In his recent three-round NFL mock draft, Tyler Forness of Vikings Wire has the Denver Broncos shoring up the interior of their offensive line before adding a playmaker on defense.
The Broncos do not have first- or second-round draft picks this year, but they do hold back-to-back picks in the third round. With the first of those picks (No. 67 overall), Forness has Denver selecting Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann.
With their next pick (No. 68 overall), Froness mocks the Broncos selecting Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson. If the team re-signs Alex Singleton, Denver won’t necessarily have a glaring need at inside linebacker, but Josey Jewell has just one year left on his current contract.
Simpson (6-2, 235 pounds) earned third-team All-ACC recognition last season after totaling 72 tackles. In three years (33 games) with the Tigers, Simpson recorded 165 tackles — 23 behind the line of scrimmage — 13 sacks, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles.
Simpson ran a 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds at the NFL combine earlier this offseason. If selected by the Broncos, he would likely compete for rotational playing time in defense as a rookie and contribute on special teams.
To view the complete three-round NFL mock draft, visit Vikings Wire.
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