The Denver Broncos are one of a few teams across the NFL right now that do not have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Denver sent two draft picks to the Miami Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle in a trade that not many people thought the team was capable of making.
However, just because Denver's capital is depleted and actually among the least-valuable in the NFL, does not mean General Manager George Paton can't find some starters with the picks he does have. The Broncos could always work the draft board and perhaps trade down for more capital, but even with the picks the team has right now, there is a giant chance that Paton does some work here.
In fact, his NFL Draft history with the Broncos only further proves that this team is in an ideal spot to find legitimate talent this year.
George Paton has found some diamonds in the rough for the Denver Broncos
Paton began his tenure with the Broncos back in 2021, and some of his mid and late-round draft selections prove that the team is in an ideal spot. Let's take a yearly look at some of the players Paton has been able to find and where their draft slot was:
2021
Quinn Meinerz, OG, 98th overall
Jonathon Cooper, OLB, 239th overall
2022
Nik Bonitto, OLB, 64th overall
Eyioma Uwazurike, DE, 116th overall
Luke Wattenberg, OC, 171st overall
2023
Marvin Mims, WR, 63rd overall
Riley Moss, CB, 83rd overall
2024
Jonah Elliss, ILB, 76th overall
Troy Franklin, WR, 102nd overall
Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, 145th overall
2025
RJ Harvey, RB, 60th overall
Pat Bryant, WR, 74th overall
While the verdict is still out on some of these players, you simply cannot deny the sheer amount of non-first-round talent Paton has been able to find. Quinn Meinerz might be the best story of the bunch, as he was just barely a top-100 pick and is now the best guard in the NFL.
Nik Bonitto has turned into a top-10 pass-rusher and was almost a third-round pick. Jonathon Cooper and Riley Moss, seventh and third-round picks respectively, are both slightly-above-average starters at their own positions.
Even Troy Franklin, for all his faults at times, has already seemed to overperform his fourth-round draft slot after a breakout second season. Others like RJ Harvey an Pat Bryant have all shown the ability to be someone worthwhile, but there's still more work to be done there.
How many other teams across the NFL can say they have been able to find as much deep talent as the Broncos have outside of the first round? The Broncos have one second-round pick and two fourth-round picks. Based on Paton's history, it would not at all be a shock if the Broncos ended up with two quality starters from that bunch or even three solid contributors overall.
With how loaded this roster is at the moment, the Broncos may actually feel even more empowered to try and move up the draft board to find a key position of need, like tight end or running back. The team is suddenly in a Super Bowl window after a breakout campaign in 2025.
And these types of windows simply do not happen often for teams across the league. The time is now for Paton to work his magic in the NFL Draft.