Senior Bowl Preview: Four players should be on the Broncos radar
Jan 21, 2020, 6:41 AM
My “All-Star Road Trip” continues this week as I’m writing from Mobile, Ala., the site of the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl. For 14 years, I have been coming to Alabama for this game – not just for the Saucy Q! The nation’s best seniors have descended upon Mobile for this contest and the entire league is here.
Last week at the Shrine Bowl, only a few general managers were in attendance – and only one head coach by my account. This week at the Senior Bowl, everybody who is anybody is going to be here. Teams send most of their scouting departments and all general managers will be in attendance.
The Broncos will be sending everyone down here, as well, including John Elway to personally scout some of the best prospects coming out in the 2020 NFL Draft. Finding gems at this game could help put Elway and company back in the playoff conversation next season.
Who are a few of the players the Broncos should watch closely at this game? Let’s take a look.
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Logan Wilson | ILB | Wyoming
6’2″ | 225 lbs.
The Broncos defense is still looking for help at inside linebacker. That’s why they should be keeping an eye on Logan Wilson from Wyoming. A converted defensive back, Wilson is a smart player who finds the ball quickly. Known as a great leader, Wilson flies to the football and is constantly on the move. He plays with great anticipation and does a good job of diagnosing plays as they unfold in front of him. Wilson also had 10 career interceptions at Wyoming, so you know he can make plays in coverage. He’s seen as a mid- to late-round pick and certainly has to be a player on the Broncos radar.
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Denzel Mims | WR | Baylor
6’3″ | 215 lbs.
The need for speed is apparent at the wide receiver position. That’s where Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims comes into the picture. A former decorated track athlete, Mims is more than just a track guy playing football – he’s a wide receiver with track speed. He has the burst to get off the line of scrimmage smoothly and Mims has the deep speed to take the top off the defense. He has a large catch radius and does a good job of looking in passes over his shoulder. The Broncos may go wide receiver in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft because of the incredible talent in this draft class. Mims is not a first-round graded player, but he could be another steal for them at the wide receiver position in the second round.
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Kristian Fulton | CB | LSU
6’0″ | 200 lbs.
There is a chance that the Broncos first-round pick is here in Mobile. That player could be LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton. He has fluid hips, which helps him when making his transition from backpedal to sprint. He does a good job of reading a wide receiver’s tendencies and thus puts himself in great position to make a play on the ball. Fulton has elite-level traits as a cover corner. Unfortunately, we won’t get to see him tackle during the week of practice. That’s something scouts need to find out more about – especially Broncos scouts under Vic Fangio. Fulton has all the tools of a first-round corner, but teams need to find out if he can be a better tackler in the pros.
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Josh Jones | OT | Houston
6’7” | 310 lbs.
The Broncos need to find better talent for the offensive line this offseason, and that could come in the mid rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft with a guy like Josh Jones from Houston. He’s a huge and athletic prospect who has yet to play his best football. Yes, he is a bit of a project, but with offensive line coach Mike Munchak, we could see Jones develop into an elite offensive tackle in just a year or two. Jones is a tenacious player who likes to control his opponent from the snap. He’s got the athleticism to mirror edge rushers and is a bit nasty when finishing off blocks. Jones is not a finished product but his upside is intriguing.
