Sports

Lock-y Mountain High: Broncos snag Mizzou’s Lock with 42nd pick

April 29, 2019 | Sports,

By Keegan Hartman
On day two of the 2019 NFL Draft, Missouri Quarterback sensation Drew Lock’s future was decided at the hands of another former QB who has always had an eye for talent. The former First-Team All-SEC quarterback talent had to await his fate a little longer than a majority of the 23 NFL Draft Green Room attendees. He and Florida’s Jawaan Taylor were the only invitees not taken in the first.
Eventually, Lock was one of the last remaining attending prospects off the board at pick No. 42 overall to  the Denver Broncos.

Denver has been rumored as good fit for long for some time now. In November of 2018, Denver executive John Elway made a visit to Columbia to scout Lock’s abilities, and saw he and the Tigers dominate its SEC rival Arkansas, 38-0. Lock put on a clinic, going 16/25, 221 yards, and 2 TDs before checking out a little over halfway through the 4th quarter.
Many mocked Lock to Denver in the first, but the Broncos instead drafted playmaking tight end Noah Fant from Iowa with the 20th overall pick after trading No. 10 to Pittsburgh.
Lock comes into a quarterback-deprived offense and looks to bring his athletic playmaking ability twist to a whole new system. Vic Fangio & Rick Scarangelo, both new to Denver. Fangio comes over from the Chicago Bears to assume the head coaching position for the Broncos. He had success as the defensive coordinator with the Bears, but he reunites with old coaching-staffer, Rich Scangarello, who will assume the offensive coordinator coaching position. Rich Scangarello having previous experience as the quarterbacks coach with the San Francisco 49ers.
In eight seasons Elway has held the general manager position for the Broncos, Elway has selected two quarterbacks in the draft.- former Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch and Arizona State star Brock Osweiler. Both quarterbacks are currently not a part of a 53-man roster in the NFL. However, Lock shows his potential as he holds both the intangibles and play making abilities, which differentiates him tremendously from years’ past drafting history.
This offseason, the Broncos traded for Super Bowl Champion and former Baltimore QB Joe Flacco after trading veteran Case Keenum to the Washington Redskins. Lock brings depth to a thin quarterback position. Joe Flacco and Kevin Hogan are the only current active quarterbacks on Denver’s roster. Elway told the media after selecting Lock with the 42nd pick that Lock is a promising prospect who will bring competition to Denver’s offense:
“[Drew], he fell a long way but we always liked him,” Elway said. “Felt very good about him. He’ll come in and he’s got a lot to learn but he’s got a very good teacher in Joe (Flacco) and he’ll come in and compete for the backup spot.”
Lock rew accounted for over 12,000 passing yards in his 4 year career with the Tigers, along with a 57% completion percentage, 99 TDs, and 39 interceptions. According to NFL ESPN Insiders Mel Kiper and Todd McShay Lock was the fourth best quarterback available in this year’s draft class.
Edited by Garrett Jones | gcjh23@mail.missouri.edu