The Broncos saw Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer sliding through the middle of Round 2 and made their move, jumping up to 56th overall pick to grab a player who some experts had pegged as a late first-round pick. Here's a quick roundup of what national media are saying about Denver's selection:
NFL Network broadcast:
Mike Mayock:
"You need to just get in the hip pocket of a 38-year-old quarterback by the name of Peyton Manning. Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Emmanuel Sanders -- what a great situation for this young man. He's a height-weight-speed specimen. At 218 pounds and almost 6-3, he ran 4.4 40(-yard dash) after breaking his foot."
ESPN.com's Scouts Inc.:
What he brings:
Latimer is one of the more underrated receivers in this class. He shows great field awareness and has a natural feel for the position. Lattimore has above-average size and uses his big frame well. He has one of the better sets of hands and reminds us a lot of Hakeem Nicks when he was coming out of North Carolina.
How he fits:
The Broncos helped replace the loss of Eric Decker by signing Emmanuel Sanders in free agency. However, with Wes Welker and Demaryius Thomas set to be free agents in the 2015, adding Latimer makes sense. He has excellent awareness reading coverages on the run and reliable hands to fit perfectly working with Peyton Manning within Denver's passing game, which relies on timing.
ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold:
My take: The Broncos saw their opportunity to jump up to get the kind of receiver they wanted on this draft board and took it. They moved up seven spots in the second round to grab Latimer. In a draft filled with big, fast wideouts, Latimer fits the bill at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, a player who ran in the 4.4s in the 40-yard dash at his pro day.
The Broncos decided they simply couldn't wait any longer to get a receiver who carried a first-round grade from many teams. With Emmanuel Sanders having signed as a free agent to replace Eric Decker, Latimer projects as a rotation player at wide receiver at the outset. Given Wes Welker's concussion history and the fact both Welker and Demaryius Thomas are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents following the 2014 season, the Broncos needed to use the deepest receiver class in memory to help fortify the position. Latimer will contribute this season.
**FoxSports.com:** Goodbye, Eric Decker. Hello, Cody Latimer! The Broncos have filled a receiver need in the fleet-footed Indiana product. Latimer's big frame helps him when it comes to shaking coverage and he'll have the chance to do big things with Peyton Manning throwing him the football.
