Broncos Top 30 Big Board: Who's Worth a First-Round Pick?

It's time to unveil Nick Kendell's top 30 big board for the Denver Broncos.

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Big boards are tough business. They're hard for the teams with nearly unlimited time and resources.

Each team essentially has its own private investigator firm to comb through each prospect’s background, both from a work ethic perspective and regarding past incidents with law enforcement.

They also have an army of doctors to examine every concerning injury or ailment that could lead to a player struggling in the league. Teams do their best to stack boards based on talent, culture fits, scheme fits, and positional value, and still get it wrong very often.

There are no sure things when trying to predict the future, and when it comes to the element of chaos that is projecting human beings, uncertainty will always reign supreme.

Even still, teams will do their best and within the margins of just one or two picks, the good drafters will separate themselves from the poor ones. The margins are thin and luck plays more of a role than any executive or team decision-maker would like anyone to believe.

In the 2025 NFL draft specifically, after the top two — Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter — chaos will rule. How teams will stack their boards will vary greatly from organization to organization. For the Denver Broncos, we attempted to rank the top 25 players at the top of the board.

When taking into account arguable paths toward playing time, quarterbacks and offensive linemen who don't have projectable center capability fall to the wayside. Other than that, positional value, positional need, and above all else talent dictates ranking.

Here's the board in descending order.

Top 5

• Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
• Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
• Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
• Mason Graham, IDL, Michigan
• Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

This crop of players in the top five list is likely beyond the grasp of the Broncos, but they're still worthy of being listed. If the Broncos had a chance to trade up for either Hunter or Carter, both no-doubt top-of-the-class blue-chip talents, they should do so even if it took multiple picks to get it done.

But that won’t be reality. After that, things become slightly more feasible for the Broncos in a trade-up.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday that the Broncos are one of the few teams aggressively making calls, seeing what it might take to move up. The likely candidate for a trade-up would probably be Jeanty.

It would be costly, likely needing the Broncos’ pick at 20 and a future first-rounder to get it done (plus more), but that wouldn’t be too shocking. The Broncos also have a significant future need along the interior defensive line. Opinions seem to vary about Graham, but he would be a phenomenal player in Denver. If he slides to pick 8 or 9, perhaps the Broncos call.

Finally and perhaps the most different among the top five is Williams. One of the younger players in the class, with a prototype frame at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds with 34.5-inch arm length, and really solid speed testing for someone his size, he is a skill set and body type the Broncos simply do not possess.

Playing mainly run-first 4i for Georgia, Williams has the ability to play edge on early downs for Denver and reduce inside on run downs, offering ample more athleticism, power, and length than any edge the Broncos have currently. You can never have enough pass rushers, and there is an obvious role and path for him in Denver at arguably the second-most valuable position in football.

The Next Five

Sep 2, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (4) breaks past New Mexico Lobos offensive lineman Matthew Toilolo (74) during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

• Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
• Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
• Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
• Will Campbell, OL, LSU
• Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Many of the same arguments for Williams can be copy pasted for Stewart. The exception is that Stewart is an even more explosive athlete with more questionable tape.

Stewart could be a special edge in the league, but too often on tape, he appears somewhat lost. He should have been more impactful in college, given his truly rare physical gifts. If the Broncos were to buy into the mental makeup to work and grow into his skill set, he has a chance to be one of the best players in the entire NFL.

Next up, it's the coward's way out, pairing both Loveland and Warren back-to-back. Tight end is historically a really poor position to draft in Round 1. However, both these players in a down class are worthy of the spot.

Loveland is a far more twitched-up athlete who can win in progression much more than Warren, who had a large portion of his output via schemed touches. But Warren is a physical presence who wins in many ways that NFL tight ends are asked to win after the catch. Loveland gets the nod because of youth and athleticism, but this is a 1A/1B situation.

Perhaps a surprise here is that Campbell is likely the No. 4 overall pick. He's just such an incredibly instinctive player who is going to succeed somewhere at the offensive line.

The way coaches and scouts rave about Campbell's preparation and intelligence makes me believe he could be a special center with the ability to play guard down the line and tackle if needed. Over the next decade, he will be one of the starting five for a line and could amplify the Broncos’ line even further.

While he seems to be falling, McMillan is a player with size, flexibility, and after-the-catch ability, and playing such a valuable position, he deserves a top-10 slot. There are long-term questions with Courtland Sutton in Denver, and McMillan is one of the few receivers in this class with true X ability.

