The NFL Combine will help the Denver Broncos narrow down the number of possible players they may use the No. 2 selection on, let's take a look at top prospects for the 2011 Draft according to NFL.com's Gild Brandt. He breaks his top 100 players into 10 separate tiers, so Tier No. 1 are players the Broncos are likely to focus on.
We can already eliminate several of the players on Tier No. 1: Auburn QB Cam Newton, Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert, USC OT Tyron Smith and Georgia WR A.J. Green. Quarterback isn't a need for the Broncos, and the last things the team needs is another quarterback thrown into the mix. Tackle isn't a need and while the receiver position has been hurt through injury this offseason, the Broncos don't need to spend the No. 2 pick on a receiver.
That leaves six players left: Da'Quan Bowers, Marcell Dareus, Nick Fairley, Von Miller, Patrick Peterson and Robert Quinn. None of these players is surprising, though Miller is the long shot of the six players. If his future is as a linebacker, the Broncos would likely lower Miller on their draft board.
We've discussed the other five around here previously, and Robert Quinn is the real wild card of the group. He missed the 2010 season due to illegal contact with an agent and was banned from playing. The combine could shoot him up draft boards. Right now, I'd rank the players as: 1a) Nick Fairley 1b) Patrick Peterson 2) D'Quan Bowers 3) Marcell Dareus and 4) Robert Quinn.