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2015 NFL Draft grades: Denver Broncos

By Patrick Schmidt

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Shane Ray (Missouri) poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number twenty-three overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Shane Ray (Missouri) poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number twenty-three overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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How well did John Elway and the Denver Broncos do in the 2015 NFL Draft?

The Denver Broncos moved up five spots in the first round to take Missouri outside linebacker/defensive end Shane Ray at No. 23. Ray saw his stock drop from a top-1o pick to the No. 23 pick after he was cited for marijuana on Monday and has a toe injury that could require surgery.

Ray won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award last year after collecting 14.5 sacks and gives the Broncos another pass rusher to chase down guys like Tom Brady and Andrew Luck to try to get back to the Super Bowl. With Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware already there, the Broncos should rack up the sacks this year.

The Broncos didn’t have to go too far to find their second round pick, offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo from Colorado State and should start at right tackle and allow Orlando Franklin to kick inside. Protecting Manning is obviously of the utmost importance and they got a starter to keep him upright.

Third round pick Jeff Heuerman gives the Broncos an insurance option for when Owen Daniels gets hurt, which is his trademark in the NFL and in case James Casey isn’t as productive. He improved as a blocker in his last year at Ohio State and can make the clutch catch but he’s not going to do the things Julius Thomas did in this offense the last two years.

Denver went back to the offensive line with their fourth round pick, Florida center Max Garcia who was a three-year starter and a team captain in his last year with the Gators. He’ll replace Manny Ramirez who was a part of the trade that allowed the Broncos to move up to take Ray in the first.

In the fifth round they took Tulane cornerback Lorenzo Doss and two rounds later took his teammate and fellow cornerback, Taurean Nixon, both will compete for a job on special teams and in dime and nickel defenses initially. They took Maryland defensive tackle Darius Kilgo in the sixth round but I’m not sure he has the strength or size to be a regular contributor.

I was surprised to see Denver take Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian in the seventh round after Elway had better options in the mid rounds, but maybe he sticks on the practice squad. With their last pick they took linebacker Josh Furman out of Oklahoma State who will fight for a job on special teams.

Overall, the pick of Ray would get an A+ but the rest of the draft doesn’t look, on paper, to be overwhelming.

Grade: B-

Next: Every NFL Team's Best Draft Pick of All-Time

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