Mocking the Draft wants to introduce you to an new article series taking a closer look at each team's draft workings.  The WarRoom articles will give you a glimpse at the recent draft history and the decision-making structure of each NFL team. We will also include our thoughts about the structure and draft history.

Offensive Scheme: John Fox is reunited with his long-time quarterbacks coach from Carolina, Mike McCoy, who will serve as offensive coordinator for the 2011 Broncos. Fox ran a balanced offense in Carolina; maintaining almost an exact 50/50 run/pass ratio. He favored single back and two tight end sets, and used as much or more play action than anyone in the league.

If Tim Tebow is appointed starting QB; expect more the same in Denver as McCoy used copious amounts of play-action to highlight Tebow’s strengths and hide his limitations during his three starts in 2010.

Defensive Scheme: Fox employs a classic 4-3 defense but has asserted that he will mix in hybrid fronts; Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller coming off the edges as rush linebackers may to be too enticing to resist. Stout defenses were a John Fox trademark in Carolina; Denver fans will expect him to improve a unit that ranked 30th in total defense in 2010 (according to advanced statistics from (www.footballoutsiders.com).

Thoughts: John Elway gushed about the teamwork that occurred between the trio of Broncos decision makers; Fox, GM Brain Xanders and Elway himself. Elway asserted that all selections were made unanimously, and lionized the collaboration that took place.

What they did; The Broncos let players fall to them, and even traded down to recoup some of the draft capital that was spent during the McDaniels era. They selected players based on college productivity, impact on third down, and wisely stuck to the big programs and avoided rolling the dice on esoteric small school players. According to Elway, they stayed true to their board and didn’t reach based on need.

They added two starters at linebacker; two developmental safeties; a mean right tackle to take over when Ryan Harris leaves town, and pair of athletic tight ends.

They wisely resisted the temptation to trade back into the first round to draft the boom-or-bust Nick Fairly or the developmental Corey Liguet.

What they did not do: They didn’t draft any DT prospects despite having their pick of the litter of the second-tier guys such as Stephen Paea and Marvin Austin, both of whom could have easily been considered first round talents. They didn’t get a running back to complement Knowshon Moreno, and depth at CB looks shaky.

Recent History: Josh McDaniel’s drafts drew the ire of the Broncos fan base for neglecting the defense and dealing away picks in questionable trade-up scenarios; but he seemed to be an adept talent evaluator.

The 2011 Broncos will have McDaniel’s fingerprints all over them:

The rumor mill would suggest that Tebow is in and Kyle Orton is out; second year offensive linemen Zane Beadles and JD Walton will start at guard and center, respectively. Eric Decker should challenge the aging Jabar Gaffney to start at WR, and Perrish Cox (pending legal trouble) should claim the CB spot opposite Champ Bailey. Demaryius Thomas will contribute in some form or fashion once he returns from rehabilitating his Achilles injury; and Syd'quan Thompson may be the nickelback. Oh and that’s just the 2010 class.

Knowshon Moreno will hold onto his role as feature back (pending a big free agent acquisition), and Robert Ayers is penciled in to start at left defensive end, where he should benefit from a shift back to his natural position.

Five Year Record: 36 - 44
Coach: John Fox
GM: Brian Xanders
Draft History: Click Here to see a complete draft history

Best Pick (Past Five Drafts): OT Ryan Clady; Denver practically stole a franchise left-tackle at number 12 overall, Clady remains one of the best linemen in the league.

Worst Pick (Past Five Drafts): DE Jarvis Moss; The then Shanahan led Broncos traded up take the Florida man at 17th overall in 2007; the organization recouped 3 ½ sacks over the course of four seasons, before releasing Moss in November of last year. He was subsequently signed by the Oakland Raiders.

The Oakland Raiders took a major step in the right direction in 2010 and established some impressive feats in the process. The Raiders went 6-0 in the AFC West, beat the San Diego Chargers for the first time in 14 tries, and finished with less than 11 losses for the first time since 2002, which coincidentally marked their last trip to the Super Bowl. An undefeated record in the division normally coincides with a trip to playoffs. In fact, no team has gone undefeated in their division and not made the playoffs since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. No team until the 2010 Raiders that is. Outside of the division, Oakland went 2-8, missed out on the postseason festivities, and will enter the 2011 season with a new coach for the sixth time in nine seasons.

