Miles
Well-known member
- Mar 18, 2019
- 2,455
- 0
LB JUSTIN STRNAD
Of the Broncos' 10 draft picks, Wake Forest's Justin Strnad was the only player not to appear in a game for Denver this season. A wrist injury in training camp ended Strnad's season before it began, but there were early flashes that suggested the rangy linebacker could've played a role as a rookie for the Broncos. Strnad took reps in the team's nickel defense in training camp and may have been the coverage linebacker the team has missed in recent years. Despite limited practice time before his injury, Strnad showed traits that Head Coach Vic Fangio said allowed him to project that Strnad could be an effective player. He caught the eye of his teammates, as well.
"He's looking clean," Alexander Johnson said in August. "Obviously, he's running with the receivers, getting good drops, picking up the defense really fast. He's looking really good. ... I'm glad we got him as a linebacker."
G NETANE MUTI
The Broncos took a calculated risk when they selected Fresno State's Netane Muti in the sixth round of April's draft. The talented but raw player appeared in just five games over his final two seasons of college as he suffered an Achilles injury in 2018 and a Lisfranc injury in 2019. He also dealt with an Achilles injury in 2016. When healthy, though, Muti showed signs of dominance. As a redshirt freshman in 2017, he earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors and may have been a Top 50 prospect in this year's draft were it not for his injury history. When he arrived in Denver, some theorized that the season could serve as another redshirt year, but the 6-foot-3, 315-pound player proved he was healthy enough to compete. Though he appeared in just four games and played just 122 offensive snaps, he showed signs that he may demand a spot on the field.
Four games, one start, 122 offensive snaps, 22 special teams snaps
Game to remember:
Muti made his lone start of the year against Carolina in Week 14, and he looked like a veteran when he was out in space. On a screen play to Gordon, Muti made an initial block near the line of scrimmage and then raced out to flatten a corner. His play wasn't perfect, but he showed the athleticism and physicality that made him an alluring prospect.
"You're not supposed to have favorites, but I really like what he does," Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur said after the win over Carolina. "He's very strong and explosive, but yet he's mobile. The one block he made on the screen to the right, where he ran flat and cut the defender, that was awesome. You [don't] see a lot of people be able to do that — get in there and wrestle bears like they do at guard, but then have the quickness and the instincts to be able to go out and cut a guy. A lot of players can't cut and block low because it takes some initial quickness. He showed in a few snaps why he's got a very, very bright future. It's exciting."
Area for improvement:
Muti didn't take enough snaps to point to a specific game or series of plays in which he struggled. Instead, his challenge in 2021 will be to remain healthy and continue to improve his technique to challenge the starters for playing time. Dalton Risner and Graham Glasgow are both good players at guard, but if Muti continues to develop, he could force the Broncos to shift their lineup to get the best five players on the field. At worst, Muti should continue to be a valuable depth piece along the line.