The Denver Broncos have their franchise quarterback in Bo Nix. They don't have to concern themselves with finding "the guy" at the quarterback position going forward, but NFL teams are always looking to add to the room.
And it just so happens that one prospect in the class of 2026 is going to be an obvious draft crush of the Denver Broncos when it comes time for the NFL Draft.
That prospect is none other than Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski, a transfer from South Dakota State where he won multiple National Championships as the starting quarterback. Gronowski transferred to Iowa this season to boost his NFL Draft stock, and he's done just that.
Broncos will likely love Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski as a backup option in the 2026 NFL Draft
I wouldn't expect the Broncos to use a pick in the first two days on the quarterback position, but once Day 3 rolls around, all bets are off. The quarterback position is valuable currency in the NFL, and we'll see what the future holds beyond this year for players like Jarrett Stidham and pending free agent Sam Ehlinger.
The Broncos almost always bring in a fourth quarterback for the offseason anyway, and Gronowski has a lot of stylistic similarities to guys like Bo Nix and Sam Ehlinger, even if he's not on those guys' level as an overall athlete.
Gronowski has the type of "grit" that Sean Payton loves at the position. He's got playmaking ability, dual-threat capabilities, and he's played a ton of football. Gronowski's performance in Iowa's bowl game against Vanderbilt was one of his better all-around performances of the season with some tight-window throws in the red zone, including a perfect throw that hit his receiver in the hands and was tipped up and intercepted.
Iowa runs the type of offense that will help Gronowski come in and download the Sean Payton offense quickly, and he just has a ton of traits that we know Payton really loves at the position.
Another interesting note that Payton will love is the fact that Gronowski played his high school ball in Naperville, Illinois. That's the same city Payton played his high school football.
It's nothing the Broncos have to be overly concerned about, but guys like this are nice for your team to have. They are assets during the year on the scout team, they do well in the quarterback room, and they help give you a great look in the preseason.
It's certainly not a foregone conclusion at this point, but I would be shocked if Gronowski wasn't exactly the type of quarterback the Broncos would be looking to bring in to have for the offseason program and perhaps on the practice squad next season.