2018 NFL Mock Draft: Los Angeles Rams select Donte Jackson first round
By Dan Parzych
![(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Framblinfan-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F12-2F876064458-lsu-v-tennessee-jpg-9ff5cd8bea88ecf62efd41b39b5f247a7a71eb2a7583f02493b49fefab7b12a8.jpg)
45. . Guard. Notre Dame. Quenton Nelson. 5. player
Watching the Denver Broncos fall short of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons despite having a solid defense has been beyond frustrating since the offense has clearly been the main issue holding this team back, especially at quarterback. Depending on which players are still available, there’s a good chance the Broncos use the No. 5 pick on a quarterback from this year’s draft class, but if the team decides to wait until another round to focus on the position, offensive line could certainly come into play here.
Not only does Denver need to focus on finding a quarterback to lead the offense moving forward, but also they need to make sure whoever is playing under center receives the necessary protection from the offensive line. When looking at how great of a blocker Quenton Nelson has been over the years as a member of the Irish, the Broncos would seen an immediate upgrade to their offensive line with the guard.
Nelson’s strength also gives him an advantage over his opponents when it comes to paving the way for running backs to find the necessary holes to move down the football field. So if Denver wants to hold off on a quarterback this early, Nelson seems like the safest bet.