Broncos Prospect Profile: Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn

Throughout the offseason, we’ll be profiling players who may end up in Denver when all is said and done with the 2017 NFL Draft. The Broncos clearly have plenty of holes to fill before they get back to Super-Bowl form and we’ll be examining a long list of players they may choose to help the franchise do just that.

As a Tiger at Auburn, Montravius Adams wasn’t the typical player that you would expect to wear the number 1 on his jersey. At 6-foot-4, 304 pounds, instead of being lined up outside as a wide receiver—as most with that number are—Adams was buried in the defensive trenches, clogging the inside.

Since Adams joined the Tigers in 2013, he has been a staple in the middle of their defensive line—playing all four years, starting his last three. As a top-five defensive lineman coming out of high school, Adams has plenty of talent for the NFL. However, inconsistencies raise questions as to how exactly he will translate to the next level. He is currently projected to be a second to third-round pick.

Strengths

As a second-team all-SEC selection his senior season, Adams has the experience and skills needed to have an immediate impact in the NFL. Although he’s just over 300 pounds, Adams has the lower-body strength needed to play anywhere on the defensive line. He uses a combination of reading the snap and quick explosiveness off the line to penetrate offensive lineman almost immediately, consistently disrupting plays.

Adams often finds himself in the backfield, whether in the run or pass game. He effectively uses his lower-body strength to take on double teams and clog the line. For a defensive tackle, Adams has proven that he can effectively rush the passer from the inside, totaling 11 sacks in his four-year college career.

Weaknesses

With all of the talent and potential that Adams has, he still has plenty of questions that remain unanswered. First and foremost is his consistency and passion for the game. After a disappointing junior season, Adams bounced back with a very good senior season. However, this makes scouts wonder: are they going to get the player he was his junior year—a mid-round pick—or the player he was his senior year—a first to second-round pick.

On the field, Adams has areas of improvement as well. First off, he needs to keep his head up and his eyes on the ball when he engages with blockers. Too often he lowers his head and looses sight of where the play is. Additionally, while he can get to the quarterback from the inside of the line, he cannot get outside of tackles to rush the passer, limiting his ability as a defensive end. Finally, he has a difficult time disengaging from blockers once they get ahold of him.

How he fits in Denver

As a rookie, Adams ideal role would be as a rotational player along the defensive line. After the signings of Domata Peko and Zach Kerr in free agency, the Denver Broncos need to add a rotational player, ideally one that can play defensive tackle and defensive end. For fit purposes, Adams would make a lot of sense on the Broncos as his game translates very well to a defensive end/defensive tackle in a 3-4 scheme.

Adams’ ability to clog the line and help stuff the run would also be a valuable trait for the Broncos’ run defense that struggled mightily last year. If Denver drafts Adams in the second to third round, they wouldn’t have to ask a lot of him in his rookie year, but he would have the potential to grow into a high caliber player relatively quick.