Broncos Go OL First-Round in Taking Troy’s Clady

Posted by Matt Loede on April 26th, 2008 filed in News

The Broncos want to get back to rushing the football in 2008 like an elite team, and their pick in the first round Saturday showed that with OT Ryan Clady from Bosie State.  At 6-foot-6, 309 pounds, Clady will be a welcome addition to a line that needs help with depth and size.  Clady may need to get a little more size and strength, but overall, this is a good pick for a Broncos team that needs to do better rushing and protecting Jay Cutler.

Here is a scouting report on Clady from NFLdraftcountdown.com

Strengths:
Has excellent size and a big frame with long arms…A fantastic athlete…Very light on his feet…An outstanding pass blocker…Real quick and agile..Great mobility and range…Excellent balance…Is a natural knee bender…A hard worker with a terrific motor…Plays with a nasty demeanor…Adequate strength…Adjusts well and never seems to panic….Can fit in a zone or man blocking scheme…Still has some upside.

Weaknesses:
Plays too high at times and need to use better leverage…Gets the job done as a run blocker but is not necessarily dominant…Has to refine his technique and work on mastering the nuances of the position…He isn’t overly powerful at the point of attack and can get pushed back…He must continue strengthening his lower body.

Notes:
Redshirted in ‘04 and then started the next three seasons…Played right tackle as a redshirt frosh and then made a seamless transition to the left side when Daryn Colledge moved on to the pros…Has a rare blend of size and athleticism and was born to protect the quarterbacks blind side…Has all the physical tools you look for and he’s the best pure left tackle prospect in this draft…A sure-fire Top 10-15 pick.

And here is ESPN’s take on Clady:

This pick comes as somewhat of a surprise because Virginia’s Branden Albert and Vanderbilt’s Chris Williams are still on the board. That said, Clady has the potential to develop into an outstanding starter in Denver’s scheme; he moves extremely well for his size, so he’s ideal player for a zone-blocking system. Also, he should develop into a good run-blocker. The one concern is that he’s raw and needs to work on playing with a wider base.