The Denver Broncos hold the 20th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Could they make an unexpected move with the selection. Most of the mock drafts out there do have the Broncos using their top pick on a position like tight end or running back, but could they pull-off some type of unexpected move here?
Perhaps the Broncos have a player in mind that virtually no one is talking about...
It would not shock me, as Sean Payton seems to be someone who likes playing those games with the media. After all, he seemed to successfully manufacture interest in the team wanting to draft JJ McCarthy, but Bo Nix was their guy.
Here are three unexpected first-round picks the Broncos can make in the 2025 NFL Draft.
3 unexpected first-round picks the Broncos can make in the 2025 NFL Draft
Jihaad Campbell, ILB, Alabama
The Denver Broncos are going to invest into their ILB room this coming offseason, and I would be flat-out shocked if they did not make at least one major free agency move at the position, but I truly have seen virutally no one talking about ILB being a position the Broncos can use the 20th overall pick on. Jihaad Campbell is the best ILB prospect in a shaky ILB draft, but he is a first-round player.
The Broncos could get a top-tier ILB for years to come and could still invest into the position in free agency. Most NFL mock drafts for the Denver Broncos do have them taking someone on the offensive side of the ball, but could they make a sneaky pick like this?
Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Nick Emmanwori is ridiculously athletic and could fill an interesting need for the Denver Broncos. He is a safety but also plays like an inside linebacker with how physical and big he is. Someone like that, a bit of a S/LB hybrid is the type of player that Vance Joseph has excelled with during his career.
Some have argued that the team does have a first-round need at safety, but when you look at the free agent safety class, others have argued that it would be more smart to just fill the need in free agency again, seeing as the team found a top safety in Brandon Jones on the FA market last offseason.
I truly do not think the Broncos would use their first-round pick on a safety, but the defense is missing about two more enforcers on defense, which is what I have called them.
Nick Emmanwori could be that player for Denver at pick 20.
Nic Scourton, DL
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Nic Scourton to Trey Hendrickson at the NFL level, and Hendrickson was a draft pick of Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints a while back. Here is more of what Zierlein had to say about the first-round prospect:
"Physical edge presence with the potential for creating havoc on all three downs. Scourton can power across the blocker’s face and into gaps but is an average “set-and-contain” run defender. He plays with adequate hustle and range in pursuit and hits runners with heavy pads. He’s an eclectic rusher with a mature rush plan and rarely shows opponents the same look on consecutive plays. He won’t outrace or bulldoze tackles, but he utilizes tempo alterations and a bag full of moves and counters. Teams threw chips and double-teams his way out of concern and respect. Scourton’s size, demeanor and rush talent give him a chance to become a productive three-down starter off the edge."Lance Zierlein
This could be a sneaky pick for the Denver Broncos. They could bolster their defensive line and perhaps set the stage for the future at defensive end with Nic Scourton. The Broncos DL did seem to get a bit weaker down the stretch in the 2024 NFL Season, so depending on who you ask, the defensive line could be improved in free agency and in the 2025 NFL Draft.
It is pretty likely that Denver does add a defensive tackle, but there hasn't been a ton of chatter about the team adding another pass-rusher. Sean Payton does always seem to field deep defensive lines, so watch out for a pick like this.