Denver Broncos select JL Skinner in sixth round of 2023 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos are expecting former Boise State star JL Skinner to come in and be a highly productive safety for them over the next few years. That’s why they selected him with the No. 183 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Skinner recently participated in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, where he was voted as the National Team’s Defensive Safety Practice Player of the Week.

Things started to click for JL Skinner during his last two seasons of college football with the Boise State Broncos, where he was named second team All-Mountain West in 2021 and first team All-Mountain West in 2022. In the 2022 campaign, Skinner started all 12 games, racking up 65 tackles, four interceptions, and five pass breakups. In the 2021 season, the San Diego, California native racked up 92 tackles, fumble recoveries (three), and two forced fumbles.

Tipping the scales at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Skinner is definitely one of the bigger safety prospects in this class. He goes by the name “JL”, because his father and grandfather had the same name.

In the 2019 recruiting cycle, Skinner was rated as The No. 852 overall prospect in the country, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He was also rated as the No. 78 safety prospect in the nation and a three-star prospect. He played his high school football for Point Loma High School (San Diego, California). His senior year, he racked up more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and scored 11 touchdowns. Outside of football, Skinner also played basketball and participated in track and field.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about JL Skinner

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein recently gave an in-depth scouting profile of Skinner and what he can bring to the National Football League. He compared his skill set to former Alabama star Ronnie Harrison. One thing Zierlein is impressed with in the former Boise State star is his versatility.

“Interchangeable safety with above average run support talent and the versatility for multiple coverages. Skinner plays with good awareness to routes with eyes for short zone and the instincts to play over the top. He can line up over pass-catching tight ends and has the ball skills to make quarterbacks pay for off-target throws,” Zierlein said.

Zierlein also noted that while he has good footwork, Skinner struggles to cover vertical routes. “He has good feet but hips that can be a little sticky when flipping to run with vertical routes. His agility and range help him as a tackle collector in the open field. Skinner should become an above average starter within a couple of seasons,” Zierlein noted.