Even if he winds up just a very good No. 2 (similar to Sutton), that is surplus value on a rookie contract compared to the ballooned open market cost for a receiver.

The Next Five

Oct 26, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (55) breaks past Illinois Fighting Illini offensive lineman Brandon Henderson (75) during the second half at Autzen Stadium. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

• Derrick Harmon, IDL, Oregon
• Walter Nolen, IDL, Ole Miss
• Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia
• Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
• Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

There isn’t a Jalen Carter or Quinnen Williams-caliber interior player in this class, but both Harmon and Nolen are worthwhile options. Nolen has the most twitch of any true interior player in this class, but there are questions about what exactly makes him tick. His highlights are the best in the class, but he disappears far too often.

Harmon isn’t as explosive nor has the dominating reps of Nolen, but his combination of size, length, versatility across the front, and being a good player vs. the run and pass has his profile check too many boxes not to love.

Walker is such a hard player to peg. Many think he will play edge in the league, but for the Broncos, I would want to see him play linebacker first in a more attack role that can walk down over different gaps and be deployed as a pass rusher when needed. Both Vance Joseph and Jim Leonhard have used hybrid players like this in the past, and Walker would be a really intriguing fit should the team not believe in Drew Sanders but still covet the profile.

Johnson would be a truly fascinating pick for Denver should he fall to 20. After being considered a top-three pick entering this season, he dealt with injuries, and the more analysts talked to scouts, the more questions about his speed popped up.

Those didn’t go away with Johnson, who's been dealing with injury, and didn’t run the 40. Still, as a No. 2 cornerback opposite Patrick Surtain II and kicking Riley Moss (who has had so many injuries both at Iowa and Denver) inside? Even if Ja'Quan McMillian is a serviceable slot, that doesn’t mean the Broncos should discount upgrading the secondary.

Finally, and depending on a shoulder injury, is Campbell. Prototypical size, an excellent mover both sideline-to-sideline, coming downhill, and even backwards in coverage.

Campbell has the chance to be a special linebacker in the league. But linebacker is such a hard evaluation because the college game, both from scheme and the actual spacing on the field, is different than the league.

The Broncos don’t have a day-one need at linebacker, but with Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton’s injuries and the latter entering the final year of his contract, if Denver loves Campbell, those two shouldn’t keep the team from drafting him.

The Next Five

DENVER BRONCOS: Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) makes a catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore (15) in the third quarter during the College Football Playoff championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
• Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
• Jahdae Barron, DB, Texas
• TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
• Kenneth Grant, IDL, Michigan

Finally! Some realistic players for Denver, right? The draft is unpredictable most of the time.

Perhaps the Broncos will break the mold and do the obvious and heavily predicted thing in back-to-back seasons, going with Bo Nix round 1 in 2024 and Hampton this year… we will see.

Before Hampton (and Henderson) is Ohio State's do-it-all receiver, Egbuka. He is renowned as one of the best culture players and hardest workers in the entire draft.

Egbuka will likely play a majority of his reps as a slot or F, but he also has Z ability. He has a solid frame for the receiver position and is not above the dirty work. No one should be surprised if he becomes similar to the Detroit Lions’ Amon Ra St. Brown.

Hampton and Henderson appear to be the odds-on favorites for the Broncos currently if they stick at pick 20. Hampton checks more boxes, doesn’t have the injury history, and appears to have more ability as an “innings eater” than Henderson, but the Buckeye has a chance to be the best 1B in the league.

Henderson's combination of explosive runs (and passes), adequate size, and pass protection is nothing to sneeze at for Denver. He isn’t much of a tackle breaker, and there are questions about his vision between the tackles, but he’s a popular pick for good reason. Either at 20 would be fine selections, but there might be better value available when on the clock.

Between Hampton and Hendreson lies Texas’ Barron. He could easily go top 13 in the draft, and with his ball skills and versatility, he's a worthwhile consideration for Denver. He is a better fit for a zone-centric team and offers less upside as a slot safety type, as opposed to a true boundary corner like the aforementioned Johnson, but the tackling, intelligence/instincts, ball skills, and positional flexibility would be enticing for Denver.

Michigan’s Grant is next. A mountain of a man, Grant tested well for his size, but he's not a truly special athlete. Still, there are not many players with Grant’s combination of size and strength.

