The best course of action for the Denver Broncos might be to trade down from pick 20. Let's dive into the latest Broncos mock draft. Given that there is not a ton of first-round talent in the 2025 NFL Draft, the best path forward for the draft might be moving down.
This could net the Broncos additional picks in the second, third and fourth rounds, where a ton of value could be had. Now yes, you could argue the opposite - that the Broncos should trade up. You could argue this because Denver is right on the cusp of turning into a contender, so perhaps them landing one of the very best prospects propels them over the edge.
In this latest Denver Broncos mock draft, the team will make a major trade out of the first round. Let's see how it goes for them.
Broncos NFL Mock Draft: Team makes major trade out of the first round
47th Pick (via ARI) - Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Trade! The Denver Broncos are trading down a whopping 27 picks with the Arizona Cardinals and are now picking in the middle of the second round. With this pick, they are somehow able to land Kenneth Grant from Michigan.
Grant is one of two high-end defensive tackle prospects from Michigan. The other is Mason Graham, who is likely going inside the top-5. Denver starts this mock draft off with a pick in the trenches.
51st Pick - TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
The 51st pick belongs to the Denver Broncos, and they are able to grab TreVeyon Henderson, the talented running back from Ohio State. Henderson profiles similarly to Aaron Jones and Jahmyr Gibbs at the NFL level. He would be a rock-solid fit for the Broncos for years to come and an instant starter at the position.
78th Pick (via ARI) - Marcus Mbow, OT, Purdue
Another pick that the Broncos got from their trade-down with the Arizona Cardinals is pick 78. Denver has netted a couple of extra top-100 picks here. They grab Marcus Mbow from Purdue. Mbow profiles into the interior at the NFL level, and he could actually compete with Luke Wattenberg for the starting center job.
85th Pick - Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Another running back! The 85th overall pick comes in the third round and belongs to the Denver Broncos. They are able to grab another Ohio State running back and have now totally remade their RB room, selecting Quinshon Judkins. It would be stellar if Denver had their eyes on two backs and were able to come away with both Henderson and Judkins.
This would make the offense incredibly dangerous.
115th Pick (via ARI) - Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse
The last pick in this year's draft that Denver gets from the Arizona Cardinals is pick 115. They take WR/TE hybrid Oronde Gadsden from Syracuse. Here is his draft blurb from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
"Receiver-to-tight-end convert who comes from NFL bloodlines. Gadsden is more of a big slot receiver than a pass-catching tight end. He gets hung up on press coverage and won’t outrange NFL man coverage downfield, but his wingspan gives him a distinct advantage at the catch stage. He creates throwing windows when he’s allowed to stay on the move and he battles for contested catches. He needs to get stronger and become a little more competitive as a blocker but there’s enough receiving talent for him to be picked on Day 3 of the draft."Lance Zierlein
Another big-bodied weapon for the Denver Broncos offense.
122nd Pick - Smael Mondon Jr, LB, Georgia
The Denver Broncos use their own 122nd pick to take Smael Mondon Jr from Georgia. I would not hate the idea of Denver seeing some development from Drew Sanders at ILB, taking a linebacker in the NFL Draft, and actually moving on from Alex Singleton entirely.
191st Pick - Jake Majors, OC, Texas
Jake Majors could be a fun center prospect, and in this event, Denver could have their earlier pick, Marcus Mbow, settle in more as a guard. The Broncos should keep add pieces to their OL room to ensure the unit remains atop the NFL for years to come.
197th Pick - Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
Much more of a pure tight end, Mitchell Evans from Notre Dame could be a high-end developmental prospect for the Denver Broncos in this offensive-focused NFL Mock Draft.
208th Pick - Que Robinson, EDGE, Alabama
The Broncos finish up the latest mock draft by taking Que Robinson from Alabama. Robinson had seven tackles for loss and four sacks in 2024 for the Crimson Tide.
2026 ARI 2nd
With all the extra picks that the Denver Broncos got from their trade down, they still netted the second-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2026 NFL Draft. Would this haul, overall, be a good long-term class for the Denver Broncos?