The Denver Broncos drafted Jahdae Barron with the 20th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and may have put two key starters on the hot seat. In what is clearly one of the more shocking picks we saw in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Broncos did not take a wide receiver or a running back, but they instead took a defensive back.
Jahdae Barron is an extremely talented player and perhaps the best defensive back in the entire 2025 NFL Draft class - he's got some Brian Branch to his game in that he can truly play all over the secondary and can be a mismatch in that regard.
Did this selection just put two key Broncos starters on the hot seat?
Do Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian have to keep an eye out now?
Seeing as how versatile Jahdae Barron is, there is a legitimate chance that he could play both inside and outside - meaning he could be a boundary cornerback or even a slot cornerback. As of now, it does not seem to be 100% certain where Barron may settle in at the NFL, but shoot, both Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian might have to watch out now.
Yes, the Broncos defense was elite last year, but both Moss and McMillian, while talented, did leave a bit of meat on the bone at times and may be closer to average than 'good.' You do have to wonder just how good Denver's secondary actually is outside of Patrick Surtain II?
They bolstered the safety room with Talanoa Hufanga in free agency, and it seems like one of the finishing touches the Denver Broncos front office wanted to put on the defense was finding another cornerback who they could deploy all over the secondary, perhaps putting both Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian on starter watch.