3 undrafted rookies with best shot at making Broncos roster

The Denver Broncos have one of the league's best traditions when it comes to undrafted rookies cracking the final 53-man roster. One of the most famous undrafted players in Denver Broncos franchise history is obviously legendary wide receiver Rod Smith, a Ring of Famer who should be a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Other guys have been discovered as UDFAs like Chris Harris Jr., Shaquil Barrett, CJ Anderson, Phillip Lindsay, and many others. Last year, it was wide receiver Jalen Virgil who made the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie. Not only do the Denver Broncos have a rich history of finding great UDFAs, though, Sean Payton also has an elite track record in this regard. He found many UDFAs in New Orleans but also was largely responsible for arguably the best UDFA signing in NFL history when the Cowboys brought in Tony Romo.

Here's a look at his personal philosophy on undrafted guys:

"We just talk about—fortunately, in my history in New Orleans, [we had] a number of [college] free agents on opening day rosters in 15 years, we were [ranked] first. Number of undrafted free agents that played the most amount of snaps in their first year, we were first. When you're on the phone after the draft and you’re recruiting, having 16 years of that [and having] to convince a player to come because once they get here, there's tape on their helmet with their name and now we just go by what we see. How they got here at this point is of no importance to us. Oftentimes in our league, mistakes are made maybe in a draft pick."

Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)

So which undrafted rookies should you be watching for with the Denver Broncos in 2023 as we press toward the start of the preseason and as training camp rolls along? Let's look at three UDFAs that may have the best shots at making the roster.

3 Denver Broncos UDFAs with the best shot at making the final 53-man roster

1. Thomas Incoom, EDGE

The Denver Broncos know as well as anyone -- you can never have too many good pass rushers. The Broncos have struggled in the area of having enough pass rushers for the last handful of years as players like Malik Reed, Anthony Chickillo, Jeremiah Attaochu, Jonathan Kongbo, and other random players have been given significant snaps for this team. You look at the Broncos down the stretch just last season, this is a team that had three sacks in the final three games of the season.

That's not going to play when you're going up against guys like Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes. So the Broncos have invested in the EDGE position and they may have a gem on their hands in Thomas Incoom as an undrafted rookie.

Incoom was a twitchy player in this year's rookie class and will be worth watching throughout the preseason. With Baron Browning on the PUP due to a knee procedure, there could be an opening for a player like Incoom to crack the roster.

2. PJ Mustipher, defensive line

One of the areas of this Denver Broncos roster right now that might have the clearest path for an undrafted player to make it is on the defensive line.

And the Broncos have just one UDFA on the defensive line: Former Penn State standout PJ Mustipher.

Mustipher stands at 6-foot-4, 320-plus pounds. He's a mammoth out there, boasting an NFL-ready frame, but what led to him going undrafted? Was it a lack of eye-catching production? Not enough athleticism? Let's take a look at what NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein had to say:

"Mustipher was a high-character leader for the Nittany Lions and brings good thickness to the position. He’s a little too gradual off the snap to create stress for blockers and fails to control the action with force or hand usage. Mustipher’s below-average athletic profile and limited impact on games will make it difficult for him to work his way onto an NFL roster."

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

At this point, we're going to definitely need to see Mustipher in game action to determine how legit the hype is, but there's no question that he's been one of the most talked-about undrafted players in this year's class for the Broncos. He's got a legit shot at the roster.

3. Jaleel McLaughlin, running back

We've been talking about Jaleel McLaughlin since right after he got signed. The former Youngstown State star set an NCAA record for rushing yards in a career, and he's brought a new excitement to the Denver Broncos' running back room.

Obviously, we don't expect a Phillip Lindsay-like impact from McLaughlin, but the 5-foot-7 back has a chance to be a major factor as a RB3 or RB4. He's been making one headline after another in training camp and impressing onlookers with his combination of speed, burst, quickness, vision, and change-of-direction.

Most importantly, this is a guy who doesn't just need to be out in space or running wide of the offensive tackle to be effective. McLaughlin can find creases and he's a tough runner between the tackles.

This is exactly what you want to be hearing about an undrafted rookie at a position where there's a clear roster opening. Right now, there's no solidified RB3 for the Denver Broncos. Even if Tyler Badie is currently the favorite (and he's been making plays as well), the Denver Broncos are going to enter the preseason with some very interesting young backs who will be a primary focus in games.

How well does McLaughlin prove he can pick up the Sean Payton offense? Can either of these young backs carve a Week 1 role on special teams?