The Denver Broncos have a chance to do some serious damage in the 2025 NFL Draft and cover a lot of ground in the race to contend for the AFC title.
There is a perception out there that the Broncos are still a long way off from truly contending in the AFC, but they've already added some important pieces in NFL Free Agency and could be poised to add even more game-changers in the 2025 Draft. In fact, in this (final) 2025 NFL Mock Draft for the Broncos, we're going to get super optimistic and project those game-changing players.
The Broncos have an obvious need at running back, but beyond that, everything is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to roster holes (both present and future), depth at certain positions in this year's draft, and how high specific players should be going. This particular scenario, however, might be more along the lines of ideal, bordering on unrealistic.
But it's time to manifest.
Broncos land Ohio State duo in final 2025 NFL Mock Draft projection
1. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
When you look at this whole crop of players, there likely isn't going to be anyone as unanimously "liked" as Emeka Egbuka out of Ohio State. The Broncos going with a 1st-round wide receiver (or getting a receiver with their top pick) is a bit of a polarizing idea for a lot of fans.
There are some in the fan base who truly resonate with what Sean Paton has said all offseason, which is that the team likes its young players at the receiver position a lot. There are plenty of folks out there who feel like the quartet of Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Devaughn Vele, and Troy Franklin will be the primary receivers in Denver in 2025.
I'm not so sure on that one.
Emeka Egbuka may not have the flash of some other receiver prospects, but just like another former Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba, I think he's being slept on with no really good reasons why. Egbuka is sure-handed, runs great routes, he's team-first, and he can block. He's also an elite athlete at a premium position. This is kind of a no-brainer the more you think about it.
2. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
I would be thrilled if the Broncos came away from the 2025 NFL Draft with either of Emeka Egbuka or his teammate TreVeyon Henderson. If they somehow find a way to come away with both? I'm going to be more than ecstatic. We'll be talking Super Bowl on here for the duration of the offseason.
Getting players from the National Champion Ohio State program would be a ton of fun, but more than just drafting off the best team in the nation, the Broncos would be getting two players who absolutely love the game of football, are exactly the type of high-character players to fit in the culture and represent the organization, and fill the team's biggest need: Surrounding Bo Nix with playmakers.
The Broncos need a true RB1 to feature on all three downs and Henderson can be that. He can work in tandem with Audric Estimé, who should also be in line for carries. With just one fumble on 667 career touches, Henderson has the kind of ball security head coach Sean Payton covets.
3. Harold Fannin, TE, Bowling Green
There are a few fascinating wild cards at the tight end position in this draft I would love for the Denver Broncos, and Harold Fannin is one of them. Fannin is one of the youngest prospects in this class, but his stock has fallen recently because people don't seem to think he's all that refined of a prospect.
While Fannin lasted to the 3rd round of my mock draft projection, I have a feeling the league is going to view him very differently. He's coming off of a season at Bowling Green in which he was the only player on the offense consistently making plays, and he still set the FBS single-season record for receptions by a tight end with 117.
The guy is an absolute machine as a receiver, and would be the perfect developmental "joker" for the Broncos to groom behind Evan Engram on the depth chart.
4. Ty Hamilton, DL, Ohio State
Three of the first four picks coming from the Ohio State program? There should be no issues there. In fact, one of the strategies I would absolutely love to see from the Broncos in this draft is to just take as many Ducks, Bucks, and Longhorns as possible. If they had a draft class of only guys from those schools, they'd probably be set.
But the Buckeyes are going to have more players drafted than any other school anyway, so the Broncos might as well get in on the action heavily.
Ty Hamilton has been a productive player on the interior for the Buckeyes over the last few years, and would be a great pickup for a Broncos team looking to maintain some continuity on that defensive front as well as do a little planning for the future. Hamilton can get in the rotation as a rookie, but he might start in 2026.
5. Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State
The Broncos have done a fair amount of pre-draft sniffing around the interior offensive line, enough to lead me to believe they're going to go shopping for one at some point on Day 3. The center position could be upgraded with Luke Wattenberg getting his first crack at the gig last year, and the Broncos might have options.
Alex Forsyth has played, and the team used a seventh-rounder last year on Nick Gargiulo out of South Carolina. Here, they get Sacramento State and Senior Bowl star Jackson Slater, who has three-position versatility on the offensive line.
He can play anywhere on the interior, and that versatility will serve him very well at the next level.
6. Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa
I have to make at least one mandatory "homer" pick in this mock draft, and getting Jay Higgins out of Iowa would be fantastic. There are a number of draftable Hawkeyes in this class, including the potential RB1 of the future: Kaleb Johnson. However, if the Broncos can't land Johnson, then Higgins would be a reasonable alternative on Day 3.
He did not test well at the NFL Scouting Combine and had a bad RAS overall. It wouldn't be shocking to see such a productive and instinctive player fall to Day 3, but this guy can play ball. He had nearly 300 total tackles over the last two seasons and was an All-American in 2024.
7. Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech
There are so many running backs in this year's class, some good ones are bound to slip through the cracks. George Paton said previously that he thinks you'll be able to get starting-caliber backs from rounds 2-6, so this is just an example of putting your money where your mouth is.
If there's a position to double up at in this draft, it's running back. Although the Broncos may like some of their in-house guys, they have to play the cards they're dealt in the NFL draft and getting a baller like Tahj Brooks in the 6th round would be fantastic.
He forced a ton of missed tackles over the last two seasons at Texas Tech and is a big-bodied back with some chops as a receiver. He'd be a fun Day 3 dart throw to close out this class.