The Denver Broncos may not pick until number 62 overall in the 2nd round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but this year’s class is deep at the positions they need the most.

Right now, the Broncos’ biggest position of weakness defensively has to be the linebacker position, where they brought back Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton in 2026, but lack depth and future starter options. The Broncos are one injury at linebacker away from having to turn to someone who was either undrafted or has barely played in the NFL, which means they need to upgrade the talent level at that position.

It just so happens that this year’s crop of linebacker prospects is outstanding from top to bottom, and even picking in the late 2nd round, the Broncos could get a player capable of starting early on. One prospect — Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis — is proof of all of these points at once.

Kyle Louis could be ideal solution for Denver Broncos’ linebacker issues at pick 62 overall

Pitt LB Kyle Louis Pro Day Workout!!!🚨🚨🚨

– First-Team All-American (2024)
– First-Team All-ACC (2024)
– Second-Team All-ACC (2025)
– Versatile LB who can do it all
– Extremely athletic
– Great speed (4.53s 40yd dash)
– Very explosive (39.5” vertical and 10’9” broad jump)… pic.twitter.com/5ZvYxujWAp

— Linebackers University™ (@Linebackers_U) March 29, 2026

There doesn’t seem to be any end in sight with this year’s linebacker class. It feels like the more you dig, the more you find. There is no bottom.

Kyle Louis is yet another player in this class with elite athletic traits, production, three-down abilities, and perhaps ideally translatable traits for the Vance Joseph defense.

Louis is a converted safety who is slightly undersized, but plays with outstanding toughness. He’s got the 5th-highest grade out of any linebacker in the class, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, and had the 2nd-best 3-cone time at the position (6.97).

Why is that important? Well, the 3-cone drill is meant to highlight agility, quickness, and change of direction. When you’re asking a linebacker to match up in coverage with some of the tight ends in today’s NFL, those traits are mission critical. If you’re stiff as a linebacker and can’t drop into coverage, you’re going to be the weak link, even on a great defense.

The Broncos have had plenty of players who can get by with instincts in coverage, but when it comes to actually being assets who can match up and give the defense the advantage in coverage? Those types of players have been harder to come by. Of course, you also have to be able to attack the line of scrimmage, blitz, and make plays in run defense.

Louis had a combined 24 tackles for loss and 10 sacks over the last two seasons to go along with six interceptions.

The production is there, the athleticism is there, and the potential to start as early as 2027 is there. That’s exactly what the Broncos need at the linebacker position, and you could make a great case that out of all this team’s top needs, the value won’t be better at any position group than this one at 62 overall.