Finding Broncos: Final 6-Round Mock Draft

With the draft around rapidly approaching, who do they select in the latest mock draft?

Our best guess at how the Broncos' draft might shake out. 

The Denver Broncos already made their first two selections in the draft — his name is Russell Wilson. By trading away the No. 9 and 40 overall picks to the Seattle Seahawks for Wilson, the Broncos set themselves up with a franchise quarterback. 

With that taken care of, the Broncos have been able to look at the rest of the roster. First, Denver signed edge rusher Randy Gregory and defensive tackle D.J. Jones to get after the quarterback and stop the run. After that, the Broncos could fill out the rest of their roster needs, giving them freedom in the draft. 

The Broncos enter the draft with nine total picks, with five in the top-120 picks and six in the top-150. That gives Denver the flexibility to move up in the draft if needed or move back. 

In my final mock of the 2022 draft cycle, there were three trades. Each trade was based on a real-life precedent from the 2021 or 2020 draft. 

• Denver sends pick 64 to the New York Jets for picks 69 and 163. 
• Denver sends pick 75 to the New Orleans Saints for picks 83 and 124. 
• Denver sends picks 163 and 232 to Indianapolis for picks 159 and 239.

Without further ado, let's dive in! 

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Round 3 | Pick 69 (via NYJ): Josh Paschal | Edge | Kentucky

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After trading back to unclutter the board, the Broncos land Paschal — a versatile defender who can play out of a 2-point or 3-point stance and make an impact as a pass rusher and run stopper. That versatility could be a massive boost to the Broncos' defense. 

Last year, the Broncos struggled to get consistent pressure against the quarterback, and even with Gregory in the fold (he's injured), they need more help. As fine as Jonathon Cooper and Malik Reed are, neither one are fit to be starters. In addition, Gregory and Bradley Chubb both have that concerning injury history, making it necessary to upgrade the third edge spot. 

Paschal has good power and decent athleticism. He is a well-rounded edge defender capable in both phases of defense. With a year as the third edge, Paschal can step in to replace Chubb if Denver decides to move on after this season. 

You can read the full scouting report on Paschal here. 

Round 3 | Pick 83 (via NO): Cam Jurgens | IOL | Nebraska

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The Broncos have been bringing in interior offensive linemen in their top-30 visits, and Cam Jurgens was one of them. Lloyd Cushenberry III has struggled since he came into the league, and his fit in the new scheme is questionable which could lead to him being on the outs. It isn't hard to see why Denver may feel the need to upgrade at the position, especially with Wilson as the franchise quarterback. 

Jurgens is a center-only prospect, but he fits in the scheme the Broncos are implementing on offense. There are areas he has to develop, but he has the strength and football IQ to step in right away. He has good measurables and athleticism to be a long-term center, and his floor is also pretty high. 

You can read the full scouting report on Jurgens here. 

Round 3 | Pick 96: Zyon McCollum | CB | Sam Houston State

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With Ronald Darby and Patrick Surtain II as the boundary corners, Denver can take a shot on a small-school corner in McCollum. If the Broncos can develop McCollum over this next season, they could potentially let Darby go and save some money. However, with Wilson, finances need to play more of a factor in Denver's decisions as it will have to pay the QB before too long. 

McCollum has good speed and athleticism for the NFL, and he fits with the zone scheme the Broncos are expected to be running. He needs some extra time to develop for the NFL, which the Broncos can give him. However, there is enough there to play as a rookie if needed on defense, and he can contribute to special teams. 

You can read the full scouting report on McCollum here. 

Round 4 | Pick 115: Spencer Burford | OT/OL | UTSA

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The Broncos brought back Calvin Anderson and signed Tom Compton and Billy Turner to compete for the starting right tackle job. They're all on one-year deals, so Denver could look for a developmental option to take over after this season. Coming out of UTSA, Burford would be a good option to fill that need. 

Burford is a good athlete and moves well laterally, which helps make him a natural fit in the scheme. However, he needs some time in the weight room and needs to improve his overall technique, even though he has a good technical foundation before he gets a starting job. There is also good versatility with Burford, where if he struggles at tackle, they can move him inside to guard. 

You can read the full scouting report on Burford here. 

