Denver Broncos general manager John Elway is building around second-year quarterback Drew Lock in the NFL draft. Elway spent his first- and second-round selections on two terrific targets in Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and Penn State speedster KJ Hamler. In the third round, Elway added some protection up front for Lock in LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry. His selection was sandwiched around two other third-rounders in Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas defensive tackle McTelvin Agim. The Broncos have five more picks on Saturday. Ojemudia will help fill the void left by the departure of Chris Harris Jr. to the Chargers this offseason, and Agim solidifies a refurbished defensive line that includes trade acquisition Jurrell Casey.

John Elway pledged to give Drew Lock more weapons and better protection in an NFL draft teeming with wide receivers and offensive linemen. He delivered. The Denver Broncos general manager provided Lock with two terrific targets and added an athletic center through the first two nights of the draft.

Elway selected Penn State speedster KJ Hamler with the 46th pick in the second round Friday night, 24 hours after using the 15th overall pick on Alabama standout Jerry Jeudy, the highest Denver has ever selected a wide receiver in the common draft era. In the third round, Elway added protection for his second-year QB by drafting LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who was named first-team All-SEC in 2019. Elway didn’t neglect his defense, either, selecting Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas D-tackle McTelvin Agim in the third round. Elway has five more picks today (Saturday).

Ojemudia said facing the likes of Jeudy, Hamler, Courtland Sutton and tight end Noah Fant in his first training camp will microwave his NFL education. “I mean, that’s going to be big,” Ojemudia said. “It’s going to be harder than the games sometimes.”