The Denver Broncos still need a running back, and there are some intriguing players where they'll be selecting.
Running back J.K. Dobbins probably won’t appreciate reading this, but the Denver Broncos still have a strong need for a running back, even though Dobbins has been re-signed to return. Luca Evans of the Denver Post took a run at some of the primary candidates given the Broncos draft position, so let’s see who he came up with and what his thought process was.
Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
Price is expected to come off the board either late in the first round or early in the second, so the Broncos would have to get lucky to land him. But he got as many touches as Jeremiyah Love, which tells you all the need to know about his talent level. He’s not a great pass catcher, but Evans also provided a series of coach’s quotes from an NFL assistant that talked him up impressively.
“If you want to hand the ball off to somebody, I think Jadarian Price is just as good, if not better (than Love),” he said. “So it wouldn’t surprise me at all if someone took him late-first.”
Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
Johnson is expected to go in the third or fourth round, and part of the reason for that is that he didn’t test well at the combine.
His 40 time was slow at 4.56 seconds, but he’s one of those players where tape tells a different story, according to Evans. Johnson led the Big Ten in rushing last year (1,451 yards), and he also caught 46 passes in 12 games.
“The more you watch that kid, the more he looks like LeSean McCoy at Pittsburgh,” the coach said
Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
Claiborne is an explosive back who’s a playmaker, but he’s also undersized, which makes him a poor fit for the Broncos. He did run a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, as Evans noted, and he has standout agility. He increased his yards-per-carry average every season of his collegiate career, but he’s just 5’9” and 188 pounds.
Coach’s comments: “Best speed-and-space back in the draft … can score from anywhere at any time.”
Kaytron Allen, Penn State
Allen is a Day 3 player, even though he became Penn State’s all-time leading rusher last fall, and ran for 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns, according to Evans, who added that Allen's motor is more prominent that his athleticism.
Coach’s comments: “He was the most cerebral back I evaluated. He’s extremely smart. Football IQ is very high … that’s a guy that won’t get you beat, that you’d love to have on your team.”