Top 10 Interior Offensive Linemen for Broncos in 2026 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos have a good offensive line, but issues arose after losing left guard Ben Powers to injury in Week 5. With Powers entering a contract year, the Broncos could look at adding some depth at left guard.

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Alex Palczewski played admirably in relief of Powers, so the Broncos re-signed him to a two-year deal. But Palczewski made it clear he isn’t a starting guard, at least on the left side, though he's a handy swing guard. Not every player can flip sides, and he has looked more natural working on the right side of the line over the years.

The Broncos could use another interior player to bolster their O-line depth and give them an option to replace Powers after the 2026 season. No matter how you look at it, the Broncos could have some needs at guard, and the better the player, the more options they give themselves in roster building.

This is a good draft class for interior players, with plenty of options who could start as rookies and even more who could use a year of seasoning. In this top 10 players at the position, nearly every player makes a lot of sense for the Broncos for one reason or another.

Olaivavega Ioane | Penn State

The Penn State guard is in the running for the strongest player in the class overall. He is a people mover and a mauler in the run game, pairing that with quickness and movement skills to work laterally and when pulling.

There isn’t an issue with Ioane's base in pass protection, and he fires quickly out of his stance to get himself into position early in the rep. He is one of the best players in this class, and if he heard his name called in the top 15, it wouldn’t be surprising, because positional value is the biggest aspect of his stock going against him.

Chase Bisontis | Texas A&M

There are questions about Bisonti's versatility across positions and schemes, but he is a ready-made NFL player if he goes to the right scheme. He has a good blend of strength and athleticism to get in front and control blockers, but he can struggle to generate movement in straight-up drive blocking.

Bisontis also has trouble keeping his pad level too high, especially as a run blocker, which limits his ability to generate movement. He could start right away as a rookie and make a team very happy, though there will be some problematic plays and growing pains while he gets coached up.

Emmanuel Pregnon | Oregon

Pregnon is excellently built for the NFL, with a balanced build from top to bottom. He has a wide base and the strength, width, and length in the torso to maximize his traits.

There is no question he looks the part of a guard in the NFL, but he doesn’t have the versatility to slide out to tackle or inside to center, and he can flip left to right.

The power Pregnon plays with is outstanding, and he consistently plays with good balance, making him tough for defensive players to get around. He can also torque power through his lower half to dislodge anchored defenders when driving at the point of attack. There are some questions about his overall movement skills, though.

Jake Slaughter | Florida

Slaughter is the top center in the class, showing the physical and mental traits when you turn on the tape. He could be a day-one starter at the center position, in any scheme, and can hold up both in the run game and in pass protection.

While Slaughter may not have positional versatility, his ability to be a day-one starter at the pivot and the mentality he brings will attract many teams in the center market. If Denver hadn’t extended Luke Wattenberg last fall, Slaughter would’ve been a great option for Denver.

Connor Lew | Auburn

If it weren’t for the injury, Lew would be in the running for the best center in the class, but the injury happened, and now he has some medical concerns. He is a center-only prospect that has the proper makeup with the built, traits, and football IQ to be a starter right away, if he is cleared medically.

Lew is a technician with good athleticism and movement skills, but at times his anchor and power can be lacking, which may lead to his being viewed as a scheme-limited center. In the right scheme, provided the medicals are good to go, he could be a long-term starter and make the team happy for the next 10-plus years.

Keylan Rutledge | Georgia Tech

It says a lot about a player when he has to be told to tone down the intensity during practices, and that is what happened with Rutledge. While going too hard in practice can create issues, he didn’t push the limit to the point of problems and toned it down when he was told to.

Rutledge is a physical mauler in the run game, with some technical cleanup needed in pass protection. Rutledge has many elements of Quinn Meinerz's game from when he entered the NFL. Denver has already developed Meinerz, and having those similarities could help Rutledge transition to the NFL.

Gennings Dunker | Iowa

The Iowa tackle will likely find himself inside at the NFL level, and that may actually increase his chances of being successful. Some of the weaknesses in his game are more exposed when working out on an island as a tackle, but they can be hidden with less space for defenders inside.

There are no questions about Dunker's versatility, as he can play four of the five spots and could play center if he absolutely needed to. He also has the versatility to work with any scheme, making him enticing to every team.

While Dunker has some issues with his game that may keep him from becoming a star blocker, he can be a good blocker for 10-plus years and remain in the NFL for a long time thanks to his versatility.

Trey Zuhn III | Texas A&M

There may not be a more versatile player on the offensive line than Zuhn, who can play every spot. While he was a left tackle in college, he projects best to center in the NFL.

Now, Zuhn measured 6-foot-6-1/2 at the Combine, and it can be difficult for taller players to work inside, but it isn’t unheard of.

In actual play, Zuhn has the best understanding of leverage and rarely loses a rep because of it. He knows how to get under the pads and inside the chest to control defenders, and once that happens, the rep is all but over for whoever he is going against. Moving him inside would help limit his exposure to quickness around the arch, which was problematic in college.

Jalen Farmer | Kentucky

Farmer will need technical refinement in his pass protection, but he has the length and power to drive defenders off the line in the run game. He has a bad habit of popping up his pad level, especially when moving or in pass protection, and he will give up his chest and leverage to oncoming defenders.

While Farmer could start right away as a rookie, he would be better suited sitting out at least a year to develop, only seeing the field in case of injury. The technical and mental lapses need to be corrected, and starting him too early could make those bad habits a constant in his play.

Billy Schrauth | Notre Dame

Schrauth's tape suggests he's a top-75 player and one of the best interior offensive linemen in the class, but injuries have affected each of the last two seasons, raising concerns about his medicals. Depending on what teams found at the Combine, he could rise up draft boards, as his play is great.

Schrauth has the strength, awareness, and movement skills to sustain blocks and stay in the defender's path. There are times when he is late to drop into his anchor, but he has the ability to recover. Schrauth is a smart, athletic, and physical player who checks the boxes physically and mentally.

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