253 draft picks have transformed the NFL in a matter of days. Around the League will examine the aftershocks by asking one post-draft burning question for all 32 teams.
Where are the starters from Denver's draft?
John Elway wasn't afraid to wheel and deal his way out of the first round. The Broncos executive vice president traded down twice on opening night, leaving Denver without a clear home-run hitter. That set the tone for an underwhelming draft haul, but not a hopeless one. Still, it's unclear where the starters are in this group.
• Second-round pick Derek Wolfe, the 295-pound defensive tackle out of Cincinnati, has the best chance of the bunch. Denver is crying for help on the interior line and they're expecting Wolfe to produce early. Some see this pick as a reach, mainly because Wolfe is lean and not a force against the run. There's no question about his agility, which helped him register 9½ sacks for the Bearcats in 2011.
• Another early contributor will be running back Ronnie Hillman, taken in the third round with the 67th pick. Denver sees Hillman as a change-of-pace back to pair alongside Willis McGahee (Knowshon Moreno looks like the odd man out here). "(Hillman's) electric," Elway told The Denver Post. "... He's got a chance to make that big play. He's a tough guy, can run between the tackles, too." (Note: Kind words from Elway, but one knock on Hillman is that he's predominantly an outside dasher, lacking the strength to break tackles inside.)
• We all knew Denver was focused on adding a young quarterback, but the team might have reached for their most intriguing prospect, Brock Osweiler. The former Arizona State passer needs time to develop and the Broncos hope he won't see the field until Peyton Manning calls it quits. The nearly 6-foot-7 Osweiler will battle Caleb Hanie and Adam Weber for position on the depth chart, but this is another long-term project.
The Broncos have been one of the league's most active players this offseason. Elway's masterstroke, landing Peyton Manning, will define his legacy. It was an exciting power play that shifted the landscape of the AFC West. You can't say the same about Denver's draft.
