Reviewing Broncos’ Past Three Draft Classes Led by GM George Paton
General manager George Paton has led the Denver Broncos’ war room since 2021 with three draft classes under his belt. In April, he’ll have another crack at adding much-needed talent to this depleted Bronco roster. As it stands today, Denver only has six total picks and only two in the top one hundred, 12, and 81.
Paton has had mixed success in the draft, and he absolutely needs to make the most of 2024 with several holes on the roster and ultra-limited cap space due to handing Russell Wilson a crippling contract extension back in 2022.
To understand how this year's draft could play out, let’s look at George Paton’s first three classes and how they are perceived.
2021:
Round 1 Pick 9: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Round 2 Pick 35: Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
Round 3 Pick 98: Quinn Meinerz, OL, Wisconsin-Whitewater
Round 3 Pick 105: Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State
Round 5 Pick 152: Caden Sterns, S, Texas
Round 5 Pick 164: Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana
Round 6 Pick 219: Seth Williams, WR, Auburn
Round 7 Pick 237: Kary Vincent Jr., CB, LSU
Round 7 Pick 239: Jonathon Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State
Round 7 Pick 253: Marquiss Spencer, DT, Mississippi State
2021 was easily Paton’s best class, snagging multiple starters throughout. Patrick Surtain ll was the gem of this class as he’s earned NFLPA First Team All-Pro honors two of his three seasons and is arguably the best corner in football.
Javonte Williams has been a destructive running back for the Broncos, steamrolling defenders with his ultra-aggressive running style. Guard Quinn Meinerz was a steal from a small school in Wisconsin-Whitewater and has blossomed into one of the premier interior offensive linemen in the NFL. Baron Browning has flashed as a disruptive pass rusher but is inconsistent primarily due to the fact that he can’t seem to stay healthy. His college teammate at Ohio State, Jonathan Cooper, has been a solid contributor coming out of the seventh round as a rotational pass rusher and has been serviceable in a starting role.
NFL.com ranked the 2021 class as the second-best in the league at the end of the season. It was a fantastic class for a first-time general manager, but unfortunately, this is his highest-ranked draft class, as the next two years have left much to be desired.
2022:
Round 2 Pick 64: Nik Bonitto, LB, Oklahoma
Round 3 Pick 80: Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
Round 4 Pick 115: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pitt
Round 4 Pick 116: Eyioma Uwazurike, DT, ISU
Round 5 Pick 152: Delarrin Turner-Yell, S, Oklahoma
Round 5 Pick 162: Montrell Washington, WR, Samford
Round 5 Pick 171: Luke Wattenberg, OL, Washington
Round 6 Pick 206: Matt Henningsen, DT, Wisconsin
Round 7 Pick 232: Faion Hicks, CB, Wisconsin
George Paton’s 2022 class couldn’t live up to the hype of his previous one. The Russell Wilson trade included the Broncos' 1st, 2nd, and 5th round picks from the 2022 draft, so Paton was hamstrung come draft day.
Nik Bonitto didn’t show much promise in his first season, recording 1.5 sacks, and was washed out in the run game due to his weaker lower body. He played solidly in the rotation in 2023, notching eight sacks, but he isn’t a starting-caliber edge rusher. Greg Dulcich has been plagued by injuries in his two years in the NFL, only playing in twelve games. When Dulcich is on the gridiron, he’s a great security blanket, but with his unavailability, it’s hard to predict his future in Denver.
Damarri Mathis had a very promising rookie season stepping in for an injured Ronald Darby, posting eight passes defended and sixty-five total tackles. 2023 was not as kind to Mathis, who was benched for his poor performance around Week 7 in favor of street free agent Fabian Moreau.
The rest of this class has been unremarkable. Uwazurike was suspended for the 2023 season for gambling on Broncos games and hardly saw the field during his rookie year. Washington was a failed experiment at punt returner and did not show up on offense. The rest have had little to no impact on the Broncos.
The 2022 draft class majorly set the Broncos back. Denver needed to hit on most of their limited picks to keep this team afloat, and Paton failed miserably. NFL.com ranked the Broncos 2022 class as the 27th best in the NFL. Falling flat would be an understatement.
2023:
Round 2, Pick 63: Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Oklahoma
Round 3, Pick 67: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
Round 3, Pick 83: Riley Moss, CB, Iowa
Round 6, Pick 183: JL Skinner, S, Boise State
Round 7, Pick 257: Alex Forsyth, C, Oregon
2023 was George Paton’s smallest draft class as he was once again without a first-round pick from the Russell Wilson and Sean Payton trades. The Broncos were also down a second-round pick, the last from the Wilson trade. George Paton and Sean Payton had their hands in this one, so let’s break it down.
The Broncos moved to 63 by trading away the 68th and 138th picks to the Detroit Lions to select Marvin Mims. Marvin’s speed was undeniable and showed up when he was back receiving kicks. He didn’t get many touches on offense, only notching 377 yards receiving and one touchdown. Mims did earn a Pro Bowl nod as a returner, but he needs to diversify his route tree and contribute on offense as a second-round pick.
As for the rest of this class, there was little contribution. Drew Sanders sat behind Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell and was mainly a special teams contributor. Riley Moss and JL Skinner were also relegated to special teams roles as defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has had a history of not playing his rookies. This philosophy is perplexing, especially considering Denver gave up a 2024 third-round pick to move up for Moss.
This is the second class in a row with minimal contribution under George Paton’s supervision. He isn’t the only one to blame, as Sean Payton was a big part of the draft process this time around. NFL.com ranked the 2023 Broncos class as the worst in the league. Back-to-back lackluster draft classes are usually grounds for firing, but George Paton will stick around for the 2024 draft, working with Sean Payton.
In his three years overseeing the Broncos draft, George Paton has selected only two Pro Bowlers. Eight of his twenty-four selections have been offensive players, while the remaining sixteen were on defense. For a team that has been anemic on offense since 2014, you would think that more draft capital would be spent trying to change that. Fortunately for Paton, he will have a first-round pick to work with this year.
With only six picks total for Denver, however, Paton must hit on the majority of them to keep his job for at least another year. Denver’s entire roster is filled with holes, and Paton’s seat was hot this season. Going into the 2024 draft, it’s scorching.
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