The revolving door that was the Broncos’ offensive line last season, when the team was constantly shuffling starters, was a likely impetus for the team’s selection of Sam Jones in the sixth round last Saturday.

Now, the question becomes whether picking Jones, a ThunderRidge graduate who started 13 games at left guard for Arizona State last fall, can at some point ease some of the unsteadiness for Denver up front. As a sixth-round pick, he won’t be looked at to come in and start, but if he can fill a backup role this season, that would be welcome.

Jones showed well at the NFL combine in February, putting up 28 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press to rank sixth among all offensive linemen. That addressed some concerns about his upper-body strength, especially considering the 6-foot-5 Jones weighed in at 305 — up 15 pounds from this past fall, when he didn’t yield any quarterback sacks and also spearheaded the Sun Devils’ run game.

“He was the bell cow for the offense — not only for the unit last year, but he was voted as a captains by his peers,” said Rob Sale, ASU’s offensive line coach last season. “He has unbelievable leadership skills, and he’s mature beyond his years — he didn’t act like a college junior. He’s like an old, gray-haired veteran.”

Garett Bolles (left tackle) and Matt Paradis (center) were the consistent pieces to the Broncos’ offensive line last year, as both the rookie and the veteran started every game. Beyond those two returnees, head coach Vance Joseph has said he expects to see Ron Leary at left guard, Connor McGovern at right guard and Jared Veldheer at right tackle. Jones will be battling for a backup spot on a unit that needs depth as much as it does production.

And Jones, a Highlands Ranch native and lifelong Broncos fan, is intent on making the most of his opportunity after taking a calculated risk to leave ASU early.

“After I got down to college and started playing well, (playing for Denver) started becoming more of a possibility,” Jones said. “My parents and I kind of joked about it, like what if I ended up back in Denver one day. I was like, ‘Man, that would be too good to be true.’ But here we are.”

Had Jones stayed for his senior season — which would have required an adjustment to ASU’s new head coach, Herm Edwards, as well as playing the program’s third offensive line coach in four seasons following Sale’s departure to Louisiana-Lafayette — he likely would have been a higher draft pick.

But both Jones and those who advised him were confident he could make the leap to the pros, especially considering his reputation as a versatile blocker with a steady film study habit.

“He’s one of the higher football I.Q.’s I’ve been around,” Sale said. “He’s a very smart football player who, mentally and in a pinch, can play all five positions for you for sure because he’s communicative and he understands what you’re trying to do as an offense when it comes to concepts.”