Denver Broncos

Haason Reddick could draw first round attention of Denver Broncos

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:03 a.m. ET

Fansided, Sayre Bedinger/FanSided via Predominantly Orange

Temple linebacker Haason Reddick has been a big winner at the Senior Bowl, and could be on the radar of the Denver Broncos in the first round…

John Elway has been spotted on the field this week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, scouting talent for the up-coming 2017 NFL Draft. It’s hard to imagine he would be displeased with the product on the field in Mobile, Alabama, and one player that may have entered the first round discussion for the Broncos is Temple linebacker Haason Reddick.

Reddick is a former walk-on defensive back at Temple who emerged over the course of the last five years into one of the premiere edge defenders in the country. He racked up 22.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks as a senior with three forced fumbles, showing an ability to bend around the edge with the type of dip we see at times from Von Miller.

Considered an undersized ‘tweener’ by many, the 6-1, 237 pound Reddick certainly doesn’t look like an edge setting defensive end or outside linebacker at the next level, but he looks like the perfect ‘WILL’ linebacker in a 3-4 defense and could be a major weapon in the Denver Broncos defense.

At the Senior Bowl, Reddick has been absolutely phenomenal. He has showed out both as a pass rusher and in coverage. NFL Network draft scout and guru Mike Mayock had this to say about his performance thus far:

He had a really impressive week. He was a hand-in-the-dirt 4-3 defensive end with a lot of sack production at Temple, but down here they asked him to stand up and play two different positions, and every day he got better. And his attitude about the switch was terrific; I got a kick out of how he embraced it. The last two days of practice, I don’t think he lost a rep. He bounced around and made plays all week. At 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds, most see him as a tweener, but I think he showed versatility. I came into the week wondering what he would be at the next level, and at the end of the practice sessions I left thinking he could be an inside linebacker in a 3-4, an inside linebacker in a 4-3, and an occasional edge rusher. Bottom line: He showed he can do a bunch of things and do them well. He might not have to come off the field.

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It’s hard to watch this kid play and not get excited about his NFL future. He was given the number seven as a sign of respect in the Temple program, as single-digit numbers are only given to the toughest players on the team as voted by their peers. He’d become a dominant defender over the last couple of seasons and certainly has proven himself at Senior Bowl practices.

This is a guy with legitimate pass rush skills but also the ability, as Mayock stated, to play in space and be successful. He’s obviously very athletic, very instinctive, and willing to adapt and play multiple positions. This is the type of guy that can be a phenomenal weapon for your defense in the mold of a Jamie Collins or Ryan Shazier, certainly worth using a first round pick on.

Of course, the Broncos need plenty of help on the offensive side of the football, but depending on what happens there in free agency, this is the type of guy that fits in perfectly with their style defensively, and he could definitely be available with the 20th overall selection.