5 under-the-radar Broncos targets to watch at the NFL Combine

The Denver Broncos haven't had a first-round pick since the 2021 NFL Draft when they used the 9th overall pick on cornerback Pat Surtain II. The Russell Wilson trade has depleted the team's NFL Draft capital, but the Broncos will be back on the first night of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 12th overall pick.

While many are anticipating that selection will be a quarterback, there are a lot of directions the Broncos could go. This draft class has players that could fit a wide variety of this team's needs, both immediately and looking ahead a little bit.

Who are some under-the-radar prospects for Denver Broncos fans to keep their eyes on? Let's take a look at five names.

1. Byron Murphy, DL, Texas

It's not really popular right now to think of the Denver Broncos going with anyone on the defensive side of the ball with their top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but if there's one area of the team that might warrant that kind of investment, it would be the defensive line.

The Broncos' defensive line was horrendous in 2023, ranking 30th in the NFL in overall run defense and 32nd in yards per carry allowed. The poor run defense by the Broncos was ultimately a major deciding factor in the team's playoff hopes as the first six games were largely decided by the Broncos losing at the line of scrimmage.

Byron Murphy is someone who could help with that problem. He's currently ranked 22nd overall on Daniel Jeremiah's big board and he's coming off of a nice season at Texas with 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. Although he's only 6-foot-1, he plays with tremendous leverage and explosiveness off the snap.