Every Denver Broncos fan is focused on the present, but scouts are always keeping one eye on the future of the organization. If there's one area the Broncos wish they could pluck from the college ranks to supplement their roster right now, at least defensively, it's got to be the linebacker position.
This year's crop of college football linebackers looks absolutely outstanding, and the timing of some of these guys coming to the NFL should benefit the Broncos tremendously.
ESPN recently dropped a brand-new 2026 NFL mock draft, and had the Broncos taking an off-ball linebacker from one of the top defenses in the country.
Broncos take Ohio State Sonny Styles in latest ESPN 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Jordan Reid does an amazing job evaluating prospects for ESPN, and here's what he had to say about the Broncos taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the 23rd pick in his latest mock draft:
"Off-ball linebacker is arguably the weakest part of an imposing Broncos defense that's second in the NFL in yards (254.2) and points (15.8) allowed per game. Free agent signing Dre Greenlaw hasn't played this season because of a thigh injury, while Alex Singleton is 31 and set to become an unrestricted free agent. Styles would provide Denver with a rangy, second-level defender who shows plenty of instincts in coverage. He is capable of rushing the passer on obvious passing downs, and his wrap-up-and-finish tackling ability would make him a reliable option immediately."
- Jordan Reid, ESPN
Frankly, at this point, it really doesn't feel like the Broncos would be able to go wrong picking a player from the crop of Ohio State prospects. It feels like all of those guys are transitioning exceptionally well to the NFL these days, even if it's not literally a 100 percent success rate.
This year, they have two off-ball linebackers -- Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles -- who look like future stars at the next level. Styles is 6-foot-4 and a former safety who, as Reid points out, has outstanding range and instincts in coverage.
The Broncos, regardless of what they end up getting this year out of free agent pickup Dre Greenlaw, need to address the linebacker spot for a number of reasons. Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are both free agents, and Drew Sanders has also done nothing up to this point as a former third-round pick.
It's not a foregone conclusion that the team would use a 1st-round pick on a linebacker, and that's not typically a great use of 1st-round capital in terms of investing in the premium positions, but this might be one of the team's top needs in next year's draft.
And if the Broncos can fill that need with either of the Ohio State guys, it would be a fast-track toward potentially having the Defensive Rookie of the Year on the roster.