After losing Julius Thomas to free agency, the Denver Broncos have scrambled to shore up the tight end position. Free agents Owen Daniels and James Casey, two players familiar with Gary Kubiak, were brought in during the offseason.But drafting a young tight end would still be a good idea, right' The Broncos took care of that Friday night, taking Jeff Heuerman out of Ohio State with the No. 92 overall pick.If you're looking for a flashy player who put up monster numbers in college, you won't find it in Heuerman. But what the Broncos did get is a player who, in just a short amount of time, has learned the game and the position of tight end well.Heuerman's father was a forward/center at the University of Michigan. He didn't start playing football until high school, eventually choosing to go to Michigan's No. 1 rival, Ohio State.At 6'5" and 254 pounds, Heuerman had the size to be a basketball player, but at tight end, he provides a big target who is adept at finding the soft spot in the zone. He also possesses good, reliable hands.Though Heuerman isn't known for making big plays after the catch, he is a tough, physical player who will fight for every inch after being wrapped up. He also has the strength to plow through defenders.As a blocker, Heuerman becomes even more valuable. He takes good angles and is a physical and refined blocker.He is completely fine without having his name in the box score and staying in as a blocker. In the Big Ten championship game against Wisconsin, he didn't leave the line of scrimmage on a passing play once.That may have also had to do with a nagging foot injury, something that could be a slight concern.Perhaps most intriguing is Heuerman's versatility. He appears to be a tight end the Broncos can line up all over the field. That includes in-line, in the backfield or even in the slot. Kubiak will love that, as it gives him a chance to be creative with his new toy.On top of all of this, Heuerman will get to work with and learn from Peyton Manning. Perhaps no quarterback in NFL history has made better players out of his tight ends than Manning.From Dallas Clark to Jacob Tamme to Thomas. Even players such as Marcus Pollard, Ben Utecht and Bryan Fletcher had better careers than they probably should have because they were catching balls from Manning.Between Manning and Kubiak, Heuerman will be able to take the things he already does well and add onto his game, becoming a more dynamic pass-catcher and an even better blocker.If he can learn to run better routes and separate himself from defenders, he could blossom into a tight end who could be a mainstay in Denver for many years to come.
Click here to read full news..
