2026 Denver Broncos Mock Draft: 7-Round Projection
Draft Capital: 9 picks | Overall Grade: B Last Updated: October 12, 2026Overview
Denver Broncos enter the 2026 NFL Draft with 9 selections. Biggest needs: Linebacker, Tight End, Edge Rusher.
Complete Draft Class:- Round 1 (#19): Jamari Johnson, Tight End, Oregon — Grade A-
- Round 2 (#49): Reed Harris, Wide Receiver, Arizona State — Grade B-
- Round 2 (#55): Chris Cole, Outside Linebacker, Georgia — Grade B
- Round 3 (#80): Sahir West, Edge Rusher, UCLA — Grade C+
- Round 4 (#111): Mark Fletcher Jr, Running Back, Miami — Grade C
- Round 5 (#142): Francis Brewu, Defensive Line, Notre Dame — Grade C
- Round 5 (#173): McKale Boley, Offensive Guard, Virginia — Grade C-
- Round 6 (#201): Gunner Stockton, Quarterback, Georgia — Grade C-
- Round 6 (#204): Tyree Adams, Offensive Tackle, Texas A&M — Grade C-
Complete Pick-by-Pick Analysis
Pick #19 - Denver Broncos: Jamari Johnson, Tight End, Oregon
Rank: #15 overall | Grade: A- Why This Pick:Tight end sits as Denver's second-biggest need, and Johnson falling to 19 after being ranked 15 is a clean value grab rather than a reach. With linebacker thinner at this point and no obvious standout available, taking the top-ranked tight end in the class four spots after his projected slot is an easy call that fills a real need without overpaying on draft capital.
The Fit:Johnson gives Denver a legitimate Y tight end at 6-foot-5, 257 pounds who can line up inline over half the time and still threaten after the catch with explosive movement once he turns upfield. His 2.02 yards per route run and just two drops show reliable hands, and he's considered a better blocker than his Oregon teammate Kenyon Sadiq, but his low 8.7-yard average depth of target and admitted rawness in route detail, footwork and run blocking mean he'll likely need time to grow into a true featured role rather than stepping in as a finished product.
- Strengths: Prototypical NFL Y frame at 6-foot-5, 257 pounds, capable of handling inline duties while staying a threat in space
- Weaknesses: Still raw as a route runner and blocker, admitting he needs to refine footwork, hand placement and route depth after converting from quarterback
- NFL Comp: Colston Loveland (modern movement Y with size and ball skills)
Pick #49 - Denver Broncos: Reed Harris, Wide Receiver, Arizona State
Rank: #64 overall | Grade: B- Why This Pick:Denver already addressed tight end at pick 19 with Jamari Johnson, so grabbing Reed Harris here is a reach, taken at #49 against a #64 ranking, but it fills a real depth concern at wide receiver, which sits fifth on their need list behind linebacker, edge and running back. The front office is betting on upside over need order, using a Day 2 pick on a big-bodied boundary target rather than addressing linebacker or edge, which are their top two holes. It's defensible as a value swing on traits, but it does leave bigger roster gaps unaddressed.
The Fit:At 6-5, 220 with an estimated 4.45 speed, Harris gives Denver a true X receiver who wins with size and ball skills rather than separation, evidenced by his 19.2 yards per catch and the 189-yard, two-touchdown game against Texas A&M. His catch radius and contested-catch physicality make him an immediate red zone and boundary threat, but his inconsistent route running and struggles against tight man coverage, including a quiet four-catch outing against Kansas, suggest he projects as a developmental starter who needs scheme support rather than a plug-and-play number one.
- Strengths: Elite catch radius at 6-5, 220 and a genuine highpoint threat on off-target throws
- Weaknesses: Mediocre route runner who leans on physicality and contested catches rather than technique
- NFL Comp: Terry McLaurin as the realistic high-end outcome and Freddie Swain as the floor
Pick #55 - Denver Broncos: Chris Cole, Outside Linebacker, Georgia
Rank: #44 overall | Grade: B Why This Pick:Linebacker sits atop Denver's board, and Cole falling to 55 after being ranked 44th overall is simply too much value to pass on. The Broncos already took a tight end at 19 and a wide receiver at 49, so getting back to their biggest need with a player who slid 11 spots is close to the ideal outcome for a best-player-available approach that still lines up with priority. It's not a reach in any sense, it's a slide they capitalize on.
The Fit:Cole is a coverage linebacker first, the kind of off-ball defender who can carry seams, match backs and tight ends, and line up all over the formation, which gives Denver's 3-4 scheme a chess piece it didn't have. His 235-pound frame and modest run-defense and pass-rush production mean he's not an every-down thumper yet, climbing guards still give him trouble at the point of attack, but his sideline-to-sideline range and clean tackling (only four misses all year) make him an immediate factor in nickel and coverage-heavy packages while he develops the physical side of his game.
- Strengths: Covers as well as any linebacker in the class, rare for an off-ball backer
- Weaknesses: Pass-rush production is modest despite the blitz snaps
- NFL Comp: Jamin Davis speed-and-cover hybrid
Pick #80 - Denver Broncos: Sahir West, Edge Rusher, UCLA
Rank: #89 overall | Grade: C+ Why This Pick:Denver's third need was edge rusher, and after taking a tight end and a wide receiver earlier, this pick checks that box with a developmental upside swing rather than a safe floor player. Taking West at 80 when he's ranked 89 is a mild reach, but given Mike Renner's enthusiasm about his traits and versatility, Denver seems willing to bet on a riser whose box score hasn't caught up to his tape yet. It's defensible as a value-with-upside pick rather than a pure need fill, though the Fanspeak crowd ranking him 134th overall shows this isn't a consensus grade.
The Fit:At 6-foot-3 and 279 pounds with real bend for his size, West gives Denver's 3-4 front a jumbo end who can hold the point against the run while still flashing the quickness to beat tackles clean, which fits a scheme that needs edge players who can two-gap and still rush. His seven sacks at James Madison came in a scheme that rarely let him pin his ears back, so there's projection involved, and his modest early 2026 UCLA numbers, just 1.0 sack and 4.0 tackles for loss, mean he probably starts as a rotational piece while he proves he can produce consistently against Power 4 tackles.
- Strengths: Rare frame for an edge at 6-3, 279 pounds, so he can hold up against the run
- Weaknesses: Small sample of true pass-rush reps because James Madison's scheme mostly rushed three
Pick #111: Mark Fletcher Jr (Running Back, Miami) - Grade C. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #142: Francis Brewu (Defensive Line, Notre Dame) - Grade C. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #173: McKale Boley (Offensive Guard, Virginia) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #201: Gunner Stockton (Quarterback, Georgia) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #204: Tyree Adams (Offensive Tackle, Texas A&M) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.