Is Denver Broncos looking at T.J. Clemmings as first round pick good idea?

By Brian Spaen | Apr 16, 2015

Among the players coming in and working out for the Denver Broncos, one of them was the former Pittsburgh offensive tackle, T.J. Clemmings. He’s projected to be available late in the first round. The Broncos need some help at right tackle, but would it be a good idea to bring Clemmings in with their first pick in the draft?

Mike Klis of The Denver Post explains how Clemmings would be a great fit for the team and also has experience as a defensive end.

"The 6-foot-5, 309-pound Clemmings has the type of athleticism that may make him an ideal fit for the Broncos’ zone-blocking offense. He was a defensive end in high school and in his first two years at Pitt before converting to offensive tackle for his final two seasons."

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The biggest negative from scouts is the fact that Clemmings has only played at this position for two years. But considering his upside, he’ll only mold into a better offensive tackle over time. Ricky Henne of Chargers.com details his speed and leadership in a profile piece.

"Clemmings moves so well that it’s tough for speed rushers to blow past him. He jars defenders with an explosive first punch, and is downright dominating in the run game. Clemmings excels at the second level, often ending plays downfield springing teammates for bigger gains. He is also a well-respected leader who was elected team captain in 2014."

Clemmings looks like a fantastic prospect and fills a big need for the Broncos. However, with a lack of experience at right tackle and the Denver Post also bringing up a scouting report that details his need to improve as a pass blocker, would he be the best fit?

Peyton Manning needs to have the best protection around him as he just turned 39 years old a few weeks ago. He played with a torn right quadriceps in the final month of the season, hindering his performance and made the Broncos incredibly vulnerable to making another run at the Super Bowl.

The Broncos already have enough on their roster at right tackle: Michael Schofield. The tackle was a third round pick last year out of Michigan. Denver was high on him, but he was listed as inactive for all of their games in 2014. Jeff Legwold of ESPN reports that Gary Kubiak believes he will fit well in his offensive scheme and believes he should be at right tackle despite potential movement.

"The Broncos have believed since they selected Schofield that he could play at left guard if needed, but Kubiak said in recent weeks he believes Schofield’s best position moving forward is at right tackle. Schofield also has played in a system at Michigan that featured plenty of zone blocking, which the Broncos certainly will use more of with Kubiak’s staff in place."

Baily Deeter of Bleacher Report doesn’t think that the Broncos should draft a right tackle at all. A better option in their mind is Owamagbe Odighizuwa from UCLA. Odighizuwa could turn into a reliable defender that can be effective in multiple areas.

"UCLA product Owamagbe Odighizuwa is an effective all-around player who could get after the quarterback as a 3-4 defensive end or outside linebacker. The Broncos have a lot of depth on the defensive line, but only Malik Jackson has proven to be a consistently effective player."

Clemmings is a great player that will likely be picked up late in the first round, but he’s not a good fit with the Broncos. They can find more value in a guy like Odighizuwa and find a guy with more experience to protect Manning.

Next: Denver Broncos Seven-Round 2015 NFL Mock Draft

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