Truth be told, “drafting and developing’’ is considered quintessential to Broncos general manager George Paton’s belief system. No lie.
Last year Paton’s former team, the Vikings, set the NFL record for most picks since the league reduced the number of draft rounds in the 1994 draft to seven.
Minnesota selected 15 college players.
The Vikings’ draft was graded an A or even A-plus by doyens and dweebs. In regard to quantity and quality, general manager Rick Spielman and assistant GM Paton, head coach Mike Zimmer and, yes, our old friend Gary Kubiak, flayed the field.
Including draft choices and undrafted free agents, starters, backups, practice squad and injured reserve players, the Vikings ended up with 18 rookies. Seven started games.
Quite a haul.
One was LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson, picked after the top tier group of four at No. 22 overall. Jefferson was the best of the bunch with 88 receptions for exactly 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. A viable candidate for offensive rookie of the year, Jefferson finished behind Justin Herbert. The Whiz Kid did earn a spot on the all-rookie team with the Steelers’ Chase Claypool, while Henry Ruggs III, the Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy, Cee Dee Lamb and Jalen Reagor were left envious.
Vikings cornerback Cameron Danztler, drafted in the third round, also earned a place on team. Broncos center Lloyd Cushenberry, a Jefferson teammate on the Tigers’ national championship team, also was among the outstanding offensive rookies.
Since being offered, and agreeing to, the Broncos’ general manager job last week, Paton, who almost never was asked for an interview in the past 24 years while in the front office of three NFL franchises, has been forced into a half dozen dialogues with the media.
He has said “draft and development’’ perhaps 50 times since arriving in Denver.
Paton joined a franchise that has been proud of its own drafts the past three years. Not so much before then. The Broncos still have only Garett Bolles and Von Miller under contract from drafts before 2018.
The Broncos do possess 20 players from their past three drafts.
During Elway’s decade reign from 2011-20, the Broncos drafted a total of 74 players.
Over the same 10-year span, the Vikings, with Paton heavily involved in the scouting and judgements, 102 players.
The Broncos reached the postseason in John’s first five seasons and played in two Super Bowls, but haven’t made the playoffs since. In the same period, the Vikings managed the playoffs four times, losing in the wild card game twice, the second round once and the 2017 conference championship.
If Paton went to a Super Bowl, it was as a spectator. He stressed Tuesday he’d like to win one with the Broncos, who have won three without him. He definitely will stress.
Unfortunately, George wasn’t able to bring with him a Vikings’ shipload of players the franchise drafted.
Starting with running back Dalvin Cook, who was grabbed by the Vikings in the second round after every other team had passed because of his personal troubles in college. Cook rushed for 2,692 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2019-20.
To substantiate the Paton D&D philosophy, the Vikings have retained 34 players on the roster who they drafted.
But they are missing one of the most precious prized picks.
Stephon Diggs was chosen by the Vikings in the fifth round in 2015. He scored the Minnesota Miracle touchdown in January 2018, but was traded last year to the Bills for four draft choices, including a No. 1, which became Jefferson. Both teams seem happy.
In his first draft with the Broncos, Paton will have nine picks — more or less. The first is ninth, followed by Nos. 40, 71, 104, 135, 166, 199, 201 and 216. The Broncos probably won’t receive a compensatory pick, but Paton’s teams annually tend to trade back and get multiple choices in the lower rounds for the second and third days.
Yet, George may want to be “aggressive, but not reckless,” as he says, to trade up in the first round to draft a quarterback. Trevor Lawrence will go first, but Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance could be available before or at the Broncos’ pick.
Or Paton might try to try an OMG, FYI, for YKW — You Know Who.
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