The 2012 NFL Draft might not be the time for the Denver Broncos to select a defensive tackle in the first round, even though so many mock drafts have the team doing exactly that. It is a huge need for the Broncos, but let's remember that Ty Warren and Kevin Vickerson will be back from injuries and that Brodrick Bunkley is a target for being re-signed. So, as we see in Russ Lande's latest mock draft for the Sporting News, he has the Broncos selecting Boston College Eagles middle linebacker Luke Kuechly at pick No. 25.
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Kuechly impressed everyone at the NFL Combine and is more than likely to go between pick 10-20 than to fall to No. 25. In SB Nation's latest mock draft, Kuechly goes to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 15. Still, if Kuechly did fall to the Broncos, it wouldn't be out of the question for the team to take him.
Yes, Von Miller went No. 2 overall to the Broncos last season, but he's quite more like a defensive end. D.J. Williams is on the other end of the linebacker corps, but the middle is a question mark right now. Joe Mays is a decent starter, but he is a free agent. Nate Irving disappointed as a rookie, but there are still some hopes for him. Kuechly, who was an insanely productive tackler in college, would give the Broncos one of the top linebacker units in the league -- if it isn't already there.
For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report. For more on the NFL Draft, stick with SB Nation NFL and Mocking the Draft.