There are some clear needs for the Broncos in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but these three prospects would be first-round nightmares. This might be a bold opinion piece in the eyes of some, but I absolutely cannot stand the idea of the Broncos taking the 'best player available' in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
I disagree with that line of thinking for this team right now - they have obvious needs on the offensive side of the ball like wide receiver and running back that should be prioritized over BPA. Now yes, there are some instances where the best player available is also a player who can satisfy a need.
There might end up being a few prospects left on the board at pick 20 who could end up being first-round nightmares for the Denver Broncos. Let's get into them here.
3 nightmare first-round prospects for the Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft
Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
There simply isn't a reason for the Broncos to look at Nick Emmanwori in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This team may now have the best safety tandem in the NFL with Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga on the backend, having signed Hufanga earlier this offseason to a three-year deal.
Both players are right in the middle of their prime, and I would go as far as to say the Broncos, under no circumstances, should be looking at any prospect in the secondary in the first round, regardless of they are the 'best player available' on the board.
This team has a plethora of other urgent needs and lighter needs over addressing the secondary. This team should look to use a Day 3 pick on someone at cornerback or safety, period.
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Another first-round nightmare prospect would be Will Johnson from Michigan. In the same vein as Nick Emmanwori, the Broncos simply should not even give a single thought to a defensive back in the first round. Positions like wide receiver, running back, tight end, defensive tackle, inside linebacker, and even center are more urgent needs than CB or SAF.
Now yes, you might be in the camp of simply taking the best player available on the board, but the Broncos roster is plenty good enough to draft a top offensive weapon. Will Johnson on the Broncos would be a disaster.
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
If you do some basic digging, you'll find that Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen may have some slight character/maturity concerns:
"Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen's on-field talent is almost certainly going to make him a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but there are some questions about his maturity level as he prepares to enter the league.Adam Wells
Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, "multiple" NFL scouts have expressed "maturity concerns" about Nolen.
There was a situation at Ole Miss during the 2024 season that may have raised some eyebrows. Nolen appeared to suffer a lower-body injury late in the first half of the Rebels' game against Oklahoma on Oct. 26 and he sat out the second half.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin offered a cryptic response when asked if there was any concern about Nolen's health going forward.
"I don't know. He wasn't able to go back in. I actually thought he was going to go back in and he decided that he couldn't go back in," Kiffin said.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler noted the "interview process will be crucial to (Nolen's) final grade" because he played at six different programs in the past seven years dating back to his time in high school.
According to Fowler, some scouting reports for Nolen mention he has a "history of walking off the practice field mid-session due to frustration.""
Yes, Nolen is an extremely talented prospect and could fill a need, but the Denver Broncos do not need players with these types of issues on their team, period. The team is building one of the more rock-solid, team-first cultures in the NFL, and that's mainly due to the old-school, rugged nature of Sean Payton. The Broncos have intense practices and play an extremely tough brand of football.
Frankly, Walter Nolen does not fit that. Now yes, many college prospects who end up in the NFL do also shut the door on potential concerns, but it's not a guarantee, and I just do not believe the Broncos have to be taking a first-round chance on someone like this.