There are many truisms in the NFL draft, but the Broncos just got two for the price of one with their pick of Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby.
The first: all things being equal, avoid wide receivers in the first round. They simply have a much higher bust rate.
The second: you can never have enough quality cornerbacks.
Roby's talent is without question. In fact, he has the talent to be a #1 cornerback, and if things fall his way, a top-flight cornerback in the NFL. Great reaction, world class catch-up speed, smooth hip transition, hyper aggressive tackling--he has it all.
Check out this tape against Michigan State:
So why wasn't he picked sooner? He had several awful--I mean they were god awful--games in which he was absolutely torched. He lacked discipline. Additionally, the proverbial off-the-field issues lowered his stock (how many times have we heard this before?).
Honestly, I don't know how the Broncos could have made a better pick, both from the perspective of best player available and team need. Cornerback and linebacker are probably the only two positions the team could have drafted in which their draft pick would have a chance to see the field on third down.
In Roby's case, expect to see him in on nickel and dime coverage.
Long term (and here, we're talking two years), Roby should be solidified as one of the Broncos' starting cornerbacks.