The NFL draft is about a week and a half away. On Thursday, April 27, the Denver Broncos will be on the clock with the 20th overall pick.
Most of the mock drafts out there envision the Broncos choosing an offensive lineman in the first round. But is it possible the Broncos instead go with a dynamic offensive player? That's the type of player Broncos All-Pro cornerback Chris Harris Jr. hopes to see Denver draft next week.
"I like playmakers. I want a playmaker on defense or offense, a guy that’s going to put up some points or a guy that’s going to change the game," Harris Jr. said Monday. "We definitely need a guy that can play running back, receiver and returner. Any guy that can do that, I would definitely love him."
Any guy that can play "running back, receiver and returner." Hmmmmmm. There's a guy in the draft who fits that profile. He's a Colorado native. Christian McCaffrey, you might have heard of him.
McCaffrey, who went to Valor Christian in Highlands Ranch and is the son of former Bronco Ed McCaffrey, is a junior out of Stanford. McCaffrey gained national attention after he set the NCAA record for all-purpose yards as a sophomore at Stanford. That year, McCaffrey rushed for 2,019 yards while recording 645 receiving yards and 1,070 on kickoff returns. He was named the Heisman runner-up.
McCaffrey finished his three-year college career with 5,128 yards from scrimmage and 31 TD. He could help jolt a Broncos offense that finished 26th in yards per play a season ago.
The only problem is that McCaffrey might not be there by the time the Broncos pick at 20. SB Nation's latest mock draft has him going No. 8 overall. ESPN's Todd McShay rates McCaffrey as his 10th-best prospect. None of NFL.com's four draft writers see him getting past No. 19.
It's possible that if the Broncos really wants McCaffrey, they'll have to move up.
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