The Denver Broncos are fresh off of their biggest victory of the season, defeating the New York Giants 26-6 on Thanksgiving night.

In light of that victory, it’s time for a new mock draft.

My last draft segment had the Broncos taking Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, and I have since realized that taking Bradford will be all but impossible unless the Broncos trade up, which is something they simply cannot afford to do.

The Broncos have only five picks going into this draft, and they will likely try to move down on draft day unless a “can’t miss” prospect falls into their laps. 

Certainly it will be hard to pass on a guy like Rolando McClain, the star middle linebacker from Alabama, but the Broncos have to.

One interesting scenario would be for Josh McDaniels to go back to his New England roots and strike a deal with Bill Belicheck and the Patriots, who are armed with three second round picks.

The Chicago Bears are reeling right now, and the pick that they are sending to the Broncos is likely to be in the top 15 at the very worst.  They currently have a record of 4-6, and still have two games left against division leader Minnesota.

In all likelihood, the Bears will finish the season with eight losses or more, putting the Broncos in very good position for a high draft pick.

How does this all come together?

The Broncos could choose to trade down to New England’s pick by giving up a prospect like Florida’s Carlos Dunlap, who could fill in for the Pats’ departed Richard Seymour.  New England would be able to move up to, let’s say pick number 10, and the Broncos would move down to pick 27.

Moving down 17 picks is a huge discrepancy in the NFL Draft, and the trade value chart is often a good depiction of how much a team is willing to give up.

The 10th overall pick is worth 1,300 points on the trade value chart, and the 27th pick is only worth 680.  The Patriots would likely include both of their late second round picks to account for the difference in points. 

The Patriots hold Jacksonville‘s pick, which is currently projected at 22nd and worth 360 points in the second round.  New England’s pick is worth 300, and the difference would be 40 points—essentially nothing.

Armed with three second round picks, the Broncos really would be in business.

In this projected sequence, they hold the 27th, 54th, 56th, and 60th picks in the first two rounds of the draft.

At this point, Broncos fans are salivating.

Here’s how I would spend those picks if I were Josh McDaniels and the rest of the Broncos’ brass.

 

First Round, 27th overall:  Colt McCoy, Quarterback, Texas

I love his intangibles and leadership as a quarterback prospect.  He has a much better arm than he’s given credit for and he is extremely accurate with his throws.  If you missed the Texas-Texas A&M game, then you missed out on just how mobile this kid really is.  He is a phenomenal athlete.

 

Second Round, 54th overall:  Javier Arenas, Cornerback, Alabama

Extremely versatile player, might not last to this pick.  He is an elite-level return man, and is more than just a good cover corner with excellent speed.  He has five sacks in his senior season, and is also a phenomenal tackler.  If he were a couple inches taller, he would be a top-20 pick.

 

Second Round, 56th overall:  Corey Wootton, Defensive End, Northwestern

Wootton is a versatile defensive lineman, who could potentially be the best five technique available in the draft.  He excels in stopping the run, but also gets a solid push in the passing game.  He is athletic enough to stand up in the 3-4 or put his hand in the ground.

 

Second Round, 60th overall:  Jerry Hughes, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, TCU

Hughes is an elite pass rusher who has really gone under the radar.  He reminds me a lot of current Bronco Elvis Dumervil, though Hughes is a couple of inches taller.  He is a phenomenal tackler who would transition well to the 3-4 defensive scheme, and he would add great depth to the Broncos’ linebacker core.

 

Third Round, 88th overall:  Jordan Shipley, Wide Receiver, Texas

The Broncos’ wide receivers are a fairly elite group as it currently stands, but Brandon Stokley is aging, and why not give first round pick Colt McCoy his favorite college target at the next level?  Shipley is an intelligent receiver with deceptive speed, and he is also an asset in the return game.

 

Fourth Round, 120th overall:  Eric Olsen, Offensive Lineman, Notre Dame

Again, here is some more versatility, which the Broncos’ coaching staff loves.  Olsen started last season as an offensive guard, and has been the center for the Fighting Irish in 2009.  He would be an ideal pickup for the Broncos at this point in the draft, as he adds both size and versatility to the interior of the line.

 

No Fifth Round Selections

 

Sixth Round, 184th overall:  Dexter McCluster, Running Back, Ole Miss

McCluster is Darren Sproles version 2.0.  He is a small back with blazing speed who does virtually everything well.  He has excellent hands out of the backfield and would be a great weapon in the passing game for the Broncos. 

Knowshon Moreno is the Broncos’ power back, and Correll Buckhalter has obviously lost a step or two.  McCluster would be a nice addition.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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