The Denver Broncos should have 1 of the NFL’s best defenses once again in 2026, with NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl talent in spades at seemingly every position.
One spot they could use more depth, however, is at their 1 true interior defensive line spot, where they employ a true nose tackle in D.J. Jones.
That depth could be on the way via Day 2 or Day 3 of the 2026 NFL draft, where the Broncos could very well be targeting 6-foot-4, 313-pound Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan.
McClellan might have the talent to not only provide depth behind Jones but also behind defensive end Zach Allen.
“Mizzou defensive lineman Chris McClellan, a Day 2 pick, is spending his final Top 30 visit with the Giants today, source says,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on Wednesday. “A DT who can also rush the passer, McClellan also has visits with the Broncos, Raiders, Panthers, Cardinals, and 49ers.”
Switched SEC Programs After Sophomore Season
McLellan played his 1st 2 college seasons at the University of Florida, where he played in 25 games but made just 1 start. He transferred to Missouri for his final 2 seasons and his career took off.
In 2024, McLellan played in 13 games with 9 starts, including 2.5 sacks, 5.5 TFL, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. He improved on those numbers with 13 games and 12 starts in 2025 to go with career highs across the board in tackles (48), TFL (8), and, most importantly, 6.0 sacks.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein has McClellan projected as a 4th or 5th round pick.
“Two-year starter who is solidly proportional with adequate length,” Zierlein wrote. “McClellan is not a natural knee-bender, which limits his anchor, and he allows blockers too far into his frame too often. He has flashes where he can dominate a rep, but he will need to improve his take-on technique and hand usage to be more consistent. His first step is average and his pass rush isn’t overly explosive, but McClellan can pry open edges with strong hands. He plows through to collapse pockets once his foot is in the door and projects as a backup nose tackle in an even-front defense.”
Broncos Already Have Dominant Pass Rush
The Broncos have 3 pass rushers that would be superstars by themselves on any team in the NFL, led by All-Pro edge rusher Nik Bonitto, another All-Pro in Allen, and Jonathon Cooper, who has 27.0 sacks over the last 3 seasons.
The Broncos have led the NFL in sacks each of the last 2 seasons, with 63.0 sacks in 2024 and 68.0 sacks in 2025.
They’ve also spent heavily on the defensive front, dropping over a quarter-billion on contracts for the previously mentioned trio.
With stars in place on long-term deals, that makes players like defensive end Malcolm Roach and backup edge rusher Jonah Elliss expendable, which means the Broncos would probably be happy to replace them with players on rookie contracts.
Enter someone like McClellan.
“Missouri DT Chris McClellan is on a 30 visit in Denver today,” The Denver Post’s Luca Evans wrote on his X account on March 6. “He posted this to his IG story today from the Broncos’ facility. 6-foot-4, 313-pound DT, ran 5.05 40 at the combine. Had six sacks last year, 8 TFLs. Interesting prospect.”
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