NFL Draft Positions the Broncos Will Focus on at the Combine

The NFL Scouting Combine is just days away. The Denver Broncos will be at the Indianapolis Convention Center to scout the 2026 NFL draft class, meet with the prospects, check their medicals, see how they handle interviews and press, and evaluate their athletic testing at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Broncos have several key roster needs, and while it would be easy to project them all on what to expect next week at the NFL Combine, the truth is, by the time the draft rolls around in late April, some of the holes will be filled through free agency.

The new league year opens on March 11, and with it, free agency. Like any good general manager, George Paton will look to utilize free agency to fill the Broncos' most immediate roster needs, freeing him up to take a more best-player-available approach in the draft.

But it's impossible to fill every single roster hole in free agency, though the Broncos have done well to address their biggest needs there in recent years. And whether the Broncos succeed in filling a good number of their roster holes in free agency, some of them could use extra attention by way of the draft.

With that being said, let's focus on the positions the Broncos will focus a little bit more on at the NFL Combine next week.

Running Back

The Broncos are expected to spend some money on a veteran back in March. Now, whether that comes in the form of re-signing J.K. Dobbins and/or signing an unrestricted free agent from elsewhere remains to be seen.

Honestly, the Broncos need two running backs right now. As it stands, it's RJ Harvey, then a couple of No. 4-caliber running backs currently on the roster. Ideally, the Broncos bring in two guys who can help share the first and second-down load, freeing Harvey up to be the versatile weapon that he is on third down and in the red zone.

This year's running back class features some very intriguing prospects, starting in Round 1 and stretching through most of the draft. If the Broncos were inclined to use an early pick on a back, then Notre Dame's Jadarian Price jumps out as a bona fide playmaker destined to explode in the NFL.

A little later on, there are good options, too, including Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. and Oklahoma's Jaydn Ott, although the latter wasn't invited to the NFL Combine. This is a position the Broncos need to scout hard and really know well, because Bo Nix needs help in the backfield, as evidenced by the season-ending injury he suffered while trying to run the ball in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Wide Receiver

This is another position that could well be addressed in free agency. If it is, it'll be less pressing in the draft, but an offensive-minded coach like Sean Payton will always be on the hunt for additional weapons to add to his aerial arsenal.

There are some interesting options in this draft class. With the Broncos picking at No. 30 overall, my ideal first-round wideout, if they go that direction, would be Texas A&M's KC Concepcion.

But the list goes on, including Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. in the top 50, Notre Dame's Malachi Fields on Day 2, or even USC's Ja'Kobi Lane early Day 3. At the Combine, the Broncos need to find wideouts who check the right boxes and fit Payton's locker-room culture.

Tight End

Will the Broncos spend again at tight end after signing Evan Engram to a two-year deal last year? I'm not sure, but they should only do so if it's on a tight end who can offer more versatility than Engram.

The Broncos need a traditional Y tight end — a guy who can play in-line and block as well as he can run routes and catch. Easier said than done.

Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq is currently the only tight end projected to be a top 50 pick, but that could change after next week. That's what the Combine is all about for prospects: plying their wares for NFL teams and doing everything they can to boost their draft stock.

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Offensive Tackle

Oct 25, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils offensive lineman Max Iheanachor (58) against the Houston Cougars at Mountain America Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Broncos haven't drafted a tackle since the John Elway days, when Garett Bolles was the team's first-round pick in 2017. This isn't a day-one need, but Bolles is getting up there in age, and Mike McGlinchey isn't far behind him.

The Broncos like the athletic upside of Frank Crum, but he's still quite raw. Yes, Crum can do more than just score touchdowns. Any time he's had to step in at tackle in relief of McGlinchey, I've had to hold my breath.

The Broncos would be remiss to not start thinking about life after Bolles and McGlinchey. It might be time to use a draft pick on a tackle, even if it's a developmental option.

The Combine is a great opportunity to find the right one. Arizona State's Max Iheanachor is a very interesting tackle to monitor.

Linebacker

The Broncos don't like drafting linebackers in the first round. They haven't done so since D.J. Williams in 2004. Von Miller doesn't count, as he was an outside linebacker.

The Broncos have some big needs at linebacker currently, but that will change by the draft. The team is expected to decide between re-signing Alex Singleton or Justin Strnad, but not both, as the latter wants assurances of a starting job.

Linebacker is a position that could use regular reinforcements via the draft. Drew Sanders has yet to make an impact because of injuries, and he's entering a contract year. Everyone else Denver has under contract, besides Dre Geenlaw, is a former college free agent.

There are some very intriguing linebackers in this class. Relative to where the Broncos will be picking, linebackers like Georgia's CJ Allen, Texas' Anthony Hill Jr., and Cincinnati's Jake Golday would make a lot of sense on Day 1 or Day 2.

Quarterback

The Broncos have a franchise quarterback. Thank the football gods and shout 'Halleluja' for that.

But we learned in the playoffs that the Broncos need a viable alternative in the event of an injury. Jarrett Stidham is entering the final year of his deal, while Sam Ehlinger is expected to depart in free agency.

As it applies to developmental options, the Broncos would be wise to meet with Illinois' Luke Altmyer or North Dakota State's Payton Cole, both of whom impressed me at times at the Senior Bowl.