NFL Draft: Grading each 2018 first-round pick after Week 11

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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 18: Linebacker Bradley Chubb #55 of the Denver Broncos walks off the field following the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Broncoes defeated the Cardinals 45-10. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

5. Denver Broncos: Bradley Chubb, DE

As soon as the Browns passed on Bradley Chubb, the Denver Broncos turned their card in with his name on it. Like Cleveland, Denver also already had an elite edge rusher in Von Miller. However, they decided to add another potentially elite player to the mix.

Chubb started out slow, but what a difference a few weeks can make. After five games, Chubb had just 1.5 sacks and wasn’t looking like he would blow up this year. He wasn’t a bad player, just hadn’t been destroying quarterbacks. Then he caught fire.

Over the past five games, Chubb as 7.5 sacks, including a three-sack performance in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams. Denver lost that one by just three points, but many were shocked how close they came to such a good team — and Chubb is a big reason why they had a chance.

He’s playing as well as any edge rusher in the league right now and he’s still learning the nuances of his position. As for the Browns passing on him, it still made sense, but it would have been cool to see him and his cousin Nick Chubb (drafted by Cleveland in Round 2) on the same team. Denver is glad that never happened though, and their defense looks to remain a strong point for years to come.

Grade: A

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