Grant can work on stringing together pass-rush moves and keeping his base from getting too narrow, but he can be a nose that can earn a team three to seven sacks in a season, a great number for a nose eating so much up in front of him. There is a reason he’s below guys with more pass rush juice on the interior above him

The Next Five

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden (2) stiff arms Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (1) in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2024. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
• Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
• Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
• Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State
• Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Perhaps lower on consensus, Golden slides to 21. He could go higher than this, but outside of his incredible run in the College Football Playoffs further catapulted by his shocking 40-yard dash, Golden doesn’t offer as high of a floor due to limited sample as opposed to McMillan or Egbuka listed before him.

Golden can play Z or slot, but is not the physical presence of either. Still, the speed and the position he plays make him an option. Even if he’s just a good No. 2 receiver, that isn’t the worst return.

Much like offensive line, secondary players, especially safety, are hard to make a case for because, unlike offensive weaponry and defensive linemen, teams don’t tend to deploy heavy rotations. There just aren’t as many snaps.

Starks, though, is so interesting and different and versatile, he’s worth a shout. If Denver wanted to deploy three safety sets, he is very different from Talanoa Hufanga and can do more true free safety work than Brandon Jones.

Emmanwori is also worth listing here just because he is such a rare specimen. He doesn’t always play to his height/weight/speed and might have some questions about long-term fit, but if he passed the intelligence and character checks, it's a profile worth dreaming about.

Between the two safeties fall Green, likely a top-15 pick, and the Senior Bowl darling, Zabel. Green would have been significantly higher on this list if it weren’t for the multiple sexual assault allegations against him.

Whoever drafts Green will have to have done their homework and be comfortable with the answers to those questions, but for Denver under GM George Paton, I'm skeptical he will be high on their board.

Zabel is so intriguing, and with a slight trade-back, could be such a fun pick for Denver. He played tackle in college, but his size and profile project best to the inside in the NFL.

It’s probably not the best to ask a rookie to transition to the center spot and snap for a second-year quarterback — as Zabel would be best served playing guard early on and center a few years down the road — but he’s worth a shout here at this point. Keep Nix upright.

The Last Five

Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. sacks UTEP quarterback JP Pickles during a college football game between Tennessee and UTEP at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel /USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
• Maxwell Hariston, CB, Kentucky
• Mason Taylor, TE, Louisiana State
• Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
• Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA

The final five of this top 50 starts with Tennessee’s Pearce Jr. A weird year and profile for the perceived top pick, there have been ample reports of concerns about his character.

Pearce also possesses some interesting aspects in his profile. He is very fast but also not overly explosive or powerful. He is best when given a wide alignment and lane to pursue backside. And with how Tennessee played defense, questions exist about his run defense.

Another corner just because the position is just too valuable. The Broncos brought Hairston to Denver for a top-30 visit. Dealing with injuries in 2024, his 2023 tape shows a feisty and incredibly explosive corner.

Hairston has the juice to play man coverage and the mentality to play press and battle at the catch point. His tackling will need work, but some of that might be due to tape playing through injury in 2024.

Taylor is repeatedly mentioned as a darkhorse first-round pick and for good reason. He checks many boxes, is one of the younger players in the class, and has ample room for growth both as a pass catcher and blocker.

Taylor's frame still has room to add mass and strength as well. Consistent. Smooth. Good hands. He might not be a dominating Y or a F so athletic he confuses teams for wide receivers, but he’s going to be a good one in the league.

Perhaps forgotten but still talented, Judkins was considered by many to be a 1B to Jeanty’s 1A entering this season. Judkins is not as dynamic in the open field as Henderson, as good of a receiver, or as good of a pass protector, but darn it, he can do those things, too.

Judkins also has a better ability to eat carries and run between the tackles. He needs to be more patient as a runner, and for being as big and fast as he is, one would hope he could eat contact and maintain balance a tad more, but he’s a back worthy of a top 50 selection in any draft.

Schwesinger earns the final spot on the big board. There just aren’t many good linebackers entering the NFL from the college ranks.

Schwesinger doesn’t lack questions: he is a one-year starter and was on the ground more often than a team would hope, but his instincts, size, and coverage profile all indicate a really intriguing player in the NFL. He has work to do as a run defender, but the pass game ability and movement make him very intriguing.

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