Broncos Expect Rookies to Make Unprecedented Impact

BroncoTalk’s week-long Denver Broncos 2008 Season Preview continues… Enjoy!

NFL teams don’t normally expect to find four opening day starters from any given draft in the first year. Getting drafted is difficult enough for a college player; becoming an impact player at the pro level is another obstacle entirely. Most take years of development before cracking the starting lineup.

The Denver Broncos appear to be breaking that rule in 2008. The Broncos will open the season with four rookies pegged as starters – three draft picks, and one undrafted college free agent. First round offensive tackle Ryan Clady, second round wide receiver Eddie Royal, seventh round fullback Peyton Hillis, and undrafted rookie punter Brett Kern will all start for the Broncos on opening day.

The last time even a single rookie started for the Broncos on opening day was in 2004, when first round pick D.J. Williams started at weakside linebacker. That marked the first time a rookie had started on opening day since 1998.

Head Coach Mike Shanahan said he felt strongly about this crop of rookies after the draft concluded.

“We’re a better team, there is no question about it,” Shanahan said. “With Ryan (Clady) coming in with his type of ability, I think we will make an improvement there regardless of him being a rookie or not. There is going to be a learning curve there, there are going to be some mistakes, but he’s got the athletic ability to come in and help our football team win. (That) gives us the ability to move other people to different positions even though we have to have a backup at his position.”

Coach Shanahan continued by discussing Eddie Royal’s potential as both a returner and receiver. “I think this guy has the ability to not only be a punt and kickoff returner, but he was the best receiver I saw in the draft coming out of the break,” Shanahan said. “He’s got an unbelievable knack of beating bump-and-run (coverage). He’s got that type of quickness and agility and obviously he catches the ball well.

“To get these two guys in the first two rounds—(they) were the two guys we were hoping to get. That (has) happened zero times in my NFL career—that I could pick out the first two guys I wanted with my first two picks—and that actually happened. You feel very fortunate, but I’m hoping not to pick at the 12th pick very often.”

While rookie mistakes are expected with this younger squad, the Broncos believe they are an improved team with these first-year playmakers. Pessimists would say that relying on rookies is a recipe for failure. Optimists would say that this is simply evidence of a fantastic draft, finding starting-caliber players in later rounds or outside the draft entirely.

Either way, the 2008 Denver Broncos season will depend on these rookies overcoming the first-year learning curve in an unprecedented hurry.