INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona State's Renell Wren popped up on the NFL draft radar back during the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. Senior Bowl week gives under-the-radar prospects, who might not have produced prolifically in college, the opportunity to ply their wares with pro coaches.

Wren did not have an uber-productive college career, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t an NFL talent, or doesn’t represent immense value at the next level. Especially for interior defensive linemen, it can be hard to flash consistently at the college level because schemes aren’t always great and the coaching can sometimes leave much to be desired.

I’m not saying that was the case with Renell Wren. He could very well have been a player who took some time to develop at Arizona State, which is the more probable explanation.

Still, he had a solid senior campaign as a first-time starter. Wren posted one sack and 4.5 tackles for a loss to go along with 43 stops as a defensive tackle.

A box-score scout would see those numbers and be unimpressed. A study of the tape, however, reveals a powerful, burgeoning difference maker at the point of attack.

Wren caught the Denver Broncos’ attention at the Senior Bowl, and the team took the opportunity the NFL Combine provided to spend even more time with the big trenchman.

"I met with them [the Broncos] last night," Wren told me Saturday. "It was a great conversation. They're going to watch more film of me. They're actually going to my pro day March 27."

For what it's worth, Wren is the only prospect the Broncos met with in Indy who mentioned that he was told by the team they plan on attending his pro day. However, it's commonplace for an NFL team to show up at the pro day of any prospect they're interested in. But to tell Wren, 'Hey, we'll be there' — that's interesting.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder made the Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s ‘Freaks’ list ahead of the 2018 college season. The truth is, Wren didn’t get much playing time for the Sun Devils until his junior season, before finally becoming a starter in 2018.

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Wren prides himself on being able to “overcome offensive linemen”. He’s a powerful player on the defensive front.

Wren threw up a whopping 30 reps on the bench press (225 pounds), which put him in the top-5 among D-linemen at the Combine. He called his shot ahead of time from the podium.

"After the Senior Bowl, I received great news, but I still have a chip on my shoulder," Wren said Saturday. "And I’m staying humble instead of, you know, the day the Lord calls me up and you know that being able to get invited to the National Football League Scouting Combine is a great blessing to showcase my talents and skills to all the 32 NFL teams. So I’m looking to put on a show for the bench press. I’m looking to do a lot of great things tomorrow for the 40-yard dash and everything. So the best is yet to come.”

We'll see how Wren does in the 40-yard dash. But what'll be even more pivotal to his draft stock will be the 3-cone drill, 10-yard split and 20-yard shuttle.

The Broncos have two defensive tackles hitting free agency this spring in Domata Peko and Zach Kerr, with both Derek Wolfe and Adam Gotsis entering a contract year. The need to add depth to the D-line is there, and Wren is the quintessential Bill Kollar prospect.

Wren is raw, powerful and explosive — just the type of prototype Kollar can shape into a formidable and potent weapon on the D-line. Talking to Wren at the Combine, he was a very bright and engaging personality.

I don’t know how much he knows about football, but my bet is that Renell Wren is a quick learner. His on-field work on Sunday at the Combine will help forge his draft stock, but keep an eye on this prospect. Because the Broncos most certainly are.