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ESPN Unveils 7-Round Broncos Mock Draft in Wake of Zach Wilson Trade
Does the Zach Wilson trade change what the Denver Broncos do in Round 1 of the NFL draft?
We've finally entered into the final week of the draft. Football Christmas has arrived, and all the hopes and dreams of Denver Broncos fans will finally coalesce into the real picture.
Before Commissioner Roger Goodell announces that the Chicago Bears are on the clock for the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, many more mock drafts are sure to be published. One such mock draft is that of ESPN's Jordan Reid — one of the most respected draft analysts out there.
In Reid's final mock draft of the season, he turned in a haul for the Broncos that fans will debate on both sides of the discussion because of what he predicts in the first round. Let's examine.
Round 1 | Pick 12: Trade w/ PHI
Reid has the Broncos doing what I expect on the first night of the draft, finding a trade-back partner to add some extra picks to fill out this roster. The Broncos traded the No. 12 overall pick for No. 22, 50, and 161 from the Philadelphia Eagles. This trade makes a lot of sense for both sides, as the Broncos add back a second-round pick while the Eagles get to pick the top cornerback on their board — Alabama's Terrion Arnold.
Round 1 | Pick 22: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
“The correlation between Nix’s skill set and that of QBs who have played under Denver coach Sean Payton is impossible to ignore. Nix is accurate, poised, and decisive—all traits Payton covets," Reid writes.
Nix has been linked to the Broncos throughout this entire draft process. With the quarterback room consisting of Jarret Stidham, Ben DiNucci, and now Zach Wilson, this pick makes a ton of sense especially with adding a second-round pick in the trade back.
"Denver traded for Zach Wilson on Monday, but nothing changes here. Wilson just adds competition to a QB room that's still searching for a long-term answer," Reid writes.
Nix doesn't have the highest ceiling of the quarterbacks in this draft, but he does have a skill set that Sean Payton can capitalize on, running more of his system compared to what it looked like last season with Russell Wilson.
I'm higher on Nix than most, so this would be a very solid pick for the Broncos. I would expect Nix to be a day-one starter and produce a solid rookie season.
Round 2 | Pick 50 (via PHI): Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama
This is another pick that makes a lot of sense. I expect Braswell to go in the second round and the Broncos have a huge need at edge.
Braswell will turn into some superstar pass rusher, but he can be a nice addition that gives the Broncos more help in their rotation. Reid nailed the evaluation by saying, “Braswell has an enticing combination of traits, and Denver would provide him an opportunity to develop as a run-defender and pass-rusher.”
Braswell will probably not be a day-one starter, but he has some nice upside and should be an early-impact player. This past season, he led all SEC rushers with 56 QB pressures, beating out possible top-10 pick Dallas Turner by one in that category.
Round 3 | Pick 76: Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
This is the first Reid pick I'll push back against a little bit. Phillips is an undersized, physical cornerback who has played both inside and outside.
My concern is that Phillips' best position in the NFL will be in the slot and the Broncos seem to have found a gem in Ja’Quan McMillian at the position. Phillips could compete for an outside spot, but I worry his size would be something teams would exploit on a regular basis.
One huge plus to Phillips' game, though, is he's not afraid to help in the run game and make the tough tackle in space. The Broncos lacked in this area last season and many teams were able to exploit the Broncos attacking the outside in the run game.
I love Phillips' competitiveness, and he does play bigger than his size, but it would be interesting to see how the Broncos sort out their cornerback room after signing Levi Wallace and deciding where Riley Moss will be playing next season: cornerback or safety.
Round 4: Theo Johnson | TE | Penn State
I love this pick for the Broncos.
Johnson might not be a day-one impact player, but has the upside to be a great tight end in the NFL. His athletic profile is exactly what you are looking for in a tight end, having speed, power, and size. His college tape is pretty inconsistent, but not all of that is his fault, considering the quarterback and talent around him making it hard to fully maximize what he brings to the table.
Johnson would also add versatility to the group, having played inline, slot, and wide at the position. He's done fine wherever they put him in the formation. He's one of those players who will have a better NFL career than he did in college.
Round 5: Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State | Justin Eboigbe, DT, Alabama | Tylan Grable, OT, UCF
One of the underrated aspects of this mock draft is that Reid shows he understands Denver's needs and possible places within the draft of where the team will try to attack certain positions. Wilson fits with the offense well, as best routes are the one-cut-and-go tyype, like slants and posts.
Those are staples in the Payton offense. Wilson will not break a ton of tackles, but his size and athleticism will make him a matchup teams have to contend with and give the Broncos one of the taller wide receiver rooms in the NFL.
Eboigbe offers a nice addition to the interior of the defensive line. He has some injury concerns with a career threatening spinal cord injury, but he again offers some nice upside for a player picked in the fifth round. He only had the one season of production and will need some time to develop, but he could end up being a starter down the road that pairs nicely with Allen on the interior getting after the quarterback.
Grable has had quite the journey. He played quarterback in high school only to switch to tight end for his freshman year.
In 2019, Grable began his journey of trying out the offensive line, which means he has a long way to go developmentally speaking, but the athleticism is there and he could be something down the road with some good coaching.
Round 6: Gottlieb Ayedze, OT, Maryland | Khalid Duke, Edge, Kansas State
I have no problem with the Broncos doubling up at these two positions to close out this mock draft. They are two of the most important positions in all of football and Ayedze especially adds some nice versatility playing both guard and tackle in college.
Duke is an undersized edge -but offers some spot pass-rush ability with his ability to win around the edge. I doubt he'd make the roster out of camp unless there are some injuries, but he could offer some nice depth on the practice squad in case of an injury.
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