The Denver Broncos now have six selections in the 2023 NFL Draft after the Bradley Chubb trade to the Miami Dolphins, which is only one more than they had before the trade. The big difference is, the Broncos weren’t picking before the third round prior to the trade. Now, they have a first-round pick and that, of course, means that it’s mock draft season for Broncos Country.
The season is far from over, but the Broncos now have a chance to add a starter to their roster through the first round of the NFL Draft, or they could potentially look to move down and accumulate picks on Day 2 of the 2023 Draft.
Whatever the case may be, the options have opened up considerably and the Broncos will have needs to address. It’s hard to know exactly what kind of approach to take in a mock draft this early because of the fact that players will still rise and fall on boards, and teams will cross off needs through free agency. We’re going to look at one of a wide variety of ideas the Denver Broncos could explore in this 2023 mock draft projection.
Denver Broncos mock draft after Bradley Chubb trade
1. First round: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
One of the top positions of need for the Denver Broncos coming up in the 2023 NFL Draft and the offseason, in general, will be the tackle position. There are a variety of reasons for that.
First and foremost, starting left tackle Garett Bolles is set to count $18 million against the salary cap and is coming off of a broken leg. His replacement — opening day starting right tackle Cam Fleming — is a free agent after the season. Fleming’s replacement — Calvin Anderson (who should have just been Bolles’ replacement in the first place) — is a free agent after the season. Right tackle Billy Turner is a free agent after the season.
You get the idea.
The Broncos would probably love to see the nasty, dynamic athlete in Broderick Jones still available whenever they pick in the top rounds of this year’s draft. Jones has such easy movement skills, and while he’s still developing in pass protection, he’s markedly improved this year in that area and looks every bit the part of an NFL starting tackle.
Could the Broncos try and restructure Garett Bolles while also making this kind of selection? Absolutely.
Denver Broncos 2023 mock draft: Third round picks
3a. Jarrett Patterson, IOL, Notre Dame
In this particular Denver Broncos mock draft scenario, the opportunity was presented to go with an interior offensive lineman here near the top of round three in Notre Dame’s Jarrett Patterson. Patterson is a versatile interior player who has experience at both center and guard. Luckily for the Broncos, he could fill either hole, whatever the team doesn’t address in free agency, if that’s even the case.
Again, some of these picks are working on the assumption of non-long-term options being brought in via free agency, but it’s entirely possible that the Broncos could look for starters there instead of the NFL Draft. In that case, taking a versatile player like Patterson isn’t a bad idea in round three anyway because he can play multiple positions and could help you get a contract off the books in a year or two.
3b. Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
The injury to Javonte Williams has significantly complicated the Denver Broncos’ future at the running back position. The team could absolutely bring back whoever ends up being the best back the rest of the way here in 2022, or they could start from scratch. Regardless if a veteran is brought back or not, I think Zach Charbonnet of UCLA should be a target of the Broncos in this coming draft cycle.
This guy runs with bad intentions, he’s perfect for the zone-blocking scheme, and he knows how to rack up yardage after contact. Even if you get a fully healthy Javonte Williams again soon, this guy would be a great no. 2.
Will the Broncos draft scheme-specific guys with the coaching staff potentially in flux? I think you have to consider the possibility of the zone scheme not necessarily being the offense the Broncos run in any mock draft scenario but Charbonnet is probably not scheme-specific, he just really knows how to set up blocks, plant his foot in the ground, and go.
Denver Broncos 2023 mock draft: Day 3 picks
4. Mike Morris, DL, Michigan
The Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL and they have invested a lot on that side of the ball. That’s why you’re not seeing a defensive player taken in this mock draft scenario until day three, although it could definitely be earlier than that.
Mike Morris has played great for Michigan this season, living in the backfield. He could play a versatile role on the defensive line for the Denver Broncos, not unlike what we see weekly from Dre’Mont Jones. The Broncos have a number of players with expiring deals on the defensive line, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them take a shot on someone in this year’s draft.
5. Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue
If I’m banging the table for the Denver Broncos to draft one guy in this year’s class, it’s going to be Charlie Jones out of Purdue. You could see it dating back to his time with the Iowa Hawkeyes that this guy was going to be a tremendous pro, and even now as he’s transferred to Purdue, you’re seeing progressions in his game.
Jones has been one of the best receivers in college football at the catch point. He has good speed, he can play in the slot, out wide, he can return kicks and punts — he can do it all, and he’s been a monster this season. It wouldn’t be shocking if his draft stock exceeds where mock draft machines have him going as of right now but this is a guy the Broncos need to pick up.
7. Tyson Bagent, QB, Shepherd
Don’t be shocked to see the Denver Broncos take a shot on a quarterback in this year’s draft, maybe even earlier than this. Russell Wilson hasn’t given the team any reason to go into 2023 blindly confident that he’s going to be playing at a superstar level just yet, even though they are paying him as such, and a couple of injuries dating back to last year means the Broncos might want to hedge their bets a bit better than Josh Johnson and/or Brett Rypien.
Broncos pass rush group still outstanding after Bradley Chubb trade
The Denver Broncos still have an outstanding group of edge players even after the Bradley Chubb blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins.
Tyson Bagent has been one of the most electric players at the DII level and could be one of this year’s best sleepers at the quarterback position. By the time the NFL Draft rolls around, his stock will likely be higher than this, but this is a name to file away as a potential target for Denver at QB.