The path to the NFL hasn’t been an easy one for Elijah Wilkinson. The big offensive lineman has worked his way up the Denver Broncos’ depth chart by the sweat of his brow, without the benefit of draft pedigree or financial commitment from the team.

Going undrafted in 2017 out of Massachusettes, Wilkinson signed with the Broncos as a raw offensive tackle prospect. He did enough as a rookie to earn a place on the team’s practice squad and was even called up to the active roster where he spent nine weeks of the season.

2018, however, was where things really turned for Wilkinson. The Broncos have focused on ‘cross training’ their backup O-linemen and Wilkinson embraced it with gusto, becoming a swing tackle and guard.

This time, he made the 53-man roster out of training camp and when injuries struck the Broncos’ starting five, he was thrust into the lineup at right guard. Wilkinson ended up starting seven games there.

Fast forward to today, and Elijah Wilkinson has put his best foot forward, serving as the Broncos’ backup left tackle and swing guard. He’s seen most of his snaps at LT and but has filled in pretty much everywhere except at center. Wilkinson’s play is catching the attention of onlookers and perhaps most importantly, his offensive coordinator.

When asked which player has stood out most to him thus far, Rich Scagarello named Wilkinson.

“I'll say Elijah Wilkinson, the tackle that was here the day we got here,” Scangarello said on Sunday. “He was an undrafted free agent coming out of college, I believe. He was a lot heavier, he's lost weight. He's a very athletic and a great scheme fit. I just like the way he works out here. I think [Offensive Line Coach] Mike Munchak has done a great job honing out his skillset and really helping him develop. I think he is a good football player. I think he is a guy that we are very happy with up to this point.”

If your name is Garett Bolles, you’ve got to take the mention of Wilkinson by the OC as a shot across the bow. Bolles has been modestly solid thus far but had one of the big face-palm moments of camp when he got turned around by DeMarcus Walker and ‘sacked’ Joe Flacco himself.

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Meanwhile, Wilkinson is acquitting himself well, earning praise from his coaches and teammates. Following Monday’s practice, defensive end Adam Gotsis talked about what makes Wilkinson a formidable matchup.

“I’ve gone against Eli, I think, a couple reps, out there on team,” Gotsis said. “Eli’s really good. He has heavy hands, good feet. If he gets those paws on you, he’s going to lock you down. It’s been awesome to watch him grow from when he came in as a rookie as well. He’s just gotten better, better and better... He’s a hell of a football player.”

We talk about how defensive players will benefit from the ‘Fangio bump’ but Wilkinson’s trajectory shows that such a thing as the ‘Munchak bump’ exists, too. Mike Munchak is considered to be one of the league’s best O-line coaches, who’s helped former undrafted players become Pro Bowlers, like Pittsburgh Steelers LT Allejandro Villanueva.

It’s way too early to use the PB phrase with regard to Elijah Wilkinson but at the very least, his impressive performance thus far helps to assuage the concern that if something happened to either of Denver’s starting tackles, there’s a solid player who could step into the breach and plug a hole.

At best, Wilkinson could be gunning for Bolles’ starting job. I wouldn’t worry too much about Bolles losing his job quite yet. The Broncos brought in Munchak for a reason and they’ll give their former first-round pick every opportunity to succeed before cutting bait.

But if that time comes, Elijah Wilkinson will be ready.