Drew Lock preparing for Denver’s high elevation

Former Missouri quarterback and second-round pick of the Denver Broncos, Drew Lock, is preparing his lungs for playing at a higher elevation.

The Denver Broncos landed their quarterback of the future in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft when they selected Missouri’s Drew Lock, who most draft analysts assumed John Elway was eyeing with the 10th overall pick in the first round.

Instead, the Broncos traded back to No. 20 and selected tight end Noah Fant, which seemed to end any chance they’d have at securing Lock’s services.

But Lock’s unexpected fall into the second round kept him in play for the Broncos, who ultimately chose him with the 42nd pick.

Playing in Denver will present its own unique set of challenges for Lock. Most notably, he’ll have to adjust to playing at an elevated sea level, a condition that takes time for the human body to adjust to.

Lock isn’t wasting any time preparing for it, however. He’s already prepping his lungs or the challenge that awaits:

Lock finished the 2018 season completing 62.9% of his passes for 3,498 yards, 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions and was widely considered the prospect with the most natural arm talent in the class. Whether it was Matthew Stafford or even Patrick Mahomes, his arm was compared to some of the best throwers in the game today.

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The problem, however, is Lock’s passes didn’t always hit their target. He isn’t the most accurate quarterback, which usually leads to a lower-than-expected final evaluation. In this case, it resulted in a second-round grade from NFL teams.

Still, Lock ended up in a perfect situation for his pro career. He’ll have time to sit and learn behind Joe Flacco and won’t be rushed into the starting lineup like he may have been if a team selected him in the first round. And with growth and development still needed in his game, having a mentor like Flacco in an organization like the Broncos will give him the best shot as a long and successful career.