Denver Broncos mock draft: Sean Payton finding Combine studs

The Denver Broncos currently only own five picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. How will this team manage to add from what appears to be a very deep, talented, and athletic draft class? Well, of course, you'd love to have more darts to throw. Broncos GM George Paton stated while speaking with the media at the NFL Scouting Combine that he would be surprised if they ended with only five picks.

Even though Paton and the Denver Broncos are planning on moving around the draft board and adding picks, they could still end up with a really good class of players even with only five picks. With new head coach Sean Payton in the fold, how will he and George Paton collaborate to put together an impressive draft class?

As of right now, we have no idea what this team is going to do in NFL Free Agency, but I think it's reasonable to expect them to attack the offensive line and perhaps the defensive line as well. Even if they do that, they could still target those positions in the NFL Draft. Starting with picks 68 and 69 overall, how could the Broncos put together a class with some of the studs we've been watching at the NFL Scouting Combine?

Denver Broncos mock draft: Finding studs at the Scouting Combine

1 (pick 68 overall): Sydney Brown, S, Illinois

The Broncos have an interesting situation brewing at the safety position right now. Kareem Jackson is a free agent, Caden Sterns is coming off of a hip injury, and Justin Simmons is still out there doing his thing. I'm not sure the Broncos will go after free agent safeties at this point to replace Jackson, but I could see them going after one of the top safeties in this class here in the early portion of the third round.

Sydney Brown out of Illinois is an athletic freak and a true playmaker at the position.

Although I don't think Sydney Brown is limited to being a "box safety" at the next level, I do think that is a position that's very important to Sean Payton even though he doesn't call the defense. It just so happens to be an important position for Vance Joseph's defense as well, and you could look at a wide variety of examples from New Orleans the last handful of years including players like Vonn Bell, Kenny Vaccaro, CJ Gardner-Johnson, and Tyrann Mathieu. For Vance Joseph the last handful of years in Arizona, that player was Budda Baker.

As much as the Broncos -- and most any NFL defense -- will be in nickel or dime looks, a player like Sydney Brown could be a tremendous early fit. Plus, this guy is going to be an absolute monster on your special teams unit right away.

2 (pick 69 overall): Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma

What is this absolute moron doing out here? This is a Denver Broncos mock draft without an offensive lineman in the first two picks!

Well, don't be too surprised if this actually ends up happening. Remember that little thing that happens about six weeks before the NFL Draft called NFL Free Agency. If you think the Broncos are going to go into the NFL Draft without a first or second-round pick and a need for a starting offensive lineman, I personally think you're mistaken.

They need to make sure they get the best possible value with these top two picks, which could include an offensive lineman. It could include trading down. It could also include staying put and drafting a potential impact receiver in Oklahoma's Marvin Mims. The wide receiver position has been very spotty for the Broncos the past couple of years. Not ruling out the development of guys like KJ Hamler or Montrell Washington just yet, but certainly questioning the availability of a guy like Hamler and love the fit of Mims as a vertical threat in Sean Payton's offense.

3 (pick 108 overall): Blake Freeland, OT, BYU

George Paton joked at the Scouting Combine in an interview with 850 KOA in Denver that if someone could help him find a right tackle in the fourth round, that would be great. It was tongue in cheek from Paton, but certainly an interesting comment.

When I ran a mock draft simulation, Blake Freeland was one of the best players available at pick no. 108 overall. I like his ability to play either of the tackle positions at the next level and also really like his background athletically. Obviously he's a former basketball player, but he's also a former quarterback. He's got great length and movement skills and I feel like you could have this guy ready to start by year two if need be, maybe even year one.

4 (pick 141 overall): Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State

In a running back class this awesome, I think the Denver Broncos would be absolute fools not to come away with one. Even if they only have five picks, one of them should be used on the running back spot. You're not filling needs at this point of the NFL Draft, anyway.

Deuce Vaughn is listed at 5-foot-6, and I can't help but wonder if Sean Payton won't see shades of another former star running back who stood at 5-foot-6 and played for a few seasons in New Orleans as well. Vaughn may not be a one-for-one comp to Darren Sproles, but certainly when you see a running back listed at 5-foot-6, a Sproles comparison is going to be the first thing that comes to mind.

5 (pick 195 overall): Max Duggan, QB, TCU

We all know how much Sean Payton loved Taysom Hill when he was with the New Orleans Saints. As a matter of fact, there was a period there where Taysom was the Saints' QB1. It wouldn't be surprising at some point to see Taysom Hill end up in Denver, but you also might just see Sean Payton go after a QB with a similar skill set and athletic profile.

Max Duggan of TCU could fit the bill...

Duggan's not as big as Taysom Hill, and Hill had a kind of ridiculous 38.5-inch vertical jump when he was coming out of BYU, but I think you get the idea here. Max Duggan could be a late-round flyer at the position who played a lot of college ball and who certainly offers similar kind of upside if you want to utilize a quarterback primarily as a runner.

It worked pretty well for Sean Payton in New Orleans, so it makes sense he will want to do that kind of stuff in Denver as well.