Many mock drafts covering the Denver Broncos have them selecting University of Oregon tackle Jake Fisher with the 28th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. These same mock drafts compare Fisher favorably to fellow Oregon Duck Kyle Long who was selected in the first round by the Chicago Bears.
Some other names have been suggested including T.J. Clemmings out of the University of Pittsburgh but Fisher would be the better selection because of his athleticism and pro-readiness.
Fisher started 35 out of the 50 games he played in for the Ducks and played well enough to be named to the First Team All Pac-12 team in 2014. Into 2014 he started 13 games at left tackle after starting 11 games at right tackle in 2013 where he earned Honorable Mention for All Pac-12 team.
He also played guard at the college level and has the athleticism to do so in the NFL. Fisher ran a 5.01 second 40, good enough to be ranked second among among offenseive linemen at the combine. He may not be the mauler type that Clemmings is but for Gary Kubiak‘s offense that is not his primary focus.
In the zone blocking scheme that Kubiak employees, speed, quickness, and athleticism are just as vital for an offensive lineman as raw strength and power are. As far as his strength goes, Fisher completed 25 reps on the bench press which is respectable but not spectacular. At 6’6″ and 306 lbs, Fisher has the size to play tackle but also has the speed necessary to play guard.
He is a well polished player who is familiar with several positions on the offensive line and can come in and contribute straightaway for the Broncos. After losing Orlando Franklin to the San Diego Chargers through free agency, the Broncos are in desperate need of offensive line help. This is especially crucial considering how Peyton Manning crumbled under his heavy workload late in the season last year.
His torn quad injury force the Broncos to rely more on C.J. Anderson and the running game and it made them a more balanced team in the long run. In order to keep Peyton Manning healthy for the long NFL season, the Broncos must reduce his workload and lean more heavily on their running game.
Luckily for them, Kubiak is an expert at producing 1,000 yard rushers and he can take advantage of his impressive stable of running backs. Monte Ball, Ronnie Hillman, and CJ Anderson are all starting caliber backs and should be utilized more in this offense. Drafting a dynamic and athletic offense linemen who is in excellent zone run blocker would be a statement of intent for Denver.
Fisher projects long-term as a right tackle but as mentioned earlier he is also capable of playing guard. Guard also happens to be a position of need for the Broncos so he would fit right in and could be a day one starter. Most experts agree that the Broncos will draft an offensive lineman in the first round and Jake Fisher would be an excellent pick at that spot.
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