The Denver Broncos have a wide field of players from which to choose when they exercise the No. 2 overall pick in April. The defensive line appears to be the biggest need for the Broncos, but could Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller be a serious contender? Bill Williamson of ESPN believes it could be possible, given Miller's predraft showings at the Senior Bowl and his recent 4.46 40-yard dash time at the Combine.
Williamson believes the Chargers would be interested in acquiring Miller, but with the 18th pick they would need to trade into the top 10, possibly top five, to get him. This brings up an interesting decision for the Denver Broncos: keep the pick or trade it? The Broncos would like a new collective bargaining agreement in place before the draft in order to determine if it would be better to trade the pick than to actually use it. A new agreement may have a rookie salary cap to give cost-certainty while still allowing those players at the top to receive lucrative deals. And if Miller has impressed so many teams lately, the Broncos can look to move the pick for a hefty price tag come draft day.
If the Broncos were to draft him, Miller's position would be uncertain. In 2010 he played the "joker" position for the Aggies, which meant he spent plenty of time dropping back into coverage or delayed a blitz instead of initially going for the quarterback. He amassed 68 total tackles, making 17.5 for a net loss of 101 yards. He had 10.5 sacks.
Not quite a defensive end and not yet a linebacker, Miller is, as Williamson terms him, a "pass rusher." Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers both claimed that role over the last several seasons, but they will now move back to defensive end in 2011.