Broncos go defense with third-round pick

The Denver Broncos picked Ohio State defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones with the 71st overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. Jones is the Broncos’ first defensive selection in the draft, following up tight end Noah Fant, offensive lineman Dalton Risner and quarterback Drew Lock.

Jones was a four-star recruit out of Cleveland’s St. Ignatius High School, where he only played basketball until his junior year. He was a freshman All-American at Ohio State in 2016. During his sophomore year, he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors, and he was first-team All-Big Ten as a senior.

During his senior year, Jones made 43 tackles, including 13 for a loss and 8.5 sacks. He intercepted one pass and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Jones’ strength is finding his way into the backfield but at 6-foot-3 and 281 pounds, Jones is slightly undersized for his position. He’ll likely need to put on some weight to take on NFL offensive linemen. After making the pick, Broncos GM John Elway tweeted that he sees Jones as a nickel pass-rusher.

The Broncos have three picks remaining in the draft:

Round 5, Pick 10 (148)

Round 5, Pick 18 (156)

Round 7, Pick 23 (237)