162nd Overall Pick - Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
We need to have a conversation about the team making a huge mistake when they took Javonte Williams in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Williams is set to be a free agent following the season, and unless he absolutely pops off this year, there is no reason for Denver to bring him back. He's a low-end RB1 and has not lived up to his draft status.
The Broncos could build a RB room around Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin in 2025 and beyond, and could add someone like Donovan Edwards from Michigan in the 2025 NFL Draft. Another player who played for Jim Harbaugh, Edwards has rushed for 1,730 yards on 313 carries through his collegiate career. He's also caught 71 passes, so he's got that ability in his back pocket as well.
Sean Payton has had no issues paying running backs during his time as a head coach in the NFL, but I don't believe the team is going to do this with Javonte Williams. They could target someone in the NFL Draft next April and hopefully have Estime takeover the bell-cow duties.
187th Overall Pick - Hudson Clark, S, Arkansas
With five career interceptions and 20 passes defended, Hudson Clark has a nose for the football. He's 6'2", so the size is there, and he's now in his fifth year at Arkansas. Clark has racked up 187 total tackles and could be a nice depth option in the Denver Broncos DB room. The team has clearly gotten younger at CB and safety in recent years. It's been a youth movement on the backend of the defense featuring young players like Patrick Surtain II, Ja'Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, Kris Abrams-Draine, Brandon Jones, and JL Skinner.
This unit could quickly turn into one of the best in all of football if we're being honest, and second-year CB Riley Moss seemed to have had a respectable Week 1 performance. Denver may just have three legitimate NFL cornerbacks on their roster.
If that is the case, they can turn their focus to the safety position and perhaps find some depth in Hudson Clark.