The NFL draft is a little more than two months away, so what will the Broncos do in the first round?
With Russell Wilson’s future in the air, the quarterback position is once again uncertain. But Denver also has questions with its pass rush, offensive line and tight ends.
So, here’s a look at who national draftniks are thinking will land in Denver.
NFL.com | Cynthia Frelund | Updated Feb. 9
Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean (3) returns a punt during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Western Michigan, Sept. 16, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall, The Associated Press)
“There is a long road between now and the draft. We’ll be watching to see what Denver does at the quarterback position, but Broncos Country, your team would immediately improve if you pick this very dynamic Iowa CB. Adding DeJean to complement Pat Surtain II would be pretty special. He has experience in off coverage, which allowed me to measure how he takes straight lines at a rate in the top 18 percentile (this can also be considered a gauge of his ball-tracking ability),” Frelund writes. Read the full mock draft.
USA Today | Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz | Updated Feb. 12
Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu (74) during their NCAA football practice, Saturday, April 17, 2021, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
“Russell Wilson seems likely to be released. Could Garett Bolles follow him out the door? Amid a cap crunch, Denver could save $16 million by parting ways with its fixture at left tackle. The proposition would be even more enticing if the Broncos knew they’d have a promising replacement ready in Fashanu, who has all the physical tools to be an upper-echelon pass protector,” Middlehurst-Schwartz writes. Read the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Chad Reuter | Updated Feb. 12
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against Clemson during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Broncos receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 4)
Cardinals receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 12), 2024 third-round pick (No. ), 2025 first-round pick.
“With Harrison off the board, the Cardinals acquire a 2025 first-round pick, along with a third-rounder this year, to swap places with Denver. Head coach Sean Payton gets his new quarterback,” Reuter writes. See the full mock draft.
Pro Football Focus | Trevor Sikkema | Updated Feb. 12
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks to pass as he is pressured by Duke linebacker Tre Freeman (12) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Broncos receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 2).
Commanders receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 12), 2025 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 first-round pick.
“I believe the market for quarterbacks in this draft will be red hot, and we’ll see that solidify after free agency. Teams such as the Falcons, Raiders, Broncos and Vikings will all be looking to move up for a quarterback. Here, I have an aggressive Sean Payton moving from No. 12 to No. 2 by giving up the same compensation package the 49ers offered to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 for Trey Lance in 2021,” Sikkema writes. See the full mock draft.
247Sports | Brad Crawford | Updated Feb. 20
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) reacts after running back Blake Corum scored a touchdown during overtime at the Rose Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
“With USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels designated as the top quarterbacks available — all with a chance at going No. 1 — Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy solidified top billing in the second tier. The Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders are in the market for quarterbacks too, but without a top 10 selection, they have to determine which quarterback from that second group is best-suited for their respective franchises,” Crawford writes. See the full mock draft.
ESPN | Field Yates | Updated Feb. 14
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up before the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Indianapolis. (Darron Cummings, The Associated Press)
“My expectation is Russell Wilson will not be a Bronco in 2024, and the reality of the situation is that Denver has no easy way to get out of the contract without absorbing massive salary cap implications. Combine that with a shallow free agent quarterback class and we’re staring at the real possibility of Denver needing to draft a quarterback to be the starter (or develop Jarrett Stidham into that role).
“While this slot is ahead of where McCarthy ranks on my board, this is a story as old as time: Quarterbacks almost always wind up going higher than expected in the draft. And Denver has just six total picks, the next of which comes in the third round, which limits its options. McCarthy is an accuracy merchant with very good mobility. Scouts believe he offers more as a thrower than we saw during his last season at Michigan, when the Wolverines leaned heavily on a dominant defense and run game,” Yates writes. Read the full mock draft (subscription).
NFL.com | Lance Zierlein | Updated Feb. 5
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) reacts after running back Blake Corum scored a touchdown during overtime at the Rose Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
“NFL evaluators have described McCarthy’s processing as ‘elite’ in my conversations with them. Drew Brees was a great processer, but he didn’t have the same athletic ability that McCarthy offers. This just feels like a Sean Payton pick,” Zierlein writes. See the full mock draft.
The Sporting News | Vinnie Iyer | Updated Feb. 12
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy passes against Washington during the first half of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
“The Broncos will be trying to move on from Russell Wilson through another trade and will need a tough, athletic playmaker to replace him as their new leader under Sean Payton. McCarthy would be a good fit after those other QBs are off the board,” Iyer writes. Read the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Eric Edholm | Updated Feb. 2
Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy II (90) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against Washington during the first half of the Sugar Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
“I know many will pine for a quarterback, but I think the Broncos will be hard-pressed to land a worthy talent at the position in this lofty draft slot. Instead, they could pivot to upgrading the interior D-line with an explosive penetrator such as Murphy, even if this feels a tad high for him,” Edholm writes. See the full mock draft.
ESPN | Matt Miller | Updated Feb. 5
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix (10) looks to pass against Hawaii during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Andy Nelson)
“With Russell Wilson expected to be released, the Broncos are on the hunt for a new franchise quarterback. Nix is coming off a solid showing at the Senior Bowl, where team scouts raved about his interviews and the work he did in practice. Nix, who started for three seasons at Auburn before transferring to Oregon in 2022, is experienced and pro-ready, and he has the accuracy (nation-leading 77.4% completion rate) and second-effort mobility to work well with coach Sean Payton’s scheme. This might feel early for Nix, but quarterbacks always rise, and scouts keep telling me that he is going to get drafted earlier than expected,” Miller writes. See the full mock draft (subscription).
NFL.com | Dan Parr | Updated Feb. 16
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) in the first quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Autzen Stadium Sept. 23, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Broncos receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 18) and more undisclosed picks.
Bengals receive: 2024 first-round pick (No. 12).
“Sean Payton is desperate for help after parting with Russell Wilson in this hypothetical and missing out on the first four quarterbacks off the board. Nix has the experience and intelligence to be a good fit in Denver,” Parr writes. Read the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Kyle Stackpole | Updated Feb. 19
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze warms up before an NCAA college football game against Washington State, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
“Staring at salary cap problems regardless of what happens with Russell Wilson, the Broncos may look to trade some higher-priced players with the hope of getting some compensation instead of just cutting them. Two potential candidates? Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. That’s the scenario in this mock draft, with the Broncos getting younger at wide receiver with the explosive Rome Odunze and looking to deal the other pass-catchers,” Stackpole writes. Read the full mock draft.
Yahoo Sports | Charles McDonald and Mike Tice | Updated Feb. 20
Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner (15) celebrates after stopping Georgia’s offense during the first half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game in Atlanta, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (Mike Stewart, The Associated Press)
“Denver ends up in a tough spot here with the favored quarterbacks off the board, but it can bolster another premium position that needs an infusion of talent. Turner is potentially the best edge rusher in the class and fills a need for the rebuilding Broncos,” McDonald writes. Read the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Daniel Jeremiah | Updated Feb. 20
Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
Florida State defensive lineman Jared Verse reacts after a play during the second half of the team’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game against Louisville, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
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“Denver is another potential landing spot for a quarterback. In this exercise, though, they complement some of the young talent in the secondary with a difference-maker up front,” Jeremiah writes. Read the full mock draft.
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