We’ve only looked at mock drafts across the Internet once since the end of the season — early in the process on February 13.
By today, many outlets have released their final mocks as the first round kicks off tonight at 6 p.m. MDT.
Without further ado, here are who the “experts” believe could be headed to Denver.
NFL Network’s Mike Mayock: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
“I’ve been trying to find a spot for him since pick No. 11 with the Chiefs,” Mayock writes. “The Broncos need a guy who can come in and play inside. At 350 pounds with movement skills like Haloti Ngata, Poe is the guy. On third down, when most defensive tackles are out of the game, Poe will be at his most effective.”
Video of Mayock discussing the pick can be found here.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr.: Kendal Reyes, DT, UConn
“The Broncos should take the best available interior defensive lineman, and I know they like Reyes, a great player against the run who fits any scheme,” Kiper writes.
ESPN’s Todd McShay: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State
NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi agrees with McShay on the Martin selection.
“Must find a back to be able to handle the workload,” Lombardi writes. “Martin is perfect for the new offense.”
Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
“Nothing fancy about this pick,” Banks writes. “The Broncos need a wide-load type in the middle of their defensive front, and this is the year to get one in a first round that’s ridiculously deep at defensive tackle. Worthy isn’t as flashy as some of the other first-round DTs, but he’s got a solid body of game tape tucked under his mostly obscured belt.”
Sports Illustrated’s Peter King: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
King believes the Broncos will — and should — pick Brockers. “Denver will be stunned that Brockers is still on the board. And delighted,” he writes. “The Broncos lost free agent defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley to the Saints a month ago, and this raw but promising 6-5, 322-pounder could play nose or a more versatile tackle role. ‘On potential,’ one coach told me, ‘Brockers deserves to be a top 10 pick.’”
A video mock draft features several NFL Network analysts in a war room. Charles Davis picks for the Broncos, selecting Worthy.
NFL Network’s Albert Breer: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
“The Broncos’ secondary needs help, and the fact that Kirkpatrick — who’s gotten knocked around lately by draftniks — falls here is a godsend for Denver,” he writes.
NFL Network’s Charley Casserly: Worthy
“They need to stop the run and Worthy will help,” he writes. Read a Q&A between DenverBroncos.com and Casserly here.
NFL Films’ Greg Cosell: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
“This is now Peyton Manning’s team,” Cosell writes. “The profile begins with offense, just as it did in Indianapolis. Certainly there are needs on the defensive side of the ball, but the pick here is Fleener, a more athletic Dallas Clark who can align all over the formation and get down the vertical seam. Seam routes off play action are critical in the Manning offense, and Fleener is a fluid route runner with deceptive speed. I remember Fleener beating Notre Dame corner Robert Blanton for a touchdown with a beautiful route, one that showed a great understanding of how to set up a defender. His ability to beat linebackers, safeties and even corners at times will give the Broncos’ offense the extra dimension Manning desires.”
CBSSports.com’s mock drafters all predict a defensive tackle will head to Denver in the first round.
Rob Rang: Worthy
Dane Brugler: Worthy
Pat Kirwan: Brockers
Pete Prisco: Worthy
Clark Judge: Poe
Will Brinson: Poe
There are two full seven-round mock drafts — one from NFL Network’s Chad Reuter and one from FoxSports.com’s Peter Schrager.
First, Reuter’s choices:
1st round: Brockers
“Brockers might have enough upside to be picked earlier in the round, but the Broncos could land a much-needed big body inside if teams aren’t sure he can provide much of a pass rush.”
2nd round: Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State
“Yes, Osweiler’s young and inexperienced, but who better to sit behind for a year or two than Peyton Manning?”
3rd round: Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
“Manning (and Osweiler?) needs more impact receivers.”
4th round: Ben Jones, C, Georgia
“Manning couldn’t convince Jeff Saturday to come to Denver with him, so Jones will compete with J.D. Walton.”
4th round: Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Troy
“Very good reserve pass-rush specialist who will make an impact early.”
5th round: Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M
6th round: Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona
Finally, Schrager’s picks:
1st round: Devon Still, DT, Penn State
“Still had a tremendous 2011 campaign, finishing the season as one of the lone bright spots around Penn State football. The 2011 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Still had 17.5 tackles for a loss a season ago and has a frame that’s been compared to Ndamukong Suh’s. Denver has a host of young talent at LB and DE, but the DT spot is still a hole in the defense. Still could slide in and make an impact immediately.”
2nd round: Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame
3rd round: Dwight “Bill” Bentley, CB, University of Louisiana-Lafayette
4th round: Emmanuel Acho, LB, Texas
4th round: Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma
5th round: Tony Dye, S, UCLA
6th round: Wade
DenverBroncos.com will have a live blog for tonight’s first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, which will run right up until the Broncos’ selection. At that point, we will switch over to complete coverage of the player the Broncos pick, including a story, photo gallery, quotes from the player, audio of his interview and more.
In the meantime, visit DenverBroncos.com’s 2012 NFL Draft page, a hub for all of the site’s draft coverage.
Thanks for sticking with us throughout the weekend.
-Gray Caldwell
Tags: 2012 NFL Draft, Mock Drafts
Lions are looking to trade back and the Ravens to trade up. I think there will be a deal done there and the Ravens walk away with Hightower before the Steelers have the chance.
whats up everyone, been watching you guys battle, you guys play nice now LMAO.
LOL MT2. How goes it?
Miller,
Thanks Dad! lol
u get twitter yet?
