Report: Broncos are said to be ‘intrigued’ by Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo on day 3 of the draft

The explosive running back has tested very well at the Combine and is apparently a player the Broncos are intrigued by.

According to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, the Denver Broncos are said to be intrigued by Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo on day 3 of the NFL Draft or as a priority free agent after the draft.

The 6-0, 221-pound running back out of Louisville has had himself a very good Combine thus far. He ran a blazing 4.33 40-time and had a 41.5-inch vertical all at 221 pounds. That is pretty impressive and also showcases his speed and explosion. To put his performance into perspective, the only other backs to reach the 24 mph mark at the Combine the past two years were Dolphins running back De’Von Achane and Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell. Both rookie blazers had big impacts on their teams this past year so maybe Guerendo can do the same.

This past year, the Wisconsin transfer had a solid year for Louisville. He carried the ball 132 times for 810 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and had 11 rushing touchdowns. He also had 22 receptions for 234 yards for Louisville as well.

As Tomasson notes, Guerendo is viewed as a late-day 3/priority free agent option in April’s NFL Draft, but these testing numbers likely will help his chances of being drafted. A 221-pound back running in the 4.3’s and only has limited wear and tear on his knees isn’t easy to find so I think he finds himself being drafted at some point on day 3.

As for the Broncos’ reported interest, it makes sense. I am probably harder on the Broncos backfield than most, but I was disappointed in the run game last year. Javonte Williams, who was coming off a major knee injury, was an average to below-average running back last year. He averaged 3.6 yards per carry and only found the end zone 3 times. He has yet to top 1,000 yards in a season during his career and is now entering the final year of his rookie contract. Veteran Samaje Perine may or may not be back and did more as a receiver than a runner last season and while Jaleel McLaughlin had an impressive rookie year, his 5-7, 187-pound size will limit his overall role on offense. So, a productive back with size AND speed would be a welcome addition to the Broncos backfield.

Plus, the team appears to be heading to having a bridge quarterback and a rookie quarterback battling for the starting job, so having a strong run game would be beneficial for the team.

If the Broncos can use a mid to late-day 3 selection on a back like Guerendo, I would be all for it. The team needs playmakers at all positions so I would be intrigued by an addition like this during the late stages of the draft.