The Denver Broncos are going to be aggressive in fixing their offense this offseason. Does this mock draft help get that unit on the right track? Bo Nix somehow threw for 29 touchdown passes this season with one of the worst playmaking units in the NFL. If Denver is able to add some decent players on offense this offseason, they could be cooking with gas.
The most popular positions mocked to the Denver Broncos this cycle are mostly offensive selections like wide receiver, running back, and tight end. Some of the top players that could be on the Broncos' minds when the 20th overall pick rolls around include Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, Emeka Egbuka, Luther Burden, Matthew Golden, and Ashton Jeanty.
It's not a guarantee that the Broncos do pick an offensive player in the first round, but it's likely if you ask me. Field Yates of ESPN rolled out a mock draft on Tuesday, and who did he mock do the Denver Broncos?
"It was hard to go 19 picks without Jeanty coming off the board -- he's one of my five highest-ranked prospects in the class. But he also plays the deepest position in this draft and one on which many teams philosophically are not inclined to use a premium pick. But this would be a dream scenario for the Broncos. They tied for 20th in yards per rush (4.1) and Javonte Williams is a free agent.Field Yates
Jeanty would take over the lead role behind an excellent offensive line (the Broncos ranked first in run block win rate in 2024) and pair with second-year quarterback Bo Nix to give coach Sean Payton an offensive boost. Jeanty can be a Pro Bowl-level player very early in his career, as his speed, power, contact balance and receiving profile are all excellent. He ran for 2,601 yards this past season."
Taking a running back in the first round might be a bit of a controversial decision, but both George Paton and Sean Payton have been a part of separate NFL teams that have done this before, so both men have invested significant resources into the room before.
In my opinion, the Denver Broncos would indeed take Ashton Jeanty if he fell to pick 20, but there's the problem; Jeanty may not fall past the Dallas Cowboys' 12th overall selection. Jeanty was the best RB in college football this past season and should have won the Heisman Trophy, depending on who you ask.
He seems to be a slam-dunk top-10 prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft and could truly be a perennial Pro Bowl player in the league. The Denver Broncos have not had a devastating run game in quite some time, and we have heard Sean Payton mention the 'joker' role as being reserved for a tight end or running back.
I guess we may never know what the joker is until the Denver Broncos acquire one, but Ashton Jeanty is absolutely good enough to be that and then some in the team's offense for years to come. The only way I personally see a running back not in play in the first round is if the Broncos make a move for one in free agency. Heck, even signing Aaron Jones for a year would lead me to believe RB is firmly off the board at pick 20.
It's also worth wondering if the Denver Broncos would consider trading up in the first round to take Ashton Jeanty. There is still a ton of time between now and the 2025 NFL Draft, so lots can happen.