The Lead
On Wednesday, we reviewed the meager placement of Broncos in ESPN’s top-100 ranking of NFL players ahead of the 2020 season and how two NFL analysts picked other Broncos as locks for the following year.
Asked for a list of the most-likely rookies to make next year’s ranking, ESPN senior writer Todd McShay added another Bronco to the list of potential honorees in 2021.
Jerry Jeudy came in at No. 2 on his list — only behind second-overall pick Chase Young. Among other receivers, Jeudy was McShay's top pick, beating out CeeDee Lamb at No. 3, Justin Jefferson at No. 6 and Michael Pittman Jr. at No. 10.
"[H]e is the most polished route runner I've seen coming out of college in 20 years," McShay wrote. "And in my eyes, route running is the most important trait for wide receivers in smoothly transitioning to the NFL."
McShay goes on to explain how he thinks Jeudy will fit alongside Courtland Sutton no matter where he lines up in the offensive formation. However, what may decide the receiver's success as a rookie, McShay adds, will be the success of his quarterback.
If Lock progresses and becomes the quarterback the Broncos are hoping they'll see, McShay lays out his expectations for the young wideout: "Jeudy should contend for Offensive Rookie of the Year and be very much in the mix to make 2021 NFL Rank."
Below the Fold
As for other members of the Broncos' rookie class — especially those who went undrafted — the future is much more unpredictable. As Jeff Legwold writes for ESPN, after preseason games were cancelled, undrafted rookies with no game tape are in a precarious position. "[P]layers who want to make the 53-man roster have a wafer-thin margin for error and lack the opportunities so many previous Broncos players have had," Legwold writes.
Ever wonder what an entire practice is like for Drew Lock? The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider focused solely on the quarterback for the duration of Friday’s practice and has the answer. Though most viewers also watch Lock's every move, Kosmider's article provides valuable insight into the second-year players' practice habits, including an impressive attention to detail.
