The Denver Broncos need to bolster the depth of their defensive line, despite spending three selections across the front in last year’s draft and bringing in Zach Allen in free agency. Eyioma Uwazurike flashed some potential, and Matt Henningsen offered up quality play as a rotational player at times, but the unit overall lacks high-end talent toward the bottom of the depth chart. In addition, they need to be better in the run game, specifically on the edge, so trying to find guys that can anchor and eat space in Vance Joseph’s defense needs to happen.
Tuli Tuipulotu is a hyperactive but raw defensive lineman with a nice blend of explosiveness and strength. He moves well for a player with a dense frame and has a relentless motor in his pursuit of the football. Lining up all over the defensive front seven, Tuipulotu has a unique range of skill sets. He can rush the passer with speed to power conversion off the edge, shoot the B-gap in the running game, drive vertically as a blitzer, and drop into coverage if asked.
There is a definite lack of a pass-rush plan, a tendency to freelance rather than remain assignment sound to Tuipulotu’s game, and some tackling deficiencies as a run defender. He also lacks a true identity as a player due to length and mass concerns. However, his versatility and ability to field multiple roles should lead to teams taking a chance to try to find his best fit. There is a lot to work with and an untapped potential with Tuipulotu, making him a very intriguing defender moving forward.
Should he fall to the third round, the Denver Broncos should have a high interest in Tuli Tuipulotu as a versatile player who can offer incredible upside as a powerful pass rusher coming off the edge. His neverending motor is an attraction, though it can get him into trouble. The first step in unlocking his potential would be to ingrain assignment football into his DNA, then let the athleticism take over. Denver needs to find a quality backside edge defender that can be a wall in the running game, making Tuipulotu a curious fit due to his tackling inefficiencies and inability to shed blockers at times. Still, there is enough to work with to project him as a quality starter.
Byron Young is an experienced and thick defensive lineman that excels as a run defender along the interior. He eats space rather well and has a good anchor against double teams, finding creative ways to split the gap with nuanced striking skills and dropping his pads well. He lacks a true pass-rush profile due to a lack of athleticism and clunky footwork, but there is a place for him as an early down defender at the next level.
Young is a linear player that lacks explosiveness in his lower half, but he can unlock some power by tying his feet to his hands and extending his long arms into the chest plate of the blocker in front of him. He is gap-sound for the most part, but there are times he can get washed out due to stiffer hips and a lack of lateral agility when teams run zone plays to the boundary.
The Broncos' new defensive scheme tasks their defensive lineman with having to hold up space and let the linebackers flow in the running game, preferably with the ability to play through a gap and a half. This requires lateral agility and explosiveness that Young doesn’t have, making him an odd fit. However, his power and anchor against double teams could be enticing as a rotational run defender on early downs. Young looks to be a later-round pick without a true pass-rush profile, so a dart throw to add to the depth isn’t entirely out of the question.
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