ISFL BRONCOS 2009 DRAFT REVIEW

The Broncos dropped from 5-11 in 2008 to a 1-15 record in 2009. So the
Broncos rebuilding effort is just starting in earnest, right? 

Nope. It started before the season, with the Broncos first draft under new
General Manager Hank Sienzant. 

And it started with the Broncos first pick, young tackle Ryan Clady of Boise
State, which was a surprise pick to most of the ISFL observers and
participants, who felt the Broncos would exercise their pick on quarterback
Joe Flacco out of Maryland. But the Broncos liked the prospect of putting
Clady oppose their first round pick last year, Joe Thomas of Wisconsin, and
thereby having perhaps the best pair of young tackles in the league - both
were named second team All-ISFL. "It all starts up front," head coach Hank
Sienzant in an interview recently. "And there are only so many good big men
on the planet - when they become available, you have to snatch them up." The
Broncos certainly did that with Clady - getting a player who started all 16
games at right tackle and has been getting some All-Pro mention heading into
his second year. Clady allowed only four sacks as a rookie and was called for
only four penalties.  

The Broncos were without their own pick in the second round, it having been
traded away by the previous regime. However, with a supplemental pick at the
end of round two, the Broncos gambled on greatness by selecting Vernon
Gholston, a stud pass rusher out of Ohio State who many felt was destined to
be a dominant linebacker in the ISFL. At 6-3, 265, Gholston, who runs a 4.6 
40-yard dash, has all the measurables, but hasn't put it together yet. He
didn't start a game as a rookie, and had only 12 tackles playing on special
teams and in sub-packages.  

The Broncos went after a good young cornerback in round three, selecting
Tracy Porter, a four-year starter in college at Indiana who was defensive
captain and a first-team All-Big Ten selection his senior year. An
exceptional cornerback and return man at Indiana, Porter didn't disappoint,
earning a starting job right out of the shoot and playing well in his first
game. However, Porter unfortunately went down with a dislocated wrist in that
first game, and missed most of the rest of the season. He did get back on the
field in the final three weeks of the season, making one interception and
fourteen tackles to close out his rookie year. The 5-11, 185-lb. Porter, if
he is healthy - and he appears fully recovered heading into his second season
- will have one Bronco cornerback spot locked down for years to come.  

Later in the third round, with a pick acquired from New England back in 2008
for wideout Jabar Gaffney, the Broncos went back to the offensive side of
their draft board, selecting Limas Sweed of Texas. Sweed had a quiet rookie
year, catching seven passes for 64 yards and one touchdown, with the TD
coming in the Broncos final game of the 2009 season. Viewed as a potential
top ten pick after his junior year at Texas, Sweed returned for his senior
season and injured his wrist, missing most of the season and his draft stock
plummetted. However, the Broncos went back to the junior film, and liked what
they saw, and when his wrist checked out, the Broncos took him in round
three. The 6-4, 220-lb. Sweed, who runs a 4.5 forty, gives the Broncos
another big possession receiver to alternate with Dwayne Bowe, if he can
build on his rookie year.  

After those two picks at 65 and 69, the Broncos didn't pick again until late
in the fourth round, utilizing a pick acquired from San Diego for Matt
Lepsis. With that pick, the Broncos went to the west coast, selecting
cornerback Terrell Thomas of USC as the 109th player overall. The six-foot,
200-lb. Thomas isn't fleet afoot, but is a football player. He didn't start
immediately, but eventually earned a starting role late in his rookie year.
Thomas finished with one fumble recovery, one forced fumble, six pass
breakups, and 32 tackles. A solid player who is not flashy, Thomas doesn't
wow you on first viewing, but his solid, steady play makes him a valuable
member of the Broncos moving forward. More than likely he will push veteran
Shawn Springs (34 years old in ISFL 2010) to the nickel role or to safety as
he earns the starting cornerback nod opposite fellow rookie Tracy Porter.  

The Broncos had two picks in round five, and got two more young players who
can eventually start in the ISFL. With their own pick at 123, the Broncos
went after another big wideout, this time selecting Devin Thomas of Michigan
State. Thomas had a breakout junior season, catching 79 balls for 1260 yards
after just six receptions as a sophomore.  The 6-2, 215-lb. Thomas doesn't
have the deep speed ISFL teams covet (4.5 forty) and will have to prove he
can get deep. But as a rookie, Thomas caught 22 for 196 yards and one score.
He will get an opportunity to challenge for a starting role opposite Dwayne
Bowe in his second season and is expected to eventually wrest that job from
Nate Washington.  

With the last pick of the fifth round (the 140th pick overall), acquired from
Detroit as partial payment for 32-year old veteran defensive tackle John
Thornton, the Broncos took a shot on a young tight end, Jermichael Finley of
Texas. The big (6-5, 236) Finley left Texas after his redshirt sophomore
college season, but had exhibited strong hands and body control in his
limited action at Texas. He needs to bulk up to 255 or 260 without losing any
speed (4.8 forty) and improve as an inline blocker, but as a rookie for
Denver, he caught 13 for 161 yards, finishing second on the team among Denver
tight ends in both receptions and yardage and his 12.4 yards per catch led
all Bronco tight ends. The Broncos believe he has the highest upside of any
of their 2009 rookies - and that includes Ryan Clady.  

