Looking at the Denver Broncos 2016 Draft class, fans should be excited about the prospects of the team. Predicting the impact of rookie players is nearly impossible, but on paper, John Elway might have brought in his most impressive draft class yet.

Simply put, there is no such thing as the “pro ready” NFL prospect, but in the modern game, the timeframe to succeed is shorter than ever and that expectation to succeed immediately has drastically changed the developmental process for players breaking into the league.

The NFL has gone to great lengths in order to keep its youngest and most promising players on the field and getting reps in their first NFL offseason. An NFL player is only as valuable as his overall health is and it is tough to impact a game from the sideline.

A great example of this is after losing second-round selection Jeff Heuerman in the blink of an eye last offseason, the defending Super Bowl champions are emphasizing playbook familiarity and mental work this offseason, in hopes of limiting injuries with their 2016 draft class.

With mixed expectations surrounding the Broncos after losing a variety of talented players through free agency, all attention will be focused on Elway’s latest pieces to the puzzle. Now, we will take a look at what rookies have the potential to have the greatest impact in 2016 and beyond.

Devontae Booker: You are in fact reading this correctly. Sure, everyone is excited about Denver’s QB of the future, Paxton Lynch; but the steal of this draft was definitely Booker. Booker was a top-three back on nearly every draft projection and the fact that Denver was able to snag him in the fourth round should have Broncos fans salivating with excitement.

Booker is coming off of a nagging knee injury that plagued some of his senior season, but when healthy, Booker is an absolute stud and perfect back to compliment recently re-signed C.J. Anderson as one of the Broncos featured running backs.

Not an overwhelmingly fast back, Booker is a patient runner, and his ability to make one cut and get up field makes him surprisingly difficult to bring down. His style meshes well with Denver’s zone blocking scheme, and ultimately falling to the Broncos, could be the best thing that has ever happened for Booker’s young career.

Booker is not the physical specimen that an Adrian Peterson or Todd Gurley is, but he has the potential to be a really solid fit in Denver. Booker runs well between the tackles and hits the crease with determination. Even though he is not overwhelmingly fast, his vision and ability to adjust in running lanes without losing speed, made Booker one of the best collegiate running backs in the country.

Along with being an excellent runner in the backfield, Booker’s soft hands make him a legitimate threat in the passing game. He might not be the flashiest draft pick, but Booker does everything well and has the work ethic that NFL executives desire in a player.

The thought of Booker’s abilities in a Kubiak offense should really excite Broncos fans, and a few years down the line, it would not surprise me at all if Booker is one of the best running backs in the league.

Related Devontae Booker among six strong Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates for 2016

Paxton Lynch: The 6’7 freak athlete has the Broncos faithful excited for the future, but the young QB has some extremely large “boots to fill”, and unfortunately for Lynch, the Sheriff had a custom fit. The Peyton Manning-era will go down as one of the greatest periods in the history of the Broncos; Considering the proud history of the organization, that is really saying something.

Following the legacy that is Peyton Manning was certainly something Brock Osweiller wanted no part of. Time will tell if Lynch has what it takes, but early indications show that this kid is the real deal.

Along with having physical abilities that make him a nightmare for opposing defenses, Lynch is a winner, and that can be overlooked at times. Lynch helped transform a struggling Memphis program into one of the best mid-majors in the nation with not much talent around him to help the cause.

It is unknown when Lynch’s debut as the starting quarterback will be, but Elway has made it very clear that he believes the “QB of the future” will be ready much sooner than the so-called experts are claiming.

There are certainly going to be speed bumps with Lynch, considering he did not even play quarterback until he attended Memphis. The adjustment to the next level is something that takes time for all young quarterbacks, and fans are going to have to be patient in the early stages of his career.

What is promising about Lynch is that during his collegiate career, he showed significant growth in each season, cutting down turnovers, reading defenses and generally just leading an offense. Lynch has the necessary mindset to succeed and has all the physical abilities to thrive in Kubiak’s run and gun offense.

Considering what it would have cost to bring in a veteran QB like Colin Kaepernick, Sam Bradford or even Ryan Fitzpatrick, giving up a third-round pick to move up and select Lynch was chump change. The Broncos have a guy that can potentially be an NFL superstar and with the NFL Rookie salary cap, his contract will be something the team can work with and still have room to surround him with above-average talent.

The sky is the limit for Lynch and the organization is obviously confident in the young man. Moving forward, Broncos fans have a lot to be excited about, especially the “new sheriff in town”.

Justin Simmons: Denver selected Simmons with the 98th overall selection in the third round of the draft, and has flown a little bit under the radar, compared to some of the Broncos other selections. Simmons is a versatile safety out of Boston College and provides much-needed secondary and special teams depth for the defending Super Bowl champions.

Simmons is a terrific open field tackler and the apparent replacement for David Bruton, who signed with the Washington Redskins in the offseason.

Simmons is solid in coverage and aggressive going after the ball. His speed gives him the ability to play in center field, read the offense and adjust accordingly. His size and length gives him the ability to cover tight ends, along with larger wide receivers.

Simmons will need to gain some upper body strength or he could struggle with Rob Gronkowski’s of the league, but honestly, who does not? Simmons is a grinder and sells out on every play. Simmons only missed four tackles his entire senior season and did not have a single broken tackle occur. What that means is regardless of his slender frame, he finds a way to bring guys down.

Obviously with T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart still on the roster, Simmons will probably see a limited role defensively this season, but his coverage abilities will give him opportunities to earn playing time in sub-packages. Simmons can provide immediate impact in special teams and has the potential to develop into a solid NFL safety.

Simmons reminds me a lot of long-time San Diego Charger and current Baltimore Ravens safety Eric Weddle, with consistency in coverage and tackling and just a high football IQ. If Simmons career turns out anything like Weddle’s, then he will be considered a steal. I am excited to see what the young safety can do this season and moving forward.