Broncos 2021 NFL Draft primer: Will George Paton replace Drew Lock?
What are the Denver Broncos’ biggest draft needs?
Going into the 2021 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos have been set up well enough to be able to go after the best player available, wherever they may pick. While the team on paper looks to be one of the better teams in the AFC West and in the AFC, they still have several areas that they need to improve through the draft. The question going into the 2021 NFL Draft remains: what are the Denver Broncos’ three biggest draft needs?
1. Cornerback
Why is cornerback still a big need for the Denver Broncos in the draft? Kyle Fuller is only on a one-year deal, Ronald Darby has injury concerns, and Bryce Callahan is both oft-injured and on the last year of his contract. Cornerback Michael Ojemudia had his fair share of ups and downs through his rookie season and he shows promise, but if the Broncos are planning for the future, cornerback should remain one of their biggest draft needs.
2. Quarterback
Yes, George Paton said the Denver Broncos were “high on Drew Lock”. Is Lock really the answer for the Broncos, though? Not likely. Lock showed some positive improvements through the last six games of the season, but his mental mistakes were too costly for the Broncos offense. While consecutive seasons with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur may help Lock improve slightly, he would need to become an almost-elite quarterback for the Broncos to be a top team in the league in 2021. With so much top-end talent in this year’s quarterback class, the Broncos would be wise to make the position an area of great need.
3. Linebacker
Vic Fangio loves good linebacker play and this year’s draft class features some fascinating prospects for him to develop for the Denver Broncos defense. Alexander Johnson has turned out to be quite the find and fit for the scheme, but there’s still a lack of depth and talent behind him. Josey Jewell played decently, but he still lacks certain skills that are required from the position. The Broncos will likely draft a linebacker on Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft.