The Broncos elected to avoid the top quarterbacks in last year’s draft class. In fact, they avoided the position altogether despite the fact that they had only added Case Keenum in free agency. After missing the playoffs and continuing to have some problems at quarterback, they won’t make that mistake again.
Armed with the No. 10 pick, the Broncos should be in the position to nab one of the first-round quarterbacks. They’ll end up taking whoever falls to them and in this mock, that happens to be Daniel Jones.
Jones is my second favorite quarterback prospect in this draft behind Haskins. He has a solid 6-foot-5 frame, good athleticism and mobility, decent accuracy, and most importantly, he has gotten great college coaching. David Cutcliffe has been a very good quarterback developer for his entire career, and Jones is familiar with more of a pro-style offense as a result of this. Cutcliffe’s tutelage will make Jones a better, smarter quarterback from the outset of his NFL career.
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With the Broncos, Jones would challenge Keenum for the starting job in camp, but if he didn’t win it, he could sit out for a season. Or, he could sit out at least until he’s ready during his rookie campaign. The good news is that the team should have a solid running game to support him whenever he is thrust into action, as Phillip Lindsay looked great last year while Royce Freeman (a third-round pick in 2018) should improve in his second season.
The one issue that could impact Jones’ value is that he has dealt with injuries at times during his career. During the team’s bowl game, he left for a brief while attending to an injury before coming back and demonstrating his prolific ability as a passer. His ability to hit receivers in stride with solid ball placement on any throw will certainly help him out in the NFL.
Jones may not seem like a top-10 guy right now. But if he impresses during the Senior Bowl and at the Combine, he will certainly move up draft boards. After all, he put up 2,674 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just nine picks this past season despite having minimal talent in his supporting cast. Working with more NFL-ready players could make Jones even more appealing, and it’s possible that he could leapfrog Lock at some point. But for now, he makes sense as the No. 10 pick.