Another stud draft pick on the offensive line could be exactly what the Broncos need

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Ryan Edwards and Ben Allbright spoke with Lloyd Cushenberry III earlier this week at the Senior Bowl - the LSU center who could be a great fit on Denver’s improving OL.

The Broncos Country Tonight duo of Ryan Edwards and Ben Allbright is on location at the Senior Bowl this week, which means a treasure trove of information and some interesting interviews to boot.

I would highly recommend listening to any segment in which Steve Atwater joins the conversation with his observations on the talent being showcased (or not). Plus, the All-Pro safety is pretty dang funny too.

And Wednesday’s conversation with Howard Griffith was a definite highlight. He had some great perspective on the contemporary pass-heavy offenses but reminded the hosts that football is like fashion when it comes to trends - everything eventually comes back into popularity. And as the 49ers continue having success with a fullback, other teams will eventually follow.

Finally, a conversation with Lloyd Cushenberry III, the impressive center out of LSU who held his own in one-on-one battles with top prospect Javon Kinlaw, spoke with Ryan and Ben about his impressions of the Senior Bowl, playing in the SEC and looking ahead to playing at the next level.

MHR’s Joe Rowles has tapped Cushenberry as one of his favorites heading into the draft in three months, so he’ll definitely be one to watch. As Rowles noted, Cushenberry has been crushing the offseason with an impressive few days so far at the Senior Bowl.

He’s a two year starter at center who’s proven durable in SEC play. I really like what I’ve seen from him at the second level and think he could improve the Broncos’ running game in this regard. He also offers promising lateral mobility and could potentially play at guard if the Broncos elect to retain Conner McGovern.

And Jeffrey Essary, who is also on location at the Senior Bowl for Mile High Report, raved about the LSU center, noting he has “been the guy running the show” for the LSU offense. If you caught the Tigers’ playoff run and National Championship win a few weeks ago, you know that’s no small feat.

Although Cushenberry’s Day 3 brought him back to “human-level performance” rather than other-worldly, Essary reports that he is still the top center on the board heading into the draft and would love to see him land in Denver.

Finally, Cushenberry wins my favorite quote in the midst of so many clichés when he calls the NFL “grown-man’s ball.”

Lloyd Cushenberry with a very nice Rep against Javon Kinlaw...#SeniorBowl

VIA:(@MVScouting)
pic.twitter.com/PUzGx9Pxcf

— Josh Lemoine (@LSUTruth) January 21, 2020

Interview highlights:

On playing in the SEC:
Week in and week out in the SEC, you’re playing top-tier guys, so you’re battle-tested.

On LSU’s national championship season:
It’s been a great ride. It was fulfilling to reach our goals we set as a team, but it is funny - we never really talked about the National Championship. We just wanted to come out every week 1-0. And we ended up 15-0.

A moment during the season when he knew they would be good:
In spring ball, just three or four weeks into the install, in our first scrimmage we were rolling on a great defense that had returned a lot of players. That’s when I sensed we could be special.

Thoughts on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow?
He’s the smartest guy on the field every game. He can make all the throws you want, fast enough to escape from the pocket. He’s a complete quarterback. Whoever picks him will have a franchise quarterback for years to come.

Playing at the next level:
In pros, you’ve got to bring it every day. These are grown men fighting for a job, so you can’t have any slip-ups. It’s grown-man’s ball.

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