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The Denver Broncos fell short of a Super Bowl title this past season. There's still plenty of talent on the roster, but with Peyton Manning's career winding down, the front office knows the time is now to really make a push for a championship.
Armed with the 28th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, it makes sense for Denver to bolster their offensive or defensive line. In the latest mock draft from Josh Norris of Roto World, the Broncos selected defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins out of Ohio State.
28. Denver Broncos -- DT Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
Man, I loved Hankins prior to his junior season. He was disruptive with strong hands to press the pocket or light feet when he needed to burst past mirroring offensive linemen. In 2012, Hankins disappeared far too often and I couldn't find a real reason why. He has upside because we saw the talent, but the consistency wasn't there to warrant a higher pick. John Fox has a history of turning these types of players around and the Broncos need to get younger on the interior.
Denver already has one of the better front-sevens in all of football. Derek Wolfe, Kevin Vickerson and Justin Bannan, while not spectacular up front, are all solid options, and Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller give the Broncos a strong pass rush.
The addition of Hankins might not have a big impact immediately, but he still has a high upside and could really develop under coach John Fox. And given the talent that will be around him, Hankins would have plenty of time to come into his own at the next level.
If the Broncos don't upgrade their D-line in the first round, they could look to improve their secondary, which was exposed in the playoffs. D.J. Swearinger, a safety out of South Carolina, was headed to the Mile High City in the latest mock draft from SB Nation.