Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos superstar pass-rusher Von Miller tweeted Thursday that he tested negative for COVID-19. 

Got my results back. Im “negative” for Covid-19

— Von Miller (@VonMiller) May 1, 2020

Miller initially tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in April. He told Mike Klis of 9News.com on Tuesday that he was feeling "better every day" and that "everything should be back to normal Friday" once his second round of test results came in.  

Per Klis, Miller had also "scheduled for a Hazmat crew specialized in handling potentially hazardous materials or dangerous goods to clean his house on Thursday."

He has continued to attend the team's digital defensive meetings. 

"I've just been here in the crib and I started to get a little cough," Miller told Klis after he was first diagnosed with the coronavirus. "You know I have asthma and I started getting a little cough a couple days ago. My girlfriend she told me when I was asleep she said my cough it didn't sound normal."

Miller, 31, has been one of the best defensive players in the NFL over his nine-year career, accumulating 106 sacks during that time. Last year, he registered 46 tackles (10 for loss) and eight sacks.

The Broncos edge-rusher is one of several NFL figures to have tested positive for COVID-19, including Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and former player Tony Boselli.

Other figures in the sporting world to have tested positive for the coronavirus include Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell and Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart. 

To date, 1,067,061 Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus, per CNN.com, leading to 62,860 deaths.

K.J. Hamler wasn't able to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine because of a hamstring injury, so when Denver Broncos president/general manager John Elway wanted to know how fast the Penn State product is, he did the next-best thing: broke out a stopwatch and tested his game speed.

He discussed his method with Peter King of NBC Sports:

"He had a 100-yard kick return against Michigan, and so we just figured we'd time him [in a 40-yard interval] on that play. We timed him at 3.93 in the 40, but of course he had a running start. He just has a different speed than anyone else. This has become such a speed game. Watch Kansas City. We love Courtland [Sutton], we love [Jerry] Jeudy. Get Hamler in the slot against quarters coverage, releasing upfield at 4.3 or 4.32 speed, and that's going to put a lot of pressure on the safeties, I know that."

Fun fact about that kick return: It was called back on a holding penalty. Hamler caught six passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in that Penn State win over Michigan, a game that put the 5'9" speedster even more into the national spotlight.

The Broncos selected Hamler with the No. 46 overall pick in last week's draft after taking Jeudy in the first round to aid what should be an improved Denver offense.     

Hamler was a do-everything star for the Nittany Lions, working in the slot at receiver, as a running back and as a special teams maven. It's likely he'll be employed in a similar role in Denver, especially with the Broncos already having Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton to go along with Jeudy on the wide receiver depth chart.     

EDGE Derrek Tuszka, North Dakota State

     

STRENGTHS

—Awesome production at FCS power North Dakota State; posted 13.5 sacks in 2019.

—Tested better than expected at the NFL Scouting Combine but closer to what you see on tape from his balance, flexibility and agility when turning the edge.

—Savvy technique when it comes to using his hands to disengage from blockers and shows good instincts for what moves to utilize. 

—Gets around the corner and closes on the quarterback with good speed.

—Dominated FCS-level competition thanks to natural athleticism and good coaching.

     

WEAKNESSES

—Lean frame (6'4", 251 lbs) and didn't turn heads with his first-step quickness or natural athleticism.

—Arm length is well below average for an NFL pass-rusher at 31⅜" long.

—Lacks NFL-level play power; didn't play as big as he measured at the combine.

—Rigid player when asked to reset his rush plan; mechanical and robotic.

—Played against a poor level of competition at NDSU and hasn't proved his ability against NFL-caliber tackles.

—Not much force behind his push; beat up bad tackles with first step and technique.

        

OVERALL

It's easy to get caught up in the production and NFL-level technique when viewing Tuszka, but his lack of power and burst are major concerns when trying to project his game forward. He'll have to add weight and strength before we see him making an impact on an NFL game.

     

GRADE: 58

PRO COMPARISON: Andrew Van Ginkel/Michael Onuoha

WR Tyrie Cleveland, Florida

       

STRENGTHS

—Strong-handed, quick receiver with good size and a background on special teams that will help him make a roster.

—Good arm length and reliable hands give him an extended catch radius.

—Has good hands with limited drops and extends his arms to snag the ball; no body catches here.

—Played gunner on punt team and ran down on kickoffs.

—Tested better than expected (4.46-second 40-yard dash) at the combine and fared well at the Senior Bowl, too.

     

WEAKNESSES

—Struggled in the Florida offense to put much production on tape. Most catches he had was 25 back in 2017.

