With Tim Tebow nearly a lock to be the Denver Broncos 2012 starting quarterback and the team likely headed to the playoffs, John Elway and John Fox won't be looking to draft a quarterback in the first round come the April NFL Draft. Over at ESPN, Todd McShay has an Insider mock draft for the full first round. While he still leaves it open about the Broncos looking for a quarterback, he actually makes a sensible selection for the Broncos:
Devon Still, DT, Penn State
Tim Tebow is not yet locked in as the Broncos' long-term starting quarterback, but assuming Tebow does hold on to the job, Denver would do well to continue building on defense to complement a low-risk offensive philosophy. Still could help do that with his ability to disrupt plays and cause havoc in the middle.
In the 2011 draft, the lead up to the actual even was mostly centered on the Broncos selecting a defensive tackle since the team had an awful run defense and little in the way of talent on the line. Alabama defensive tackle and ultimately Buffalo Bills draft selection Marcell Dareus was thought to be the selection. Ultimately the Broncos went with linebacker Von Miller, who was their top-rated defensive player on the board.
Defensive tackle isn't any longer a glaring weakness for the Broncos as it was last season, but adding a talent like Still (11 career sacks, 4.5 in 2011) would anchor the line in the years to come. Brodrick Bunkley and Marcus Thomas are both free agents, and Ty Warren is coming back from injury. He would definitely be a solid addition to the Broncos, but, as always, four months remain until we know what actually happens.
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