Before the Denver Broncos ultimately drafted wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and quarterback Tim Tebow in the first round of April's NFL Draft, head coach Josh McDaniels had Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain high on his draft board. McDaniels recently commented on McClain:
↵↵↵"[...] But, I don’t know if I have ever interviewed a more intelligent defensive player at the combine or in person here in our building than Rolando McClain. He was off the charts, and he’s a guy that plays physical, he is big and he is a good player in the run game. [...]."
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So far this season, McClain has 33 combined tackles (21 total, 12 assists) for the Oakland Raiders, but has had little impact as a game-changing defensive player. The SF Chronicle's Vittorio Tafur believes McClain has had a "so-so" season so far and has looked slow.
↵Broncos fans should be pleased with what Thomas and Tebow have done, despite injuries and gimmicky offensive schemes, respectively.