5 best Broncos draft picks during the George Paton era

Since being hired as the general manager of the Denver Broncos, George Paton has done an excellent job drafting players from all three days of the draft and has hit on many early round picks however, has had some misses along the way, as every NFL GM has had in their time. Despite having limited capital in his third draft with the Broncos in 2023, Paton still managed to come away with an entire draft class that can potentially all be starters in the near future at their respective positions.

Being a former NFL scout, Paton specializes in the draft process and has greatly benefited the present rosters of the Broncos and will do so for the future as well. Here are the five best draft picks made by George Paton as GM the last three years:

5. CB Damarri Mathis

Entering his second season in the NFL, there are high expectations for the 24-year-old corner coming off a stellar rookie season in which in he was a pleasant surprise filling in the absence of the injured Ronald Darby. Despite having a rough start to his rookie campaign, having four defensive pass interference penalties called against him in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Damarri Mathis did a great job of rebounding from shaky performances and putting his best ball in front of him as he showcased his athleticism and impressive ball skills throughout the season.

For Mathis, the sky is the roof and his potentially certainly has sky rocketed judging off his production shown in 2022. Being able to learn behind two incredible veteran corners in Patrick Surtain ll and K'Waun Williams as well as Kareem Jackson who has familiarity with the position, is going to be a huge aid for his growth this upcoming season and is going to prove as one of George Paton's outstanding "steals" during his time as an NFL GM.

4. G Quinn Meinerz

Being drafted in the third round to the Denver Broncos as a D3 prospect was certainly a surprise to many fans around the NFL that had not paid much attention to the senior bowl that took place weeks previous however, Meinerz has since lived up to expectations of his selection in the draft. Meinerz made his first career start against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4 of his rookie year in 2021 due to an injury to guard Graham Glasgow at the time.

Since this game, Meinerz has practically been a starter at RG ever since and has the versatility to play at any position on the interior offensive line when needed to do so. Looking exceptionally well as a pass blocker and quite impressive as a run blocker, George Paton found a gem in Quinn Meinerz out of Wisconsin-Whitewater and is only going to get better over the years as a starter for the Broncos. I would expect some Pro-Bowl consideration in the near future for the 24-year-old guard.

3. S Caden Sterns

Now entering his third season in the NFL, expectations are very high for safety Caden Sterns, even with the re-signing of veteran safety Kareem Jackson. There has been some discussion as to whether or not Sterns will start alongside Justin Simmons in 2023 or not however, what we do know is he will most definitely earn himself an opportunity to showcase his capability of being a three-down starter in Vance Joseph's defense, regardless if Jackson is starting in the season opener.

In his rookie campaign, Sterns made tons of flashes stealing some playing time from Jackson as he racked up two interceptions and five passes defended in only two games started. Before being sent to the injured reserve in 2022, Sterns was on pace for being considered as a legitimate top-five safety in the NFL as he only allowed an 8.1 pass rating when targeted in the five games he played in. These are All-Pro type numbers. If he's able to remain healthy and is given the opportunity to start a decent chunk of games in 2023, quarterbacks better be on the look out. George Paton hit a home-run with this pick in the fifth round.

2. RB Javonte Williams

While running backs simply are not highly valued in the NFL and perhaps this ranking may be a tad-bit high for Williams, he provides an element in his game that not many other premier RBs in the NFL posses. Being such an aggressive and talented RB after contact, the Broncos have greatly benefited from his play-style in the run game and have thus lost several games when he has not been available on the field.

Williams, who I already consider a top-12 RB in the league, has been an incredible talent on the field for the Broncos and has still yet to receive the chance to start a large portion of games at his position. Coming off a serious knee injury, Williams will have a lot to prove as a starter in 2023 and will have to slowly work his way back to 100%. However, this does not discredit his near 1,000 rushing-yard rookie season and his overall contribution to the offense. Without this pick, I believe George Paton would not have been able to acquire as dynamic and important of a talent as Williams at the RB position. The Broncos are potentially looking at their franchise RB for years to come.

1. CB Patrick Surtain ll

For Surtain ll, his film truly speaks for itself. Not only is he the best player on the Denver Broncos' roster, but he is the best cornerback in the entire NFL and proved it on a weekly basis last season. Being drafted ninth overall in the 2021 NFL draft, numerous fans questioned whether or not it was the correct decision to pass on now Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields however, the Broncos are ultimately in a better situation with a much more safe secondary being led by Surtain ll and a QB who is expected to return to his old ways under new head coach Sean Payton.

Everyone is entitled to their own separate opinions however, what we do know is that George Paton selected one of the best players in the entire 2021 NFL draft and wasn't even the first cornerback selected. George Paton masterclass. Earning a first-team All-Pro and Pro-Bowl selection in 2022, it is fair to say the Broncos are headed in a very encouraging direction with PS2 leading the way. The future is very, very bright in the Denver Broncos' secondary.

HM: TE Greg Dulcich, OLB Baron Browning