Broncos at the Senior Bowl: Players to Know at Positions of Need

Keep an eye on these prospects at the Senior Bowl later this month.
Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo (4) in action during the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium.
Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo (4) in action during the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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The Senior Bowl is one of the most significant components of the draft process, and this year's invitees give the Denver Broncos plenty of options. While some prospects may end up pulling out of the Senior Bowl, there's a strong group for what is deemed a weaker draft class than last year, with plenty of options to fill some of the Broncos' needs with young talent.

So, let’s examine some of those options at key positions. 

Running Back

The running back class is one of the stronger positions in the 2025 class. The top few options won’t be at the Senior Bowl, but plenty of other options exist.

Cam Skattebo, who is out of Arizona State, is the top back currently for the Senior Bowl and could give the Broncos a fierce low-gravity runner who can catch out of the backfield — a nice complement to what they have. 

Devin Neal out of Kansas is another nice dual-threat back, as is Ollie Gordon II out of Oklahoma State, even with a down year. Neal has a lot of miles on his tires with 837 total touches, but he has three seasons of over 1,000 yards rushing and 32 touchdowns in the last two seasons. 

Tight End

Harold Fannin Jr, out of Bowling Green, is the stud of the group. If Sean Payton wants his “joker” tight end, Fannin should be an option.

Fannin is lighter, with issues as a blocker, but being the “joker” is about what you can do as a receiver. Fannin had 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. 

Texas' Gunnar Helm is from Englewood, CO. He is a quality blocker and receiver option. While he won’t fill the “blocker” role, he could give the Broncos enough versatility with their top spot that none of their current tight ends offer. 

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Linebacker

Unfortunately, the linebacker group at the Senior Bowl isn’t great, but that doesn’t mean someone won't step up and stand out. That tends to happen every year, and while the group isn’t great heading into the event, it will be interesting to see who steps up. 

Edge Rushers

While not the biggest need, Nik Bonitto is entering his deal's final year (2025) and coming off a great season. The Broncos will likely get an extension done, locking him and Jonathon Cooper up long-term.

Jonah Elliss and Deondrea Tillman showed promise as the third and fourth pass rushers, but you can never have enough pass rushers, and they are stacked at the Senior Bowl. Mobile will feature six prospects many view as first or second-rounders at the moment, and if one fell into the Broncos' lap, they have to think about it. 

Nic Scourton is the top guy out of Texas A&M and would be a great addition as a third pass rusher. However, he is viewed as a top-20 pick at the moment. That said, having Nik and Nic would lead to some great commentary. 

Defensive Line

This is another loaded group and a sneaky need for the Broncos, even with how great the line was this season. D.J. Jones is a free agent, and Jordan Jackson is an exclusive rights free agent who could be upgraded.

Add in Zach Allen’s contract, which is currently set to void after the 2025 season, and the Broncos have D-line needs. John Franklin-Meyers and Malcolm Roach are free agents after 2025, and Eyioma Uwazurike and Matt Henningsen haven't shown anything. 

Walter Nolen out of Mississippi would be a developmental option to replace Franklin-Meyers or Allen after 2025 (if they don’t get extensions done with one of them), as is Shemar Stewart out of Texas A&M. Deone Walker out of Kentucky didn’t meet expectations this season. However, he is still a hyped defender who will likely go somewhere on Day 2 and could be an option to rotate with Roach on the inside and help replace Jones. 

The rest of the Senior Bowl group is still great. They're all options from top to bottom.. 

Safety

The Broncos could use an upgrade at safety next to Brandon Jones and/or upgrade the third safety. Either way, they need help with the position.

Out of Notre Dame, Xavier Watts leads the safeties and would be a very intriguing option for the Broncos. Lathan Ransom out of Ohio State and Andrew Mukuba out of Texas are other options. 

There will be plenty more to come about in the Senior Bowl, but these initial names stand out for the Broncos at positions of need, except for linebackers, where the Broncos would be better off looking for help in free agency. 


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Erick Trickel
ERICK TRICKEL

Erick Trickel is the Senior Draft Analyst for Mile High Huddle, has covered the Denver Broncos, NFL, and NFL Draft for the site since 2014.