The Prospect Broncos Fans Are Sleeping On at No. 62

The Denver Broncos don't have any desperate roster needs entering the 2026 NFL draft, and that's a credit to GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton. As a tandem, Paton and Payton have a great chemistry together, a proven vision, and their track record speaks for itelf.

With a first or a third-round pick this year, the onus falls on the Broncos to get their second-round selection at No. 62 overall right. In the past, Paton has been faced with two drafts where his second-rouder served as the Broncos' first draft pick of the class, and both worked out well: rush linebacker Nik Bonitto in 2022 and wideout/returner Marvin Mims Jr. in 2023.

There's reason for optimism this year. But the Broncos have to get that second-round pick right, and there's one player fans might be sleeping on: LSU safety A.J. Haulcy.

The Sneaky Need at Safety

Most Broncos fans don't perceive safety as a need, but it's there and it's flying under the radar. This isn't just about P.J. Locke taking his talents to Dallas; Devon Key has proven to be an All-Pro special teams ace, but he's still unproven on defense.

The Broncos also have to start planning for life after Brandon Jones. There's always a chance he could be re-signed, but Jones enters a contract year coming off that pectoral injury that ended his season in late December.

The Broncos signed former Cincinnati Bengals safety Tycen Anderson — the team's one and only outside free-agent signing this year, but like Key, he's utterly unproven as a safety. Anderson is an experienced third-phase contributor, and the Broncos likely hope that they're catching him at a point in his development where he can be trusted on defense.

Then there's JL Skinner, a 2023 sixth-round draft pick who's yet to earn a spot with the first or second-team defense. He's also entering a contract year.

So, the Broncos have the horses at safety to be fine in 2026, provided Talanoa Hufanga and Jones stay healthy. The slightest wrinkle in those plans, though, could lead to a crisis on defense.

Enter Haulcy

A.J. Haulcy. — A.J. Haulcy picks off a pass. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Haulcy's draft stock is on the rise. He ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and proved last year that he can do more than just hang with the big boys of the SEC.

After spending time in the Mountain West and Big 12 Conferences, Haulcy transferred to LSU for his senior year in 2025. He totaled 88 tackles (49 solo), three interceptions, and a forced fumble for the Tigers.

As our Erick Trickel wrote recently, Haulcy is pegged as a box safety, but there's reason to believe he can offer much more. Haulcy has a tremendous football IQ and "great instincts," per Trickel, and would fit in nicely in the Broncos' secondary. I concur.

Haulcy could be groomed to take over for Hufanga at some point in the future, and he could serve immediately as the No. 3 safety and even a day-one depth option behind Jones. In the NFL, it's always better to have and not need than to need and not have, which is the impetus behind why Haulcy needs to be more front-of-brain for Broncos Country when it comes to No. 62 overall.

Round 2 Rewind

Rewinding back to 2022, many Broncos fans might remember that the Bonitto pick was met with a healthy dose of skepticism at the time, and while it took him a little time to ripen on the vine, he most certainly did, breaking out into an All-Pro in his third season. He's now viewed as a bona fide Defensive Player of the Year candidate each year.

Mims stepped onto an NFL field and became an instant All-Pro returner, so again, Paton has a great second-round draft record overall, but especially in the drafts where it's the Broncos' first pick of the draft.

The Takeaway

Keep an eye on Haulcy as we inch closer to draft day. And don't be completely stunned if he ends up being drafted by the Broncos.

Sign up for our free Denver Broncos On SI newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!