needed to provide Manning with better protection, and Sambrailo will provide just that.
Another aspect of Sambrailo’s game that I really like is his mean streak on the football field. He’s not afraid to get physical, and that mean streak is a big reason why he was so good in college. Defenders will struggle to break free from Sambrailo once he has locked on, and his assertiveness in the running game is good to see. He’s not a flashy selection by any means, but Sambrailo is the type of smart pick that teams like the Broncos make on a consistent basis.
In conclusion, I believe this was an excellent pick for the Denver Broncos. With Peyton Manning another year older and not able to take as many hits as he could earlier in his career, the team needed to add an NFL-ready right tackle to upgrade their protection, and they got just that in Sambrailo.
