Denver Broncos take risk, draft Shane Ray

The Denver Broncos plan on winning the Super Bowl in 2015 and they believe that drafting Shane Ray will help them do that.

With Peyton Manning near the end of his career, the Denver Broncos have one thing on their mind and that’s to win the Super Bowl in 2015, and if not in 2015, then in the next few years. After coming up short on multiple occasions, the Broncos changed the regime of the team this offseason, as John Fox and Adam Gase went to coach for the Chicago Bears. In came Gary Kubiak to coach the Broncos, who, despite changing coaches, have a ton of talent on their roster.

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Getting pressure on the quarterback is vital and it’s usually something Super Bowl-winning teams excel at doing. Von Miller is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL and although he is nearing the end of his career, DeMarcus Ware still has the ability to make his impact felt on any given Sunday. However, with their plan in mind of winning the Super Bowl, the Broncos felt it was necessary to move up and select one of the most maligned, yet talented players in this draft class in Shane Ray.

It’s been a busy week for Ray, who was cited for possession of 35 grams of marijuana of Monday. However, it wasn’t just the drugs that turned away many NFL teams. Last week, it was reported that Ray has a foot injury that may require surgery. That surgery would cause Ray to miss around five months, which would mean his status to come back before Week 4 would be up in the air.

Before the injury news and the drug incitement, Ray was projected in many mock drafts to go in the top ten. However, any negative criticism in the pre-draft process hurts a player’s stock tremendously and that’s what happened with Ray.

Nevertheless, Ray is a guy the Broncos believe could be a mainstay on their defensive line for years to come. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Ray may be a little undersized, but he plays with excellent hand usage and extreme quickness. Some people will say his size is telling that he won’t be able to play defensive end in a 4-3 defensive scheme. However, at Missouri, Ray excelled as the right-side defensive end. Obviously, the NFL isn’t the same as college, but something should still be said about his ability to play in a 4-3 defense.

Ray is quick-twitch athlete. He shows the ability to flip his hips and get inside with ease. He has an arsenal of pass-rushing moves that he uses to get around opposing offensive tackles. Here’s what Mike Mayock had to say about Ray:

"“I thought Ray had the quickest first step among pass rushers. He had a foot problem that some thought would cause him to fall in the draft. Then Monday he got pulled over. A lot of people thought that would force him out of the first round. Remember, DeMarcus Ware is 33 years old.” — Mike Mayock"

With Ray being drafted by the Broncos, he’ll have time to learn and develop, as he will start out the year behind Miller and Ware on the depth chart. If Ray’s foot injury holds up, he has the athleticism and pass-rushing moves to become a menace off the edge for awhile in Denver.

Next: Broncos Draft in Good Hands with John Elway

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