It’s not Roy Hibbert. Or a Dunkin Donut. But the Broncos have a potential hole in the middle. They insist they are covered with linebacker Nate Irving.

But it would surprise no one if Denver traded up to the middle of the first round of the NFL draft Thursday to acquire a linebacker. Alabama’s C.J. Mosley tops most teams’ draft boards at the position, drawing comparisons to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Lavonte David, a player the Broncos passed on three years ago, much to their regret.

The Buffalo Bills (ninth overall), Baltimore Ravens (17th) and Green Bay Packers (21st) have been connected to Mosley in predraft chatter. He visited the Broncos but remains a longshot for them. Regardless, Mosley is expected to be chosen Thursday, despite teams’ reluctance to invest heavily on inside linebackers and concerns about his durability because of injuries.

“He’s considered a first-round pick, eight to 21. He’s a great cover guy,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “Inside linebackers have been phased out in importance of getting to the running back. You have to cover or pressure the quarterback.”

The Broncos find themselves in an interesting situation with the 31st overall selection. It’s a potential hot spot for deals, given the fifth-year option for first-round picks. If a quarterback falls in the first round, and many experts believe Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater will, another team could frantically dial up the Broncos, handing them a draft pick in exchange.

Broncos general manager John Elway said the free-agent addition of T.J. Ward, a linebacker in safety’s clothing, provides freedom in how they address inside linebacker.

“I don’t know that it’s necessarily a need,” Elway said. “We feel pretty good about Nate, especially on first and second down. When we look at it, we’re more concerned with third down, the nickel backer on third down. Ward does a tremendous job in the box, so he could be that guy. We are fortunate that we don’t have huge holes.”

But the Broncos need a linebacker, even if it’s not Mosley.

Ryan Shazier has piqued the Broncos’ interest. The Ohio State star bulked up to 237 pounds for the combine — he played at 220 last season — and still ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. He is the fastest linebacker in the draft, a sideline-to-sideline threat.

“He plays the game hard. He shows up big in big moments. He does a good job reading his keys,” ESPN analyst Todd McShay said. “He’ll take a false step here and there, but he has the speed to overcome it.”

BYU’s Kyle Van Noy also is on the Broncos’ radar. He returned to school a year ago despite having a good shot of being an early-round selection. He helped his draft stock, showing playmaking skills as a senior that were not just a reflection of inferior competition. He’s considered a safe pick given his versatility.

“He became known as one of the best all-around linebackers in college football. There’s been a buzz about him the last month or six weeks,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. “The buzz has been he does everything well. I’m not sure he has one outstanding trait where you go, ‘Wow, that’s awesome.’ He did rush. He can drop. He can play inside, outside. People are trying to figure out where best to play him.”

Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or twitter.com/troyrenck

Man in the middle

The Broncos’ most glaring needs are middle linebacker and cornerback. Securing either with the 31st pick will be difficult. But if Denver is able to move up to the middle of the round, it could land a man in the middle, who could possibly start as a rookie. Broncos reporter Troy E. Renck looks at the top five potential fits for the Broncos at linebacker:

1. C.J. Mosley, Alabama, 6-foot-2, 234 pounds: Visited Broncos. Energy forever. Injuries, medical issues create durability concerns. Bills, Ravens, Packers possible first-round spots, barring trade.

2. Ryan Shazier, Ohio State, 6-1, 237: Has added 17 pounds in offseason and still runs sub 4.4 40-yard-dash as sideline-to-sideline player. Is likely to go in top 20.

3. Kyle Van Noy, BYU, 6-3, 243: A playmaker who registered 13 sacks last season. Athletic enough to play in coverage. Projects as late first- or early second-round pick.

4. Chris Borland, Wisconsin, 5-11, 248: Trusted college player whose lack of speed might get exposed in NFL. He seeks contact, but it’s hard to project him as every-down contributor.

5. Max Bullough, 6-3, 249, Michigan State: High football IQ. A throwback player, strong tackler. Suspended for Rose Bowl for disciplinary reasons. Would be steal in fourth or fifth round.