The Denver Broncos have needs at linebacker, offensive line and tight end, and this mock draft addresses all three.
The Denver Broncos don’t have a lot of crucial needs in the upcoming NFL this week, and they’ll be sitting out the first round unless they make a shocker of a trade. But Nick Kosmider of The Athletic knows this team as well as anyone, so several of his selections from his mock draft are well worth reviewing.
Round 2, pick 62: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
One of the key traits in Denver lately has been stockpiling talent at certain key positions, and linebacker is one of them. As Kosmider noted, the Broncos just signed Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad to multi-year extensions, but there’s no guaranteed money to either linebacker beyond next year.
That means it’s time to add some talent to the room, according to the writer. Hill joined the Longhorns as a five-star recruit, and he was a freshman All-American as he started six games. He also wore the green dot for Texas in teh two seasons after that, and he posted 12 sacks to go with 23.5 tackles for loss while forcing eight fumbles in three seasons. Hill has shown the ability to get into the backfield as a blitzed, so he’d fit right in with Denver’s aggressive linebacking corps.
Hill is also just 21, which is a rarity in the NIL age, as more and more players are electing to set themselves up financially by extending their college career. Hill would get time to learn the Broncos defense under coordinator Vance Joseph, and his timeline would set up up as a prospective starter in 2027, the writer added.
Round 4, pick 111: Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M
Everyone wants to know who the new move tight end will be, but this pick likely won’t provide much excitement. Boerkircher caught only 19 passes last year for the Aggies, but according to Kosmider he’s shown the ability to use his 6’5”, 245 pound frame to make catches in traffic. This particular pick sounds like it might be a stretch given the number of blocking tight ends the Broncos currently have, but the close ties between Denver and Boerkircher have been reported for weeks now, so the writer could be right about this one.
Round 4, pick 108: Austin Barber, OT, Florida
Fans won’t get excited about taking a tackle, either, but that won’t stop the Broncos from taking him if he’s available. They have some age in their offensive line, and Barber played both tackle spots for Florida, and he’ll be evaluated as a guard as he starts his NFL career. That makes him a fit for Denver, and this slot is one of the sweet spots for adding quality depth.