The Denver Broncos graded an "A" after the first round despite no selections, and the addition of Jaylen Waddle is the reason why.
The Denver Broncos didn't have a single selection in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
On Friday, the Broncos originally had just one pick, and the reason why is because they sent this year's first and third-round choices to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster deal.
That means the Broncos didn't have anything to do during Round 1, and in the end, it looks like a wise decision, especially given Denver's title window.
Chad Reuter of NFL.com had grades for every team after Round 1, and the Broncos received an "A" even though they didn't have a pick.
"The Broncos gave up significant draft capital to acquire receiver Jaylen Waddle – including the 30th overall pick this year, but they might have had to pay a similar price to trade up for one of the top four or five receivers in this year’s draft class. Making that move for an established player was more than reasonable," Reuter wrote.
To Reuter's point, The New York Jets - after making a trade - selected Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at 30. Some other WRs to go in Round 1 were Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson (both of whom went in the first eight picks), Makai Lemon at No. 20 and KC Concepcion at No. 24.
Instead, Denver grabs an established pass-catcher and somebody who doesn't need to learn the ways of the NFL, and that in itself is a win even though Denver didn't have a pick in the first round.
Let's think about it like this. If the Broncos didn't trade for Waddle and selected Cooper at No. 30, the WR room would be Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin and Cooper.
Instead, it is Waddle, Sutton and Franklin, which is much better in the immediate future for a team that just fell short of making the Super Bowl a few months ago.
The Broncos have some fourth-round picks to work with, but having Waddle instead of a rookie WR is a smart move for now and the next few years, even more when you consider the fact that Waddle is under contract for the next couple of seasons.
As long as the Broncos fill some needs in the draft, such as linebacker and tight end, the decision to trade Waddle will look very good, especially if the former Alabama WR can command some targets and be the go-to guy on the offense.