Week 5 of the NCAA football season is here. That means another installment of Future Broncos. Here are three players Broncos Country should keep their eyes on in today’s action-packed slate of games.
LJ Martin — Running Back — BYU
One position I haven’t discussed any prospects at thus far is running back. Over the past two drafts, the Broncos have made investments in RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman. They also re-upped J.K. Dobbins to a two-year deal, but he hasn’t looked as explosive as he did in the first part of their 2025 gridiron campaign.
I think any fan would admit Denver has issues running the ball to start the season. For me, it’s still a relatively mild concern, but definitely not a top-tier need that has to be addressed. I’m not arguing for an early investment at running back.
However, a certain prospect I feel would provide an immediate boost to Denver’s rushing woes is BYU senior LJ Martin. I discussed him last year, but he opted to return for his fourth and final season with the Cougars. Martin is coming off an impressive junior campaign where he had 236 rushes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also was a viable receiver out of the backfield hauling in 36 catches for 255 yards.
At 6’2” and 220 pounds, Martin is one of the most physical runners in this year’s class at the position group. A throwback runner that wins in between the tackles and gets downhill quickly, Martin has routinely been amongst the best in the nation gaining yards after contact and forcing missed tackles. He doesn’t have elite athleticism or breakaway speed, but his strengths are extremely enticing.
There is a long way to go in the season, but I think he could be a Top 100 pick next April. Whether or not Denver has interest remains to be seen, but if their stable of backs continues to struggle, I’m guessing they will be intrigued by the BYU standout. You can catch Martin and the tenth ranked Cougars this evening going up against TCU on the road.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 06: LJ Martin #4 of the BYU Cougars stiff arms Brice Pollock #14 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the third quarter in the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) Getty Images
Reed Harris — Wide Receiver — Arizona State
A few weeks ago, I discussed Rutgers wideout K.J. Duff. The reason for doing so was to find a prospect at the X position for Denver given Courtland Sutton’s age and salary cap situation. As the collegiate season continues, I’ll keep my eyes peeled on prospects that line up with that.
Arizona State’s Reed Harris fits the bill. Harris started his career at Boston College back in 2023. He didn’t play much as a freshman but became a full-time starter for the Eagles in 2024 and hauled in 17 receptions for 481 yards and four touchdowns. Yes, you read that right. That’s a 28.6 yard per catch average.
In 2025, he notched 39 catches for 673 yards and five touchdowns. For his senior season, he transferred to Arizona State to play for the Sun Devils. Through three games, the wideout has 19 catches for 374 yards and 5 touchdowns and is on pace to break all his collegiate high totals. He is big at 6’5” and 220 pounds and has sneaky agility for a guy his size and the ability to dominate with contested catches.
Overall, Harris is just an explosive playmaker with great hands and quality traits. That’s worth monitoring as the season progresses. Everyone knows Head Coach Sean Payton loves big wide receivers. I’m sure once he gets to the prospect evaluation process, he will be a big fan of #3. You can catch Harris in action late this evening when the Sun Devils host Baylor.
TEMPE, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 05: Reed Harris #3 of the Arizona State Sun Devils reacts to a first-down reception against the Morgan State Bears during the first half of the NCAAF game at Mountain America Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Getty Images
Quincy Rhodes Jr. — Defensive End — Arkansas
The Broncos have invested multiple Day 2 selections the past two drafts to select Sai’vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim to add to their defensive front seven. It’s still early in their careers, but we honestly haven’t seen anything at all from them to date. That’s a little bit worrisome even with Denver’s depth at the position group.
A player I was high on last year, but also opted to return to college for his senior season was Arkansas defensive end Quincy Rhodes Jr. At 6’6” and 275 pounds, Rhodes boasts tantalizing size and an elite wingspan that helps him with his pass rush and getting after opposing quarterbacks. Last season, he led the Razorbacks with 8 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss—proving he is a disruptive force against the run and the pass.
His alignment versatility is one of the reasons I like him as a fit for Denver in Vance Joseph’s defense. He has played all over Arkansas’ defensive front and been extremely disruptive. Rhodes still isn’t the sum of all his parts, but he has elite physical traits that are worth betting on.
So far, he already has two sacks on the season. If he continues to develop, he seems like an easy bet to hear his name called in the Top 64 picks next April. I can imagine a lot of NFL defensive line coaches pounding the table for a prospect who has a lot of untapped potential. You can catch Rhodes in action this evening when the Razorbacks head on the road to face Texas A&M in an SEC matchup.
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – OCTOBER 25: Jackson Arnold #11 of the Auburn Tigers is sacked by Quincy Rhodes Jr. #97 of the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Tigers defeated the Razorbacks 33-24. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) Getty Images