Broncos mock draft: Prioritizing trenches after trading top pick for Jaylen Waddle

AFC EastBillsDolphinsJetsPatriotsAFC NorthBengalsBrownsRavensSteelersAFC SouthColtsJaguarsTexansTitansAFC WestBroncosChargersChiefsRaidersNFC EastCommandersCowboysEaglesGiantsNFC NorthBearsLionsPackersVikingsNFC SouthBuccaneersFalconsPanthersSaintsNFC West49ersCardinalsRamsSeahawksScores & ScheduleStandingsFantasyNFL OddsNFL PicksNFL DraftPodcastsScoop City Newsletter3-Round Mock DraftConsensus RankingsNFL Draft OrderFree Agency Tracker2026 NFL Draft Could Texas Tech's Lee Hunter fill the void left by John Franklin-Myers in Denver? John E. Moore III / Getty Images Share full articleGrocery store sushi left in front of an open window on a sunny day has a longer shelf life than The Athletic’s last Broncos mock draft. A few hours after Denver selected Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper with the No. 30 pick in our second mock of the offseason, the real Broncos made the exercise moot by acquiring Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster trade with the Dolphins. Hey, at least we were right about that first-round pick being used to bring in a wide receiver. Needless to say, it’s time to conduct a new exercise as the Broncos move closer to the 2026 NFL Draft, which is just over two weeks away. Denver, barring another big trade, will start its participation in the draft in Round 2 with the No. 62 pick and is currently scheduled to make seven picks overall. The Broncos will almost certainly make moves up and down the draft board, but we will stick to the picks they own now. Broncos general manager George Paton made it clear during the NFL league meeting in Arizona last week that the team is interested in adding more offensive and defensive linemen in this draft if the right opportunities present themselves. Even after losing John Franklin-Myers in free agency, Denver likes its depth on the defensive front alongside All-Pro Zach Allen. That includes Sai’vion Jones, a second-year player who saw the field sparingly as a rookie but in whom the Broncos have expressed a lot of faith this offseason. Still, Eyioma Uwazurike is entering the final year of his rookie contract and veteran D.J. Jones has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal after the 2026 season. Denver must keep adding solid, cost-effective depth to sustain a defensive front that has been among football’s best in recent years. Hunter is a swift-moving interior force for someone carrying 320 pounds, and his tape suggests he’s a player who could make an impact against the run early in his career as he works to develop as an interior pass rusher. “Just going into (the draft), we feel pretty good,” Paton said in Arizona of where the defensive line stands. “We have Sai’vion and we have our four guys coming back. Our starters, and then (Uwazurike) really came on, and then Sai’vion and Jordan Jackson. We have pretty good depth, but you are always looking for big guys on the offensive and defensive lines.” The Broncos, of course, will have a lot of different ways they could go with this pick. Hunter’s Texas Tech teammate, linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, could be an intriguing choice to add depth behind veterans Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. A running back like Arkansas’ Mike Washington could add size and speed to a backfield led by J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. They could try to land their tight end of the future in a player like Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, Georgia’s Oscar Delp or Ohio State’s Max Klare. An interior offensive line addition could make sense, too, given some of Denver’s future roster considerations. The Broncos reportedly hosted Joly for a visit and certainly had some strong film to dissect from the tight end’s past two seasons at North Carolina State. The 6-foot-3, 241-pound target caught 92 passes for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns in that span, showing major growth after arriving in the ACC following two seasons at Connecticut. Here is The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler’s scouting report on Joly: “Built in the mold of Jonnu Smith, Joly is a good-sized athlete who can drop his weight at the top of routes and uncover with foot quicks and savvy. He has large, strong hands and has developed into a ball-winner because of his ability to frame the catch and finish, regardless of his surroundings.” The Broncos re-signed tight end Adam Trautman to a three-year deal in March. Trautman has been a serviceable receiver during his previous three seasons in Denver, but Broncos coach Sean Payton made clear that the veteran’s traits as a run blocker and pass protector, and his intimate knowledge of the team’s offense and locker room, were the biggest reasons Denver brought him back this offseason. That doesn’t mean the Broncos don’t need more receiving pop at the position. The Broncos are hopeful another year in the offense can propel Evan Engram to a stronger performance than he had during his debut season in Denver, but he will also turn 32 at the start of the 2026 season and will be a free agent once it ends. Adding a tight end who could make an impact in the passing game next season and beyond should be a top-line item for the Broncos in this draft. The Broncos signed Alex Palczewski to a two-year, $9.5 million extension, a move that reflected the value they see in his versatility. Palczewski has played on the right side of the offensive line for most of his college and NFL career, but he moved to left guard last season after starter Ben Powers suffered a biceps injury and filled in admirably at the new position. The Broncos ultimately could view Palczewski as a replacement for Powers, who is a free agent after this season. No matter their plans with Powers and Palczewski, though, Denver could use more interior depth to compete with current reserves Alex Forsyth and Nick Gargiulo. Casey played left tackle at Boise State, starting 41 career games at the position, but the 6-foot-5, 311-pound prospect could be a better fit inside at the NFL level. Side note: Will this be the first draft since 2017 in which the Broncos select a true offensive tackle? I left the NFL meeting in Arizona last week sensing the Broncos have a steadfast belief that Harvey is poised for a big Year 2 leap in Denver’s offense as he works alongside the backfield’s other top holdover, Dobbins. “RJ is just going to keep getting better,” Paton said. “What did he have, 12 touchdowns? He’s an explosive player and an explosive receiver out of the backfield — a matchup problem. He is going to get better as a runner. He got better as the year went on.” That doesn’t sound like a team eager to use the lone Day 2 pick it currently possesses to upgrade at running back. The fifth round, on the other hand? That could be a more realistic spot for the Broncos to add a running back to their roster who could potentially become an upgrade to Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin, the reserves at the position whom Denver re-signed to modest, one-year deals in free agency. Hemby had a big impact on the undefeated, championship-winning Hoosiers in his lone season with the program after transferring from Maryland. He rushed for 1,120 yards on 4.9 yards per carry, which was also his career average across 711 carries. “I’m a student of the game and I always try to take bits and pieces from every back I’ve encountered,” Hemby said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. “Every back who has success, if you look around the league, there’s a lot of guys who have different qualities and different skill sets, but they’re all successful in their own way. I look at myself as a versatile player, a player who can catch the ball out of the backfield, run decent routes, run the ball really well between the tackles, as well as outside on the edge.” The Broncos like versatility with their defensive backs. Look no further than last year’s first-round pick, Jahdae Barron, who played in dime, nickel and outside corner positions during his rookie season. Wright primarily played outside corner at Stanford, but he also filled in at nickel and as a box safety. The last time the Broncos used a seventh-round pick on an edge rusher, they landed Jonathon Cooper. All Cooper has done since is pile up 31.5 sacks during his five seasons in Denver. Williams doesn’t have Cooper’s speed or burst, but he did have 7.5 sacks for the Blue Devils in 2024. He has designs on law school, he said at the combine, but not before taking his shot at making an NFL roster. The Broncos could very well use their second-round pick or one of their fourth-round selections on an inside linebacker, but it didn’t fall that way in this exercise. They instead take a flyer on Gentry, who a rangy prospect who is undersized but showed some impressive range and potential as a blitzing weapon while piling up five sacks the past two seasons. He played for a USC team that featured new Broncos defensive backs coach Doug Belk on its staff. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Nick Kosmider is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Denver Broncos. He previously covered the Denver Nuggets for The Athletic after spending five years at the Denver Post, where he covered the city’s professional sports scene. His other stops include The Arizona Republic and MLB.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKosmider