Finding Broncos: 5 Top DBs That Would be Dream Picks

The Denver Broncos are without a pick in the first two rounds of the draft. That will keep the top prospects out of reach, barring something drastic to cause them to fall. With their few picks, trading up seems unlikely, especially high enough to land some of these top prospects.

Even so, sometimes players fall farther than expected. Last year, Travis Jones was projected as a first or early second-rounder and landed in the third round. So maybe one of these top defensive backs falls, which could lead to a dream scenario for the Broncos.

Brian Branch | DB | Alabama

Pros

He has excellent efficiency as a blitzer.
He is a clean tackler who doesn't miss tackles often.
There is solid ball production with four interceptions and 15 passes broken up.
There is excellent versatility, and it could be an excellent nickel.
He is praised for his football IQ and intangibles.
There is good and fluid athleticism with his movement.
He does well in keeping a balance between receivers and the quarterback when reading cues.
Quick feet with great footwork.
He has the versatility to work in zone and man coverages.
He takes calculated risks when jumping routes for the ball.
There is good aggression when attacking the catch point.
He doesn't back down against blockers getting to the second level.

Cons

He can get out of position when working against the run.
While he didn't miss a lot of tackles, his tackling needs to be cleaned up.
He doesn't do well in squeezing receivers through the route.
He has a bad habit of drag-down tackling.
His size and build may be below NFL teams' standards.
Penalties were an issue in 2022, with five called against him.

Fit with Broncos

Brian Branch is a nickel safety prospect who should hear his name in the first round. If he somehow fell, he would be an excellent fit with the Broncos' defense giving them a versatile defender that can start immediately.

Deonte Banks | CB | Maryland

Pros

He has good size and is an excellent athlete.
After eight missed tackles in his first two seasons, he cleaned up and had one over the last two seasons.
There is plenty of speed when handling vertical routes.
He will be quick to trigger against the run.
He has good press technique to disrupt the route off the snap.
There is good hand fighting with receivers through the route.
He does well to position himself properly to defend the catch point.
He is smooth and fluid as a mover, which can help him mirror in coverage.

Cons

His length may be below some teams' standards for a boundary corner.
There isn't much discipline to his game, and he got called for 10 penalties in 2022.
He can be late with his reads, and his route anticipation is also a bit late.
He isn't the best at handling the run on the perimeter.
He panics when he gets out of position, trying to catch up.
There is a lack of discipline, and he fails to stick with his technique.
When the play breaks down, he can be easy to lose by the receiver.

Fit with Broncos

Banks has good press technique and could excel in a scheme that asks that from its corners. The issue is that he has to play with a lot more discipline than in college. But, if he managed to fall, he would potentially be a good pick to be the starter opposite Patrick Surtain II.

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Christian Gonzalez | CB | Oregon

Pros

He has excellent size and length for the NFL.
There is excellent versatility to play in any coverage scheme.
He is a great athlete.
After transferring from Colorado, he picked up things quickly at Oregon.
He showed good ball skills in 2022 with four interceptions and six passes broken up.
He improved his tackling consistency for 2022.
His acceleration is instant, and he has exceptional recovery athleticism.
He uses his length to attack the catch point, even when his positioning isn't the best.
He is exceptionally smooth and fluid with his change of direction.

Cons

He could use more mass as he is slim through his frame.
There isn't great timing when he works his press technique.
The attitude against the run isn't consistently there.
He can use more consistency with his technique.
He doesn't take the best angles when attacking the catch point or coming downhill.
There are times his instincts and awareness are spotty.
He can be late to react with his back to the quarterback.

Fit with Broncos

Gonzalez is viewed as the top corner of the class by most. The likelihood he falls is next to zero. However, if he did fall for some reason, he would be an excellent fit with the Broncos' defense. They would have atremendoust and dynamic duo at corner.

Joey Porter Jr. | CB | Penn State

Pros

He has great size and elite length.
He is a superb athlete with speed and explosion.
While his chances as a blitzer have been low (21 snaps over three years), he has been efficient.
His press technique is excellent and probably the best in the class.
He uses his length to jam at the line and control the receiver's get-off.
He has the physical nature to handle tight ends in coverage.
Even when he is out of position, he still has the length to close down the catch point.
He has experience on special teams and did exceptionally well in his role there.

Cons

His tackling has some inconsistencies, as he missed 17.6% of his tackle chances in 2022.
He has done well breaking up passes, but has one career interception.
He isn't smooth with his change of direction, with many wasted steps and movements.
There isn't discipline to his play leading to multiple big plays allowed to the offense.
His aggressive style gets him into trouble.
He will be scheme limited, with him off the board for most zone-heavy teams.

Fit with Broncos

There is a clear bust potential with Porter with how undisciplined he can be with his play. However, that could see him fall in the draft, even with his upside. While it is doubtful he would fall to the Broncos, his ability in press would give Denver two physically well-developed press corners on the boundary to slow down receivers from the snap.

Devon Witherspoon | CB | Illinois

Pros

He is praised for his intangibles, work ethic, football IQ, and competitiveness.
He is a good athlete with long speed and burst.
He has shown excellent ball skills with five interceptions and 22 passes broken up during his career, with 14 of them in 2022.
He is extremely physical in coverage and when working as a run defender.
He consistently attacks the hands of the receiver at the catch point.
His awareness and instincts are exceptional.
He is patient and strong with his press coverage.
He keeps his eyes balanced between reading the receiver and the quarterback.

Cons

He might be undersized and lack the ideal length for NFL teams to stay on the boundary.
There are some medical concerns, including a hamstring, that has hindered his draft process.
While his missed tackles are not a high number, they are higher than you want.
There was an issue with penalties the last two years, with 11 called against him.
His aggressive play style led to early contact, which led to the penalties.
There are times his awareness when working in off-coverage or in zone can be off.
The over-aggressive style can see him bite on play fakes and double moves.

Fit with Broncos

Witherspoon may not be a full-time boundary corner in the NFL, and if teams see him as a slot only in the NFL, that could lead him to fall. However, the Broncos can easily fit him in their scheme, especially as a slot corner. There is enough versatility that he can boost the room's depth no matter where he ends up.

There isn't much chance for the Broncos to land one of these prospects. They are the cream of the crop at their position, but if one falls, the Broncos should rush to get the pick in.

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