Broncos' GM George Paton's vision is beginning to form. Which players have been his best overall draft picks?
The first couple years of the George Paton era definitely got off to a shaky start, but we have since seen this roster take shape, and heading into 2025, the Denver Broncos may have a top-10 roster in the entire league and a great chance at dethroning the Chiefs in the AFC West.
Paton himself does deserve a ton of credit, as many of his draft picks are panning out. Which ones have been the best, though?
In no particular order, let's look at the five best draft picks of the George Paton era.
Best draft picks of the George Paton era as Broncos offseason rolls on
Patrick Surtain II - 2021 NFL Draft
Let's get the obvious one out of the way - Patrick Surtain II was the Broncos first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and this class turned out to be a foundational one for Denver. Surtain won the DPOY in the 2024 NFL Season, and even with Denver desperately needing a QB, Paton passed up on Justin Fields and Mac Jones to draft Surtain. He clearly knew what he was doing...
Jonathon Cooper - 2021 NFL Draft
One of the most successful seventh-round picks in NFL history (yes, really), Jonathon Cooper signed an extension with the Broncos recently and had double-digit sacks in 2024. Cooper has turned into one of the better pass rushers in the NFL and was a sensationally great pick by Paton.
Quinn Meinerz - 2021 NFL Draft
A third-round pick, Quinn Meinerz went from playing for a D-III school to being an All-Pro in the 2024 NFL Season. Arguably the best guard in the NFL, Meinerz has turned into a foundational piece of the offensive line and contributed to an elite unit last season.
Bo Nix - 2024 NFL Draft
Bo Nix ended up being the right pick for the Denver Broncos, as Nix and the team proved so many people wrong. Now yes, Nix and the offense could regress in the 2025 NFL Season, but with the way Nix played down the stretch and how the team is built, it just does not feel likely that we see a regression in 2025.
It's a lot more likely that Bo Nix hits his stride.
Nik Bonitto - 2022 NFL Draft
Nik Bonitto finished 2024 wiith 13.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and 24 QB hits. All of these numbers were at least top-5 in the NFL. Bonitto should be signing a massive contract extension with the Broncos at some point in 2025. The second-round pick back in 2022 took some time to develop, but he did progress from year one into year two and from year two into year three.
Still someone who could be a bit more stout defending the run, Bonitto's pass-rush prowess is top-tier.