Round 4 | Pick 116: Jelani Woods | TE | Virginia

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Adding another tight end is something the Broncos are looking to do. They have Albert Okwuegbunam as the top guy and Eric Tomlinson as the blocking tight end, but the Broncos still need that capable No. 2 to push Okwuegbunam.  Woods is a great athlete at the position that needs to develop as a receiver and as a blocker. 

There is enough with Woods to get him on the field as a rookie, and he fits with Denver's offensive scheme. He has some good versatility with where he can attack defenses, and with Okwuegbunam, he gives them two big mismatch weapons in the red zone. From there, they can work on developing him and potentially get him to be a starter in two years. 

You can read the full scouting report on Woods here. 

Round 4 | Pick 124 (via NO): Eyioma Uwazurike | IDL | Iowa State

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Even after adding D.J. Jones, the Broncos need more help on their defensive line. This isn't the best class for defensive linemen, but Uwazurike has the potential to be a good starting defensive lineman. Additionally, with what the Broncos need on their defensive line, Uwazurike is a good fit. 

Uwazurike has good size and length, with the versatility to play multiple techniques on the defensive line. He has the size and length to hold up as a 4i-technique that the Broncos currently don't have. However, there isn't much burst or closing speed from Uwazurike, which could see him fall to early day three and be a good value for a team like the Broncos. 

You can read the full scouting report on Uwazurike here. 

Round 5 | Pick 145: Dominique Robinson | Edge | Miami (Ohio)

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Even with Gregory joining Chubb, Reed, and Cooper in the edge room, the Broncos could still use more help. Denver struggled that much with getting after opposing quarterbacks last year, which is evident with Von Miller having led all Broncos edges in total pressures despite being traded. Robinson is an explosive athlete with excellent change of direction skills but lacks ideal power. 

Robinson is a former wide receiver who is still learning to play the edge position. His ability as an athletic rusher is tremendous, but the technique is lacking, so putting him in the edge room could help him with his development. With the injury concerns in the edge room, Denver needs someone to help right away, which Robinson can with his athleticism. 

You can read the full scouting report on Robinson here. 

Round 5 | Pick 159 (via IND): Damarion Williams | CB/S | Houston

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Marcus Jones is the Houston defensive back that has gotten all the attention, but Williams is also a good prospect. Williams has good versatility to play the boundary, nickel, and safety on the backend. However, he is lacking in his size with short arms and wingspan. 

Williams has good special teams ability to help the Broncos, and with Ejiro Evero's system, he can be used in multiple ways in the secondary. While playing on the boundary isn't ideal for his length, he can provide additional depth. You're looking at smart, calculated risks for getting this late in the draft, and Williams would be one. 

Round 6 | Pick 206: Juanyeh Thomas | S | Georgia Tech

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There is great size and length with Thomas, and as a rookie, he should be a core special teamer. Paton has highlighted finding help on special teams, and Thomas would be a good help for the coverage teams. While providing help there, Denver can work on developing him as a safety. 

Thomas has good versatility and can play near the line of scrimmage and as a two-high safety. However, you don't want to have him cover a large area of ground on the back end, but his range is better than expected. With Kareem Jackson back for the season, Denver can give Thomas a year to develop into the third safety role. 

Round 7 | Pick 234: Trestan Ebner | RB/Returner | Baylor

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Denver still lacks a returner option and could use additional depth at the running back position. Ebner has 73 combined punt and kick returns averaging 18.5 yards per return and 24.5 as a kick returner. He has also done a good job catching the ball out of the backfield and as a rusher. 

Ebner has home-run speed and plays at a solid weight of 206 pounds at the combine. Ebner has solid power between the tackles at his size but wins more with his burst and overall speed. He would be a good complimentary back to Javonte Williams while not forcing Denver to keep a return specialist only on the roster. 

Round 7 | Pick 239 (via IND): Ryan Van Demark | OT | UConn

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The Broncos select a tall and athletic developmental tackle with their final pick. Van Demark has tremendous athletic traits, and his length is fantastic. However, he is entirely raw with his technique and needs some time in the weight room. 

With three tackles on one year deal and an earlier tackle in this mock, there would be no rush on Van Demark. However, after this season, they could look at him stepping into the backup tackle spot or adding another tackle and still spend time on him. Van Demark has a lot of upside that he may not be able to hit, but it's a shot worth taking this late in the draft. 

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