Broncos at the NFL Combine: Scouting DBs & TEs

The defensive backs and tight ends take the field on day two, with the Denver Broncos keeping a close eye.

The on-field workouts are coming as the NFL Scouting Combine is getting underway. On Friday, March 1st, the defensive backs and tight ends will take the field on the second day of the on-field portion. 

George Paton and Sean Payton discussed those positions during their NFL Combine press conferences. They made it clear that they are looking to add help at both positions, and the reason is apparent when you watch the 2023 season. 

This group is one of the bigger groups, containing 42 cornerbacks, 25 safeties, and 16 tight ends. While there are plenty of options for the Broncos, ten stand out as options that can help who will probably be drafted outside the first two rounds.

Cornerbacks

Renardo Green | Florida State

Green stood out when watching the two LSU receivers with how well he played against them. He allowed only three catches on six targets for 28 yards, with an interception and pass broken up against two top-five receivers in the class. There are concerns about getting grabby and if he will have the size to be a boundary corner at the NFL level. 

M.J. Devonshire | Pittsburgh

The frame is impressive and has room for more mass, which needs to be seen as he is slim on tape. His length is phenomenal with a 6-foot-6 wingspan, and he uses it well when attacking the catch point. He has eight career interceptions and broken up 18 more passes. However, he can be a bit boom-or-bust with his play, having given up 11 career touchdowns but under 50% completions. 

Max Melton | Rutgers

It should be an impressive showing from Melton with the athletic testing. The athleticism oozes from watching him, but you want to see improved technique from top to bottom during the position drills. He has four seasons under his belt and 2,040 snaps played, where he picked up eight interceptions and 16 passes broken up but allowed 12 touchdowns and was flagged nine times. 

Kamal  Hadden | Tennessee

The speed is the big question with Hadden, and he has a chance to help himself with a good time. He did quite well in man coverage during his three years at Tennessee, playing 1,131 snaps. In 2023, he picked up three of his six career interceptions and six of his 12 passes broken up, all while giving up no touchdowns and allowing 36.4% of targets to be caught. 

Chau Smith-Wade | Washington State

Smith-Wade has an opportunity to keep himself from being pigeonholed as a nickel-only corner. After getting the measurements at the Senior Bowl, his size isn't much of a question, and he doesn't have the ideal size to be an NFL boundary corner. However, if he can do well with the positional drills, he could be a boundary corner who can move inside. 

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Safeties

Evan Williams | Oregon

Most analysts have Williams down as a limited box safety, but he showed solid range and good instincts at the Senior Bowl. If he can test well athletically, he could rip off that label. He has 2,830 snaps played, with  744 coming during his lone season at Oregon. Williams consistently filled out the box score with his play as a run defender, blitzer, and in coverage. 

Kitan Oladapo | Oregon State

With 2,651 snaps played over five seasons (all but 246 coming in the last three seasons), Oladapo has plenty of experience. He has a good size and fits the mold as a box safety, though he does have good range but is inconsistent. While he may not have the highest ceiling, he can be a chess piece who can help cover tight ends and contribute to special teams. 

Dominique Hampton | Washington

Hampton has six years at Washington, playing 1,604 of his 1,935 career snaps in the last two seasons. It took him time to hit the field, but he did well. While he has the size of a box linebacker, he is better off working farther from the line of scrimmage. His angles and reads are not the best, so the extra distance to read and react helps him. 

Tight Ends

Tanner  McLachlen | Arizona

If you are looking for an immediate improvement to your blocking ability, look elsewhere. While he has the effort and solid technique, he lacks the strength and power needed for the NFL. However, he is a versatile receiving tight end who can work from all over the formation and create mismatches for the offense. A team would be best served to utilize him in how the Detroit Lions used Matt LaPorta as a rookie. 

Jack Westover | Washington

With his size, Westover may be more of a fullback in the NFL, and he doesn't offer up much as a receiver. He can be a safety outlet working underneath but may not offer up much after the catch. When working as a receiver, he can be a bit more versatile with where he lines up, but he shouldn't have a large or complex route tree that consistently has him working beyond the sticks. 

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