When Broncos draft pick Drew Lock and veteran Connor McGovern take the field for the start of organized team activities next week, it won’t be the first time the quarterback and offensive lineman have been on the field together.
McGovern was a senior at Missouri when Lock was a freshman quarterback with the Tigers. They have remained friends off the field but McGovern may not recognize the player that reports to Dove Valley next week.
“He got a wide-eyed freshman that first year,” Lock said during an introductory press conference on April 27. “That was an interesting learning year for me. Without Connor and a couple of those senior guys pushing me and getting me through there, I definitely wouldn’t be the QB I am today.
“I think as far as difference goes, he’s going to get a little bit more mature quarterback for sure. I’m going to know a lot more about the game than Connor expects. I’m going to be able to be in there, get into a huddle — obviously we didn’t huddle very much when I was in Missouri — but he’s going to see a confident quarterback that’s ready to roll.”
When Matt Paradis was injured last year, McGovern moved from right guard to center. Paradis left the team this offseason and signed with the Panthers so McGovern is expected to remain the starting center in 2019.
Lock will likely be practicing with the second-team offense, though, so McGovern will be snapping to Joe Flacco instead. Whenever Lock does get on the field with the first-team offense, he’ll certainly have familiarity with his center.
“I’m super excited to be able to get out there on the field with him again,” Lock said.
