ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Despite having Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory, Jonathon Cooper, Malik Reed and Barron Browning at outside linebacker, George Paton and the Denver Broncos used their first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on another edge rusher.
“We thought Nik was one of the better pass rushers coming out,” Paton said on Friday night, after selecting Nik Bonitto with the 64th-overall pick. “Just the bend, the speed, the burst. Very natural. At Oklahoma, he had a lot of production.”
From his sophomore to senior season at Oklahoma, Bonitto racked up 19.5 sacks, 33 tackles for a loss and 115 tackles in 34 games. In the draft process, Bonitto was viewed as one of the best speed rushers in the entire draft, but at 6-foot-3, 248 pounds, his undersized frame left questions about his ability in the run game.
“He needs to get a little stronger,” Paton admitted after drafting Bonitto. “At Oklahoma they are on the move a lot. They’re not really asked to set an edge. He has a great coach here. Great coaches that will help him with that. He need to get stronger. He knows that. But he has everything you want to be a really good player in this league. Like all of the rookies that come in, a lot of them are underdeveloped. He’s going to get in the weight room. He’s going to work and he’ll be able to set an edge and play the run I’m sure.”
With Chubb and Gregory already on the roster, and Bonitto not a finished product, the 64th pick in the draft isn’t guaranteed to be a starter.
But he’ll certainly see the field.
“He’ll add. They’re all different. They are all unique. They’re all different. He just adds a little more explosion,” Paton said, explaining what Bonitto brings to the outside linebacker room. “You want a wave of pass rushers. He’s done a lot — he’s lined up on the edge, he’s played stacked, you blitz him, he’s spied — he’s pretty dynamic in what he does. He’ll just make the group stronger. And that’s what you need in our division. That’s what you need in this league.”
While Bonitto isn’t guaranteed a starting job, his availability will come in key, especially with Gregory and Chubb’s injury history. Paton, however, stated Denver didn’t draft Bonitto because of injury concerns to Gregory or Chubb.
“We took him because he was the best player on the board,” Paton said, making it clear.
As one of the best pure speed rushers in the draft, Paton and the Broncos didn’t anticipate Bonitto falling to the end of the second round. In fact, Paton considered trading up a few spots to make sure they landed him.
“So we’re really fortunate,” the General Manger added. “He’ll add to our group. We’ll have a very good wave with Nik. I think it’s going to be really good competition.”
Competition is exactly what Denver expects Greg Dulcich, their second pick of the night, to bring to the tight end room.
“I think everybody is up for competition,” Hackett said, when asked if Dulcich could start Week 1. “I definitely have a great feel that he’s going to be able to come in here and contribute. I think that’s what you’re asking for as he earns his way onto the field. We’ll see where that goes. Like we said before, he’s a threat down the field, and he’s a guy that you want out there. We’ll see what happens.”
The 6-foot-4, 243-pound tight end will look to establish himself as a well-rounded tight end in a competition with Albert Okwuegbunam, who is viewed as a pass-catching threat, and Eric Tomlinson, who is primarily a run blocker.
“When you have a guy that can stretch the field like he can, I think it’s really exciting,” Hackett said about Denver’s new tight end. “All the stuff, it’s not just the intermediate stuff, but that truly down the field and at the same time, the ability to strain and block in the run game. I think he showed a lot of stuff… He’s going to be a good piece to utilize.”
Coming out of UCLA, Dulcich was viewed as more of a threat in the pass game than in the run game, but has shown flashes of excelling as a blocker. Hackett admitted that the former three-star recruit will need to improve his blocking.
“Once you get to this league and you’re blocking some dynamic football players, they always can get a lot better,” Hackett added. “I think the good thing about him is the type of person he is, he was a walk-on when he got there and he fought his way into that tight end role and was very effective. I don’t think he’s afraid of any bit of hard work. He’s a great man. That’s why I’m excited to have him.”
The Broncos’ first two picks in the draft will certainly contribute their rookie season. But a starting role is far from guaranteed.
Competition in the offseason and training camp will be the name of the game.
May the best man win.