Oakland’s transformation from relative obscurity to playoff contender can be attributed to a stellar 2010 draft class and recent trade acquisitions that actually panned out for Al Davis’s crew. The Raiders hit home runs with Lamarr Houston (2nd round), Jared Veldheer (3rd), Jacoby Ford (4th) and Stevie Brown (7th) in the 2010 draft. Kamerion Wimbley and Richard Seymour were integral parts of a defense that finished second in the league against the pass and tied for second in quarterback sacks. Wimbley led the charge with nine sacks, while Seymour had 5.5 and earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl. However, the acquisition of Seymour did cost the Raiders a first round pick in the 2011 draft and their first selection this year won’t be until number 16 in the second round and 48th overall.

Their 2010 successes and progression aside, the Raiders have some big holes to fill on both sides of the ball if they expect to be true contenders in the AFC West going forward. Once free agency begins, perennial All-Pro corner Nnamdi Asomugha will likely become the most sought after player in the market which will leave an enormous void in Oakland’s secondary. The team also finished 29th overall against the run and even though their defensive line is solid rushing the passer, they need to add some bulk to plug up the middle of their interior. On offense, Ford showed that he is capable of being a showstopper at receiver but Louis Murphy and former first-rounder Darrius Heyward-Bay are marginal at best and the team needs to find a consistent number one receiver. Although their run game is second to none in the league, the Raiders’ offensive line is a mess. The only sure things for the o-line in 2011 is that Veldheer and 2010 fourth round pick Bruce Campbell will be starters at left tackle and right guard respectively. Jason Campbell started off dreadfully slow but he progressed nicely as the season went along. He only has one year left on his contract, however, and it’s extremely unlikely that he is the team’s quarterback of the future. With that being said here are the Raiders’ biggest team needs going into next week’s NFL Draft:

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Two seasons, eleven total wins, a videotaping scandal, and the complete dismantling of a roster all define the Josh McDaniels era in Denver. In his brief tenure as the Broncos' head coach, McDaniels managed to strip the team of four of its best offensive players including franchise quarterback Jay Cutler and his favorite target Brandon Marshall. Meanwhile, McDaniels essentially ignored the defense, leaving it in shambles for John Fox and company.

Broncos fans will welcome an opportunity to start from scratch. The rebuilding process starts with the 2011 NFL Draft. The Broncos will undoubtedly be looking to adress the defense early and often this spring. Denver allowed 4.7 yards per carry on the ground good for 31st in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Broncos managed to accumulate a league worst 23 sacks. John Fox will install his 4-3 defense and will need to find the players to fit his scheme this offseason. Defensive tackle, linebacker, and defensive end have to be the main areas of concern. Brian Dawkins is also over the hill and should be replaced.

The Broncos are a bit of an enigma offensively. Tim Tebow was a definite bright spot for this team towards the end of a disastrous 2010 campaign. However, the new regime is reportedly not sold on the former Gator. Thus a quarterback controversy could be in full swing this offseason between Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow. If Tebow wins the job, a new right tackle will be a necessity. Ryan Harris has struggled at to stay on the field and is a free agent. Denver will need to find someone to protect Tim Tebow's blind side.

McDaniels inherited a talented roster and managed to completely deconstruct it piece by piece. Now, John Fox and John Elway have the unenviable task of restoring this franchise.

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Things are not always what they seem. So is the case for the 2010 Kansas CIty Chiefs. Kansas City's 10-6 record masked the fact that their roster is in the middle of a reconstruction. A weak schedule and a handful of good breaks landed the Chiefs in the playoffs. But make not mistake about it, Kansas City's front office has some work to do this offseason.

Offensively the Chiefs have one of the best ground attacks in all of professional football. Due largely to the play of Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs gained a league best 164 yards per game on the ground. Charles has developed into the type of player a team can build an offense around. 

Under center the situation is not as rock solid. Despite decent numbers in 2010, Matt Cassel's weak arm limits the offense in more ways than the stat sheet can show. He is not the type of quarterback that can lead a team to a Super Bowl. He is efficient, accurate, and smart but lacks the physical talent to be a difference maker. Not to mention, Cassel is the beneficiary of an elite ground game.

