2nd Round (#36) DT Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati 2nd Round (#57) QB Brock Osweiler, Arizona State 3rd Round (#67) RB Ronnie Hillman, San Diego State 4th Round (#101) CB Omar Bolden, Arizona State 4th Round (#108) C Philip Blake, Baylor 5th Round (#137) DT Malik Jackson, Tennessee 6th Round (#188) OLB Danny Trevathan, Kentucky Analysis of Notable Selections: Derek Wolfe: Denver had a big need at defensive tackle and selected the high-motor Wolfe to help fill it.
Derek Wolfe had a terrific senior season where he played with better anticipation.
However, he lacks some power in his lower body to be a stout run defender.
His excellent length may be better suited as a defensive end in a 3-4 defense, which Denver does not play.
The Broncos passed on Jerel Worthy who is a more powerful defensive tackle and run defender.
Denver added a good football player who consistently plays hard.
He is not explosive, but the former Bearcat star has enough quickness to get in the backfield.
It remains to be seen whether Wolfe can anchor well enough against the run to be an effective every down defensive tackle.
Brock Osweiler: This is a draft pick that Denver hopes does not see the field for three or four years.
Osweiler was drafted to be Peyton Manning's successor down the road.
He finds himself in potentially an ideal situation to sit and learn behind Manning (although that did not help Curtis Painter very much in Indianapolis).
The former Arizona State one-year starter is very raw.
Osweiler did not excel in his one season as a starter.
His mechanics, timing, accuracy and ability to read defenses all need extensive work.
He is a developmental prospect, but Denver is very much a win-now team due to the age of key veterans such as, Manning, McGahee and Champ Bailey.
Denver passed on some good football players who could have helped them far sooner than Osweiler may be able to.
Casey Hayward is a very instinctive ball hawk that Denver passed on.
Champ Bailey is in great shape, but he also is entering his 14th season and cannot play forever.
Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker are promising young wide receivers, but they both have had injury issues.
Rueben Randle could have been a fine 3rd receiver and provided insurance in case Thomas or Decker go down with an injury again.
Denver is going to live or die with Peyton Manning and his health.
They should have added another good positional player and not a developmental quarterback in the 2nd round.
Ronnie Hillman: The former San Diego State back is a small back (5' 9" and 200 lbs) who relies on quickness to gain yards.
Hillman was very productive in college, but did not rise to the occasion against the better defenses that he faced.
He is not built to handle a lot of carries and is really a complementary back.
Willis McGahee will be 31 in October.
He had a very good season for Denver last year, but how much longer can he continue? Hillman has the quickness and moves to be a decent change-of-pace back to spell McGahee.
However, the Broncos passed on Lamar Miller who is a bigger and faster back than Hillman and could have been groomed to take over for McGahee.
Denver took Hillman too soon and he does not provide them with a future replacement for Willis McGahee.
Omar Bolden: There is no question that Denver needs more secondary help as New England's 45-10 bombing of the Broncos in the playoffs demonstrated.
The team took on quite a bit of risk with the selection of the injury-prone Bolden.
The former Arizona State cornerback missed last season due to an ACL tear in his left knee.
Bolden also had shoulder surgery in college and a sprained ligament in his left knee cost him a good portion of his 2009 season.
His ability to stay healthy in the NFL when he could not in college has to be a real concern.
Bolden was a good cornerback when healthy, but he does not possess an exceptional physical trait.
He has decent size (5' 10" and 200 lbs), fine strength and decent speed (4.
5 Forty).
Bolden looks smooth changing direction and he has some quickness.
However, considering Bolden's injury history the team may have been better off selecting Brandon Boykin.
The former Georgia cornerback is small (5' 9" and 182 lbs), but has exceptional speed, quickness and jumping ability.
Boykin was one of the best pure athletes in the entire draft.
His ability to create big plays on punt and kickoff returns is also a positive.
Boykin is recovering from a broken leg sustained at the Senior Bowl, but his injury history is nowhere near the concern of Bolden's.
Philip Blake: J.
D.
Walton was mediocre last season and Blake provides him with legitimate competition.
The former Baylor center has the size (6' 2" and 310 lbs) and lower body strength to handle big NFL defensive tackles.
He is not a special athlete, but Blake is good enough to develop into a solid starter.
This pick made sense and he can help the interior of Denver's offensive line at center or guard.
2012 NFL Draft Grade: B- Bottom Line: Denver did a better job on the 3rd day of the draft than they did on the 2nd day.
The team may have found a future starter (Philip Blake) and added depth in rounds 4 to 7.
Everyone of Denver's 3rd day selections could make the team and contribute on special teams.
The trouble is the Broncos may have found only one starter (Derek Wolfe) on the 2nd day of the draft.
Ronnie Hillman is a scatback and Brock Osweiler is a long-term project.
They needed to do better than that for a team whose future is now and is more than a top quarterback away from a championship.