It’s been an eventful March in Broncos Country.
Russell Wilson is gone. Jerry Jeudy is gone. Josey Jewell is gone. Justin Simmons is gone. Denver’s in full rebuild mode. So how does that affect its draft outlook?
Here’s a look at who national draftniks are thinking will land in Denver.
USA Today | Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz | Updated March 12
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (19) runs the ball after a catch against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (George Walker IV, The Associated Press)
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
“Given that riding things out with Jarrett Stidham seems like a highly questionable move for Sean Payton in Year 2, a quarterback has to be in play either here or the second round. In this case, however, the Broncos stick to the value equation and provide their future starting passer with a significant weapon in Bowers, who should quickly establish himself as a major threat after the catch,” Middlehurst-Schwartz writes. Read the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Kyle Stackpole | Updated March 4
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (19) runs after a catch as Mississippi safety Nick Cull (29) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
“I trust Sean Payton to make the right move at QB following the inevitable release of Russell Wilson. But with the pass-catching situation potentially in flux — do the Broncos try and trade Jerry Jeudy and/or Courtland Sutton — Denver gets a top-10 talent for whomever ends up under center,” Stackpole writes. Read the full mock draft.
The Denver Post | Ryan McFadden | Updated March 4
Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu (74) during their NCAA football practice, Saturday, April 17, 2021, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
“There are so many directions the Broncos can go with their first-round pick. Ultimately, Denver will land its left tackle of the future. Broncos head coach Sean Payton emphasized last year the importance of offensive linemen to a team’s development. At 6-foot-6, 312 pounds, Fashanu has the prototypical size for an offensive lineman. He can fit into any scheme and could be an immediate starter,” McFadden writes. Read the full Broncos seven-round mock draft.
Pro Football Focus | Gordon McGuinness | Updated March 4
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Owen McCown (7) gets chased down by UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Grayson Murphy (12), second from left, and UCLA Bruins linebacker Laiatu Latu (15) in the third quarter at Folsom Field September 24, 2022. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
“I can see the case for this being a quarterback, but I just don’t love any of the remaining prospects enough to pass on one of the few remaining elite talents in this draft.
“Medicals will be key for Latu, but he racked up 62 total pressures — including 26 combined sacks and hits — from 304 pass-rushing snaps last season,” McGuinness writes. Read the full mock draft.
Los Angeles Times | Sam Farmer | Updated March 4
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)
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
“So long, Russell Wilson. Sean Payton goes against type and takes a quarterback he can mold from the start,” Farmer writes. Read the full mock draft.
Fox Sports | David Helman and Carmen Vitali | Updated March 13
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)
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
“I won’t be surprised if Denver needs to trade up to pull this off, but I don’t expect Sean Payton to be patient about solving his quarterback issue. McCarthy’s physical ability will get him drafted early, and I don’t trust that Payton can resist the urge to find his next project,” Helman writes. Read the full mock draft.
ESPN | Mel Kiper Jr. | Updated Feb. 28
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)
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
“I’m following my co-workers and slotting in a quarterback to the Broncos. Why? This might be their only chance to add a high-ceiling signal-caller prospect this offseason — and not mortgage their future to do it. They’re almost certainly going to cut Russell Wilson, leaving a void on the depth chart. They don’t have the cap space to try to add a veteran. Moving up from No. 12 might require a future first-rounder that would hamper them down the road. So why not take a shot on McCarthy?
“Look, this would be a reach by my rankings, but I could see why a team in the top 15 would talk itself into McCarthy. He has an intriguing skill set as a passer. He will test extremely well during combine workouts and impress coaches and front office execs in interviews. He wasn’t asked to carry the Wolverines with his arm the past two seasons, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t do it. Sure, McCarthy needs some refinement, but Sean Payton could get the best out of him in Denver,” Kiper writes. Read the full mock draft.
ESPN | Field Yates | Updated Feb. 14
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, left, talks to quarterback J.J. McCarthy before an NCAA college football game against Michigan State, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
“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.
NFL.com | Lance Zierlein | Updated March 4
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy celebrates their win against Washington in the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Broncos acquire: Bears’ 2024 first-round pick (No. 9) and perhaps more?
Bears acquire: Broncos’ 2024 first-round pick (No. 12) and more.
