3 players the Denver Broncos may regret passing on in 2023 NFL Draft
3 players the Denver Broncos might regret passing on in the 2023 NFL Draft
3. Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland (Titans)
When you’re talking about late picks on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, you’re often just splitting hairs. The NFL Draft is a crapshoot as-is, but projecting successful late-round picks is even more unpredictable.
The Broncos had a couple of picks late on Day 3 and they ended up with one selection in round six after making a trade with the Saints for TE Adam Trautman, which was a good trade. With that pick, the Broncos selected Boise State safety JL Skinner, a big body at the position who spent the pre-draft process dealing with a torn pectoral injury.
Skinner was considered a 3rd-4th round prospect by some outlets leading up to the NFL Draft, and Broncos fans were pretty ecstatic about the value of this particular pick given Skinner’s lofty pre-draft status, but could the Broncos have done better, even in round six?
Maybe.
Jaelyn Duncan, an offensive tackle prospect out of Maryland, might have been a wiser selection for the Broncos at that juncture. Duncan was a four-year starter at left tackle for the Terps, he’s got tremendous athleticism, and the Broncos really have needed a developmental offensive tackle on the roster in recent years.
Jaelyn Duncan is a OT prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.01 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 128 out of 1288 OT from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/cfsr5PD8HS #RAS pic.twitter.com/fMhdGPBDlO
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2023
Duncan could have been exactly that for them. Unfortunately, he went just a handful of picks later to the Tennessee Titans. Duncan needs work in certain areas, especially when it comes to playing more physical, but in the sixth round, that might have been a risk worth taking for an OL-needy team like the Denver Broncos.