With the Denver Broncos officially locking up the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff race, they haven’t just earned home-field advantage; they’ve earned time.
Given the large gap between games for Denver, it is the perfect time to look ahead to the offseason and see the talent that general manager George Paton will target in the 2026 NFL Draft. This year’s draft works out nicely for the Orange and Blue, as it is not super top-heavy and reflects the team’s needs quite well.
The picks in this mock will be based on the current Super Bowl odds, which have the Broncos as the favorite to win the AFC, but not the favorite to bring home the Lombardi trophy. As a result, they’ll earn the 31st slot.
*Trade*: Denver Broncos Send Picks 31 and 108 (Via NO) to the Houston Texans for Pick 27
While reaching the Super Bowl is a blessing and the sport’s penultimate achievement, it does admittedly make it tougher for the Broncos to navigate the draft and get “their guys.”
One of the Broncos’ biggest goals this offseason should be to add a game-changing pass-catcher who can become the focal point of their offense. To do so, they likely will have to either trade the pick outright for a veteran such as Jaylen Waddle or A.J. Brown or package the selection with other draft picks to move up the board. In this instance, they trade ahead of the Cleveland Browns, who are certainly a contender to take a WR, to land their desired pass-catcher.
Round 1, Pick 27 (via Houston): Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
At first glance, Denzel Boston may seem a little redundant with Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant already on the roster, as he is yet another big-bodied receiver at 6’4”, 210 lbs with reliable hands who can be a contested catch threat for this offense.
A more complementary skillset would be ideal, but, in all honesty, the other receivers with “different skillsets” in this range all have glaring issues that are hard to ignore, and don’t come close to being the caliber of prospect that Boston is, considering his well-rounded game.
Plus, the front office has long embraced taking the best players available, and Sean Payton has stated many times how much he values size at the position, making it easy to see him falling in love with Boston.
Finally, with how well-rounded Denver’s roster is, they don’t need to hyper-focus on a glaring need. They can look past the redundancies and simply focus on landing high-end talent.
Boston certainly fits that bill.
He has polished releases off the line of scrimmage and underrated wiggle and burst when running routes, finishing with a 73.9% separation % (74th percentile) and 57.7% separation % against single coverage (51st percentile) per PFF, which is especially impressive at his frame. While the single coverage % isn’t an elite number, that is more than acceptable when he’s bringing in 59.4% of contested catches (93rd percentile) and only dropping passes 3.8% of the time (92nd percentile).
Also, despite the aforementioned overlap with Sutton and Bryant, he should have no problem playing alongside them. Boston’s alignment-versatile, lining up in the slot, Z, and even the backfield at times for the Huskies, and is arguably the best run blocker in the entire class for the position.
The film and numbers show a great player with the upside to become an eventual No. 1 WR. There are shades of Drake London in his game, and he is someone the Broncos should be aggressive in acquiring, should he fall within range.
Round 2, Pick 63: Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State
Safety is an underrated need for the Broncos, as P.J. Locke is an impending free agent this offseason and Brandon Jones will be up for a new contract in 2027 after suffering a season-ending injury this season. Reserve pieces J.L. Skinner and Devon Key have been great special teamers, but both have left plenty to be desired when asked to fill in on defense
They will need depth regardless, but with Jones aging towards a third contract, it might be time to get a cheap rookie contract into the team’s last line of defense.
If Zakee Wheatley lasts until the end of the second round, the Broncos should sprint to the podium. He’s a proven playmaker with a knack for finding the football, recording 169 tackles and four interceptions over the past two seasons. He also boasts the positional versatility to either operate deep as a single-high roamer or play closer to the line of scrimmage.
Furthermore, Wheatley’s instincts simply jump off the screen. He has quality range in single-high coverage and jumps routes by mirroring the eyes of the quarterback. He has great size for the position at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and aggressively triggers downhill in the run game, delivering big blows against opposing ball carriers.
Wheatley’s primary area of concern is his tackling, as he can sometimes have poor technique and can over-commit certain angles (much like Talanoa Hufanga). He is very aggressive and always looking to make a play, which can lead to the occasional big gain allowed by biting on a double move or play-action fake.
However, he has shown improvement with his missed tackle rate this year, reducing from 17% in 2024 to 9% in 2025. A year rotating behind Hufanga and Jones could also do wonders for his development in this area.
