Denver Broncos 3-Round Mock Draft | Version 6.0

The Denver Broncos' free-agent moves have reshaped the draft board.

Sep 28, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) warms up before a game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos have done a smash-up job in free agency.

Retaining defensive tackle D.J. Jones alone with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, swing tackle Matt Peart, linebacker Justin Strnad, and long-snapper Mitchell Frabroni to go with free-agent acquisitions of safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, tight end Evan Engram, and special teams wide receiver Trent Sherfield, the most apparent roster holes are all but filled in. The only exception is the glaring hole at running back.

Fortunately, this is one of the deepest running back draft classes in quite some time. The Broncos could wait until Day 3 and take two backs, and the odds are pretty strong they would be just fine.

The Broncos are in a great spot and have options galore come April. With the stage set thusly, it's time to dive into this week's three-round Broncos mock draft.

Round 1, Pick 20: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Stop the slide. What was once considered a consensus top-10 player in the class has started to tumble down draft boards. With the likes of Mel Kiper Jr. mocking him after the Broncos’ pick at 20 in a recent mock, Daniel Jeremiah mocking McMillan to Tampa Bay just one pick before Denver, and Kyle Crabbs having the Wildcat slide to Green Bay at 23, the talented pass-catcher is a feasible prospect to ponder for Denver at this point in the offseason. 

Measured in at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, McMillan has a unique size profile with the potential to play X, Z, or slot in the NFL. Not testing at the NFL Combine, many in the league appear somewhat concerned about his overall speed and explosiveness as a player.

Despite not being a special athlete, McMillan is excellent at uncovering underneath (especially for his size) and can create separation with route running while also displaying a solid grasp at finding space against zone coverage.

McMillan is often compared to Atlanta's “power slot” Drake London and has also been compared to former New Orleans superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas. As a pass-catcher who plays a multitude of spots, McMillan could immediately give the Broncos some play at Z or slot, depending on the personnel package, and would offer a long-term replacement for Courtland Sutton, who turns 30 next season in the final year of his contract.

Sean Payton has repeatedly stated that he really likes Denver's young receiver room. However, if the top tight ends and running backs are gone and McMillan is truly slipping like many prognosticators are indicating, he should be in play for the Broncos at pick 20.

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Round 2, Pick 51: Omarr Norman-Lott, DL, Tennessee

Speaking of getting ahead on impending free agents, the Broncos have two important defenders set to play in the final year of their contracts in 2025 — Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers. Could the Broncos re-sign both players after already retaining Jones this offseason and deciding what to do with Nik Bonitto at outside linebacker?

That’s certainly possible. However, the Broncos would be prudent to find an interior defensive lineman as depth at 3-4 defensive end this season and develop into a starter in 2026 and beyond.

One intriguing possibility for the penetrating interior defensive line type in the draft is Tennessee’s Norman-Lott. Measured at 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds with 33-¾-inch arm length and a massive 10-¾-inch hand size, Lott was a part of one of the deepest rotations in the country for the Volunteers.

As such, Norman-Lott’s role as a true run defender inside was not always on display as he was placed in more obvious pass-rush situations with his length and get-off.

Norman-Lott’s speed to power with length is attention grabbing when watching him on defense. His ability to press a gap and disrupt should easily translate, but with such a small sample as a run defender and overall snap count, he would fit best on a team that can rotate him early and continue to develop his complete game.

Norman-Lott is also a hyperactive and energized player. He brings tenacity and violence to each of his reps and was noted as one of the most active and engaged players during the Senior Bowl practices by multiple evaluators in attendance such as Todd McShay.

A one-gapping rotational player early on with upper-echelon pass-rush juice that this team can develop into a starter? Seems like a worthwhile bet for the Broncos at such a valuable position.

Norman-Lott will need to continue to add strength to his lower half to earn more snaps as a run defender, but given his pass-rushing upside and how rotational defensive lines are in general, it’s hard to imagine him not finding a valuable role for an attack-oriented defensive front in his career.

Round 3, Pick 85: Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee

Until the Broncos make a free-agent signing at running back, it’s going to be hard to keep them from drafting a running back in these mocks. The talent at the position in this class is truly deep enough that Denver could get away with waiting until Day 3 and taking multiple swings at the position.

Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten, Kansas’ Devin Neal, Kansas State’s DJ Giddens, Georgia’s Trevor Etienne, UCF’s RJ Harvey Jr, Miami’s Damien Martinez, and even more potential Day 3 options mean the Broncos seriously do not have to go running back in the top 100. Denver can still find good players at the position — I just don’t have the courage to do that in a three-round mock at this point.

Instead, the Broncos add explosiveness at the running back spot at pick 85 in drafting another Volunteer in Tennessee’s Sampson. Measured at 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds, Sampson was the driver of the Volunteer offense as the team broke in erratic but talented sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Sampson may not carry a massive frame at the position, but he is compact and has a propensity for the big play in the run game. He shows good vision and patience as a runner, and despite weighing just 200 pounds, he will fight through tacklers and maintain balance more than one would assume.

One area missing in the evaluation of Sampson is his ability as a pass-catcher. He is explosive and controlled in open space as a runner, but given the hyper-spread scheme he played in at Tennessee, he was tasked with holding up as a blocker as opposed to being flexed out as a beyond-the-line-of-scrimmage pass catcher.

The erratic nature of Sampson's quarterback did not lend itself to ample opportunities in the quick game underneath. His work in his pre-draft circuit, including as a pass-catcher, will have all NFL teams considering running back in the top 120 picks intrigued.

One can easily convince themselves that Sampson has ample potential for growth as a receiver out of the backfield, and his ability to create explosive plays on the ground should have his name called on Day 2.

Sampson is a viable option for the Broncos in the draft.

Recommended Articles

feed

---

Follow Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on Instagram, X, and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!