The Broncos traded their 6th and 7th round choices away, but got back as
partial payment from Kansas City in the deal for the sixth rounder an eighth
round pick that became starting guard Josh Sitton. Sitton was plunked into
the starting left guard spot when veteran Mike Wahle went down in week 11,
and performed admirably. Sitton isn't the most talented player on the O-line,
but he is a battler who asks no quarter and gives none. An offensive tackle
in college at Central Florida, the Broncos were honestly surprised the 6-4,
322 lb. Sitton was still available in the 8th round. Pro Football Weekly
flat-out said the Broncos have a steal. "The[y] ... have done a decent job
unearthing sleeper prospects and may have found another in South Florida OG
Josh Sitton. He ... is big, smart and athletic enough to fit the[ir] ... zone
blocking scheme." Sitton proved he belongs in his five starts at the end of
the season, allowing no sacks, and looks to be a solid starter in 2010 and
beyond.  

Also drafted in the eighth round was linebacker Bryan Kehl out of Brigham
Young, who has good size at 6-3, 232 - Kehl, that is, not Young. Kehl was the
BYU team MVP as a senior. As a rookie, Kehl played mostly special teams,
making six tackles and no big plays. To contribute more in the future, he
needs to add strength and to improve his pass rush techniques.  

In the supplemental draft, the Broncos choose five players with potential,
but the best had to rookie tight end Tom Santi out of Virginia. Santi has
good size at 6-4, 248, and stepped into the starting tight end job quickly.
Blessed with good hands, he always gives 100% and surprised many when he led
all Bronco tight ends with 22 receptions for 177 yards and one score. He wore
down at the end of the season, however, and needs to work on playing
effectively through dings and nicks. He and Finley will fight it out for the
starting tight end position in 2010.  For the record, the other four
supplemental players are guard Breno Giacomini of Louisville, tackle Allen
Barbre of Missouri Southern State, safety Craig Steltz of LSU, and linebacker
Erin Henderson out of Maryland. None of these four players saw much action
and did not distinquish themselves as rookies when they did get on the field.

Overall: The Broncos added six players who they believe can be solid starters
in the ISFL in the future (Ryan Clady, Tracy Porter, Terrell Thomas, Devin
Thomas, Jermichael Finley, and Josh Sitton). While the jury is still out on
some others (Vernon Gholston and Limas Sweed the most notable among them), if
the Broncos can replicate that success rate and add six solid starters every
year they will have a competitive team sooner rather than later. Helping them
in this regard in the upcoming draft is the fact that they own all eight of
their own picks as well as having additional picks in the third, fifth, and
sixth rounds. Last year the Broncos drafted in their own slot only half the
time. This year they will draft in their own slot (alternating between first
and second) in rounds two through eight. With the results of the lottery in
(the Broncos did poorly in that grab-bag, finishing fourth out of four
teams), they will draft fourth in the first round.  While that's not a
positive for the rebuilding Broncos (the drop from second to fourth is the
equivalent of losing a early second round pick on some draft charts),
remember it could be worse. In the UFFL a few years ago, Hank Sienzant's
expansion team finished with the worst record in the league two consecutive
years, and wound up drafting 11th one year, and sixth the next. So while the
Broncos are cursing their stars over their bad luck in this lottery, they are
also grateful the ISFL lottery allowed the Broncos to fall to no lower than
fourth, because they are well aware of how bad it can be if the fall isn't
capped.  

Bronco Team Awards:

Offensive MVP: Lendale White rushed 219 times for 808 yards, having his
second consecutive solid season in a Bronco uniform, but the award goes to
second year wideout Dwayne Bowe, who caught 94 passes for 1028 yards and two
touchdowns. Bowe improved on his stellar rookie season despite uncertainty at
QB (catching passes from four different QBs), while being constantly
double-teamed by opposing secondaries. He was often times uncoverable, and in
many games appeared to be the only legitimate star the Broncos had amonst
their offensive skill positions.  

Defensive MVP: Tony Brown, the sole defensive lineman who played well all
year, gets the award for a phenomenal effort in a losing cause. Brown
finished with 109 tackles, 24 stuffs, seven hurries, and three sacks. He also
deflected three passes.  

Offensive Rookie MVP: Ryan Clady, tackle. The 6-6, 310-lb. Clady started all
sixteen games for the Broncos and played very well, getting some serious
mention as a All-Pro candidate, unusual for a player from a 1-15 team.  

Defensive Rookie MVP: Some may quibble with an award for a team that
surrenders 452 points, third most in the league, but even on a bad team some
players perform well. So the award goes to rookie CB Terrell Thomas, who did
improve over the course of the season and looks to be a lock to start next
year.