Denver Broncos 2018 NFL Draft order for top three rounds

The Denver Broncos now know where they will be picking in the first three rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. We take a look at each pick…

With the regular season concluded, it’s time to officially start looking forward to the 2018 NFL Draft.

It will be a very intriguing draft from the Broncos’ perspective, because it’s the first time the team has held a top five selection since drafting Von Miller second overall back in 2011.

Since then, the Broncos have been out of the first round altogether, or picking in the 20s and 30s.

Here’s a quick look at their top picks since John Elway took over as the head decision maker in 2011:

2011: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M (2nd overall)
2012: Derek Wolfe, DL, Cincinnati (36th overall — 2nd round)
2013: Sylvester Williams, DL, North Carolina (28th overall)
2014: Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State (31st overall)
2015: Shane Ray, LB, Missouri (23rd overall)
2016: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis (26th overall)
2017: Garett Bolles, OT, Utah (20th overall)

Since their 2011 Draft class, the Broncos’ average top pick has been 27 overall. Many have wondered why the Broncos’ roster is not as great as it maybe could or should be at this point, and picking that late in the draft every year for six straight years makes it very tough.

As such, the Broncos’ average will get a little higher this year, picking fifth overall in round one of the NFL Draft after a fun series of events from week 17 in the NFL.

Since the draft order is determined for the top 20 picks (non-playoff teams) we can also get a look at where the Broncos will pick in rounds two and three, though at this point, we do not know of a compensation pick or picks the Broncos could be awarded.

They are expected to receive one for Russell Okung, but no one knows for sure at this point. We’ll find that out sometime in February or March.

For right now, the Broncos hold three picks in the top three rounds, all of which will be top 75 selections. Their draft order is as follows:

1. First Round: 5th pick, 5th overall
2. Second Round: 8th pick, 40th overall
3. Third Round: 7th pick, 71st overall

The reason the Broncos do not hold the fifth overall pick in every round is because they shared a 5-11 record with three other teams, so the NFL draft order rules stipulate that the teams rotate. The Broncos get the highest pick in round one, the lowest pick in round two, and then they move up the order by round.

This means the Broncos will have the following picks the remainder of the draft, though we don’t know the exact overall:

4. Fourth Round: 6th pick
5. Fourth Round: 9th pick (from San Francisco — Kapri Bibbs trade)
6. Fifth Round: 5th pick
7. Fifth Round: 23rd pick (from Atlanta, subject to playoffs — Ty Sambrailo trade)
8. Sixth Round: 8th pick
9. Seventh Round: 7th pick

More from Predominantly Orange

Last year, there were 11 compensatory third round picks given out to NFL teams, and I don’t expect that to be the case this year.

It’s reasonable to expect the Broncos to receive one of the third round compensatory picks (Okung), which OverTheCap.com currently projects to be the 100th overall pick in the draft, giving the Broncos a whopping six picks in the top four rounds.

Going by OverTheCap.com’s projections, Denver’s picks would be as follows:

1. 5th overall
2. 40th overall
3a. 71st overall
3b. 100th overall
4a. 108th overall
4b. 111th overall
5a. 144th overall
5b. 162nd overall
6. 185th overall
7. 226th overall

There are a number of things that can change between now and when the final order of the draft is solidified in February/March, but this is a pretty good guess of where things will stand for the Broncos right now, with the top three picks set in stone.

Home/Broncos Draft