Almost two months removed from the AFC Championship game, the Denver Broncos are now looking ahead.
Their goal: to pick up where they left off.
The draft remains a critical part of Denver’s offseason. The team boasts an eye-opening defense and a franchise quarterback in Bo Nix as part of its core. Yet, the picks Denver’s front office will make in the draft will play a huge role in their success next year.
As of now, the wide receiver position is especially an area the Broncos can improve on.
Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin played great last year. Other players, like Marvin Mims and Pat Bryant, stepped up their game. That said, Denver needs a quicker, younger receiving core to complement Nix.
Here are three options the Broncos could look to target in this year’s draft.
Omar Cooper Jr. — Indiana
Cooper Jr. played a huge part in Indiana’s undefeated run to a National Championship last season. He led the team in both receptions (69) and receiving yards (937). He’s a big game performer, which would pair well with Nix, who also tends to elevate his game in big moments.
The biggest standout of Omar Cooper’s game is his explosiveness. He had 494 yards after the catch last year, good for most in the Big Ten.
Yards after catch were largely absent in Denver’s offense last year. No Broncos’ receiver even reached 300 yards in this stat. Ultimately, it led to many early three-and-outs.
Cooper projects to be a borderline first-round/early second-round pick. In this world, Denver wouldn’t have to trade up. If the cards align just right, the Broncos could get a stud on their hands at pick 30.
KC Concepcion — Texas A&M
Concepcion classifies as a unique type of player. Like Cooper, he is expected to go in either the first or second round.
KC Concepcion boasts elite athleticism. He uses his quickness, makes unbelievably fast cuts, and can burn anyone on the field.
The issue for Concepcion? His hands.
Again, this is an issue already facing the Broncos. Concepcion drops a lot of passes. According to a scouting report from NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein, this especially happens in the “teeth of the defense.”
Of course, this isn’t ideal for Denver. But his freakish athleticism is definitely worth taking a second look at. While dropping passes is a trait nobody wants, he’s still just 21 years young and could learn a lot from Denver’s veterans.
Carnell Tate — Ohio State
Tate will enter the draft as an obvious top 10 pick. With the Broncos picking 30th, the odds are slim to none that he will fall to Denver.
However, if the Broncos managed to trade up for him, he would be a huge addition to their receiving core.
To date, Denver hasn’t signed a receiver via free agency and has some of those roles filled. At this point, an addition will likely come from the draft.
The main issue with the Broncos’ receivers last season was dropped passes. Especially, this manifested on big plays that could’ve made or broken a game.
If drafted, Tate fixes this problem. He cemented himself as having some of the best hands in college football at Ohio State. Tate also led the nation in touchdown receptions on throws of 40 or more yards (five).
The deep-ball threat Tate could provide would be massive for Nix. The franchise QB loves to unleash his arm on occasion.
While Denver would have to trade some talent or future picks for Carnell Tate, it’s definitely an option the Broncos front office should consider, regardless of the price.
The Future Is Now
The NFL Draft is fast approaching, and teams are already planning their draft boards. For Denver, the time is now to start planning and look at all three of these receivers as options.
Whether it’s a major trade to get a higher pick or selecting a player who might have some undercover talent, there’s no doubt all three of these young men could become head-turning talent. Each should be heavily considered by the franchise to join the Broncos’ receiving core next season.
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