Broncos Draft Watch: Day 3 Combine Risers to Know: QB, RB, & WR

The Denver Broncos likely had a close eye on Day 3 of the NFL Combine as wide receivers and running backs took the field, along with the quarterbacks. Not only are the Broncos looking for running back and wide receiver help, but they could also be in the market for a backup or a third-string quarterback they can work to develop.

It was an exciting day, and, as we have done for the first two days, we will examine the standouts for their measurements, athletic testing, and on-field drills. The only difference is that quarterbacks will have five players across the three categories, while wide receivers will have five in each, and running backs will remain at three.

Measurements

Cole Payton | QB | North Dakota State

The quarterback has great size to be more than a quarterback, which is supposedly the talk of his future. During the Combine, Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis of NFL Network both discussed the possibility of a different role for Payton, perhaps like Taysom Hill?

Drew Allar | QB | Penn State

Allar is a prototypical pocket quarterback, and he came in with great measurables for that prototype. He checked every box with the size, which was what was expected.

Elijah Sarratt | WR | Indiana

Sarratt is tall, has a good 210-pound build, and has big hands and long arms for the NFL. His size meets and exceeds the thresholds that are established for players of his play style.

Colbie Young | WR | Georgia

Young is a big X-type receiver at 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds with good length and hand size. He has been flying a little under the radar due to injuries, but he may not be after his overall Combine showing.

Chris Brazzell II | WR | Tennessee

Brazzell is a tall 6-foot-4, 198-pound receiver with great length, which should expand his catch radius even further. He has a wide range of skill sets to fill multiple offensive roles and meets the size thresholds.

Denzel Boston | WR | Washington

Another big X-type receiver with great size and length. His size comparison is one Broncos fans are familiar with in Courtland Sutton.

Josh Cameron | WR | Baylor

Cameron is a former running back who moved to receiver, and he's long with some of the longest arms in the class. He has a great 220-pound build on his frame and may be the best over-the-shoulder receiver in this class.

Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame

Love scored almost elite in every measurement for all-around running backs, which is what you are looking for. There are a few concerns about his game, as many have him as the best prospect in the class, or at least the best offensive prospect in the class, and his size checks the boxes.

Demond Claiborne | RB | Wake Forest

For smaller, more explosive backs, Claiborne was a tier above in almost all of his measurements than the averages. Weight is the only one that was a little under, but at 188 pounds, he could add seven pounds to his frame and be fine.

Kaytron Allen | RB | Penn State

While Allen isn’t the second back in the class, he is second only to Love in terms of size for all-around backs. Again, every box is checked.

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Athletic Testing

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green (QB08) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Taylen Green | QB | Arkansas

There isn’t much that can be said. Green was setting records for quarterbacks and had a better day than Anthony Richardson did a couple of years ago. It was extraordinary.

Jeff Caldwell | WR | Cincinnati

I was hoping Caldwell would remain a sleeper, but he blew the roof off the stadium with his athletic testing. He was a Day 3 sleeper for Denver in my mind, but he doesn’t qualify as such anymore.

Ted Hurst | WR | Georgia State

If you watched Hurst at the Senior Bowl, you expected a big day at the Combine. Expectations were high, and he still managed to exceed them.

Deion Burks | WR | Oklahoma

Burks ran fast and jumped high and far, and for a smaller receiver, that's what you want to see to make up for the lack of size.

Zavion Thomas | WR | LSU

Much like Burks, Thomas is a smaller receiver who showed he has the speed and leaping ability to overcome to some degree at the NFL level.

Brenen Thompson | WR | Mississippi State

Thompson only ran the 40-yard dash and had the fastest time on the day. After he ran, it was reported that he had to tone the speed down so he wouldn’t outpace quarterbacks' reads. There's a future as a returner for him.

Mike Washington Jr. | RB | Arkansas

There isn’t a back who had a better day. Washington nailed the explosive test and ran a 4.33-second 40 at over 220 pounds. He checked boxes and moved up some boards.

Seth McGowan | RB | Kentucky

McGowan has that instant explosion, and he proved that with the best vertical and broad jumps on the day for running backs. There are concerns about sustaining that for more, but the instant explosion translates well to the NFL for a bigger power-style back.

Jam Miller | RB | Alabama

Miller ran well, but the jumps are a bit concerning. He answered some questions quickly but raised more with his explosiveness.

On-Field Drills

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami quarterback Carson Beck (QB04) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Carson Beck | QB | Miami

There wasn’t a better throwing session among the quarterbacks than Beck, and that came with him getting booed by Indiana Hoosier fans in the stands. He can spin it and make the NFL throws.

Haynes King | QB | Georgia Tech

While King wasn’t the best, he still had a good day making the throws that were asked of him. He did show some accuracy and velocity issues on some of the difficult throws, but they were only a small handful of the throws he made.

Jalen Walthall | WR | Incarnate Word

The route running was quite good from Walthall, and he was able to sink into his breaks and explode out of them. While other receivers had some issues catching passes from the left-handed quarterback, Walthall did well.

Aaron Anderson | WR | LSU

Anderson is so quick, smooth, and fluid that, given his build, he could have a good, lengthy career working in the slot. He glides through his routes, making it look easy.

Kevin Coleman Jr. | WR | Missouri

Coleman is another small, quick, and smooth receiver. He had one of the best days in the on-field drills for the receivers, with clean routes and even better breaks on every route they ran.

Barion Brown | WR | LSU

If LSU isn’t WRU already, it is pushing for that title. While Brown isn’t as clean or smooth as Anderson or Thomas were in the drills, he had more explosion off the line and out of his breaks.

Skyler Bell | WR | UConn

It was a lot of fun watching Bell go out there and do the drills because everything was clean, smooth, and easy for him. He made some tough catches and had one of the best drill sessions for a wide receiver over the past few years.

Eli Heidenreich | RB/WR | Navy

Heidenreich did alright with the running drills, but the receiving drills are where he stood out as one of the best. There is a belief he will end up working primarily out of the slot in the NFL, which is why the receiving drills carry a little more weight.

Robert Henry Jr. | RB | UTSA

While he didn’t test well, Henry was a monster in the running back drills. The footwork was probably the cleanest out of the backs not named Love, and he was so clean with his cuts and did well in the receiving drills.

Roman Hemby | RB | Indiana

Unfortunately, Hemby’s teammate wasn’t at the Combine to work out together for a direct comparison, but he had a great showing. He isn’t as clean getting into his cuts as some of the other backs, but he was quicker and more explosive than most of them.