Elway goes with maturity, experience in 2018 NFL draft

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Out with the long-shot projects and in with the long-term prospects.

Denver Broncos general manager John Elway’s 2018 draft haul looks vastly different than his previous two classes that were short on experience and long on question marks.

This one is packed with mature players who were captains in college, stayed in school four years and donned cap and gown before ever putting on a Broncos cap to celebrate their draft selection.

Elway picked North Carolina State pass rusher Bradley Chubb at No. 5, and then copied that cornerstone selection on Days 2 and 3.

Like Chubb, Elway’s next six selections all spent four years in college, including second-round wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who took a medical redshirt his first year at SMU and graduated after his junior season.

—

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

—

Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton