Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton always warns against following the "NFL train" when it comes to the NFL Draft and where the media typically tends to guide opinions. The Broncos don't always think like the "consensus", and the consensus isn't always right.
If the Broncos listened to the majority of opinions about quarterback Bo Nix, they wouldn't have taken him 12th overall and might have missed out on a franchise quarterback. The point is, when it comes to the draft, the Broncos form their own opinions about which players will or won't fit their program, and the way they've been operating in recent years will break a lot of mock draft machines.
Which players could the Broncos potentially be higher on behind closed doors than media draft analysts are with certain players? Are there any prospects who could end up being surprise 2nd-round picks nobody sees coming at this point?
Potential surprise Denver Broncos 2026 NFL Draft targets at pick 62 overall
1. Chris McClellan, DL, Missouri
The Denver Broncos' biggest loss of the 2026 offseason, up to this point, has been the loss of free agent John Franklin-Myers, who signed with the Titans to a three-year deal. Franklin-Myers gave the Broncos 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons and was one of the top 25 interior defensive linemen in the league in pressures last season.
Getting another pass rushing defensive lineman, even with 2025 3rd-round pick Sai'vion Jones waiting in the wings, could make a lot of sense.
The Broncos have had plenty of pre-draft contact with McClellan, who also trained with former Broncos pass rush coach BT Jordan in the 2025 offseason.
McClellan took a visit to Denver, he had a Zoom meeting with them, and ultimately, the tie with BT Jordan really thickens the plot. The Broncos would undoubtedly have great intel on McClellan, who also comes from a program that is well-represented on Denver's roster. The Broncos currently have five former Missouri Tigers, tied for the most from any school on the team.
The consensus right now has McClellan as a 3rd-4th-round projection, but if the Broncos like what he brings to the table, there is really no good reason why they'd leave it up to chance and wait. He's got great size and length, and had six sacks last season at Missouri.
2. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
The closer we get to the 2026 NFL Draft, the more intrigued I get about how teams will approach the running back position. It feels like after Jeremiyah Love goes somewhere within the top 10 overall picks, all bets are off.
If you look at mock drafts and prospect rankings, you're likely going to see maybe one or two backs going in the 2nd round, and not many in the 3rd. It almost feels more like those out there making mock drafts are just assuming teams are not going to value this class highly, but supply drives demand. And this year's supply seems to be of the short variety.
Emmett Johnson is a player who has been routinely connected to Denver this offseason. He had a formal meeting with the Broncos at the Scouting Combine, the Broncos have sent scouts to Nebraska, and Johnson has the skill set to be one of the best pass-catching backs in this class.
The Broncos are almost guaranteed at this point to use one of their top three picks in this draft on the running back position, and Johnson looks like a good all-around fit. The only question with this type of surprise pick would be -- what does it mean for RJ Harvey?
3. Travis Burke, OT, Memphis
If the offensive tackle position is on the Broncos' radar in the 2nd round, which it should absolutely be, then Travis Burke out of Memphis would be a very fun option.
The Broncos don't need to mess around and hope that someone like Burke would fall to the 2nd round in a trade back. If they feel like he has future starter qualities, then there's no reason to pass on using a 2nd-round pick on him.
Burke is a towering 6-foot-9 offensive tackle prospect with the nasty disposition to be extremely effective in the running game. He had a 9.05 on the RAS scale, and with longer than 34-inch arms, you bet on the traits and size at the position. At the college level, he had 16 starts at right tackle and 29 starts at left tackle, so he brings immediate swing capabilities.
We've seen the Broncos prioritize these taller tackles under Sean Payton, and Burke has all of the tools you want to build around. He'd be a heck of a way to break the near-decade-long streak of not drafting any tackles.
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