Broncos 2020 Draft Do-Over: How History Could Have Changed

After the 2020 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos had a lot of hype surrounding their draft class. The Broncos entered the draft that year with much ammo to work the board and walked out with five top-100 picks.

However, the 2020 class and those picks have not lived up to the hype after three seasons. With three years in the books, we can now more safely look back and evaluate how the Broncos could have walked away with a better draft class.

Today, I'm redrafting the 2020 class. Each selection made in this re-draft had to be from the pool of players available between when the Broncos picked and their next selection, except the picks Denver had that were within 10 selections of each other.

So how would the Broncos re-draft look?

Round 1: Pick 15

Actual Pick: Jerry Jeudy | WR

Jeudy has been a solid pick for the Broncos, but injuries and quarterback play have not done him any favors. This class was loaded at the top, with a debate about who the top receiver was. The Broncos did manage a win with the selection of Jeudy, as it has often been reported Henry Ruggs was their top receiver. Bullet dodged.

Re-Draft Pick: Justin Jefferson | WR

Despite Jeudy being a good receiver for the Broncos, there's no question that a re-draft would see Jefferson be the pick. Jefferson has been the best receiver out of the 2020 class and is statistically among the greats when at the same point in their career. His trajectory is off the charts, and he does a lot with his play to make life easier for quarterbacks.

Round 2: Pick 46

Pick: KJ Hamler | WR

This was Vic Fangio's guy; he wanted the Penn State receiver because of Hamler's speed and twitchiness. But Fangio wouldn't gameplan for Hamler's skill set. It hasn't worked out for the Broncos because Hamler has those tools to be a weapon, but he hasn't been able to stay on the field. The flashes have been great, but when you can't stay on the field, they aren't enough, especially for a high second-round pick.

Re-Draft Pick: Trevon Diggs | CB

There are plenty of issues with Diggs and his boom-or-bust playstyle, but he has 17 interceptions and 31 passes broken up over his three-year career. On the flip side, he has allowed nearly 2,500 yards and 16 touchdowns, which is why he has such a boom-or-bust reputation, but adding his potential for takeaways to a team that was 26th in interceptions in 2019, led by Justin Simmons' four, would have been a significant boost and an upgrade to the corner room.

What happens next on the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Round 3: Pick 77

Pick: Michael Ojemudia | CB

While he had a few flashes as a rookie, Ojemudia never developed enough to see it sustained, and the Broncos eventually moved on during the 2022 season. Denver traded up to get Ojemudia, as other teams were eyeballing him before the Broncos pick, so it ended up being a double-whammy of a miss.

Re-Draft Pick: Julian Blackmon | S

While the Broncos didn't 'need' a safety with Simmons and Kareem Jackson, Blackmon has been a good player since entering the NFL. Blackmon is a strong tackler who does extremely well against the run. He would immediately have upgraded the third safety spot and been able to develop for a couple of years in that role before taking over for the declining Kareem Jackson.

Round 3: Pick 83

Pick: Lloyd Cushenberry III | IOL

Cushenberry had a solid rookie season but has been downhill since then. The Broncos tried to trade up to secure a center in the 2022 and 2023 drafts because Cushenberry isn't good enough to be a starter. If Denver could go back and change this pick, it probably would.

Re-Draft Pick: Devin Duvernay | WR/R

Duvernay could contribute on offense and do many similar things Hamler was supposed to bring to the offense. However, Duvernay is a good special teams player with reliable returner ability on kickoffs and punts and has taken two returns to the house. That alone would have been worth the pick, as the Broncos struggled in the return game for years before this and still do.

Round 3: Pick 95

Pick: McTelvin Agim | DL

Agim was the final of the third-round picks and was another who flashed but never developed. Like Ojemudia, Agim was let go during the 2022 season. He had potential as a pass rusher, but his run defense made putting him on the field hard.

Re-Draft Pick: Alex Highsmith | OLB

While Highsmith's impact wouldn't have been immediate, as he took time to develop in Pittsburgh, he has improved each year. The Broncos have struggled to get after the quarterback, especially the past two seasons, where Highsmith has a combined 20.5 sacks and 93 total pressures.

Round 4: Pick 118

Pick: Albert Okwuegbunam | TE

Injuries and issues blocking have been a detriment to Okwuegbunam, who has been in the doghouse of two different coaching staffs already. Now on his third regime, his roster prospects are in doubt.

Re-Draft Pick: Tyler Biadasz | OC

It was rough for his rookie season, but Biadasz came around. After only playing 427 snaps as a rookie, he became the starter playing nearly 2,500 snaps over the last two seasons, allowing two sacks and 34 pressures. Biadasz is a solid run blocker and in pass protection, which would be an upgrade for the Broncos, and his career arc has been better than Cushenberry's.

Round 5: Pick 178

Pick: Justin Strnad | LB

Teams can't expect much this late in the draft, but the aim is to get a special teams player, at least. The hope around Strnad was to develop into a versatile cover linebacker, and that didn't happen. Now, he seems on the outside looking in as training camp approaches.

Re-Draft Pick: Michael Onwenu | OG

Since his rookie season, Onwenu has been a good guard for the New England Patriots and would've been a significant upgrade for the Broncos' offensive line. He has allowed only six sacks and 26 total pressures over three years and has been excellent as a run blocker.

Round 6: Pick 181

Pick: Netane Muti | OG

Muti was viewed as a second-round value who fell because he played 19 games in college due to injury. While it wasn't great initially, he did show value as a run blocker who needed to come around in pass protection. During the 2022 season, though he played little, Muti showed improvement but then was poached by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Re-Draft Pick: Jordan Fuller | S

Another safety? Well, at the time, the long-term status of Simmons was unknown. He was franchise tagged and didn't sign long-term until 2021. Fuller would have brought competition with Blackmon for the third spot while helping the depth at safety, which was a significant concern. Taking Fuller and Blackmon would have had a huge domino effect on the 2021 season and beyond, especially relative to the draft.

Round 7: Pick 252

Pick: Tyrie Cleveland | WR

Cleveland was drafted as a special teams player who could help on offense, and that never materialized.

Re-Draft Pick: Tommy Townsend | P

The Broncos have had issues punting, and Townsend, who went undrafted, is a capable punter. Taking Townsend could have brought a huge change over the dumpster fire punting the Broncos have had in recent years.

Round 7: Pick 254

Pick: Derek Tuszka | Edge

Tuszka lasted 2020 with the Broncos but was waived in the final cuts before 2021. Since then, he has bounced around four teams to find a landing spot.

Re-Draft Pick: Tyler Huntley | QB

With the quarterback situation the Broncos have had, Huntley could've added a potential piece. For the 2020 season, he would've been considered Drew Lock's backup. Huntley isn't a great quarterback, but he is valuable. The Broncos have lacked a starter and a quality backup for a long time.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!