Heading into the 2020 NFL season, many analysts think Denver Broncos QB Drew Lock could be poised to take a big step forward.

The former Mizzou star was a Round 2 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he had success when he took over as the team’s starter in the second half of the season.

On Tuesday’s episode of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” NFL analyst Bucky Brooks explained why he loves Lock heading into this season:

“He’s one of my favorite young quarterbacks. You have to remember that Drew Lock didn’t play quarterback year-round. Drew Lock is an accomplished basketball player who had legitimate D1 offers to play hoops. So in the offseason, when everyone was on the 7-on-7 circuit, he was playing basketball at a high level. He didn’t really become a full-time quarterback until he got to Missouri.

“We’re talking about 2, maybe 3, offseasons of really mastering the position. What I really like about Drew Lock — big-time arm talent, great athlete. The basketball skills translate onto the grass. He is an even better connector. His ability to relate with his teammates will bring him into the fold. These guys will want to play for him, because he is really a guy that connects. He has a chemistry and coolness about him that players like.

“Drew Lock is going to ball out this year. … He’s a fantastic young quarterback.”

Will Lock improve upon his rookie season and help the Broncos compete with the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West?

Cowherd and Brooks both think he has the skills.