Multiple Broncos give their initial reactions to the team's draft class

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The reviews are in.

Minutes after the Denver Broncos made their final selection of the 2018 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon, analysts both locally and nationally started to grade John Elway on the class of 10 rookies he brought in to Denver.

Elway knocked it out of the park on the initial feedback.

However, while ESPN and NFL Network’s kind comments made Broncos fans excited for what the future holds, sometimes the hardest critics are inside the locker room.

On Wednesday at noon, however, the first reactions from inside the team’s facility — where talk actually matters — were delivered by two of Denver’s respected players.

While fans turned to the analysts to get their grade on the job Elway did, Emmanuel Sanders didn’t need to look at those rave reviews to know how his team’s draft class panned out.

“The draft class, I love it. After the draft was over I didn’t have to look at articles; I just knew it was going to be an ‘A’ just by the guys they selected,” he said with a large smile on his face, a classic Emmanuel staple. “They got some top guys. I’m looking forward to getting those guys in here. Hopefully, they can help us win some ball games this year.”

As the draft quickly unfolded before the Broncos’ pick at No. 5, there were many surprise picks, including Baker Mayfield going first overall to the Cleveland Browns.

But with Bradley Chubb on the board at No. 4 — one pick before Denver — cornerback Bradley Roby was just as shocked as the rest of the world Cleveland didn’t take the 6-foot-4, 270-pound pass rusher, instead opting for Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward.

“Chubb is definitely going to be a great addition. He’s going to get after the quarterback,” Roby said, knowing a deadly pass rush will only make his job easier. “Him, Von, Shane and Shaq, those guys are going to pressure the quarterback, and it’s great to have so many pass rushers. It reminds me of the Super Bowl year… I think there’s going to be a lot of pressure on the quarterback and it will lead to more interceptions.”

With the team’s second pick in the draft, No. 40 overall, Denver snagged Courtland Sutton, a 6-foot-4, 218-pound receiver, that many compare to current Bronco receiver Demaryius Thomas. Yet it’s the other Broncos high-profile receiver that actually knows the team’s new second-round pick.

Years ago as Sutton was playing at SMU, he reached out to Sanders many times to get his advice on how a receiver from a small school such as SMU could get the national attention needed to make it to the NFL. Then this offseason, Sutton and Sanders actually crossed paths in their training programs.

After getting over his initial reaction of “What!,” Sanders said he knew Sutton was destined for Denver after the Dallas Cowboys passed on him in the first round.

“He’s a big guy. DT is big, but [Sutton] looks like he belongs in the NBA. Working out with him, he has amazing feet. He’s very fluid. He’s so big,”  the veteran receiver said, proud like an older brother. “I’m looking forward to getting him here and just working. Hopefully, he can come up with some big, big plays this year.”

Despite drafting a cornerback in the third-round last year, Brendan Langley, and still having the ‘No Fly Zone’ — according to Roby and Chris Harris Jr. — Elway once again used a second-day draft pick on that position, taking Boston College corner Issac Yiadom at the end of the third.

“I’ve never seen him play, but I trust in our staff. I talked to Coach Woods the other day about it, and he said he’s a great guy, and I’m going to like him,” Roby said. “He’s a long corner, and that’s what the league is kind of turning into. I believe in our staff. I believe in Elway, so I think he’s a great pick.”

As analysts consistently gave Elway straight A’s across the board for his 10-man class, the reviews inside the building are at least just as good.

After the worst season in Elway’s tenure as general manger, not only do the Broncos believe they got better this offseason, they “definitely” believe they’ll compete for the AFC West now, at least according to Roby.

But as both he and Sanders said, now it’s time to get to work.