ENGLEWOOD Bradley Chubb Broncos Jersey , Colo. — After entering the offseason scrambling again at quarterback, John Elway emerged from draft weekend set for the present and maybe the future at a position that’s been his Frankenstein ever since Peyton Manning retired three years ago.Drew Lock will be Joe Flacco‘s understudy — providing he can beat out Boise State QB Brett Rypien, who was among the undrafted players Denver signed after the draft concluded, for the backup job.Lock, the second-round pick from Missouri will take a wait-and-watch approach like reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes did for a year behind Alex Smith in Kansas City, or even like Aaron Rodgers did for three seasons behind Brett Favre in Green Bay.By taking Lock with the 42nd pick and immediately declaring him Flacco’s apprentice, the Broncos are dodging the kind of QB competition that blew up on them two straight summers with 2016 first-round bust Paxton Lynch.Lock and head coach Vic Fangio also are avoiding the pressure cooker that awaits first-rounders Kyler Murray in Arizona and Dwayne Haskins in Washington, QBs expected to make immediate impacts.“I think it will certainly take pressure off him and it will allow him to sit and learn,” Lock’s father, Andy, a restaurateur from Kansas City, told The Associated Press on Saturday. “And also I think from an organizational standpoint, maybe the Broncos don’t feel as much pressure to get him on the field early.“It’s a great recipe, and I’m excited for that.”So is his son Von Miller Jersey White , who realizes he has a lot to learn as a pro.“I think I’m just going to take it day by day here,” Lock said, declining to declare any timetable for taking over as the starter. “I’m going to try to be the best teammate possible because I know if there’s one thing to help win over a team and win over a locker room, it’s come in and just be a good teammate.“Then I think I’ll gain the respect and the trust of everybody in that locker room” like Mahomes did in K.C. and Rodgers did in Green Bay.Lock was hoping to be a first-round selection but said he knows deep down his landing spot was much more important than his draft slot.“Obviously, you’d like to get picked a little earlier, but I’m here,” Lock said. “We got Dalton (Risner) because of it, we got Noah (Fant) because of it, and if that’s the way it was supposed to be, then so be it. I’m a Bronco now and I couldn’t be more excited to be here.”Elway said he saw the draft as another step in his makeover of the Broncos, which has included the hiring of Fangio, acquisition of Flacco and free agent signings such as Ja’wuan James and Kareem Jackson.Elway said Fant and Risner should start right away and with “Drew coming in and competing for the backup spot, he gives us some depth there.”“So, we feel much better where we’re sitting here now today than we did coming out of last season.”WHO THEY GOTIn a draft loaded with defense Royce Freeman Jersey , Elway focused first on improving a fetid offense. He used his first three picks on Iowa TE Fant, Kansas State RG Risner and Lock. His top defensive addition is Ohio State DT Dre’Mont Jones. Saturday’s picks were versatile Oregon LB Justin Hollinsand Colorado WR Juwann Winfree in the sixth. He also acquired former Broncos special teams stud Dekoda Watson in a trade.SURPRISE MOVESElway didn’t consider drafting a QB in the first round, but he traded with Cincinnati to move up to 42nd and select Lock 32 spots — a full round — after many projections had him going. Elway also pulled a stunner by taking Winfree, who started just seven games in college, missed the 2016 season with a torn ACL and sat out four games last year with a sprained ankle.HOW THEY DIDElway filled a major need by drafting Fant in the first round. Fant clocked a 4.5-second 40-yard time at the NFL scouting combine, faster than 17 wide receivers. In Hollins, they’re hoping they landed the ILB who could help the Broncos smother opposing tight ends like George Kittle who burned them for 210 yards and a TD in the first half of a game last season that essentially ended their slim playoff hopes.WHAT’S NEXTAddressing CB Chris Harris Jr.’s request for a hefty pay raise. The 30-year-old star is due $7.8 million in 2019, about half of what cornerbacks of his caliber are making. Harris is skipping the offseason program while Fangio installs his new defense and recently issued a pay-me-or-trade-me request after what he felt were disrespectful comments by Elway, who has a history of playing hardball with his stars. The Denver Broncos are in dire need of a linebacker with sideline-to-sideline athleticism. North Carolina State product Germaine Pratt would provide that for the franchise’s defense."It’s been a long ride since the end of the season, but the 2019 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away. During that time frame, one of the key areas fans have been hoping the Denver Broncos address early on the draft is the inside linebacker position. While the team has a handful of quality players on the roster, finding a prospect with sideline-to-sideline athleticism is paramount for Vic Fangio’s defense. Throughout the process, LSU’s Devin White and Michigan’s Devin Bush have been linked to the franchise the most with their first round selection. At this point in time, it seems like White is a mortal lock to go well before the Broncos pick at tenth overall. Furthermore John Elway Jersey , it has yet to be determined if John Elway and his scouting staff have a high grade on the former Wolverine.If the Broncos opt to forego addressing linebacker in the first round, they will have to seek out options later on in the draft. NC State product Germaine Pratt is someone they will likely consider. For his first two seasons with the Wolfpack Pratt was a free safety, but transitioned to linebacker after his 2016 season which was missed due to a shoulder injury. He only started one game for their defense in 2017, but ranked fourth on the team in tackles. Pratt saved his best for last once he became a full-time starter in 2018 — posting 104 tackles, 10 for loss and 6 sacks. Though he is not yet the sum of his parts, Pratt’s athleticism and nose for the football stand out on tape. He is a prospect who has an incredibly high ceiling and many scouts and analysts believe his best football is ahead of him. Let’s take a deeper look at what Pratt has to offer and where I feel his overall value in this year’s draft.Germaine Pratt — Inside linebacker — NC StateHeight: 6’2” Weight: 240 lbs.Bench Press: 24 reps | Arm Length: 31 5/8” | Hands: 9 1/8”40 Yard Dash: 4.57 | 3 Cone Drill: N/A | 20 Yard Shuttle: N/AFilm Room and HighlightsHart’s Scouting ReportPositives: Former safety recruit with top-end athleticism and three-down ability at the next level. Boasts incredible range, short area quickness and closing burst. Experienced and comfortable while dropping into coverage. Shows quality ability to blitz the quarterback. Effective run stopper who rarely misses tackles and finishes plays with tremendous pop. Has been a productive reserve role player, especially on special teams. on his resume throughout his career.Negatives: Only has one year of experience as a starter and is still getting acclimated to the linebacker position. Much work is needed with respect to block shedding and processing what is going on in front of him. Needs to be more diligent attacking downhill and sticking to his gap assignments. Shoulder injury that required surgery caused him to miss the entire 2016 season.Overall: Top 100 prospect. As mentioned earlier, Pratt is still developing his overall game as a linebacker with just a dozen starts underneath his belt at the position. His sideline-to-sideline athleticism and coverage skills match up incredibly well with what Fangio asks of his linebackers in his defensive scheme. If he is able to grow mentally and improve upon his play development and diagnosis skills, he has the tools to become a very good starter in the league. Does Germaine Pratt make sense for the Broncos?Absolutely. If the Broncos don’t address linebacker with their first two selections, Pratt should be on their priority list late on Day 2 in this year’s draft. He may not come in right away and start due to the deficiencies mentioned above, but by his second season in the National Football League, Pratt should cement himself as a starting caliber player manning the middle of a franchise’s defense.