Micah Parsons, Penn State Nittany Lions. (Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports)
The Denver Broncos have two ways to close the gap on the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Draft.
Blessed with the No. 9 overall pick the 2021 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos have one of two options to keep pace with the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West hierarchy.
It wasn’t all that long ago the Broncos had the best offense in football with Peyton Manning under center. Then again, that was back in 2013. It wasn’t that all long ago when the Broncos had the No Fly Zone in the back-end of their defense and were contending for Super Bowls. Denver last made the AFC playoffs in 2015. Simply put, the Broncos need to crush it with their No. 9 pick in the draft.
How the Denver Broncos can close the gap on the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021
2. Draft a transcendent defensive talent with No. 9 overall pick
There are two players Denver should consider taking with the No. 9 overall pick on the defensive side of the ball: Virginia Tech Hokies cornerback Caleb Farley and Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Micah Parsons. Despite both Power 5 stars opting out of the 2020 college season, doing so has not negatively impacted their 2021 NFL Draft status whatsoever. They are good.
With Farley he edges out Patrick Surtain II as the best cornerback prospect in this draft. While one could argue for Surtain over Farley, keep in mind where each college star played. Surtain benefited from playing in Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide program defensively, while Farley was able to shine on his own in Blacksburg for the Hokies. He and Justin Simmons in the same secondary, good night.
As for Parsons, this is a prospect head coach Vic Fangio would be all about. Parsons is the type of player you build a defense around with him rocking the green dot. If he falls past the Detroit Lions at No. 7 or the Carolina Panthers at No. 8 and the Broncos want to go defense, it would be awfully hard to not draft the next star linebacker from LB U. Parsons has serious hall-of-fame potential.