Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 6y

Broncos get their Senior Bowl wish, with top QB prospects on North roster

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos will certainly be able to make the most of their time at the Senior Bowl next week.

The rosters for the highest-profile college all-star game were released Thursday and as a team in search of a solution at quarterback, the Broncos will get an up-close, day-to-day look at three of the best who are available in the 2018 draft.

Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, Wyoming’s Josh Allen and Washington State’s Luke Falk, three of the top quarterbacks on the board, were all assigned to the North team. The Broncos' staff will coach the North team so all involved, including their personnel executives, will get the opportunity to see the quarterbacks in meetings as well as on the practice field.

Nebraska’s Tanner Lee, a quarterback who is expected to rise on draft boards in the coming weeks and months, is the fourth quarterback on the North team. Allen is already considered a top-five prospect overall by many teams, while Mayfield is expected to be selected somewhere in the first round and has the potential to move into the top 10 with quality pre-draft work.

After the Broncos' 5-11 finish, their worst since a 4-12 season in 2010, president of football operations/general manager John Elway said the team's top priority was to improve at quarterback and that “for us to have a chance to get better, we have to get better at that position.’’

Mayfield recorded at least 3,700 yards passing in each of his three seasons at Oklahoma and 131 career touchdowns (includes 12 at Texas Tech in 2013). He had 4,627 yards passing and 43 touchdowns in 2017 in earning the Heisman.

Allen is one of the high-ceiling prospects at the position in this draft, with the physical profile teams look for in a potential starter. How high is his upside?  ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had Allen going No. 1 overall in his first mock draft.

Allen completed just 56 percent and 56.3 percent of his passes in his two seasons as a starter at Wyoming and faltered some this past season against some of the more difficult teams he faced. But he has the chance to show his ability against some of the draft's best defensive prospects in next week's practices.

Allen's struggles against some Power 5 programs in 2017 included 174 yards passing and two interceptions against Iowa, and 64 yards passing to go with an interception against Oregon.

Falk is considered a second-day pick by many personnel executives, but has the potential to help himself in the pre-draft work to come. In the Cougars’ version of the Air Raid offense, Falk had two 4,000-yard passing seasons to go with 3,593 yards this past season. He recorded 119 career touchdown passes.

Lee was a late addition to the Senior Bowl after Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph opted out of the game because of a foot injury. Lee, who entered the draft after his junior year, played this past season at Nebraska after two seasons at Tulane.

Lee's lone season with at least 340 passing attempts came in 2017.  He has potential, but his career numbers weren't impressive -- a 55 percent completion rate, with 46 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.

^ Back to Top ^