Denver Broncos rookie minicamp recap: News, analysis, and takeaways

Denver Broncos rookie minicamp has officially come to an end after the three-day program wrapped up Sunday evening as the team now looks ahead to OTAs that begin next Tuesday, May 23rd.

While the media was limited to just one attendance of the three practices, we were able to witness Denver's new five draft picks in action in the orange and blue for the first time. Aside from the rooks, the Denver Broncos held tryouts with multiple veteran players and undrafted free agents including former XFL QB Ben DiNucci and XFL RB Jacques Patrick who later signed contracts with the team following their "impressive" performances.

Here are the biggest stories, takeaways, and news drops from the Denver Broncos' 2023 rookie minicamp:

Drew Sanders opens eyes early

Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, the general consensus was that LB Drew Sanders was expected to be selected in the late first round to mid-second round however, fortunately for the Broncos, winded up dropping to the third round and fell directly in their laps with the 67th overall pick.

Prior to the draft, CBS Sports even ranked him as their 29th overall prospect and it seems like from the outside looking in, Sanders has lived up to the hype so far. On the second day of rookie minicamp in a 7v7 period, Sanders jumped a route in pass coverage and intercepted QB Ben DiNucci to which he returned for a touchdown.

According to reports, Sanders looked fantastic all day long, had a few PBUs according to KOA Colorado's Benjamin Allbright, and was displaying "legit" closing speed. So far with a limited sample size in the Mile High, Sanders looks to be every bit of a "steal" that the fans claim him to be.

PJ Mustipher makes early impression

UDFA DL PJ Mustipher, who signed with the Broncos just hours after the NFL Draft, seems to be making quite an early impression on the Broncos' coaching staff. According to 9News' Mike Klis, Mustipher was receiving some "love" from the staff and appeared to be making an impact in drills and 7v7s.

The Broncos opted not to draft a single defensive lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft, despite losing two key pieces in Dre'Mont Jones and DeShawn Williams. Mike Purcell, who is on the final year of his contract, figures to have a contributive role on Denver's defensive line once again this year and could potentially be the veteran mentor for Mustipher in his rookie campaign, considering that both are at their best at the nose tackle position. However, Mustipher will need to continue to impress the staff and build on his performances throughout OTAs and camp to have a shot at making the final 53-man roster come August.