Denver enters the evening with one second-rounder (58th overall) and one third-rounder (90th overall).
Sylvester Williams started his college career at Coffeyville Community College. By the time he had finished his second season there, he was an honorable mention Junior College All-American with 12.5 tackles for loss and five blocked kicks.
He was given no shortage of options on schools to attend after that, but he decided on North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and immediately entered the starting lineup there in 2011. He had 54 tackles (seven for loss) and 2.5 sacks, and fit well with the great talent all along the Tar Heels defensive line.
Denver took him with the 28th pick in the first round of the 2013 Draft, and they count themselves lucky to do so. So do I. I’m going through his film at this point, (which isn’t a burden) and I’ll need a few days to get it all done. But until then, an ESPN Sports Science segment featuring him gives us and the Broncos a lot of good reasons why we all should be happy with him:
Friday NFL draft picks for Denver Broncos may produce gems
www.denverpost.com
This could be different.
There is a decent chance the Broncos will select starters in the second and third rounds in the NFL draft Friday, while they got a backup defensive tackle in the first round Thursday.
In the second and third rounds, expect the Broncos to seek two players that play cornerback, running back or strong safety.
These fools are continuing to beat their drum about cornerback, running back, and strong safety. I guess that's to be expected, although I think they're all wet. When did Sylvester Williams necessarily become a backup DT, though? Did training camp and the preseason already happen, and I missed it? Aren't these the same bozos who've been yelling for a DT for years now?
Also, is it better to draft D.J. Hayden twelfth overall, and also get the 42nd pick of the draft, or is it better to draft D.J. Hayden third overall, and forgo the second-rounder out of some stubborn groupthink idea of what constitutes acceptable value for the third pick? And really, does it take three DP writers to write that one stupid article?
Day 1 of the NFL Draft left Mr. Bartlett with nothing but questions, because he made the mistake of reading the Denver Post.
We'll continue to keep you posted on the day's developing news here.
Updated 6:15pm ET
Mohrmann: The Broncos left something on the table
milehighsports.com
With a hole at middle linebacker, it seemed that they had their choice between Alec Ogletree and Manti Te’o. The Broncos passed and instead opted to bolster their defensive line with Sylvester Williams. And for the life of me I can’t figure out why…
...For all we know, Williams could go on to have a hall of fame career and help lead the Broncos to multiple Super Bowls. But for me, Alec Ogletree would have instantly changed the tone set by the defense. There is already a pass rushing threat when it comes to Von Miller, but Ogletree plays with the fierceness and speed that will have an impact on every down. Ogletree possesses the tools that made him a standout in the SEC, the next closest thing to NFL.
If you've read through the latest edition of Chewing the Fat, you'll know I wanted the Broncos to choose Alec Ogletree at #28.
Apparently, there were two voices in the wilderness.
Over the next few days, weeks, and months, you're going to hear a lot about Sylvester Williams being a great pick. Perhaps he will be. With the draft being a bit more lottery and a lot less skill, anything can happen.
But a year from now, don't come crying to ol' uncle TJ when Ogletree wins Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Someone has to be a contrarian around here.
According to Mike Klis, the Broncos are switching Ben Garland to the offensive line, although it's unclear whether they see him as a guard or tackle.
Garland, who recently turned 25, was granted his release from the Air Force a year ago to pursue his NFL career. Listed on the official site at 275 lbs, Garland was reportedly up to 305 lbs last May. After failing to make the squad out of training camp, the Grand Junction native spent the 2012 season on Denver's practice squad.
Cowboys’ Jones boys deflate their own football people with draft ‘philosophy’
sports.yahoo.com
And Frederick, for his part, told a Dallas radio station that even he didn’t believe he’d be taken when he was.
“I thought I was a second-round offensive lineman,” he told Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. “I thought somewhere in the second round would be more of a fit for me. I truly didn’t expect this.”
Sometimes, you can’t make this stuff up.
At least Travis Frederick is a humble young man?
Happy Friday, Broncos fans! Now in this third offseason running the show, John Elway's tenure has been defined by the acquisitions of Peyton Manning and Von Miller.
It's a pretty good start to a front office career, adding your team's two best players in your first two years on the job. Naturally, there's still work to be done this week and in the coming months, but the Dumervil debacle aside, this has been a stellar offseason for Elway and the Broncos.
They shored up the offensive line's interior with the addition of Louis Vasquez, gave Manning another dynamic weapon in Wes Welker, and provided Jack Del Rio a familiar big ugly in Terrance Knighton.
Already in his tenure, Elway had ended the Broncos' lengthy and elusive searches for his own successor at quarterbacking greatness, an electric return man, and quality depth in the defensive backfield.
Continue reading "Elway answers another long-term question Lard"
The IAOFM staff discuss the Broncos' selection of North Carolina DT Sylvester Williams in the 2013 NFL Draft
TJ: First Manti Te'o mention! Drink! Another one! Berman said, Te'o! drink! I'm already hammered! They've already said it a dozen times.
Doc: Should make this easier; Gruden's having an orgasm over Te’o right now.
Ted: Let the record show that Ted Bartlett says the top two players in this class are Star Lotulelei and Jarvis Jones.
TJ: Haha, I'm glad you said that, since I was telling my good friend Doug Lee that I wanted Lotulelei, but that I wasn't going to get him.
Doc: I only hope that he doesn't fall to the Raiders.
Continue reading "Chewing the Fat: Broncos select Sylvester Williams"
After all these years, after all the whining I’ve done for the Broncos to pick a defensive tackle in the first round, they finally went and did it.
So you’d think I’d be excited as hell.
I'm only halfway there, and perhaps it's not because I'm so down on Sylveser Williams, as much as I was hoping the Broncos would move up and grab Star Lotulelei or Sharrif Floyd as they fell down the board.
Continue reading "Gut Reaction: Broncos draft Sylvester Williams"
