The Denver Broncos’ braintrust is about to have the chance to do what they do best: find incredible value in the NFL Draft. General manager George Paton has been one of the best drafters since becoming the team’s general manager in 2021, consistently finding great value on days two and three. Several starters on both sides of the ball were selected by Paton outside of the first round, and some were even undrafted free agents, such as Ja’Quan McMillian

Head coach Sean Payton and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb have turned the likes of Bo Nix and Troy Franklin into legitimate NFL contributors and centerpieces to a Super Bowl-contending offense. As for defensive coordinator Vance Joseph? His defense is one of the deepest in the game, but it is filled out with a great deal of homegrown talent.

NFL.com’s latest seven-round mock draft has the Broncos experiencing a wide range of emotions throughout the three-day draft process: disappointment, excitement, interest, and a few others. Overall, he does not project the Broncos making any draft day trades and selecting more defenders than they do offensive players. Let’s look at where this mock has the Broncos getting work in.

This NFL.com Mock Draft would be a wild ride of emotions for Broncos fansThe good

The good news for the Broncos is that they would end the second round with running back Jadarian Price and begin the fourth with defensive lineman Chris McClellan, two of the better available fits for their roster. Price, the complement to consensus RB1 Jeremiyah Love, figures to be a top-65 selection in the draft and would immediately be the leading candidate to start as Denver’s running back in 2027. McClellan would be the replacement for John Franklin-Myers and would add another large body to the interior of the Broncos’ defensive line that already starts the strong trio of Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach, and DJ Jones.

The bad

The bad with this mock is that Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, a hot name for the Broncos, would go off the board to the New England Patriots at 31st overall, just one pick after the selection the Broncos traded to the Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle. Stowers could be a dynamic playmaker and an incredible matchup nightmare for NFL offenses, and could easily profile as a Joker-type player for Payton and Webb’s offense. Arguably, the biggest threat to a Broncos conference title is the Patriots, and giving MVP candidate Drake Maye another weapon would be a nightmare for Denver.

The interesting

This mock ends with the Broncos selecting Kenyan rugby player Joshua Weru, one of the most interesting players in the 2026 NFL Draft. At 6’4″ and 245lbs, Weru figures to be an edge rusher in the NFL, and has already visited with the Broncos. In this mock, the Broncos select him with their final pick in the draft, and he would join tight end Caleb Lohner and the Broncos’ seventh-round picks with one year of football experience or less when drafted. Clearly, Payton and Paton are willing to take some interesting swings in the final round.

The rest

Aside from the names mentioned before, the Broncos would also select Utah edge rusher Logan Fano with their second fourth-round pick, Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher in the fifth, and Arizona safety Dalton Johnson with the second-to-last pick in the draft. Boerkircher is the most interesting name of this group, considering he only has 38 career receptions to his name over five seasons. He is projectable, however, with a solid frame at 6-5 and 250lbs, and is already a solid run blocker. He could be a fun piece for Payton and Webb if he grows as a pass catcher, but his immediate skill set likely sits him near the bottom of the depth chart.

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