Broncos Will Have 'Quality of Depth' in Round 3 per Draft Insider

The Denver Broncos will enter the 2023 NFL draft with both arms metaphorically tied behind their back. With limited draft capital after trading for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton in consecutive years, Denver has some of the least draft capital in 2023, both in terms of quality and quantity.

With limited draft resources, it will be tough for general manager George Paton to align with Payton to completely overhaul the roster this offseason. With needs across the board, Denver will have to find values and hit picks at a better rate than its front-office counterparts to bridge the gap and overcome the limited number of selections.

With Denver's biggest needs arguably being along both sides of the offensive and defensive lines of scrimmage, the silver lining is that this might be a solid draft class at those positions early in the third round.

In his annual NFL Combine press conference, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah dished on how Denver should have quality options available in areas the team should target.

"When you look at the directions they could be looking to go, I think O-line, D-line would be the places where you start," Jeremiah said. "I think from an offensive line standpoint, I feel pretty good about the interior and some of the depth that you could find in that portion of the draft. I think edge rush is actually a pretty good group, as well. Guys that I think could be in that type of range: K.J. Henry from Clemson would be one; Andre Carter from Army; Zach Harrison from Ohio State; Dylan Horton from TCU. Those are good players. I think those guys are probably going to be in that third- or fourth-round range. (Notre Dame's Isaiah) Foskey would be another one. He's going to test really well, so he might test his way out of that range. I think when you're looking at offensive linemen, edge rushers, that's not bad. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the quality of the depth that's going to be there in third and fourth round in this draft."

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

As is the case in nearly every draft, there are always quality interior offensive linemen available. The key is identifying the solid players, such as former third-rounder Quinn Meinerz, from the below-average types, as has been the case with former third-rounder Lloyd Cushenberry III in his NFL career to date.

According to the consensus big board from nflmockdraftdatabase.com, there should be a high volume of interior blockers Denver could select near picks 67 and 68, such as TCU’s Steve Avila, Ohio State’s Luke Wypler, Wisconsin’s Joe Tippman, as well as offensive tackles like Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan, and Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron. Any of these prospects would be a fine addition to the Broncos, who really need to make multiple investments along the offensive line this offseason.

While the O-line receives most of the attention from Broncos Country, the defensive line should be of equal concern as we advance. With the injury history of edge rushers Randy Gregory and Baron Browning, the quiet rookie season from Nik Bonitto, and the unsure future of free agents Dre’Mont Jones and Deshun Williams, the Broncos’ only dependable plus-starter along the defensive front next season might be D.J. Jones.

Edge rusher is considered one of the most valuable positions in the entire NFL, perhaps only behind the quarterback. Therefore, historically, there aren’t many great edge rushers to select from by the time the start of Round 3 rolls around.

There are always exceptions, but for the most part, the star contributors along the defensive fronts were former lottery pick draft picks. Denver may not have a shot at a superstar edge this year, but Jeremiah likes the depth at the position.

Listing players such as Clemson's K.J. Henry, Army's Andre Carter from Army, Ohio State's Zach Harrison, TCU's Dylan Horton, and Notre Dame's Isaiah Foskey as examples of the talent that the Broncos could have available to choose from in Round 3. Denver should continue to add talent to its defensive front with a truly deep edge class in the draft this year.

While Jeremiah named a few talents to select from, there are even more edges that very well could be available when Denver is finally on the clock, such as Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah, USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu, Tennessee’s Byron Young, Auburn’s Derick Hall, and Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV.

Furthermore, suppose Denver loses a versatile inside-outside pass rusher in free agency. In that case, a few tweener pass-rushing types like Auburn’s Colby Wooden, Bowling Green’s Karl Books, Texas’ Moro Ojomo, and Oklahoma’s Jalen Redmond could be options with some of its first few selections.

Denver needs help in the trenches this draft cycle to help add young talent to both sides of the lines of scrimmage and build a more physical, athletic, and younger team at the points of attack.

Despite the lack of capital, Jeremiah believes Denver can still plug some holes in the draft. Broncos Country hopes Jeremiah is right in his assessment of the class.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

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