In the second round, with the No. 59 pick, the Denver Broncos selected offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo from the Colorado State Rams. After watching all the top-tier tackles go off the board early in the first round, the Broncos decided to trade up and select defensive end Shane Ray with the No. 23 selection. (Read: 10 things to know about Shane Ray)
By taking Sambrailo in the second round, the Broncos addressed their biggest need on the offensive line. Let’s take a look at 10 things every Denver fan should know about Sambrailo.
1. As a senior in 2014, he started 11 games, missing two early games due to a knee injury. It was a minor sprain, though, as Sambrailo was able to return and finish the season at the most important spot on the line. He was named All-Mountain West and protected fellow NFL Draftee Garrett Grayson’s blindside well as the offense enjoyed a record-breaking year in multiple categories.
2. Colorado State single-season records which were broken last year with Sambrailo at left tackle: yards per game (480.9), passing yards (4,181), passing yards per attempt (9.4) and passing touchdowns (33).
3. Grayson threw for a school-record 4,006 yards with Sambrailo and his line-mates. What’s impressive is four starters on the offensive line in 2013 graduated. That included center Weston Richburg, who was drafted by the New York Giants at No. 43 overall last year. Sambrailo was the undoubted leader in the trenches and excels at pass-blocking.
4. He was also a leader of the team last season, being named one of five captains on a Colorado State squad who went 10-3 overall. He’s a great character guy who takes coaching well.
5. Following a stellar regular season, Sambrailo participated in and impressed in the Senior Bowl practices and game. It’s where his draft stock rose quickly and helped him be selected in the second round.
6. He’s an incredibly athletic and quick lineman, despite his 6’6” 311-pound frame. Sambrailo was the quickest lineman at the NFL Combine in the three-cone drill at 7.54 seconds. How’s this for athleticism; Sambrailo was a free skier and could do backflips on skis in high school.
7. The 23-year old isn’t just a finesse blocker, he’s been praised by NFL scouts for his nasty side, for finishing plays and playing through the whistle. No doubt, Sambrailo plays with an edge, which will help him at the next level.
8. While he started the last 25 games of his collegiate career at left tackle, Sambrailo is versatile. In 2012, he bounced around to fill voids due to injuries, playing at every position on the offensive line besides center. So, can he play right tackle? He has before.
9. Still, Sambrailo needs to improve in the run-blocking department. Yes, he blocked for Kapri Bibbs and his school-record 1,741 yards in 2013 as well as Dee Hart’s 1,275 yards last season, but he looks lost on tape at times. Scouts say he can actually add strength to his frame, which would only aid in the run game. With NFL coaching and Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking run game, he will have a definite chance to thrive, even as a run-blocker.
10. Speaking of Kubiak, he absolutely loves Colorado State players. That’s why it was not a huge surprise he was taken by Kubiak’s new team, the Broncos. Kubiak’s sons Klint and Klay both played at CSU, Klay a quarterback like his dad and Klint a defensive back. Could the Broncos draft Garrett Grayson? Yes.
Sambrailo became the third CSU player drafted in the last two years, and Grayson became the fourth just a short while later.
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