Every Expert's Mock Draft Pick For the Broncos

When the Denver Broncos traded away their first-round pick in the Jaylen Waddle trade, they stopped showing up in all the media mocks around the internet.

But as we've inched closer to draft day, some outlets and draft gurus are dropping two-round mocks. Heck, some, like NFL.com, even dropped a seven-round mock.

The Broncos' first pick in this draft now is No. 62 overall, the third-to-last pick in the second round. They'll have to make it count, and treat it like a first-rounder, in the same way they did in 2022 with Nik Bonitto and 2023 with Marvin Mims Jr., when they didn't have a Day-1 pick.

Today, we're going around the internet to look at some of the biggest mock draft artists' most up-to-the-minute forecasts for the Broncos at No. 62 and see what they're thinking and what they might be missing. There aren't many because most outlets only do a first-round mock.

With that said, let's start with the 'Godfather of the NFL Draft.'

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.: Caleb Banks | DL | Florida

"Welcome to the draft, Denver! With a pretty deep roster, the Broncos can afford to take a little bit of a risk. Banks' talent is more in line with Round 1, but he is dealing with yet another foot injury, which could keep him on the board until the middle part of Day 2. Banks is a disruptive presence on the interior, and he can stuff the run at 6-6 and 327 pounds. With John Franklin-Myers leaving in free agency, coordinator Vance Joseph could use someone like Banks on the inside," Kiper wrote.

The ESPN draft czar also highlighted tight end as a position to watch here at No. 62 overall.

The question is whether Kiper is on the money here with Banks, or whether he could be missing something. My honest assessment? If Banks is there this late in the draft, the Broncos likely take him without a second thought.

The next two picks in Kiper's mock were Tennessee wideout Chris Brazzell II and Texas cornerback Mike Muhammad. Still on the board, beyond those two, are a few names Broncos Country will recognize, like Ohio State tight end Max Klare, Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday, and LSU safety A.J. Haulcy.

As interesting as some of those prospects are, Banks would be the choice. Kiper makes the right call here for Denver — defensive line is a premium position, and the Broncos have a moderate need there post-JFM. Plus, Banks is the third-best interior defender in the class, and his average draft position on the Consensus Big Board is No. 39.

The value would be ridiculous. Denver wouldn't pass it by.

NFL.com's Chad Reuter: Jadarian Price | RB | Notre Dame

Reuter offered no rationale for his selection of Price, but we don't need to think too hard here. In Reuter's mock, Banks went No. 14 overall to Baltimore, again showing that he's a prized prospect.

Price is one of the most commonly mocked players to Denver. Is Reuter missing anything here?

Based on how his selections went leading up to No. 62, the answer is not really. In this mock, the Broncos would have the choice to draft either Price or Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr.

Price would have to take precedence, even though Washington tested out of this world at the Combine. The difference? Both have ball security issues, but Price's explosiveness shows up on tape with far more regularity than Washington's.

If Price were on the board here, and the likes of Banks, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker, and tight ends like Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers and Georgia's Oscar Delp are off the board, Broncos GM George Paton might be making his third running back selection in the second round since arriving in Denver in 2021.

But Delp was still on the board when Reuters selected Price. I'm not sure the Broncos would pass on Delp for a running back, considering the woeful lack of depth and future upside behind Evan Engram and Adam Trautman.

ESPN's Matt Miller: Eli Stowers | TE | Vanderbilt

"Evan Engram was added last offseason to be the Broncos' 'Joker' tight end, but he'll be 32 years old. Stowers dazzled at the combine and could be a good fit in Denver," Miller wrote.

Stowers is another name commonly mocked to Denver, but I doubt he falls this far on Day 2. Even if he does, with names like Delp, Dunker, Washington, and Haulcy still on the board in this ESPN mock, I have my doubts that Denver would take Stowers here.

It's much easier to find a 'big slot,' or a receiving tight end, than it is to find a true Y to be utilized in-line, like, say, Delp. I'm telling you right now, Delp is going to be drafted much higher than most mocks (except Kiper's) have him.

The thing is, tight end is not a premium position in the NFL and this draft class is relatively deep with a variety of options throughout. This is why I'm entirely unconvinced that Denver takes a tight end in Round 2, as much as that would disappoint me, because it likely means Delp lands elsewhere.

The Takeaway

As we've gotten closer to the draft, I've had the increasing realization that, when it comes to the second round, the Broncos are likely to draft a player that few people expect. That's how it shook out with Bonitto, Mims, and RJ Harvey last year.

But the NFL draft is the ultimate crapshoot. That's another way of saying that predicting what the Broncos will do 62 picks into the draft is anyone's guess.

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