Broncos NFL Draft Tracker: Every Pick, Trade, and Instant Grade

Draft day is finally here. After months of waiting through arguably the driest Denver Broncos offseason in recent memory, the 2026 NFL draft has arrived.

We'll be tracking and grading every pick Denver makes here in this article. The Broncos entered the draft with seven selections:

Round 2: No. 62 overall
Round 4: No. 108 overall (from New Orleans)
Round 4: No. 111 overall (from Miami)
Round 5: No. 170 overall
Round 7: No. 246 overall
Round 7: No. 256 overall (compensatory)
Round 7: No. 257 overall (compensatory)

The odds that the Broncos will make all seven of these picks in the exact spots they're currently slated are slim. The Broncos are missing a first and third-round pick this year after they relinquished them in the Jaylen Waddle trade, which has created speculation about a possible trade-up.

Broncos GM George Paton has shot down the notion of trading all the way up into the first round from pick No. 62, but he wouldn't rule out a trade-up in Round 2. Still, we have to be prepared for anything on Day 1 of the draft because the Broncos believe in their roster and they know they're only a few pieces away from getting over the hump.

In other words, if Paton sees such a piece in this draft, and he's within striking distance, it might be pricey, but the Broncos could maneuver. I'm certainly not expecting a first-round trade-up, but I'm not ruling it out, either.

Night 1 of the draft kicks off at 6 pm MDT. Odds are, we'll be waiting until Friday — Day 2 — before the Broncos get in on this draft party, but we'll be ready for anything.

2026 Draft Picks

Trade: The Broncos traded back from No. 62 overall to No. 66, moving out of the second round. They also get the Buffalo Bills' No. 182 pick.

For the first time since 1995 and the third time in franchise history, the Broncos won't make a first or second-round draft pick, per The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson.

Round 3, Pick 66: Tyler Onyedim | DL | Texas A&M

After trading back, the Broncos opted to invest in their defensive line, preparing for life without John Franklin-Myers. Onyedim is an NFL-ready interior defender who can play right away.

Adding to the trenches. 😤

Welcome to #BroncosCountry, Tyler Onyedim! pic.twitter.com/gOQjoNT0kC
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 25, 2026

Much like previous Day 2 picks of the Paton era, Onyedim isn't a prospect anyone saw coming for the Broncos. However, Denver Broncos On SI / Mile High Huddle's draft analysts really like the pick. It's not sexy off the bat, but within a couple years, Onyedim could be viewed as a major draft steal.

Most national draft pundits will vew Onyedim as a slight reach. But there was a reason the Broncos traded back from No. 62.

Round 4, Pick 108: Jonah Coleman | RB | Washington

The Broncos added to the running back room with a great value pick in Coleman. He offers the Broncos some between-the-tackles power running and is already a proficient pass blocker.

Culture-wise, Coleman is an excellent fit for the Broncos, and an ideal power/grinder for Sean Payton.

Round 4, Pick 111: Kage Casey | OL | Boise State

The Broncos land Casey, who is a scheme-versatile player who can fill in at offensive tackle and guard on the left side. The Broncos could view Casey as a horse in the race to succeed Ben Powers at left guard in 2027.

Casey is another great culture fit, too.

Trade: The Broncos relinquished picks No. 170 and No. 182 to move up to No. 152, in a deal with the Cleveland Browns. The No. 182 pick was gained by Denver in that Round-2 trade-down with Buffalo that precipitated the Onyedim pick at No. 66.

Round 5, Pick 152: Justin Joly | TE | N.C. State

The Broncos traded up to land Joly. He gives the Broncos a bona fide successor to Evan Engram post-2026.

Joly is a 'big slot' or a 'move' tight end, who offers very little currently as a blocker. However, he's an uber-athletic pass catcher who can impact the Broncos' offense out of the gates.

The Broncos did package their sixth-round pick to move up for Joly in Round 5, but he was viewed as a late-third, early-fourth-round tight end. Joly and Coleman were also two players the Broncos met with on top-30 visits pre-draft.

Round 7, Pick 246: Miles Scott | DB | Illinois

In Scott, the Broncos added a versatile defensive back who can play all over the secondary. He had his fingerprints on 10 college takeaways and he had a high volume of tackles for a defensive back.

Scott is physical and he's a leader. He'll be able to contribute on special teams, which is his surest path to the roster as a rookie.

Scott is a former wide receiver, even starting games there for the Fighting Illini. He shared the wide receiver room with Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant before he moved to safety.

Round 7, Pick 256: Dallen Bentley | TE | Utah

In back-to-back years, the Broncos drafted a Utah tight end in the seventh round. Bentley joins Caleb Lohner in the Broncos' tight end room.

Bentley stands at 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds. He brings a big body to the Broncos' blocking ability in the tight end room.

Round 7, Pick 257: Red Murdock | LB | Buffalo

The Broncos get their linebacker, and with this Mr. Irrelevant pick, they've checked all their need boxes in this draft. Murdock is a durable linebacker and a team captain who thrives at punching the ball out.

Murdock set records with 17 forced fumbles. For a team that has struggled to take the ball away in recen years, that skill set is valuable. He'll also be a day-one special teams contributor.

Needs

Bo Nix in the huddle. — Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) huddles with teammates in the second half against the Cleveland Browns. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Again, this is a strong and deep roster. The Broncos have no dire needs, but there are some positions that could use more depth in 2026 or feature veterans on expiring contracts.

In no particular order, here are the positions to watch in this draft:

Running back
Linebacker
Tight end
Defensive line
Safety
Offensive line

If the Broncos don't make any picks on Thursday night, we won't be updating this tracker until Friday, Day 2 of the draft. Hang tight, though. Things are about to get interesting.

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