INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 No wonder Texas Tech fans showered Jacob Rodriguez with tortillas. He is the whole enchilada.<\/p>\n
The Broncos arrived at the NFL Combine<\/a> with scant musts after graduating from the have-nots over the past two seasons.<\/a><\/p>\n Inside linebacker remains a position of need, traced to free agents Alex Singleton<\/a> and Justin Strnad. When filling out his offseason depth chart, coach Sean Payton admitted he operates as if they will not return<\/a> \u2014 though the odds of Singleton re-signing spiked with Vance Joseph staying put.\n<\/p>\n A replacement became obvious on Thursday. It is easy to see Rodriguez working out after his workout.<\/p>\n He posted a 9.23 Relative Athletic Score, ranking 249th out of the 3,216 linebackers tested from 1987 to 2026.\n<\/p>\n He ran a 4.57 40-yard dash. His vertical jump was 38.5 inches. He had a day.\n<\/p>\n The test confirmed what he put on film at Texas Tech. Rodriguez operated as Vin Diesel in the Red Raiders\u2019 defense. He was fast and often furious.\n<\/p>\n He intercepted four passes, forced seven fumbles and recovered two last season. This is the type of disruptive force the Broncos need. The defense does everything well but secure takeaways, finishing with 14 last season, one more of the fewest in franchise history in 2008.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Rodriguez is a former college quarterback with a Taysom Hill skillset on defense.\n<\/p>\n He marries instincts and athleticism. Friendly advice? Draft him.<\/p>\n There should be no hesitation if he is on the board with the 30th pick. Before the college football season, Ohio State\u2019s Sonny Styles was projected to land in Denver by several mocks. That dream died with his spectacular season.<\/p>\n Rodriguez is a comfortable alternative. And squinting is not necessary to see a vision for him. Sign Singleton to a three-year deal with one-year guaranteed. Let him tutor Rodriguez before the kid takes over in 2027.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Given Singleton\u2019s age and Dre Greenlaw\u2019s injury history, there will be plenty of snaps as a rookie for Rodriguez to begin his development, while making an impact on special teams.\n<\/p>\n Last April, cornerback Jahdae Barron was a luxury pick. Rodriguez is a better fit at a position with less depth.<\/p>\n Thursday, he took our breath away. Get him in a Broncos uniform so he can take the ball away.<\/p>\n Tastes Better: Flavor Flav took the bitter taste out of our mouths after President Trump disrespected Team USA\u2019s women\u2019s gold medal hockey team, leading them to decline an invitation to the White House. In a congratulatory phone call to extend an offer to the men\u2019s team, Trump joked, \u201cI must tell you, we\u2019re going to have to bring the women\u2019s team, you do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached (if they are not asked).\u201d A founding member of Public Enemy, the rapper stepped up, partnering with MGM Resorts to honor the team and other female athletes at an event July 16-19 in Las Vegas. His involvement has been criticized because of his criminal record, including domestic abuse charges. But, he has been a longtime supporter of women\u2019s sports, making him a welcome booster for champions who deserved better from the president.\n<\/p>\n Back to Back: The Broncos will make at least one splash in free agency. Running back makes the most sense. If they do not sign Travis Etienne Jr. or Kenneth Walker III, trading for the Lions\u2019 David Montgomery is an option to file away.\n<\/p>\n CU Later: Fan boys can characterize the departures of defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and Warren Sapp as inevitable, but the timing is awful for CU, days before the start of spring practice. Coach Deion Sanders already faced a steep challenge to produce a bounce-back season, and now he must do it with his third defensive and offensive coordinators in four years.<\/p>\n