9. Denver Broncos: David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
There’s a chance the Denver Broncos go after a quarterback here at pick No. 9 but they also have had some bad luck in recent years when it comes to drafting signal-callers. They took Paxton Lynch in Round 1 back in 2016 and took Drew Lock in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Neither ended up being what the Broncos expected and while Lock is still on the roster, their hopes that he will become the No. 1 guy seem to have faded. With their issues scouting quarterbacks, they’re more likely to go after a player in free agency, and with their new head coach Nathaniel Hackett in town, there’s a shot they could go after Aaron Rodgers who has been unhappy with the Green Bay Packers.
All of that being said, the Broncos go in a different direction here as they tab David Ojabo as their first-round pick. Ojabo, a redshirt sophomore, is listed at 6-foot-5 and 250-pounds and burst onto the scene this season for Michigan. He entered the season with just one tackle to his name but then recorded 35 tackles and 11 sacks this season.
Denver traded away Von Miller during the 2021 season, saying goodbye to one of the best pass-rushers they’ve ever had. While Ojabo would really have to develop a lot to become close to the player Miller was, they can at least add a younger player to replace him — who is capable of getting after the opposing quarterback.