Broncos Draft Texas S Caden Sterns at Pick 152 in Round 5

The Broncos added a safety with their first pick on Day 3.

After trading up to land North Carolina running back Javonte Williams in Round 2, which came at the cost of relinquishing a fourth-round pick, the Denver Broncos didn't go on the clock again on Day 3 until pick 152. 

In Round 5, the Broncos selected Texas safety Caden Sterns. 

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At 6-feet tall and 210 pounds, Sterns preemptively checks a box for the Broncos with Kareem Jackson being re-signed on a one-year deal. The Broncos opted not to re-sign Will Parks, which means Vic Fangio has been on the lookout for a bonafide No. 3 safety. 

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Perhaps Sterns can be that guy but he'll have to vanquish the veteran Trey Marshall for the privilege. Here's what Mile High Huddle's senior draft analyst Erick Trickel said about Sterns, whose stock took a hit similarly to Pittsburgh's Paris Ford. 

Sterns isn’t really falling because of anything he did, but more so due to safeties in the class outshining him in comparison. He is a jack-of-all-trades type of safety, and other safety prospects showed more elite safety-specific traits that NFL teams covet. Sterns actually had a good Pro Day and tested a little better than expected, but it still wasn’t enough to really vault him up draft boards. Then you look at his tape and he just doesn’t seem to have a high ceiling.

Now, he had a good 4.40-second 40 time, which was slightly better than most expected. That will help him some in the eyes of NFL teams, but again, other safeties were killing it. It will be interesting to see how NFL teams value his Pro Day in comparison to his tape. What will also be interesting to see is how Sterns and Ford both fall as one had a good Pro Day performance with alright tape and the other a terrible Pro Day with good tape.

Sterns is a good fit for what the Broncos do on defense. This is another safety option that probably could be had on Day 3. Sterns may have limited upside to really be an impact starter, but he has the traits to work as a No. 3 guy at the position. 

Sterns finished the 2020 season with 33 solo tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, one interception, three pass break-ups. He was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2018 and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors. 

It'll be interesting to see how Sterns fits with the Broncos but it would appear his skill-set matches Fangio. And he fills both a short- and long-term roster need. 

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