DO,I hear ya bro!!!!
BEER THIRTY!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s almost 5:00 here buddy,getting ready to start slammin’em!
hometeam007 – I’d like to see Polk if we don’t draft Martin with the first pick. Not sure if Polk makes out of the end of the 2nd round. Looks like maybe Turbin, James, Gray, Pierce, Ganaway could also be on radar.
I did watch Polk play a few games for the Huskies this year and thought he ran hard. (also great hands).
Martin,Hightower,or Brockers!!!
rbf1…Ballard too,lol.
I like Turbin in the 3rd!
Gonna get Hammered off $20 tonight. Nice!!!
TOo bad we beat the steelers. Woulda been happy to trade back with the ravens.
TRB
TRB I think if Hightower or Upshaw get past Pitt i think the Ravens will show interest. Even if both are gone I think they may show interest for one of the WRs there.
:}
:]
huh well have a good time tonight guys I’m going to Old Chicago for the night
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I say its Brokers, Martin or Hill.
Cheers DO!
Got the old name back i see
http://www.denverbroncos.com/schedule-and-events/draft.html
Here yall go if you havnt found it. Its the Broncos draft page.
John Elway live now on NFLN
Yeah ab,but I gotta be good,so no egging me on!!!
LOL/JK!
Ok I wont…..
Manning SUCKS!!!!
lol
Yeah I know we better draft a QB in the 1st round!…lol.
Just giving you a hard time bro.
Say it was Big Ben who was the QB we went after this off season. If one of his conditions where he had to wear #7 would John Elway would have let him?
I say we get Tyler Hansen at 25
IF DT Brockers falls to 25, then the Broncos grab him. If he is gone, then in descending order CB Dre Kirkpatrck, ILB Hightower, or TE Fleener. This is what I have been telling everybody, we’ll see if I am right. GO BRONCOS!!!!
I dont see the need or have a want for Fleener at all. We drafted two guys last year (Julius Thomas and Virgil Green) AND we signed two this off season (Jacob Tamme and Joel Dresen) So someone please explain why take a TE when we have two vets and two young guys who havnt had the chance to show what they can do?
test..
Can’t forget Ballard…lol.
RB,DE,ILB,or DT in the 1st.
Or Tyler Hansen…. LMAO
Wow…not to ‘mock’ the mocks but it looks like the Chargers want to move up for Barron, Jaguars want to move up for Blackmon, Lions want to move up for Gilmore and the earlier report of NE moving up to 12.
Is there a website with our war room?
Do you want the NFL.com fan war room? Or the Denverbroncos.com draft page? Which I think has a war room but not sure.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2012/war-rooms/broncos
Here is the NFL.com Fan war room.
LMAO Ok this is from my local newspaper. They had a fan for every team say what they should do. This is what was said for the Browns:
“The Browns should give the Vikings #22 and the next three years 1st and 3rd round picks for #3. Then take Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon back to back with taking a Quarterback in the 2nd round.”
Heres Denvers”
“Denver at 25 should offer Champ Bailey and a 4th rounder for a top 15 pick to get Stephon Gilmore or Dre Kikrpatrick and at 25 take Quarterback Kirk Cousins. Denver doesnt have a backup and Kirk Cousins can step in if Peyton Manning goes down.”
Offer CHAMP BAILEY!!!!! Thats insulting… and they got this from a “Fan” ??
Yea from a Denver fan. Thats what they said in the article. I was yelling at my newspaper calling him an idiot….Lol I was yelling like he could hear me…
HAHAHA I almost yelled at my computer while sitting here at work. Thats not even funny.
I have the guys name and I will find him LOL yall have seen me argue over a computer i feel bad for this guy if/when i find him so i can *cough Debate *cough that idea with him LOL
He must have just been released from the looney bin. A little over an hour before we see Mr.Luck and 31 other hopefuls become millionaires..
Cant wait!!! 1 hour 15 minutes.
Poe would be interesting I think he is actually a better pick than Macel Darius from last years draft.
POE reminds me of Haloti Gnata (spelling??? Raven’s big man in the middle). He is a beast with a BIG motor!!!
I would not be sad to get him, buit my heart still want Kuechly = even though that is a serious pipe DREAM!!! LOL
GO BRONCOS!!! PLEASE GET A “Defensive STUD”!!!
1 Hour to go. Bring on the Beef. I honestly dont care who we get, ill be happy to welcome him to the Broncos Family.
Less than 1 bloody hour!!!!!!!!!
wow thats what i’ve been saying the browns should do. just what that cleveland fan in the paper said. I dont know about the 3 # 1′s and #22 but they can give up the 22nd pick and a 4th this year, a 1st and 3rd next year, and a 1st and 5th the year after that. to get blackmon, trich, and weeden would be a big time deal for them and they would get really good really quick.
LBF The issue with that deal is that if Blackmon or Richardson bust they would be screwed.
Hey everybody, happy draft! lol
I’m surprisingly calm in the final minutes before the draft, but WHATTTT the browns trading for the Vikings pick is CRAZY!!!
also AB sorry for not being able to finish the second round of the mock draft last night, my phone crapped out on me..
Its all good VDB. Turned out real nice.
Browns trade #4 a 4th 5ht and 7th round for #3
HUH?
The Minnesota Vikings have traded the No. 3 pick to the Cleveland Browns for three picks in the 2012 NFL Draft, according to Fox Sports insider and NFL Network contributor Jay Glazer.
Doesnt even make sens to me to tell ya the truth