—Plays skinny and small; doesn't beat press coverage and will let defenders rub him off his route.

—Doesn't have the hand play or quickness to beat a stalking cornerback at the line of scrimmage.

—Rarely attempts contested catches; doesn't sell out for the ball.

—Long stride makes his short, quick cuts labored and stiff; lacks suddenness in his routes.

     

OVERALL

Lost in the shuffle at times while at Florida, Cleveland was impressive when given opportunities. He has the look of an NFL receiver from a height and tested-speed profile, but on tape, he lacks the burst and toughness he'll need to become a viable route-runner.

     

GRADE: 58

PRO COMPARISON: Chris Conley/Chad Williams

OG7 Netane Muti, Fresno State

STRENGTHS

—Big-time play strength that was confirmed at the combine when he put up 44 reps on the bench press. 

—Has an ideal guard build at 6'3" and 315 lbs and a rolling chest.

—Looks like Joe Frazier as a puncher and will blast defenders; he can effectively end rush plans with one strike and will not hesitate to put it on defenders early. 

—Gets off the ball in the run game with an attitude; looks like the kind of player who craves punishing collisions every snap.

—Looks for highlight-reel plays on every snap and lives for finishes; the kind of player who forces defensive linemen to start tapping out.

—Defensive tackle recruit who transitioned to the offensive line and played both tackle and guard for Fresno State; offers intriguing developmental traits as an interior lineman. 

—Patient and doesn't overreact or panic when dealing with pressure; able to naturally anchor and sit into his hips with enough power up top to be effective in a collapsing pocket.

           

WEAKNESSES

—Did not play in 2016 due to an Achilles injury, suffered season-ending ruptured Achilles in 2018 after two games and played only three games in 2019 because of a Lisfranc injury.

—Underwhelming lateral quickness to mirror speed counters; susceptible to inside moves if he doesn't land flush early.

—Desire to land haymakers and work for finishes borders on out of control and will lead to penalties, as he is in such a hurry to get his hands on defenders and control them. 

—Knee flares hard in pass protection too often, which will create soft edge and biomechanical issues that will lead to losses in protection; puts too much pressure on his hips and doesn't have the recovery athleticism to open up and compensate if he's beat.

             

OVERALL 

When healthy, Muti would be a top-five interior prospect in this class. However, he played only five games in the last two seasons and has only one season as a wire-to-wire starter. There's a reason that the saying "the best ability is availability" exists. Since teams couldn't have independent medical checks and in-facility meetings with prospects, it's no surprise to see Muti slip. His raw traits are apparent, and there's a chance he ends up as the best interior prospect in this class, but that's only if each season-ending injury was a fluke and won't continue in the NFL. With jobs on the line, that's a hard bet to make.

                

GRADE: 69

PRO COMPARISON: Mike Iupati/Xavier Su'a-Filo

LB14 Justin Strnad, Wake Forest

STRENGTHS

—Play speed and athleticism pops immediately and will transition to NFL with no concerns.

—Change-of-direction skills paired with burst help him click-and-close tight windows in coverage.

—Above-average tracking skills to the boundary; trusts his speed and is able to ride the back hip of the ball-carrier while closing space and maintaining leverage.

—Not a reckless tackler, but he'll play behind his pads and will deliver some shots when he's wound up.

—Above-average athlete who can hang in downfield coverage, including speed to run with crossers and hip fluidity to roll over dig routes when teams try to hi-lo him in the middle of the field. 

            

WEAKNESSES

—Tendency to unnecessarily run himself into blocks despite having the natural speed and athleticism to avoid in space.

—Suffered a torn biceps tendon in October.

—One-track mind can be his fault as he gets hyperfocused on individual players and will lock on without recognizing he's purposefully being manipulated

—Will turn 24 in August and is maxed out as a prospect.

             

OVERALL

A potential early-career startel at linebacker, Strnad has impressive athleticism, but his lack of awareness and feel for the position is a concern. Add in a significant injury and his advanced age, and it's easy to see why Strnad was ranked behind players who won't make as much of an immediate impact.

             

GRADE: 65

PRO COMPARISON: Fred Warner/Duke Riley

TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri

 

STRENGTHS

— Hands-catcher who has proved he can high-point the football and create separation with his body.  

— Immediate red-zone weapon; most of his production at Mizzou came from red-zone touches. 

— Should develop as a blocker once he is asked to do it more often; spent most of his time at Mizzou as a move tight end. 

— Ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at 258 pounds, which isn't something you see every year. 

— Has the positional versatility to play slot, move tight end or in-line tight end. 

WEAKNESSES

— Straight-line speed only, not much wiggle in his hips; improved hips will lead to better routes.  

— A work in progress as an in-line blocker; good strength and hand use but still needs to find the "want to" to be a blocker. 

— Lacks acceleration off the line and in routes; needs to play with more suddenness from the snap. 

— Took a beating during his three years in the SEC; durability questions are a concern. 

      

OVERALL

Okwuegbunam has all of the tools you could want at the tight end position, but his struggles to stay on the field at Missouri is an issue. If he can remain healthy in the NFL, his size and athleticism are good enough to make him a legitimate threat down the field and in the red zone.

        

GRADE: 76

PRO COMPARISON: Mike Gesicki/Bucky Hodges

DL McTelvin Agim, Arkansas

      

STRENGTHS

—Traditional 3-tech at Arkansas; showed consistent ability to be a pass-rusher in the SEC. 

—Good explosion from the snap; is able to penetrate and play in the backfield.  

—Checks all the boxes for length (33 ½"), weight (309 lbs) and strength. 

—Can move side-to-side down the line to make plays against the run. 

—An easy, NFL-ready fit into any scheme; 3-4 end or 4-3 tackle. 

     

WEAKNESSES

—Not much of a two-gap player; struggles to anchor due to lower-half weakness. 

—Nothing stands out as great or impressive; may be a JAG (just a guy).

—Needs to add more moves with his hands; can't solely rely on strength in the NFL. 

—Doesn't keep his eyes in the backfield when fighting with blockers. 

    

OVERALL

Agim's positional versatility is intriguing, but he needs to improve his all-around game. His weakness against the run likely means he won't be seeing the field on rushing downs early in his career, but we do like his upside as a gap-shooting pass-rusher as a rookie.

     

GRADE: 61

PRO COMPARISON: Gerald Willis III/Johnathan Sullivan

C Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU

       

STRENGTHS

—Impressive starter-caliber center prospect with length, agility and experience.

—Athleticism and power to start in the NFL tomorrow; willing to play tough and get dirty.

—Handled power from top-tier SEC competition and held his own against the best defensive linemen in the country.

—Great hands shoot out hard and fast, making it difficult for defenders to get past him or even eat up his space.

—Quick enough to recover in a phone booth when defenders shoot gaps or he sees stunts or twists.

—Earned the No. 18 jersey at LSU, which is given to one player on offense and defense each season who "best represents what it means to be an LSU football player."

    

WEAKNESSES

—Can end up on the ground too much when facing a head-up defender.

—Sometimes struggles to unlock his hips and move fluidly when asked to pull or get upfield. 

—Lack of agility could hurt him if asked to do much zone-blocking.

—Doesn't always control defenders with his length; must do a better job maintaining blocks.

     

OVERALL

A high-level leader and high-level blocker controlling the middle of the nation's best offensive line at LSU, Cushenberry is NFL-ready. He should start as a rookie and has the potential to become a Pro Bowler early in his career.

      

GRADE: 85

PRO COMPARISON: Ryan Kelly/Cody Whitehair

CB Michael Ojemudia, Iowa

     

STRENGTHS

—Looks the part at 6'1", 200 pounds with a 4.45-second 40; he checks the physical boxes for a press or Cover 3 team.

—Excellent tackler who comes up from his zone drops and will lay the hammer on receivers and running backs.

—Uses his length well to disrupt passes when he can't eliminate the target through coverage.

—Wasn't challenged often on vertical routes but showed good instincts and awareness to stay in-phase with his body positioning.

—Poised and disciplined in coverage.

    

WEAKNESSES

—Limited scheme experience at Iowa; rarely played up near the line of scrimmage.

—Straight-line fast, but poor explosion and flexibility when asked to change direction.

—Hip turns are labored and stiff when expected to turn and run with receivers vertically.

—Doesn't play the ball well when it's behind him; used to sitting back in off coverage and reading-and-reacting with his eyes on the route and quarterback.

—Below-average ball skills; gives up a lot of easy, quick-hitter underneath passes.

    

OVERALL

Ojemudia looks the part and has tools that are exciting enough to develop, but he lacks ball skills and has little experience playing anything but off coverage in the Hawkeyes' scheme. A move to free safety shouldn't be out of the question given his speed and tackling ability. 

     

GRADE: 60

PRO COMPARISON: Amani Oruwariye/Emmanuel Moseley