Coming into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos notably did not have a pick in the first round or the third round. The 62nd overall pick was slated to be the first for the team. Leading up to that pick at the bottom of Round 2, there was a rather large run on tight ends and linebackers, and there is reason to believe that the Broncos traded down because of that.
Moving down four picks, the team selected Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim at the top of the third round. Onyedim becomes the second-straight third-round defensive end that the Broncos have selected, as they took Sai'vion Jones from LSU in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ir's clear that the Broncos are continuing to prioritize the defensive line, and with the team having lost John Franklin-Myers in free agency, the Onyedim pick makes a ton of sense. Could the rookie make an instant impact for the team in 2026?
Denver Broncos 3rd-Round rookie could keep the team's defensive line playing elite football
Daniel Flick predicted that Onyedim would be the best of the team's class for 2026:
"Denver had a strange draft. Onyedim, who was ranked No. 168 on Sports Illustrated’s big board, was the Broncos’ first pick at No. 66 after trading out of the second round. And while Onyedim was, by and large, a surprise at that point in the draft, he should fill the absence of John Franklin-Myers, who signed with the Titans in free agency. Onyedim is long and athletic at 6' 3" and 292 pounds with 34⅛-inch arms, and he’s an intriguing prospect who’s a ready-made run defender with fun flashes on passing downs.
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There is a lot to like with Onyedim, and I would push back that the Broncos had a 'strange draft.' Denver very clearly addressed key needs, double-dipping at tight end, essentially double-dipping at linebacker, adding much-needed help at running back, and addressing the aging offensive line.
To me, and many fans, there was nothing strange about the draft, but Onyedim, as Flick notes, does have a pass-rush arsenal that might need a bit of refinement, and does also have run stopping ability. I would argue that it's more important for a defense to top the run than it is to create a ton of sacks.
Onyedim could quickly emerge as the best run defender of the group 'competing' for this vacant defensive end spot. This would absolutely get him on the field as a rookie, and given that he does have a ton of collegiate games under his belt, this could make him a quick study transitioning into the NFL.
The Broncos not being able to replace the product left by Franklin-Myers would be a brutal blow to the defensive line. The unit is obviously the best in the league at creating pressure and getting to the quarterback, but we did see the unit also excel at stopping the run in 2025.
Ensuring that the group can still stop the run at a high level is probably more imporant here, as there is enough raw pass-rush talent to believe that side of things will be just fine.
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