NFL.com Predicts Broncos to Zig Instead of Zag at No. 12 Overall

Everyone expects the Denver Broncos to draft a first-round quarterback, but Bucky Brooks foresees a different approach.

Dec 2, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Jared Verse (5) during / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos have an obvious need at quarterback. A room featuring Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson, and Ben DeNucci is giving no one in Broncos Country any warm or fuzzy feeling.

Alas, with the consistent rumors that Denver is trying to move up from No. 12 overall in the NFL draft for a signal-caller, there is a strong possibility that the team won’t be able to land its choice quarterback.

Do Sean Payton and company view Oregon's Bo Nix or Washington's Michael Penix Jr. worthy of the 12th pick? If not, what direction will Denver ultimately go?

If it’s not quarterback, the most likely position the Broncos will target is that of pass rusher. Whether it's Alabama’s Dallas Turner, UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, Florida State’s Jared Verse, or Texas’ Byron Murphy II, the Broncos have been most linked to pressure players, outside of quarterback, down thefinal stretch to the draft.

In that vein, NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks mocked Verse to Denver at No. 12 in his latest mock draft.  

"Sean Payton's essentially rebuilding the Broncos from scratch, and a premier pass rusher is a critical need. Verse is an energetic QB hunter with the potential to rack up double-digit sacks in the NFL," Brooks wrote.

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The Broncos have an obvious need for reinforcements on the defensive line. Fielding one of the worst defensive fronts in football last season, both in pass rush and run defense across many metrics from ESPN, SIS, and PFF, the Broncos simply do not possess many (if any) true difference-makers upfront.

Considering that the Broncos don't have a single first-round player on their defensive front and questionable depth at the most heavily rotated positional group on a football team, this is not surprising.

As any statistician would tell you, “correlation is not causation,” but in recent draft trends, almost no position is as correlated to success on the football field as that of the first-round pass rusher. There are no sure things in the draft, but the league does a pretty good job at assessing the haves versus the have-nots at edge and defensive tackle in comparison to nearly any other position.

If Denver is going to turn the tide on its woeful defensive front, it’s likely going to have to start by spending premium selections on the unit. Verse is a powerful player. With a unique path to Tallahassee, many assumed Verse would enter last year’s draft and wind up a top-10 selection.

After a slower start to this last season, Verse stacked sacks and pressures in bunches playing on a talented Seminole defensive front. He would add a combination of speed to power and three-down ability that Denver simply does not have on the field right now.

While not as crafty as Latu or as explosive and bendy as Turner, Verse has a high floor, possessing so much power and showing true three-down ability as a player who can set the edge while still impacting the pass game. Verse is relentless in all aspects and his effort is felt in every game.

Verse does not have an incredible change of direction or bend and would rather win with power moves, but power can translate to the NFL level rather well if it's supported by enough overall athleticism and technique. Verse may not wind up a superstar pass rusher in the NFL, but if the Broncos are looking to hit a 'double' and start to add building blocks to a deteriorating defensive front, they could do a lot worse than the player profile of Verse.

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