With their 145th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine. He was added to a Broncos secondary that had some questions behind All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II. Riley Moss was coming off a lost rookie year, Ja’Quan McMillian was looking to build on his promising 2023 season, and the team signed veteran Levi Wallace as some veteran depth.

After a solid training camp and preseason, Abrams-Draine made the Broncos’ 53-man roster but was a healthy scratch for the vast majority of the season. After Riley Moss suffered a knee injury a week prior, Abrams-Draine was active for the first time during the Broncos’ week 13 matchup vs. the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football. After Levi Wallace was shredded throughout the game, Abrams-Draine saw his first career regular-season action late in that game. His playing time would continue a week later vs. the Colts, and the following week, he would get his first career interception off Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Moss returned to action after the Chargers game, and while Abrams-Draine was still active, his playing time was minimal.

Abrams-Draine entered the offseason looking to build off the promising end to his 2024 season. He saw some valuable playing time, played well, and even had his first career interception. I believed he could potentially push McMillian or Moss for a starting job this summer.

Then, the draft happened.

With their 20th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron. This selection came as a bit of a surprise and dealt a blow to Abrams-Draine’s hopes of securing a starting role. It also put Abrams-Draine near the roster bubble as he currently sits projected as the Broncos’ fifth cornerback on the roster.

Now, he’ll look to compete for playing time and potentially a roster spot this summer in a suddenly loaded and competitive Denver Broncos secondary.

Player Profile
Kris Abrams-Draine | Cornerback | Broncos

Height: 5-11

Weight: 178 pounds

Age: 23 years old

2024 stats: Appeared in 5 games and had 9 tackles, 1 interception, and 2 pass deflections

Broncos CB Kris Abrams-Draine’s 2025 Outlook

Right now, he’s competing for one of the final roster spots in the Broncos’ cornerback room.

Reigning All-Pro, Pro Bowl, and AP Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II leads this group, followed by third-year corner Riley Moss, and first-round pick Jahdae Barron. After those three, you have a cluster of cornerbacks that includes Ja’Quan McMillian, Damarri Mathis, and Abrams-Draine competing for a roster spot and playing time. After this group, you have several players/undrafted rookies looking to impress this summer and crack the Broncos’ 53-man roster.

It would be an upset if Abrams-Draine did not make the Broncos’ 53-man roster, but where he lands on the depth chart will be the question. Cracking a starting spot in the Broncos’ cornerback room will be difficult. Obviously, Pat Surtain II is CB1 for the Broncos, and we can assume that Jahdae Barron will also start. While Moss is penciled in as the other starter, he is coming off a tough end to his 2024 season and has dealt with injuries during his first two seasons with the Broncos. So, his starting job seems like the one KAD has the best chance to push for this summer.

This doesn’t even factor in Ja’Quan McMillian, who was the Broncos’ starting slot corner the past two seasons. With Barron likely taking over slot duties moving forward, this leaves McMillian’s future up in the air. How that situation plays out likely impacts Abrams-Draine’s role with the team this upcoming season.

In the end, Kris Abrams-Draine will likely be part of the Broncos’ 53-man roster this upcoming season, but his role is still up in the air moving forward.

Final Thoughts

The surprising selection of Jahdae Barron shook things up in the Broncos’ cornerback room. Barron is taking someone’s starting job, and right now, it appears that McMillian is the one who lost his job. However, Moss had his struggles late last season as well, so we’ll have to see how all that shakes out.

The Barron selection did not cost Abrams-Draine a starting job, but it pushed him down the depth chart. Right now, he’s projected as the CB5 on the Broncos roster. Typically, teams keep five or at most six corners on the 53-man roster, so KAD is right on the edge of the roster bubble. If he does not push for a starting job, he’ll be competing with a number of players for that final spot or two in the cornerback room.

Again, it would be a surprise if he did not make the 53-man roster, but you can not rule it out. Hopefully, we see KAD have a strong summer and end up pushing for a starting job in the Broncos’ secondary.