One Thing the Broncos Cannot Afford to Get Wrong in the NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos hold seven selections in the 2026 NFL draft, but only one of them is in the top 100. The Broncos gave up their first and third-round picks to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins in March.

So, in that sense, the Broncos have already made their first-round pick: Waddle. For the privilege of getting an already proven NFL player with their first-rounder, the Broncos will now have to wait deep into Round 2 before truly getting in the 2026 draft action.

What this means is that the Broncos absolutely cannot afford to get pick No. 62 wrong. The importance of landing a quality long-term contributor in Round 2 has become crucial.

The good news is that in the five drafts that GM George Paton has overseen as Broncos general manager, he's lacked a first-round pick in two of them. In 2022 and 2023, Denver's second-round pick would have to serve as its first of the draft, which adds a first-round patina to the player when it comes to expectations.

It was no different with Derek Wolfe back in 2012. Wolfe was then-GM John Elway's first pick in that draft, and he absolutely delivered like a first-rounder, winning a starting job out of the gates and contributing to a World Championship.

Reason to Believe in Paton

Keeping it with the current front-office regime in Denver, Paton's first pick in 2022 was rush linebacker Nik Bonitto. At the time, many people questioned the pick because Bonitto was viewed as such a one-dimensional player, but in the fullness of time, Paton was proven right.

In 2023, the Broncos were once again without a first-rounder, and wideout/returner Marvin Mims Jr. was the first pick in Round 2, though the team traded up to land him. Mims was also the first draft pick of the Sean Payton head-coaching regime, and it bore immediate fruit.

Between Bonitto and Mims, the two players have seven NFL seasons. They've accrued four Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro nods between them.

Clearly, Paton has a good feel for the second round, specifically when picking in the 60s. Bonitto was No. 64 overall and Mims was No. 63. Last year, the Broncos drafted running back RJ Harvey at No. 60 overall.

"Our process has worked, and it continues to evolve. I think it’s better," Paton said during his pre-draft press conference last week alongside Payton. "I feel more prepared for this draft than I was for last year’s and the prior draft. We’ve done well in that realm."

The Takeaway

The Broncos' roster is constructed to win now. Several years of good drafting and smart free-agent acquisitions have put the Broncos squarely in a championship window.

Landing a franchise quarterback in the draft was the missing piece, but Paton and Payton figured that out in 2024 with the Bo Nix pick. To sustain Denver's competitive window and maybe even kick it open wider, the Broncos have to continue drafting well to keep the flow of cost-controlled impact players to the roster.

That's why pick No. 62 is so important. That's why the Broncos can't afford to get it wrong.

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