Broncos OLB Dondrea Tillman Among PFF's Top-5 Highest-Graded UDFA

The Denver Broncos' 10-win playoff season was spearheaded by the rise of multiple unlikely role players. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix's historic first year served as the tip of said spear, but with north of $90 million in dead money on the salary cap, the Broncos had little choice but to rely on the youth and inexperience of the roster.

One of the 2024 campaign's most unlikely role players was undrafted rookie outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman. The Broncos signed the former USFL star in June, and he would go on to not only crack the roster, but make a significant impact as a rookie.

Tillman appeared in 12 games for the Broncos, finishing with five sacks and 23 tackles (13 solo). In relief of double-digit sack artists like All-Pro Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, Tillman became a crucial component to defensive coordinator Vance Joseph's unrelenting pass rush, which led the league in sacks with 63.

Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman took notice of Tillman's contributions, featuring him as the fourth-highest-graded undrafted rookie in the NFL this past season.

"After dominating to the tune of three straight 90.0-plus PFF pass-rushing grades in spring football, Tillman joined Denver as a productive rotational pass-rusher. He generated 22 pressures and five sacks this season while also holding up well with a 69.2 PFF run-defense grade. Tillman uses a heady approach and a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves to create pressure on quarterbacks. While he is likely to remain in a similar rotational role moving forward, Tillman is a nice depth piece as the Broncos search for more stars up front," Wasserman wrote.

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Playing at the Division II level at IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Tillman struggled to garner any NFL attention as he emerged from the college ranks. That forced him to take a somewhat more circuitous path to the NFL, which included a three-year stint with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL, where he won two straight championships.

At 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, Tillman's size fits more of the hand-in-the-dirt edge rusher in a 4-3 scheme. However, what he may lack in quickness, he makes up for in raw power, a high motor, and a surprisingly refined pass-rushing tool kit.

Tillman is only 26 years old, having exited the college ranks in 2021. It took him a little time to get the NFL's attention, but his performance in the USFL didn't escape the attention of Broncos GM George Paton, who signed him to a three-year deal last summer.

Although Bonitto will be entering a contract year, the Broncos' pass rush is locked in for the foreseeable future. Paton hasn't gotten around to focusing on a Bonitto extension quite yet, but Cooper was re-signed during the season, while 2024 third-rounder Jonah Elliss (who also had five sacks last year), and Tillman are under contract through and beyond 2025.

Tillman deserves some props for his contributions to the Broncos' league-leading pass rush. The scale and stakes may have been different, but the Broncos' four-headed edge-rushing rotation is not dissimilar to the Super Bowl 50 group, headlined by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, with then-rookie Shane Ray and the second-year Shaq Barrett as depth.

It's not easy to find that many good pass rushers in one place. For now, the Broncos will look to continue making hay with this group.

If Tillman could notch five sacks in Year 1 as a rotational guy, imagine what he'll be able to accomplish as he becomes more acclimated to NFL speed, power, and tactics.

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