Isaiah Oliver to Denver Broncos in NFL Mock Draft

The dream could happen for Colorado fans. In The Ringer’s latest NFL Mock Draft, Danny Kelly projected the Denver Broncos to selected Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Isaiah Oliver with the 22nd pick in the first round.

In this mock, Kelly wrote that the Broncos would trade the 5th pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for the 12th and 22nd pick. Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma was taken 5th by Buffalo, Harold Landry of Boston College was taken 12th by Denver, then Oliver was taken 22nd by our hometown team.

Kelly wrote on Oliver:

After trading Aqib Talib to the Rams, the Broncos need more depth at corner, and they get it here with the playmaker out of Colorado. Oliver is raw, but could be utilized early on in a rotational role in nickel coverage looks alongside Bradley Roby and Chris Harris. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Oliver has ideal size, and he’s an outstanding athlete who could make for a great addition to Denver’s vaunted “No Fly Zone” secondary.

Getting drafted by Denver would allow Oliver to develop with one of the most dominant secondaries in the league. As a third cornerback playing alongside elite nickel corner Chris Harris, Oliver would still be able to play on the outside where his size and athleticism make him an impact playmaker. This would be the ideal situation for Oliver, and that doesn’t even account for my own biases as both a Broncos and Buffs fan.

From Bobby Anderson to Matt Lepsis to Will Pericak, the Broncos have seemingly always had a former Buffalo. But they haven’t had one in a while, and to make matters worse, they had three former CSU players in just the past year. The Broncos owe it to their fan base to select a local player, especially since he would be a perfect fit for them.