The Denver Broncos have appeased the fan base by trading for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to (finally) upgrade the weapons around quarterback Bo Nix, but it's also fair to say that the team has not yet addressed it's biggest loss of the 2026 offseason so far.
The Broncos let defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers walk in NFL free agency, where he signed with the Tennessee Titans on a big-money contract. The loss of Franklin-Myers removed a player who had 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons, and was in the top 20 among all interior defensive linemen in pressures last year.
Regardless of whether or not the Broncos feel like they have the options to replace Frankin-Myers internally (Eyioma Uwazurike, Sai'vion Jones), they want to bring waves of pass rushers and need to replenish the depth up front. Uwazurike is slated for free agency after this season, and Jones is a complete unknown. This 7-round Denver Broncos mock draft is going to explore a scenario where they land a 1st-round talent on the defensive line in the 2nd round, and address some key needs shortly thereafter.
Denver Broncos add risk-reward defensive lineman with top pick in 2026 NFL mock draft
Round 2 | 62nd overall: Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
There are a number of defensive linemen who could make a ton of sense for the Denver Broncos in the 2nd round of this draft, and they've had some pre-draft contact with almost all of them. Caleb Banks out of Florida met formally with the team at the Scouting Combine and took a "top 30" visit to Denver as well.
Banks is just a ridiculous athlete whose size and natural athleticism would normally have him slotted for one of the top 32 picks overall. But there are some questions about his availability (injury history including toe injury at the Combine) and overall production that could cause him to slide into the 2nd round.
And if Banks falls to Denver's pick slot, he might be a no-brainer pickup for them. He's played all over the defensive front in terms of technique and alignment, so the Broncos can utilize him in a variety of ways. He's 6-foot-6, 327 pounds, and has 35-inch arms with outstanding movement skills. He's exactly the type of player you can buy the risk vs. reward argument at this stage of the draft, and the Broncos need to invest in the trenches.
Round 3 | 90th overall (from Dolphins): Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
We've got the Broncos making a trade to get back into the 3rd round of this mock draft, and they're firing up the phone lines with the Dolphins again to make it happen. The Dolphins have four third-round picks this year, and while they might be motivated to use them all to upgrade the roster, I'd be shocked if they didn't try to get a 2027 3rd-rounder in exchange for one of them.
He's not Brock Bowers, but the flashes you see from Oscar Delp at Georgia are absolutely worthy of the Broncos moving up and buying his long-term projection at the tight end position.
At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, he ran a blazing 4.49 in the 40-yard dash with a 38-inch vertical jump. He's a strong blocker, he's got soft hands, and he runs well after the catch. There are a lot of tight ends in this year's draft that the Broncos could prioritize, but Delp has a great combination of skills to help immediately and be a starter in the long run.
Round 4 | 111th overall: Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
The closer we get to the 2026 NFL Draft, the more I feel like the Broncos are going to use one of their top three picks on the running back position. The 2nd round would be a little aggressive after just using a 2nd-round pick on RJ Harvey last year, but the team knows based on how things went last season that they desperately need depth.
Jonah Coleman might be the ideal fit for the Denver Broncos in this draft class, although there are a couple of guys who could fit that description. This isn't the best class of running backs we've ever seen, but Coleman's skill set is almost exactly what the Broncos are missing.
He's a 5-foot-8, 222-pound back who understands his role very well as a pass protector on third downs. He's also got the ability to make big plays as a receiver out of the backfield and give a team like the Broncos a powerful back with a low center of gravity and high effort.
Round 5 | 170th overall: Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama
Broncos fans have been clamoring for the team to get Justin Jefferson, so the team can finally oblige.
All kidding aside, this Justin Jefferson is truly one of the more underrated players in a class of linebackers that seemingly has no end when it comes to the depth of the group overall. Jefferson is a former community college transfer who spent three years at Alabama and worked hard to earn his playing time in 2025.
As the Broncos scouted Que Robinson and his upside/special teams ability last year, they would have undoubtedly seen Jefferson playing at a high level on special teams right along with him. He's got tremendous upside defensively as well, but the Broncos might be able to push linebacker down the list in a draft class this deep, and if they truly feel like Jonah Elliss can be something there.
Round 7 | 246th overall: Kaden Wetjen, WR, Iowa
If the Broncos have to trade up to get him, they should do it, but Kaden Wetjen should be a priority for this team in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Broncos have Marvin Mims Jr. entering a contract year in 2026, and they took him off of kickoff returns late last season due to concussions becoming an issue.
They need someone to come in and be a dynamic presence in the return game, and there's nobody better in this draft than Kaden Wetjen. There are other options, of course, but he's the best. He was the first player at the FBS level since 2009 with a kick return TD, punt return TD, rushing TD, and receiving TD in the same season. He had six return touchdowns in total at Iowa. He's a threat in that phase.
Round 7 | 256th overall: Karson Sharar, LB, Iowa
We're sticking with the Iowa program here and a high-upside play in the 7th round. Karson Sharar only started one year for Phil Parker's defense at Iowa, but spent his first few years absolutely crushing as a core-four special teams ace.
And his combination of size and athleticism will allow him to hit the ground running in that phase of the game as he gets to the next level. He also showed upside as a future starter defensively.
Round 7 | 257th overall: Zach Durfee, EDGE, Washington
There are a lot of directions you could go with the very last pick in the draft, but typically, you're going to get some good bang for your buck in the pass rush department. And if there is a pass rusher with NFL upside available here, teams are going to be scraping and clawing trying to get him in the undrafted free agency frenzy.
Zach Durfee picked up football after his first year of college, but the upside is ridiculous with his athleticism. He can play special teams immediately, and might steal a roster spot during training camp and preseason action.