Now that we have had a few days to sit and completely take in all of the picks made by the Denver Broncos, it’s time for a report card.
If you look around, there are countless draft grades out there by draft analysts and writers who cover the game. Some of these folks don’t really give any team lower than a grade of C while others are all over the board.
For this past weekend’s draft, the Broncos have been scored anywhere from an A to a D (because you almost won’t see an F). Here, I will evaluate each pick and hand out a consensus report card grade for the Broncos.
A lot of fans loved this draft and most of those are the ones who point to Russell Wilson as being the main name gained in this offseason, knowing that not as many key pieces would be found without a first or second-round pick (other than the last pick of the second round).
Other fans have been vocal about how the team may have reached on many of the picks made and failed to find guys who will make an immediate impact outside of special teams.
Whether any of that is true or not remains to be seen but let’s jump in and take a look. If you are interested in how I graded the team’s 2021 draft class, you can check that out here.
Broncos draft grades: Second round
After patiently waiting through 63 picks, you’d have to think that the front office was satisfied with the selection of Nik Bonitto.
After wondering if the team would trade up to get a coveted player, George Paton instead decided to just let the board play itself out and he grabbed the player he felt was the best at that spot. Bonitto also brings another pass-rusher to the defense, a position Paton has made no secret that there is never enough to have around.
Bonitto is a guy who the team can slowly ease into the defense with Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory in front of him. He also provides a promising future replacement for either of those players if they don’t work out with the Broncos.
Bonitto had 19.5 career sacks with the Sooners and his quickness off the snap combined with his bend around the edge could be almost impossible to stop at times. If he can do that at the next level, the Broncos found a nice little gem here.
Grade: A-
It’s only the third round but this is where I start to have problems, which have been discussed.
The third round was the round to select an offensive tackle or a middle linebacker. Chad Muma would have been a fantastic pick for the team but when he went to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 70, that option went away.
Paton traded the 75th overall pick to the Houston Texans and dropped back to No. 80 where Nakobe Dean was still sitting. Dean’s medical concerns seemed to scare a bunch of teams off but after the Broncos chose to pass on him, the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t seem to have too big of an issue with those medicals when they drafted him just three picks later.
But let’s talk about the player the Broncos did get, Greg Dulcich, who was widely regarded as the second-best tight end in this draft. Was it a terrible pick? Certainly not.
Dulcich will provide a good answer behind Albert Okwuegbunam, who was left as the team’s starting tight end after Noah Fant was sent off in the Russell Wilson trade.
Dulcich will be fine, Dean is probably a more impactful player long-term, however, and at least based on what they did during their college careers, that’s not all that arguable. That is really the only thing that brings this grade down just a tick.
Grade: B-
The Broncos had back-to-back picks in the fourth round and they hit on these ones.
Damarri Mathis is a talented defensive back who should come in and push for playing time right away while also contributing on special teams.
He is a physical player who can easily disrupt the route of a wide receiver while also being a reliable tackler on a player with the ball in his hands.
The Broncos were likely targeting a defensive back with one of their first three picks because, like edge rushers, you really can never have enough defensive backs in today’s NFL, especially while playing in a division as talented as the AFC West proves to be in 2022.
This was a good pick and one that could provide dividends for many years in Denver.
Grade: B+
With the very next pick, the Broncos were able to bring in a talented defensive lineman and for the value, this may have been the team’s best pick of the three-day process, which is fitting, because this is the pick that came from the Seattle Seahawks in the Wilson mega deal.
Eyioma Uwazurike is a big, athletic player who should push for playing time right out of the gate as a rookie. The Broncos needed help on the defensive line and this was a great player to fill that need in the fourth round.
For me, the part of the Wilson trade that I liked the least was giving up Shelby Harris. The Broncos have Dre’Mont Jones and free-agent signing DJ Jones but there are a lot of question marks behind those players.
Uwazurike is a guy who should continue to grow from his college days straight into the pros and he is a name to watch for the future. There is not much to dislike with this selection.
