The Denver Broncos target a highly-rated SEC linebacker at pick 62 in this mock draft, bolstering a defense that lost key free agents.
The Denver Broncos didn't have anything to look forward to during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.
And, the reason why is because they traded their first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle back in March.
The Broncos won't pick until the end of Round 2 at No. 62 overall, and there are several areas they need to address.
One common prediction for Denver has been Vanderbilt star tight end Eli Stowers, but the expectation is that he won't be on the board by the time the Broncos are on the clock.
Do the Broncos trade up for somebody like Stowers? Or do they stay out and grab the best player available at No. 62?
ESPN's Matt Miller had a new Day 2 mock draft on Friday morning, and he went with Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter as the pick for Denver at No. 62.
"Denver's first pick of the draft aims to solve the lack of depth at linebacker. Trotter is a force in the running game with an attacking, downhill style," Miller wrote.
Field Yates also mocked Trotter to Denver in March, so this isn't a new projection by any means and one that certainly makes sense.
The Broncos could use some help at linebacker, even more after Dre Greenlaw left in free agency, and Trotter fits the team well.
In Miller's latest mock draft, Stowers goes at No. 51 to the Carolina Panthers, so the Broncos would need to move up a decent amount to be able to land the tight end.
Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter is another option, especially after John Franklin-Myers left Denver and signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
Hunter goes at No. 63 in this mock draft right after the Broncos selection, so all signs point to Denver addressing defense with their first choice in the draft.
Due to the Waddle trade, Denver also doesn't have a third-round pick, so they will have to wait until Day 3 to make the other selections, unless they decide to trade up into Round 3.
Nonetheless, the roster in Denver is pretty set after the Broncos won the AFC West and earned the No. 1 seed in the conference, and adding Waddle was a big boost to the offense.
Let's see which direction the Broncos go in during Day 2 of the NFL Draft.