Finding Broncos: 5 Interior Defensive Linemen for Competitive Depth

Finding Broncos scouts the 2023 NFL Draft with a group of defensive linemen who can bring competition to the depth at the position.

The Denver Broncos have improved their roster but are lacking on the defensive line. They replace Dre'Mont Jones with Zach Allen but have yet to find a replacement for DeShawn Williams. This isn't a great class for defensive linemen, but the Broncos have been doing their due diligence. 

Scott Matlock | IDL | Boise State

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Pros

• He is a good athlete with good size and decent length. 
• He has some good moves in his arsenal that are well-developed. 
• He has been used as an extra blocker on offense, with success, and has two touchdown catches. 
• There is some versatility to move around the defensive line. 
• He does well to chain moves together. 

Cons

• The production is lacking and doesn't match the athletic traits. 
• His versatility is in limited usage, with more potential problems outside a 4/5 technique. 
• There are issues when he is attempting to finish plays. 
• He needs to play with a better bend and base when holding up at the point of attack. 

Fit with Broncos

Matlock is a good athlete, but his technique must be refined. In addition, the lack of closing burst is an issue, as you have to finish in the NFL. Matlock would be a good pickup as a projected undrafted free agent, but he will need some time on the practice squad. 

Jordon Riley | IDL | Oregon

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Pros

• He has great size, length, and mass. 
• He is a solid athlete for his size. 
• There is good strength to hold up blocks and anchor against double teams. 
• His large wingspan helps him reach ball carriers through the gap. 
• There is great grip strength that can be hard for ball carriers to break free from. 

Cons

• There is a lack of experience, as he has only played 534 snaps at a high level. 
• There isn't anything there as a pass rusher to work with or develop. 
• He is limited as a nose tackle only in the NFL. 
• He isn't overly explosive and lacks burst. 

Fit with Broncos

If the Broncos want a developmental once tackle, then Riley would be an option as an undrafted free agent. Unfortunately, there isn't much to work with outside his strength, and his lack of experience shows how undeveloped his technique is. 

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Kobie Turner | IDL | Wake Forest

© Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He has some good agility and changes direction well. 
• There is good quickness, and his feet are light with solid footwork. 
• There is good strength in his hands to jar blockers on contact. 
• He has had good production throughout his college career. 
• He has a great build on his frame and is full of power. 

Cons

• There is a lack of ideal length for the interior. 
• There are issues with his lack of discipline, and he will give up his gap assignment. 
• There is a lack of technique as a pass rusher, and he doesn't have a lot in his arsenal. 
• He has a habit of not staying square to the line of scrimmage and getting driven out of the lane. 

Fit with Broncos

Kobie Turner is a development guy who is projected as a day-three pick. The size is a concern, especially for a team with a value on measurements. However, there is a high ceiling, and he has the potential to develop into a starter on the unit. 

Jeffery Johnson | IDL | Oklahoma

© NATHAN J FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pros

• There is good length and size. 
• He does well holding up blocks when working between the tackles. 
• He does well in staying low and playing with leverage. 
• There are good instincts with run defense, and he does well in clogging running lanes. 

Cons

• There isn't much there athletically to work with. 
• His technique is underwhelming, and there isn't anything there to work with as a pass rusher. 
• There isn't any lateral range, and he will get left behind when the play goes outside the tackles. 
• There is violence with his hands, but the technique and placement are terrible. 

Fit with Broncos

Johnson has good length and size, but there is a lack of tools and traits to work with. He will be severely limited in the NFL if he manages to hang in on a roster. Even as an undrafted free agent, there are better ways the Broncos can look. 

Jonah Tavai | IDL | San Diego State

© Steven Erler-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He is a solid athlete. 
• He has elite production with 130 pressures and 22 sacks in the last two seasons. 
• His production came against some talented offensive line prospects. 
• He has the versatility to move around the defensive front. 
• There is solid hand technique, and he has decent quickness to shoot gaps. 

Cons

• He is undersized for the NFL, with no length and poor mass. 
• He isn't athletic enough to make up for his lack of size. 
• With how undersized he is, there isn't a position for him in the NFL. 
• He is raw with his technique. 

Fit with Broncos

Tavai is a weird prospect because he has elite production, but he will likely go undrafted because he is so undersized. The lack of size is such a hindrance because it leaves him positionless in the NFL. There is enough to take a shot as an undrafted free agent, but the odds are stacked against him. 

The Broncos have been linked with some of these prospects, but they are more depth and development options than starters. They probably have someone on the roster in mind for their third starter to replace Williams or could look at veterans still available. 

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