ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- A wrap-up of the Denver Broncos' draft. Click here for a full list of Broncos draftees.
Best move: It cost three draft picks for the Broncos to move up seven slots to Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer, and given the most commonly used draft charts, the Broncos surrendered too much value to do it, especially if the fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft is not at the bottom of the round. But if Latimer develops as you would expect a big, fast, physical wide receiver to develop in the Broncos offense, it won’t matter all that much. If Latimer rolls up his sleeves and gets to work, he should find a way into the team’s rotation as a rookie and develop into a starter.
Riskiest move: The Broncos saw a top-15 player in cornerback Bradley Roby on the board at No. 31 when they made their first-round pick, and they believed that presented the right risk-reward ratio with concerns about Roby’s maturity. The Broncos did their homework on Roby and believe he is ready to grow up and be a pro. So when all was said and done Saturday, the only hole that remained for the Broncos was improving the return game. The Broncos would rather not use wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in the return game given the expectations for him in the offense but might have to make the risky move.
Most surprising move: The Broncos weren’t thrilled with this class of running backs, so it isn’t a shock they elected to pass on taking one. Though there were more big backs available than in years past, the Broncos did not use any of their picks on a back. Montee Ball is the clear starter, and the Broncos believe Ronnie Hillman can still offer some big-play ability in what is likely a make-or-break season for the 2012 second-rounder, but they are still a little thin at the position.
File it away: It might have been the move that got the least amount of attention, but it provided a big glimpse into how the Broncos go about the draft these days. John Elway has preached patience as things unfold, and when the Broncos traded out of the fourth round Saturday, it was, in large part, because they did not have a player still on the board with a grade worthy of that pick. It was a prudent move that got the team an extra pick in 2015 and kept it from reaching on a player. The good teams take the time to set the board right and stick to the board during the draft weekend. Don’t reach, don’t draft solely for need and things will go better. It was draft discipline that will serve them well if they maintain it moving forward.