“The Broncos dive head-first back into the quarterback market by moving up a few spots and grabbing a young signal-caller with plenty of upside for Sean Payton to mold,” Zierlein writes. Read the full mock draft.
The Athletic | Diante Lee | Updated March 11
Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Muncie, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
“Denver is in an uncomfortable position, having released several vets to clean up its cap sheet and pivot its roster. So, if there aren’t any options to trade down, it would be wise to take the best premium position talent available. Mitchell has the speed, length and ball skills to be a top-flight CB in his own right, and playing across from Patrick Surtain II could set him up to thrive,” Lee writes. Read the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Ryan Wilson | Updated March 4
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)
Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas
“Denver would love a QB — and for our purposes here, we can assume it landed Cousins if it’s not trading up — but it lands the twitchiest interior defensive lineman in the class,” Wilson writes. Read the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Charles Davis | Updated March 6
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws against Liberty during the first half on the NCAA Fiesta Bowl college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
“This might be a surprise to some at No. 12, but it’s not a surprise that Broncos HC Sean Payton could be interested in a passer whose accuracy in his last two college seasons was reminiscent of Drew Brees,” Davis writes. Read the full mock draft.
USA Today | Nate Davis | Updated March 4
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)
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
“Time was, it was unusual to see five or six quarterbacks in Round 1 of a given draft. But time was, it was unusual for a team to trade a boatload of picks for a veteran quarterback, grant him a $240-plus million extension, then give up on him two years later. But it seems that’s where Denver currently is, coach Sean Payton signaling at the combine that Russell Wilson could be out the door soon. Nix appears to have significantly more upside than journeyman placeholder Jarrett Stidham, not to mention the accuracy — nearly 75% in two seasons with the Ducks — Payton values, plus a nose for the goal line (38 rushing TDs in five college seasons). And with an FBS-record 61 starts under his belt, rookie passers don’t come much more plug-and-play than Nix would,” Davis writes. Read the full mock draft.
Sports Illustrated | Luke Easterling | Updated March 13
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix is interviewed after the team’s victory over Stanford in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, in Stanford, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Broncos acquire: Cowboys’ 2024 first-round pick (No. 24) and more
Cowboys acquire: Broncos’ 2024 first-round pick (No. 12)
“After trading back and recouping some much-needed draft capital (man, that Russell Wilson trade was rough), the Broncos are still able to land their quarterback of the future. Nix may not have the upside of the top-tier passers in this year’s class, but his combination of experience, accuracy and efficiency will check the most important boxes for Sean Payton,” Easterling writes. See the full mock draft.
The Sporting News | Vinnie Iyer | Updated March 4
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a pass against Cal during the first quarter of their game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
“The Broncos should be on the radar for McCarthy, but if he’s gone and they can find a way to move on from Russell Wilson at QB, they should be happy going for the strong-arm, accurate Nix to be a well-rounded successor in Joe Lombardi’s offense. Both Nix and McCarthy shined at the combine to stay neck-and-neck in the quest to be the fourth QB drafted,” Iyer writes. Read the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Chris Trapasso | Updated March 13
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)
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
“Instead of hoping to wheel and deal to get back into the first round later, Sean Payton simply picks his quarterback of the future here to be a point-guard type in Denver,” Trapasso writes. Read the full mock draft.
247Sports | Brad Crawford | Updated March 11
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)
Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
No write-up available. See the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Tom Fornelli | Updated March 11
Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner (15) runs during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Michelle Haas Hutchins)
Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
“I swear I didn’t go into my mock intending to go this long without a defensive player going off the board, but it’s not entirely without question. I don’t think there’s any question that this draft class strength is on the offensive side. Still, Dallas Turner is an excellent prospect who the Broncos would be happy to have,” Fornelli writes. Read the full mock draft.
ESPN | Jordan Reid | Updated March 5
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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Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
“The Broncos have holes throughout the roster, and if the top four quarterbacks are already off the board, the next-best option has to be adding an edge rusher. Verse brings something different than what’s currently on the Denver roster, too. At 6-4 and 254 pounds, he has a sturdy NFL-ready frame, and his heavy hands and pass-rush traits were evident down the stretch of last season, as he had 6.5 sacks over his final five games. Verse can consistently win with speed or power and even can intertwine both in his pass-rush moves,” Reid writes. Read the full mock draft.
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