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Broncos Wrap Up Draft Class by Signing ILB Drew Sanders

Sanders was the 67th overall pick.
Zack Kelberman|
Broncos Wrap Up Draft Class by Signing ILB Drew Sanders
Broncos Wrap Up Draft Class by Signing ILB Drew Sanders

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Denver Broncos

The entirety of the 2023 Denver Broncos draft class is now under contract.

On Wednesday, the team inked third-round inside linebacker Drew Sanders to a four-year, $5.734 million rookie deal. He received a $1.17 million signing bonus and will count $1.042 million against the salary cap.

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A first-team All-American at Arkansas — after transferring from Alabama, with whom he won a National Championship — Sanders collected 136 tackles, 10.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and an interception across 27 collegiate games.

The versatile 6-foot-4, 235-pound 'backer was considered a potential first-round talent who slipped to 67th overall, much to Denver's delight.

"Honestly, Sanders’ vision might be one in which varied around the league because he’s a transfer from Alabama," head coach Sean Payton said in his post-draft press conference. "He’s played some outside linebacker. He’s played some inside linebacker; he had a ton of pressure production last year. Our vision for him is at inside linebacker and four-core special teams player who can go and stem down to the outside. We saw so many good traits with him and such good production."

Sanders' productivity was on full display amid last week's rookie minicamp when he housed a pick-six interception of quarterback Ben DiNucci.

"It was good play by Drew, [he had] a good break," Payton said.

Sanders is likely to open the season as the Broncos' third ILB behind locked-in starters Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton.

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Zack Kelberman
ZACK KELBERMAN

Zack Kelberman is the Senior Editor for Mile High Huddle. He has covered the NFL for more than a decade and the Denver Broncos since 2016. He's also the co-host of the wildly popular Broncos show the Mile High Huddle Podcast.

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