The Denver Broncos didn't make a single draft pick in 2026 until the early portion of the 3rd round where they selected defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim out of Texas A&M.
Despite not picking until the 3rd round, the rookie class is still expected to make a substantial impact on a roster that returns 94 percent of last year's snaps overall. The Broncos lost starting defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers to the Titans in free agency, and they have opted for a bit of a youth movement to replace him.
The team also recognized a need for improved depth at the running back position after seeing what happened to the running game overall last season when JK Dobbins went down in Week 10 with an injury.
The Broncos are on the field for a trio of practices at mandatory minicamp, and it didn't take long -- just one practice -- for the team's top two picks to make an early impression.
Tyler Onyedim, Jonah Coleman already starting to stand out at Denver Broncos minicamp
#Broncos minicamp Day 1 takeaways:
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) June 17, 2026
-Jonah Coleman, Tyler Onyedim making real impressions
-New UFL signees: Fluid movement from 6-5 WR Hakeem Butler, PBU from Sean Fresch
-Jaylen Waddle grab over middle
-Matt Henningsen (!) tipped pick
-Dane Key has stood out from UDFA WRs, IMO
Luca Evans of The Denver Post shared his observations about Day 1 of mandatory minicamp, and as you can see, the top note includes some positive early returns on the duo of Onyedim and Coleman, the team's top two picks this year and two guys who will be expected to play major roles this coming season.
During OTAs, Broncos veteran Zach Allen -- one of the best pass rushers in the game -- had this to say about his early impressions of Onyedim:
"He’s got the hard part kinda done. You can definitely tell he’s got the physical traits … he really takes the film serious, which is pretty rare for young players."
- Broncos DL Zach Allen (via team PR)
Being a quick study will help Onyedim earn the trust of Vance Joseph and the Denver Broncos' coaching staff, which has been pretty selective about when they put young players on the field for extended periods of time.
Cracking the rotation as a rookie has not historically been all that easy, so Onyedim and Coleman both figure to face uphill battles for snaps inherently. But the fact of the matter is, the Broncos could have gone after veteran players to fill the roles those guys were brought in to address, and they didn't.
Coleman, in particular, could have one of the most important roles on the team. As much as JK Dobbins is putting it out there that this year is going to be different in terms of him staying healthy, the reality is that it's never happened as long as he's been in the NFL. That primary ball carrier role behind Dobbins is a very important role on this team, but the Broncos must have also recognized their need to upgrade over Tyler Badie, the team's 3rd back last season.
Badie's presence on the field borderline telegraphed the Broncos' intentions, because they almost never handed him the ball. They ran almost exclusively pass plays when Badie was on the field.
None of Badie, Jaleel McLaughlin, or even RJ Harvey could give the Broncos' running game the jolt it needed when Dobbins went down. Coleman may be asked to do exactly that at some point. Everyone in attendance at Broncos practice has made note of how impressive Coleman has been so far, especially the value he brings in the passing game.
The Broncos will need both of these rookies to be impactful in 2026 in their respective roles. Their Super Bowl aspirations could depend on it.
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