Grade: A-
The Broncos had three picks in the fifth round after several trades were made and they used the first to add another safety to the roster.
Delarrin Turner-Yell will be met with plenty of competition at that position this summer and he will certainly need to shine on special teams to make an initial mark as the team has proven options in place.
Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson are the sure-fire starters but with Jackson on another one-year deal, it never hurts to plan for the future. That’s what Paton is doing here.
Caden Sterns has shown plenty of promise and looks to be a likely starter down the road. Turner-Yell will have to get noticed with the likes of Jamar Johnson, P.J. Locke and J.R. Reed also looking to do the same.
This pick definitely didn’t fill a need but he could prove to be needed depth down the road.
Grade: B-
This is a pick that has some promise behind it as well as Washington, who many felt would have to go the undrafted route to get into the league, was taken well ahead of that. That shows Paton clearly had an eye for him.
Washington will almost certainly get an opportunity to return kicks and punts as he did that well in the college game and if he can add an electric option as a wide receiver, this could turn into a great pick by the Broncos.
Remember, Tyreek Hill was once a fifth-round pick out of West Alabama. This is certainly not to say that Washington could be the next Hill, but he could prove to be a true value pick if he does what many seem to think he is capable of doing on the field.
Grade: B+
The Broncos don’t seem to have a clear vision at what to do at the center position this year and the team is bringing in more competition for the spot.
Luke Wattenberg played all over the offensive line during an extensive career with the Huskies. Some analysts saw him having to take the undrafted route out of college but this is another prospect that Paton seemed to have higher on his board than most.
He could have a chance to compete for the starting center job this year but with the talent in front of him, his best bet will likely be to show what he can do and either become a rotational piece or a practice squad player before settling into a more prominent role in the future.
Grade: C+
For a pick this late in the draft, Matt Henningsen could certainly provide some upside for the Broncos. He also adds depth at interior defensive line which was certainly a weak spot coming into the draft.
Henningsen is one of those guys who you may forget is out there at times because he is doing all of the nitty-gritty work. He is never one to back away from physicality and will mix it up with anyone to help his teammates make plays behind him.
His best path to success in the NFL will be as a rotational guy in a 3-4 defensive scheme. The Broncos just happen to have a fit at that position and while Henningsen may not be a guy who contributes immediately, he will serve a purpose to this team in one form or another.
Look for him to begin his career being used mainly on special teams or even as a practice squad guy but he can develop into a functional, productive defender under this team in Ejero Eviro’s system.
Grade: B
The Broncos double-dipped on defense at two different schools this draft between Oklahoma and Wisconsin. After drafting Henningsen, the Broncos decided to grab his teammate, Faion Hicks.
The Broncos are going to have good depth at the cornerback spot, particularly after taking Mathis in the fourth round of this draft. Players drafted in the seventh round are often those fighting for a roster spot or even a practice squad spot.
There is one clear path for a guy like Hicks to make a name for himself quickly though and it follows a common theme with some of these draft picks in this class – special teams.
Seventh-round picks are quite often dart throws and this one seems to be no different so as a result, it’s tough to hand out a grade based on how he will fit in as a rookie. That said, he provides depth at a key position and one that had 39 games of experience at one of the better college football programs in the country.
Grade: B-
Overall grade for Broncos
Coming directly out of this draft, there really isn’t a guy that makes you jump up and down with excitement. But by the same token, there were not any picks where it just seemed like the Broncos were going away from their plan.
Paton seems to have a calculated approach to this season and he did the best with what he had to work with after giving up his two highest selections in this draft.
Bonitto and Uwazurike could be instant contributors and though my gripe with passing on Dean will linger for some time, the Dulcich pick was not a terrible one.
Washington could be a very exciting young player and Mathis should help bring a more physical demeanor to the defensive backfield, which would be welcomed.
The rest of the class seems to be players that will compete for spots on the back end of the roster or be players the team counts on more in the future but all in all, a decent set of picks here.
Overall Grade: B