NFL Draft 2015: 5 teams that screwed up Day 1
By Will Osgood
- Denver Broncos—Traded up from 28 to 23 & gave up guard Manny Ramirez to take Shane Ray
Denver trading up five picks to get Shane Ray, while giving up a starting offensive guard is like, WHAT?!
Was Ray really going to be taken before the Broncos selected at 28? Maybe, but it seems unlikely. Even before he was arrested for possession of marijuana earlier this week, Ray was an overrated prospect by some of the larger media.
His 3-cone time at the NFL Combine—which is considered a major test for pass rushers—was historically poor. No one who has turned out to be a successful pass rusher in the NFL since these things have been tracked has had anywhere near the poor 3-cone time as Ray.
Then there’s the weed thing. It too, makes this pick questionable. And that would be assuming Broncos general manager simply chose him at No. 28, and hadn’t give up Ramirez and more picks just to take Ray.
Ray was the 104th player on this analyst’s draft board, not 23, not even close. So it’s hard to understand why John Elway thought he had to trade up to get Ray. Given the all-in nature the Broncos are in, Ray doesn’t seem to help that.
Ray doesn’t make the Broncos a significantly better team in 2015, or doesn’t seem to anyway.
Next: This one's a bit easier to defend