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The guessing...and the waiting is over. Ada's Zac Dysert is a Denver Bronco.
The Denver Broncos closed out their 2013 NFL Draft by selecting Ada native and Miami University quarterback Zac Dysert in the seventh round.
Dysert was one of the players that came to Dove Valley for a pre-draft visit, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway acknowledged earlier this week.
"We just wanted to get them in and meet them and see what they’re all about," he said Monday. "If there’s ever an opportunity late in the draft for a guy that we think that come in and develop and turn into a good NFL quarterback, we’re going to look hard at that.”
That's exactly what Denver did, taking a player that in 2012 was selected by his teammates as Miami University football's first-ever three-time captain.
As a senior, Dysert led all MAC quarterbacks with 3,483 passing yards and ranked second in the conference with 312.3 yards of total offense per game.
He is just the 78th player in NCAA FBS history to top 10,000 career passing yards -- and is second in touchdown passes behind only Ben Roethlisberger in school annals.
For his Redhawks career, Dysert had 12,016 passing yards, 73 touchdowns and 51 interceptions.
He becomes the third quarterback on the Broncos roster, joining Peyton Manning and last year's second-round pick Brock Osweiler.
"Thrilled that Zac Dysert from Miami of Ohio was available for us to take," Elway tweeted. "You can never have enough QBs. Talented player and competitor."
MORE ON DYSERT'S PICK
You're behind Peyton Manning, who is entrenched, and Brock Osweiler, who has already been designated as Manning's eventual successor. This could be perceived as a hopeless situation.
Zac Dysert, the Broncos' seventh-round pick (No. 234 overall), doesn't see it that way.
"I don't think there could be any better spot, especially to learn under, besides (with) Peyton," said Dysert. "He’s always been somebody I’ve looked up to, just because of the way he has always played and the way he prepares and things like that. So, I’m ecstatic at this opportunity. I wouldn’t rather be any other place.”
Given how a quarterback's market value can appreciate off limited game action, there's some wisdom in selecting at least one quarterback in most draft years, whether there's a need or not. A solid preseason of work can turn a seventh-round pick into a prospect that can fetch as high as a third-rounder; a solid start or two in the regular season can push that value as high as a first-round pick in some instances.
But the Broncos didn't select Dysert for that reason; they added him because they needed at least one more quarterback in the here and now. Manning and Osweiler were the only passers on the roster, and the Broncos carried four into training camp last year.
Like fifth-round pick Quanterus Smith, Dysert is coming off an injury. Unlike Smith, Dysert's injury -- a torn hamstring -- has healed, and Dysert proclaimed himself "100 percent." That's helpful to his cause, since the upcoming rookie camp in two weeks will represent Dysert's first, best chance for extensive work before Manning and Osweiler take the lion's share of the snaps.
After that, much of Dysert's learning will come in the meeting rooms, because the Broncos need to give Osweiler enough snaps to foster his development. Over time, Dysert can push Osweiler, or offer a backup plan. For now, he'll learn, and be on a similar long-term plan to the Broncos' other day-three picks, whose best chance to contribute might not be for at least a year or two.
