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Broncos poised to let Garett Bolles grow up in the starting lineup

Garett Bolles has a lot to learn, but the Broncos are confident that he can do it on the job. Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Here is a breakdown of the Denver Broncos' 2017 draft class and its progress after two weeks of training camp:

Garett Bolles, T, first round (No. 20 overall): Bolles has likely gone from one season of major college football -- 13 starts at Utah in 2016 -- to the Broncos’ starting lineup. Coach Vance Joseph hasn’t officially named Bolles the team’s left tackle, but Bolles has powered his way up the depth chart with athleticism and a bit of an on-field nasty streak. He has plenty to learn, but he’ll almost certainly do it on the job.

DeMarcus Walker, DE, second round (No. 51 overall): When the Broncos selected Walker, they saw him as a potential contributor right away on passing downs. They like his no-nonsense approach, and with injuries to Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett, the Broncos have worked him at outside linebacker as well as defensive end in their 3-4. He’ll be in the rotation in the defensive front seven when the season starts.

Carlos Henderson, WR, third round (No. 82 overall): Henderson had surgery on a thumb injury Sunday, so the Broncos are still working through the timetable of his recovery. Henderson has flashed the speed and strength the Broncos wanted from him, but he has pressed in training camp, so he has had some drops. He’ll play on special teams immediately, and when he calms down a bit on offense, he’ll contribute.

Brendan Langley, CB, third round (No. 101 overall): Other than quarterbacks, few prospects move up the draft boards as quickly around the league as big corners with speed. Langley is certainly that, so much so that he has a chance to earn some situational playing time in a secondary with two Pro Bowl selections at cornerback, Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib, to go with Bradley Roby. Langley could see some situational work on defense to go with plenty on special teams.

Jake Butt, TE, fifth round (No. 145 overall): Butt has not participated in training camp, as he is still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in Michigan’s bowl game in January. He still believes he could be ready to play at some point after the Broncos’ regular season begins. The Broncos will be patient because they have big plans for him once he is medically cleared, but they will also move him into the lineup as quickly as his recovery will allow.

Isaiah McKenzie, WR, fifth round (No. 172 overall): Joseph named McKenzie the Broncos’ starting punt returner before the team had even played a preseason game. He’s fast and explosive, and he plays with confidence, so the return gig is no surprise, but McKenzie is expected to carve out some time on offense as well as a slot receiver and might even carry the ball out of the backfield from time to time.

De'Angelo Henderson, RB, sixth round (No. 219 overall): Henderson has shown speed, elusiveness and the ability to close the deal in practice. That was before he went 41 yards for a touchdown in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. If he can handle his duties in pass protection, that will get him on the field even a little more because he has likely carved out a spot in the Broncos’ plan in the backfield.

Chad Kelly, QB, seventh round (No. 253 overall): Kelly had ACL surgery last season and has dealt with a thumb injury with the Broncos. As a result, he has not participated in training camp and is not expected to be medically cleared by the time the regular season starts. There is also no way the Broncos would get a player with this kind of arm strength through waivers, even if they wanted to put him on the practice squad, so he’s likely looking at a year on injured reserve.