The Denver Broncos have a major need at tight end, and these players could work given where they'll be drafting.
The Denver Broncos have a tight end problem, but solving it via the draft is going to be a tough task. The Broncos don’t have a pick in the first round after the Jaylen Waddle trade, and they know that the two top tight ends in the draft, Kenyon Saddiq and Eli Stowers, will be long gone by the time Denver gets to the podium.
But Luca Evans of the Denver Post did a deeper dive into this year’s draft class at tight end, which he described as deep but not illustrious, and it’s well worth taking a look at some of the names he came up with as Broncos possibilities. That’s especially so given that he scored the Broncos’ need at tight end at 9 out of 10 in his rating of different position groups.
Justin Joly, NC State
Unlike many of the second-tier tight ends who have been connected with the Broncos, Joly has a track record of production. He’s 6’3”, 240 pounds, and Joly did his best collegiate work catching the football at NC State and UConn. He’s caught at least 43 balls for at least 489 yards each of the past three seasons, according to Evans, who added that Joly has “a ton of versatility in the passing game, from screens and quick game to the middle of the field.” The Broncos have already had him in for a pre-draft visit, which marks him even further as a player to watch.
Max Klare, Ohio State
Klare is regarded as a balanced player, according to Evans, but like many collegiate tight ends, he’s more accomplished as a receiver than a blocker at this point. With some development in the run game, he could be an all-around player who could be a three-down player. He hasn’t done any testing that’s been made publicly available, but Klare is regarded as a terrific athlete at 6’5”, 246 pounds. Klare spent one year at Ohio State and caught 43 passes for 448 yards after a standout 2024 season at Purdue, and he’s yet another tight end who’s already done a Denver visit.
Oscar Delp, Georgia
Delp is an under-the-radar player, according to Evans, mostly because he’s never caught more than 24 passes (2023) in a season, and in the last two years he’s combined for 41 receptions and 509 yards. But he’s 6’5” and 245 and ran a 4.4-second 40 during Georgia’s pro day. He reportedly played the 2025 season with a hairline fracture in his foot, Evans added, and he’s projected to possibly be one of those mid-round picks that turns out to be a great find. He may not be available when Denver picks at No. 108, but if he is Delp could go to the Broncos.