After weeks of being stuck behind Marcell Dareus in the pecking order for the No. 2 overall pick, it looks like Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller is going to be snatched up by the Broncos after all.
Rob Rang of CBSSports.com was the first to go heavily on the record about this pick:
For those who have been following my mocks for awhile, there are some surprises, beginning with the Denver Broncos using the No. 2 overall pick on Texas A&M pass rusher Von Miller.
I’ve long argued that Alabama DT Marcell Dareus should be the pick for the Broncos, despite the fact that I rate Miller as the better prospect .
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Instead, the Broncos seem to be infatuated with Miller and will be taking the Butkus Award winner with the second pick.
Todd McShay, Mike Mayock, and others soon agreed. Now even The Denver Post is reporting on it:
The Broncos, though, consider improving their strongside linebacker position, pass rush and overall defensive speed a slightly greater priority than adding quality mass up front. Which could mean selecting Miller.
It doesn’t seem so at first glance, but by switching from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3, the Broncos are adding a linebacker position. The two outside linebackers in the 3-4 — Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers — become defensive ends in the 4-3. That leaves D.J. Williams and Mario Haggan or Joe Mays to fill the two remaining linebacker positions.
The Broncos would have sideline-to-sideline speed in such an alignment with Miller and Williams likely patrolling the outside linebacker spots. It’s not hard to imagine them doing this, although I think Dareus still makes a little more sense for them since they aren’t a 3-4 team.
Either way, it looks like there’s plenty of smoke to this fire: Von Miller easily could become a Bronco, spread the news.