NFL Mock Draft 2013: Broncos nab Alec Ogletree to help inside linebacker issues

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Most pickers seem to think the Broncos will go with a defensive player with the 28th overall pick, and middle linebacker Alec Ogletree out of Georgia could help at a spot where they're weak.

By Rodger Sherman Apr 15, 2013, 11:48am MDT

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The most recent mock draft by Dan Kadar and Matthew Fairburn at SB Nation's Mocking the Draft has the Denver Broncos using their 28th pick on Alec Ogletree, the talented -- if troubled -- inside linebacker out of Georgia.

It's not the most popular pick amongst mockers -- Mile High Report did a roundup of 40 mock drafts, showing that defensive end, specifically Damontre Moore, is where Denver is most likely to look -- but they acknowledged that inside linebacker is definitely a position where the Broncos need help. It seems almost guaranteed that Denver will choose to focus on their defense rather than their offense, which was elite with Peyton Manning and has since added Wes Welker, and at middle linebacker, Nate Irving and Steven Johnson aren't top-level starters. That hurts the team against the run and as Mile High Report pointed out, tight end passing patterns.

For those reasons, Kadar justifies Ogletree:

Although he's had off-field problems, Ogletree is the kind of linebacker the Broncos need. He's fast and active. He's not as advanced of a run stopper as Manti Te'o or Kevin MInter, but can drop in coverage and move sideline to sideline with ease.

Ogletree was suspended for the first four games of his junior season due to a violation of team rules, and also had a DUI in the run-up to the draft. If he can eliminate the off-the-field stuff, he's a heck of a player, managing 111 tackles -- even with the suspension -- and 11.5 tackles for loss. There aren't many linebackers as speedy, and next to Von Miller, they could create some serious havoc in the second tier of John Fox's defense.