However, replacing Cassel certainly is not a top priority given the money tied up in him. Rather, the Chiefs would be better served to surround him with some talent, particularly at the wide receiver position. Kansas CIty has no legitimate threat at wideout across from Dwayne Bowe. Cassel could also use some protection. Brandon Albert is not fit to play left tackle in the NFL. He allowed a whopping eleven sacks in 2010 and needs to be upgraded.

The situation is much more dire on the defensive side of the ball where the Chiefs have holes all across the front seven. The moss pressing needs are for a pass rushing linebacker and a nose tackle. Tamba Hali is an elite force on the outside but a complement is necessary. As for nose tackle, Ron Edwards is scheduled to hit free agency, and will need to be replaced.

The results could be much less lucrative for the Chiefs in 2011 with a stronger schedule. However, they are slowly constructing a winning team.

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If statistics were the only thing that mattered in the NFL the San Diego Chargers should have been the Super Bowl favorite this past season. Unfortunately for the Chargers, impressive statistics don’t necessarily translate to wins, just ask them. After boasting the top offense and defense this past season, San Diego failed to make the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

So what went wrong? Any combination of terrible special teams, hold-outs by Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill and several injuries played a part in the Chargers missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005. San Diego’s special teams this past season have been mentioned as possibly one of the worst in NFL history. They had four punts blocked, three kick-offs returned against them and opponents averaged 18.9 yards per punt return. The low-point of the season for the special teams unit came in a week five loss against Oakland where the Raiders blocked two punts in the first five minutes of the game.

Philip Rivers is coming off a career season despite numerous injuries at running back, tight end and wide receiver. During various points of the season the Chargers were without Antonio Gates, Malcom Floyd, Ryan Mathews, Legedu Naanee, Mike Tolbert and Patrick Crayton. Injuries aside, Rivers was without Jackson, his top receiver, for 11 games because of a contract dispute. With a healthy offense in 2011, the sky is the limit for Rivers and the Chargers.

Greg Manusky takes over for Ron Rivera as defensive coordinator and he is expected to bring an edge to the league’s top unit. Led by Shaun Phillips’ 11, the Chargers finished tied for second in the NFL in sacks with 47. San Diego finished with the fourth best run defense and the top ranked pass defense and will look to only build on those numbers next season. The Chargers took a chance this offseason when they singed injury prone safety Bob Sanders to come in and compete for the strong safety position. If Sanders can stay healthy and Eric Weddle re-signs, San Diego will feature one of the best safety tandems in the NFL. Depending on free agency, the Chargers might have several holes to fill on defense.

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Denver Post columnist Dave Krieger reported on Monday that unless there is a rookie salary scale, the Broncos could consider trading the second overall pick.

John Elway, the team's vice president of football operations, says the second pick is expensive. Elway said he hopes the collective bargaining agreement comes together quickly so they can figure out how to slot their board.

With that basis, and the fact that Denver is fiscally conservative, Krieger says the Broncos face a roll the dice in regard to the second pick in the draft.

If they keep the pick, expect the Broncos to target defense. Elway noted that the team finished last in the league in defense, calling that side of the ball a concern.

The Broncos currently have two picks in the second round – 36 and 46. The team gained the additional second-round pick as part of the Brandon Marshall trade with Miami. The Broncos don't have picks in rounds four and five.

Joel Thorman of Arrowhead Pride and SB Nation has a nice overview of what positions the Chiefs may be looking in the 2011 NFL Draft.

He expounds on them, but he lists cornerback, wide receiver, nose tackle, running back, linebacker and offensive line in general.

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Maurice Clarett has been living harder than the average 26 year old American. Despite this the running back, who played only one year of collegiate football, was signed a day after a tryout with the Omaha Nighthawks. 

Clarett was a surprise third-round draft pick in 2005, despite playing just one year at Ohio State, running 4.72 and 4.82 in the 40 yard dash, and being kicked off his collegiate football team. He didn't make it through the preseason.

But of course, Clarett was part of a potentially groundbreaking case in 2004 when he and USC wide receiver Mike Williams challenged the NCAA's rule that a player could enter the NFL draft three years after graduating high school. 

Their cause initially succeeded, but was overturned. Both athletes had signed agents, making them ineligible to return to play collegiate football, and had to train on their own for a year.

A string of legal problems that included a police chase (complete with a tasing) landed Clarett in jail. 

He was released from prison earlier this year.