The Denver Broncos don't pick until the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and even with limited capital, should we expect the unexpected from this team? A lot of folks right now feel like the Broncos are pretty likely to go with a center at some point in round three, and they may very well be able to find a starter there. Others feel like the best direction for Denver in the third round is to go after an EDGE player, and I'm here to tell you they shouldn't necessarily back themselves into any particular corners.
When you don't pick until round three, how can you back yourself into a corner? Given their draft positioning, the Broncos hopefully won't be drafting for a specific need. That's how you get into trouble of missing out on better prospects because you decided to enter the draft with a clear area of need, and you're force-feeding a specific position rather than playing the board.
Although we all have our preferences of what the Broncos should do with their five picks, I think what the team ultimately needs to do is keep a very open mind. Even if it means going after some positions you may not expect...
3 positions the Denver Broncos could surprisingly target early in the 2023 NFL Draft
1. Quarterback
I can already hear people complaining from here. Why would the Denver Broncos take a quarterback early in this year's draft? They have Russell Wilson and they just signed Jarrett Stidham!
Yes, there is no doubt that if the Broncos used a high pick on the quarterback position, he would be no better than QB3...For now. I am of the belief, however, that QBs are currency in the NFL. Valuable currency. I just don't think you can eliminate the possibility that you might like a guy enough at any juncture of the draft. Keep this option open.
Who would the Broncos take with one of their higher picks? Well, right now, there's a pretty massive gap between the guy most consider to be the fifth-best QB in this class (Tennessee's Hendon Hooker) and the next best guy (whoever you may have ranked there), but it's possible -- just like every year -- that NFL teams have fallen in love with guys behind the scenes and will have them ranked in a bizarrely different way than anyone expects.
I think Hooker is going to go to early for the Broncos to have a shot at him, but I also think there are guys they could consider in rounds 3-4 that provide some intrigue.
- Stanford's Tanner McKee
- BYU's Jaren Hall
- Fresno State's Jake Haener
- Georgia's Stetson Bennett
- UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson
I don't think anything is off the table. Even some surprise names falling into that category. What about Sean Clifford out of Penn State, who the team did a Zoom interview with? What about someone like TCU's Max Duggan, who had an awesome Combine workout? I think the Broncos will approach this draft with an open mind at the QB position, as they should. Again, don't be surprised if Denver and other NFL teams have these QBs graded way different than the mock draft machines.