The Broncos’ offensive line is in good shape.
Garett Bolles, 31, and Mike McGlinchey, 29, have had their ups and downs but they’re both starting NFL tackles at the very least.
Quinn Meinerz, 25, is one of the best guards in football and he’s only getting better. Ben Powers, 27, may not have fully lived up to his contract last season, but he wasn’t far off and you could do much, much worse.
The big question is at center, where the Broncos will have in-house options Alex Forsyth, 25, and Luke Wattenberg, 26, compete with new addition Sam Mustipher, 27, who has 42 starts at center under his belt.
The Broncos’ offensive line was a top-10 unit in the league last season, but the change at center or worse injury luck could hurt their chances at repeating that feat in 2024.
The Broncos owe Quinn Meinerz a new contract after this seasons, and the price tag could be massive. If the Broncos don’t bring him back, they’ll have a hole at guard, which they could find insurance for in this draft.
A rookie center could make sense, too.
Here are five centers and guards the Broncos should keep an eye on in the draft…
Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Range: Likely First Round
Powers-Johnson only started 17 games in college—and one of those games was at defensive tackle—but he’s the unquestioned top center in this year’s draft.
How did he do it with one season of full-time starting experience? He earned unanimous All-America honors and won the Rimington Award, which goes to the nation’s top center.
Powers-Johnson, who won’t turn 22 until after his rookie season, is big, smart and strong. He has crazy upper-body strength, which allows him to punch defenders to wherever he wants them to go. He isn’t overly mobile—what do you expect from somebody who weighs 328 pounds—but his highlight reel in space is surprisingly long.
Powers-Johnson’s raw talent will make him a Day 1 starter, despite not being polished. Imagine what the top center in the country can become once he is polished.
Christian Haynes, UConn
Range: Day 2
The Broncos stole a gem in the third round when they drafted Quinn Meinerz out of D-III Wisconsin-Whitewater.
I think they have a chance to repeat history in 2024.
Like Meinerz, Christian Haynes stole the show at the Senior Bowl. He stonewalled some of the best defensive line prospects in the class.
Haynes played for perennial dumpster fire UConn, which posted a 12-37 record during his four years as a starter. He never missed a game.
He’s an ultra-mobile athlete with plenty of strength. At just under 6-foot-3 and 317 pounds, he has prototypical size for the position. He might be the best finisher of any blocker in this class.
Haynes can run in space and knock down defenders. He can push defensive linemen backwards. He only allowed one sack in his last three seasons of ball.
Haynes is an awesome prospect, and he’s setting up to be a third-round steal.
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Georgia
Range: Day 2 or 3
For the past three seasons, Van Pran-Granger has centered an offensive line that is built to fight.
He’s a big physical center with a strong enough upper body to knock defensive linemen off their spot. He isn’t the most mobile athlete but when he gets a head of steam he can run a defensive lineman backward.
Van Pran-Granger will need to continue to grow as a football player if he’s going to be a stud in the NFL, but the idea of him lining up between Ben Powers and Quinn Meinerz is appealing. That would be a whole lot of man.
Christian Mahogany, Boston College
Range: Day 2 or 3
Mahogany is a massive man. He’s tall. He’s wide. He measured in over 6-foot-3 and 314 pounds at the combine. His hands are big and his arms are long.
Mahogany has three years of starting experience. He would have had a fourth, but he missed the 2022 season with a torn ACL. He’s already 23, but he’s experienced and could be ready to start on Day 1.
Mahogany is strong at the point of attack. He displaces defensive linemen and moves the line of scrimmage. He has plenty of anchor. He can pull and hit defensive linemen, too, although his mobility is nothing special.
Mahogany is a highlight-reel offensive lineman who hits hard and makes noise. He might not fill an immediate need for the Broncos but he would be a valuable addition for the future.
Zak Zinter, Michigan
Range: Day 3
If the Broncos are looking for a longterm replacement for Ben Powers, Zinter could be a great option.
The three-year starter at right guard is tall (6-foot-6) with the wingspan of a tackle prospect. That combination makes him a very good pass protector.
In the running game, Zinter isn’t perfect. He’s too big to be elite in space. He’s better at leaning on defensive linemen and pushing them backward than he is at working to the second level and taking on quicker linebackers.
Zinter’s 2023 season ended early when he broke his tibia and fibula in November, which is why he will probably come with a discount on draft day.
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