Way-Too-Early Broncos 2027 Mock Draft—And Why It Already Matters

The 2026 NFL draft has come and gone. Throughout the 2026 draft process, it was described as a weak class overall, with all eyes on the 2027 group.

Even Denver Broncos GM George Paton and head Sean Payton talked about the 2027 projected draft class in their pre-draft press conference. All eyes are on the 2027 class.

Whenever you hear about a class a year in advance, you have to remember that there are a lot of things that can and will change between now and then. Players will fall due to poor play or injury, others will rise out of nowhere after transferring to a different school that better fits them, or they will have just developed.

For the Broncos, it's extra tough because they have a lot of pending free agents who have vital roles on the team, and they won’t be in a favorable spot with the salary cap or their ability to work around it a year from now.

With a full slate of picks, as well as an extra seventh from the New Orleans Saints from the Devaughn Vele trade, and projected to land two compensatory picks, the Broncos could have a lot of freedom to move around the board come the 2027 draft.

Now that we've explained why it matters, let’s take a look at the way-too-early mock draft for the Broncos.

Round 1: Jamari Johnson | TE | Oregon

There was a lot of focus on Kenyon Sadiq before trading for Jaylen Waddle, but here the Broncos get his teammate out of Oregon. With a year before the 2027 draft, Johnson does look to be a better prospect than Sadiq was, with more there as a blocker. Johnson is a very capable receiver and has more of a path to being a true in-line tight end.

Johnson is a good athlete who can move around the formation, and he has the size and build of an in-line tight end, and has already developed from a technical standpoint. In his first year at Oregon in 2025, after transferring from Louisville, he added 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns.

Round 2: Brice Pollock | CB | Texas Tech

Pollack was a starting cornerback on a talented Texas Tech defense and added five interceptions and six deflections in the 2025 season, his first year with the school. He allowed zero touchdowns and only 50.7% of his targets to be caught. Pollack is also a sound tackler and is a willing defender against the run.

The Broncos have two corners set to be free agents after this season in Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian. Due to their financial constraints, with a new stadium, part of ownership buying 40% of the Colorado Rockies, and an incoming Bo Nix extension, it's unlikely the Broncos will get one extension done, let alone both Moss and McMillian.

So, the Broncos get a potential starter, especially in the scheme they currently run, though if Vance Joseph gets a head-coaching job in 2027, the scheme may change, in Pollock.

Round 3: Lance Heard | OT | Kentucky

The Broncos still haven't drafted a tackle since Garett Bolles, with Kage Casey being announced as a guard and the talk quickly shifting to him being a guard. The Broncos have both Bolles and Mike McGlinchey on deals that don’t give them long-term options, and Heard is a massive tackle with room to grow.

Heard spent the last two years at Tennessee, where he did alright but allowed five sacks and 42 pressures. If he steps up at Kentucky this year, his stock could skyrocket.

Round 4: Earl Little Jr. | S | Ohio State

Little just transferred to Ohio State, coming in from Florida State, where he had four interceptions in 2025. He has a nose for the ball, but tackling is a bit of an issue.

With Brandon Jones entering the final year of his deal and Devon Key hitting a point of no longer having cost control, the Broncos could look for someone to be in the equation for the starting safety job.

Round 4 (Projected Comp Pick): Myles Graham | LB | Florida

With the projected compensatory pick for John Franklin-Myers, the Broncos land a quick and instinctive athlete in coverage. Graham isn’t a stack backer, one who can take on blocks, shed, and make the play against the run, but he can cover, work sideline-to-sideline, and sort through the trash.

Round 5: Maraad Watson | DT | Texas

The Broncos could move on from D.J. Jones before the 2027 draft and save some money, or they could stick with him for the final year of his deal. Either way, they could be looking for a replacement, and Watson is a big nose tackle listed at 6-foot-4 and 330-plus pounds.

While Watson doesn’t bring much as a pass rusher, he is a good quality run defender with room to grow.

Round 6: Fluff Bothwell | RB | Mississippi State

This late, you can take a chance on a back, and Bothwell is a big back at 5-foot-10 and 230 pounds. He catches and blocks well enough, and doesn’t put the ball on the ground.

If J.K. Dobbins gets hurt again, or RJ Harvey or Jonah Coleman don’t have a great season, the Broncos could look for a back earlier in this draft, but Bothwell, this late, gives them some improved depth as the fourth back compared to what they currently have.

Round 7 (via NO): Dylan Lonergan | QB | Rutgers

Up until now, Lonergan hasn’t played much in college, but he is expected to start for Rutgers and has good traits to work with. The future of the Broncos' quarterback depth is questionable with Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger, and Lonergan would give the Broncos someone to develop.

Round 7: Arion Carter | LB | Tennessee

Linebacker is a tough position to find, so it's always worth taking shots. Carter does all right in every phase, but still has a lot of growth to show. He could at least come in and contribute on special teams, and the Broncos could be losing a few of their core special teams players after this season.

Round 7 (Projected Comp Pick): Isaiah Horton | WR | Texas A&M

With a projected compensatory pick for P.J. Locke, the Broncos take a receiver out of Texas A&M. Horton is 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, and can contribute on special teams while giving the offense another big body blocking type receiver, who can add more bulk to his frame.

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