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Draft Preview: Broncos pick 31st
Posted: Tuesday March 23, 1999 02:24 PM
For the next 31 days, CNN/SI will offer a daily look at one pick from the 1999 draft, starting with Denver and finishing with Cleveland. Check back for a new preview each day. Don't be surprised if the Denver Broncos trade the No. 31 pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. Through trades and compensatory picks, the back-to-back Super Bowl champions have 11 picks in the draft, including five in the first three rounds. They practically swindled a second-round pick from San Francisco for tackle Jamie Brown, who's since been cut, and they picked up a third-round pick from Carolina for quarterback Jeff Lewis earlier this month and stole a fifth-rounder in August from Dallas for tight end Kendall Watkins, who didn't play last year. With all those picks, the Broncos could certainly package a few to move up in the first round - they're more likely to find someone who can stay on their roster that way. There's precedent in Denver for moving up and down in the first round -- the Broncos drafted only three players in 1997, traded away their first four picks in 1995 and two of their top three in 1994, and moved up three spots in the 1993 draft. Best bets for No. 31 Whether the Broncos stay where they are or trade the pick, their top priority should be addressing two areas - offensive tackle and defensive back. The team upgraded at cornerback through free agency by dropping Darrien Gordon and signing Pro Bowler Dale Carter from the Chiefs, but Denver needs a safety to help make up for the loss of Steve Atwater. Last year's second-round pick, Eric Brown, will likely take over as starter, but another young defensive back is a definite must from this year's draft. The Broncos' only significant free-agent loss was tackle Harry Swayne signing with the Ravens - Trey Teague, a seventh-round pick in 1998, and converted tight end Matt Lepsis could step up as starters, but with a great class of tackles in this year's draft, Denver may try to find a starter in the first round. The last time the Broncos used a first-round pick on an offensive lineman, they traded him to Baltimore for John Elway - the pick was Chris Hinton and the year was 1983.
The two defensive backs that are most often mentioned with the Broncos are Virginia safety Anthony Poindexter, a first-team All-American who is recovering from major knee surgery last fall. Poindexter is expected to be back at full strength by preseason. Another candidate is also from the ACC - Clemson's Antwan Edwards has turned away some teams by opting against running the 40 during a personal workout, but his play in college should make him a first-round pick. Most mock drafts project between five and seven offensive tackles taken in the first round, so if the Broncos will have to trade up if they don't want to be choosing from the leftovers. Among the tackles who could be available at No. 31, Georgia's Chris Terry and Penn State's Floyd Wedderburn are safe bets, though someone like UCLA's Kris Farris or West Virginia's Solomon Page could fall through the cracks. The first prediction to make is that the Broncos won't be making the 31st pick, but if the champs stay put, we'll say they address their secondary and take Virginia's Poindexter with the last pick of the first round.
Click here if you have a question or comment about the upcoming NFL Draft. We'll answer a few questions and publish selected comments once a week between now and April 17.
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