The Denver Broncos defense is already elite.

According to NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., it can get even better this offseason.

Kiper released his latest mock draft on ESPN.com earlier this week and has the Broncos selecting safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren out of Toledo.

While most fans want to see head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton take an offensive skill player, Kiper has Denver going in a very different direction with the No. 30 overall pick.

“The Broncos have two solid safeties in Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones, so this pick might not reap immediate rewards. But neither did the Jahdae Barron pick last April. Denver is planning ahead in the secondary and building something there, as Sean Payton focuses on keeping this defense strong,” Kiper wrote.

On one hand, you can never have enough strong players in the secondary. The NFL is still a passing league, so building that up for the future makes sense.

But on the other side of the coin, adding weapons on offense for QB Bo Nix feels like it should be the priority. Whether it be running back, tight end or wide receiver, a lot in Broncos Country feel that’s the direction the franchise should go in Round 1.

That’s nothing against McNeil-Warren, but it’d be a luxury pick, much like taking Barron at cornerback was a year ago.

“McNeil-Warren is a bit of a sleeper right now, but I think he could have been a top-15 pick had he played for a Power 4 team. His performance against Kentucky at the beginning of the season got my attention. He had 11 tackles and a fumble recovery in that game. His tape shows real speed to the football, and he has five interceptions and 12 forced fumbles over his four-year career,” Kiper concluded.

There’s no doubt that if McNeil-Warren played at an SEC school, he’d probably be going off the board higher. Not a lot of people around the country watch Toledo play football, but he’s a solid player.

Kiper points out some stats above, including that McNeil-Warren has a nose for the football. Payton discussed at the NFL Combine earlier this week the Broncos need to force more turnovers.

It’s just one man’s opinion, but Kiper has been regarded as the best in the business for a long time when it comes to mock drafts. We’ll see if his prediction comes true in two months.

To see the full mock draft, click here.