Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 6y

Beyond the quarterbacks, Broncos can find other gems at Senior Bowl

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos have made no secret that a long-term plan at quarterback is their biggest offseason priority.

And while a top-shelf group of quarterbacks, that includes Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield and Wyoming’s Josh Allen, will headline the Broncos' coaching staff’s week at the Senior Bowl, there will be other players who will have plenty of opportunity to catch their attention as well.

The Broncos’ coaching staff will direct the North team in practices next week in Mobile, Alabama, leading up to the Jan. 28 all-star game. Most teams who send their coaching staffs to the Senior Bowl routinely see that week of work reflected in their draft classes when the selection weekend arrives in April.

So, beyond the quarterbacks, the Broncos figure to have a few players who start to tip the scales in their favor next week and end up somewhere in their rookie class of ’18.

Among the offensive linemen, three intriguing prospects on the North team will be Michigan’s Mason Cole, Oregon’s Tyrell Crosby and Western Michigan’s Chukwuma Okorafor.

Cole was a 50-game starter for the Wolverines, having started at both center and left tackle. He also was the first true freshman in school history to start a season opener in the offensive line.

Crosby was the Pac-12’s offensive lineman of the year and was a three-year starter at tackle, but did miss much of 2016 with a Lisfranc injury.

Okorafor, a native of Botswana who didn’t play football until he was in high school in Southfield, Michigan, started the last 39 games of his career at Western Michigan at left tackle. He’ll also be one of the draft’s youngest players, given he is just 20. He played his first college game at 17.

The Broncos didn’t have to go far to scout wide receiver Michael Gallup in college at Colorado State, and he'll be on the North team.  With the Broncos on the hunt for more options at the position, they'll surely have an eye on him. Gallup had 176 catches in the past two seasons and recorded two 200-yard games this past season.  He also impressed against Alabama in September, notching 81 yards on five catches.

Also on offense, the Borncos likely will look at Oklahoma fullback Dimitri Flowers, who made the most of his time with Mayfield in the Sooners’ offense. Flowers lined up all over the formation and has shown plenty of affinity for the passing game.

Flowers showed that he can get into the end zone, with 13 touchdowns among his 45 career receptions. He also had four touchdowns in just 14 rushing attempts this past season.

Defensively, West Virginia’s Kyzir White is a big safety -- the Mountaineers listed him at 216 pounds -- with plenty of athleticism. He finished with 94 tackles this past season, was second on the team in sacks in 2016, with three, and many NFL talent evaluators believe he could play as a weakside linebacker in some situations.

The best small-school prospect at next week’s affair may be Dubuque cornerback Michael Joseph. Joseph’s listed size at the school was 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, which could help him move up draft boards if he measures near that in Mobile.  Faring well against the big-school receivers next week will certainly help his cause, too.

Joseph had 15 interceptions, including eight in 2017, in his last three seasons at Dubuque.

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