Overall, Wheatley has the upside to be an impactful starter in this league, and would give the Broncos another fun young piece in the secondary that isn’t another corner.
Round 3, Pick 96: Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
If you just glance at the box scores, this may seem early for Oscar Delp, but he is a classic example of a player who will likely be a much better pro than a college player.
Sitting at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, he has plenty of size for the position, and still has room to add more weight to his frame. He is a great athlete and has showcased the burst and straight-line speed to be a weapon both downfield and after the catch. He is also a smooth mover who can generate separation, although his route-running still needs some development.
However, what really separates Delp is his blocking ability. Despite not weighing over 250 pounds, he blocks with a nasty edge and has the power to drive defenders backward, which the Broncos desperately need more of at tight end.
He can be used as a move-blocker in an H-back role or line up as a true Y on the line of scrimmage. He always blocks with A+ effort and displays good football IQ in this area.
For whatever reason, Georgia simply didn’t throw him the ball on offense, resulting in him being underdeveloped as a receiver. That said, a proven blocking tight end with elite athletic upside is well worth the swing. He wouldn’t have to start right away for Denver either, as they still have Evan Engram under contract and could add another body to the room in free agency.
Round 3, Pick 101 (Compensatory Pick from Vance Joseph): Brian Parker II, IOL, Duke
This may be considered cheating, since Vance Joseph has not actually been hired by another team yet, but he’s a red-hot name that has already secured interviews from six of the eight teams with available openings, making it very likely he will be offered a job.
If the Broncos do earn two third-round picks for Joseph, they would be wise to invest in the trenches.
Due to his injury and contract, Ben Powers has been discussed as a potential cut candidate this offseason, and while Alec Palczewski played admirably in his absence and should return to the team on an RFA contract, the Broncos need to have a long-term plan at guard.
Should he fall to this range, Brian Parker II would be a great addition for offensive line coach Zach Strief to work with. Parker is capable of playing tackle and guard, and even has the movement skills to play center. He’s a great athlete who plays with a good competitive edge in the run game. He excels in zone blocking schemes, which Payton has leaned more towards during his time in Denver (and Powers has been a poor fit for).
While he could play tackle in a pinch, Parker II’s arm length indicates he will certainly play IOL at the next level, which should help with some of the grabbiness he displayed against edge rushers. He would also benefit from a year of adding more mass in the weight room, as he is just 300lbs and could have a tougher time moving people at the next level.
Round 4, Pick 131: L.J. Martin, RB, BYU
The Broncos’ running game has been quite a rollercoaster this season.
On one hand, J.K. Dobbins was one of the best pure runners in football when healthy, and R.J. Harvey leads all rookie runners with 12 total touchdowns. On the other hand, Dobbins (predictably) got hurt, and Harvey has been one of the most inefficient backs in the league on a down-to-down basis.
It seems like the team will either bring back Dobbins or sign another veteran (Tyler Allgeier, anyone?) to pair with Harvey, but either way, they shouldn’t be done adding to the room.
Martin would add a big, physical runner to the backfield who can be an early-down back when needed. He absorbs contact like a sponge and has great vision/feel when navigating running lanes. He also has three-down ability, showing upside as a receiver and in pass protection.
Martin’s ceiling is likely capped to a rotational role due to his limited burst/long speed, but he would provide immense value for a Day 3 selection. If the Broncos intend to improve the efficiency of their running game, he should almost certainly be a target.
Round 5, Pick 171: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
It has been way too long since the Broncos drafted a tackle. Garett Bolles is approaching his mid-thirties and Mike McGlinchey isn’t far behind him, and both are among the most expensive contracts on the team and the most expensive OL contracts in football, which means the Broncos have to start prioritizing their tackle plan of the future.
World is an upside swing at tackle who could eventually become a starter. He has a massive frame at 6-foot-8 and 318 pounds, and he is a good mover despite his size. He has a really explosive first step, blocks with power, and knows how to use his length to generate leverage.
Unfortunately, he is a Day 3 prospect due to being extremely raw in his technique. He lacks refinement and consistency, causing him to lose plenty of matchups that he shouldn’t in both the pass and run game. He shouldn’t start right away, which is why Denver would be the perfect situation for him.
There’s a world (pun intended) where Strief develops World for another year or two until he is a suitable replacement at tackle, at which point the Broncos could look to move on from McGlinchey or Bolles.
