ESPN Insider Offers Alternative Take on Broncos' Round 1 Expectations

Will the Denver Broncos draft a running back in the first round? Maybe not.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton. / Mark J Rebilas / Bob Donnan / Imagn Images

Everyone knows the Denver Broncos will draft at least one running back. GM George Paton said as much just a few days ago.

The question is at what point the Broncos will draft that back. Many believe it will come in the first round, which is entirely possible, but it's a strong class, and Paton recently waxed poetic about the depth of the class, especially from Rounds 2 to 6. 

That seems to resonate as Jordan Reid, an ESPN draft analyst, recently shared what he's heard about the Broncos and the running back position.

“The Broncos have been linked to the running backs in Round 1, but the depth of this RB class makes it more likely that they'll wait until Day 2 to grab a player such as TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State) or Kaleb Johnson (Iowa)," Reid wrote.

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This would allow the Broncos to add another offensive weapon, like a receiver or tight end, or boost their defensive front. Most view only two running backs as first-round picks: Boise State's Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton.

Many believe both will be off the board before the Broncos are on the clock. If either is available 20, it's hard to imagine the Broncos won’t sprint to turn in the draft card. 

The mention of Henderson is an interesting one, though. Over the recent weeks, there has been an uptick in conversations about him being in play for the Broncos with their 20th pick — if Jeanty and Hampton are gone, or even after a trade down. Many feel Henderson won’t be there at 51, even with a concerning foot injury in his past. 

Johnson is also an interesting name. He recently visited the Broncos' facilities. While many write him off regarding schemes because of Iowa football, it fails to recognize the changes Iowa made to their run scheme this past season.

The Hawkeyes went away from an outside zone to more inside and mid-zone concepts, which saw Johnson thrive. There are legitimate questions about him on passing downs because of limited exposure, especially as a receiver, in college. 

Over the last three seasons, Johnson has only had 62 reps as a pass protector, where he did well in the limited exposure, and 29 total catches. However, the Iowa offense relies on its run game because it can’t find a decent quarterback to field a solid passing offense. 

While the Broncos' top-30 visits haven’t traditionally helped to predict draft picks, as they only drafted one in the last two years, that one visit was another Hawkeye — cornerback Riley Moss. That doesn’t mean Johnson is the guy, but it's an interesting aspect to note. 

While the Broncos' running back needs are significant, this is a highly talented draft class with exceptional depth. It doesn’t have to be running-back-or-bust for the Broncos in the first round, and they can let the board fall to them.

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Let’s not forget that Sean Payton has traded up on the second draft day in each year with the Broncos. So, Denver may wait until the second round and trade up from 51 or 85 to get a running back.

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