The Denver Broncos made a trade for former 2nd overall pick Zach Wilson to hopefully add some intrigue to the quarterback position this year, at the very least. The Broncos have passed on every other available quarterback up until this point, and now that Wilson is in the building just days before the 2024 NFL Draft, the plot has effectively thickened.
How much does Zach Wilson's arrival impact the team's plans in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft? The simple answer to that is -- it doesn't. The longer answer is that the Broncos took a low-risk shot on Wilson, and regardless of what happened during the NFL Draft, they were going to need to add a quarterback with starting experience to the roster.
What Wilson's arrival could potentially reveal is that the Broncos have been more open to non-quarterbacks in the first round than anyone could have expected. Or perhaps the team has recently caught wind that they are not going to be in a position for one of the top four quarterbacks in the draft, and they are getting Wilson as insurance.
Whatever the case, let's take a look at another 7-round Denver Broncos mock draft scenario, where the ideal setup at this point could very well be trading down with another team.
1. 22nd overall (from Eagles): Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
There might be a little bit of hesitance on the part of Broncos Country to really get on board with Laiatu Latu being the team's top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but this is a possibility whether it happens in a trade-down scenario or even if the Broncos stay at #12 overall.
There's a possibility that teams view Latu as the top EDGE guy in the entire draft, even over Dallas Turner, and the Broncos might be one of them. He did have injury issues at Washington (before transferring to UCLA) that had him declared "medically retired". Those issues have yet to result in Latu failing medically on any boards, at least that anyone knows of.
Latu brings an NFL-ready pass rush skill set to the table and would give the Broncos a true "alpha" off the edge to go along with the rest of the group that includes Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper (both in contract years), and Nik Bonitto.
2. 31st overall (from 49ers): Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
After trading down with the Eagles, the Broncos move up into the back end of round one and snag their potential quarterback of the future.
Here's the situation -- the Broncos have both Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson effectively on one-year deals. They would then add Bo Nix in the late-first round as a relatively low-risk option who is considered one of the best fits for Sean Payton in this draft.
Getting a quarterback is essential in this draft class and if the Broncos can maneuver around the board and come away with multiple first-rounders in the process? That would be a near-ideal scenario. Beyond the Broncos landing someone like JJ McCarthy or Drake Maye near the top of this draft, finding a way to get one of Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler, or Michael Penix Jr. on top of a player like Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse, or Byron Murphy could be exactly what this roster needs.
3. 76th overall: Brandon Dorlus, DL, Oregon
With the 76th pick, the Broncos get a versatile playmaker for the defensive line. Over the last three years, the Broncos have prioritized defensive linemen in NFL free agency (Malcolm Roach, Zach Allen, DJ Jones). Unfortunately, they haven't been able to draft any key contributors along the defensive line that are currently on the roster, maybe outside of Matt Henningsen.
Adding Brandon Dorlus here would give the Broncos a fearsome pass rusher who can win from multiple alignments up front.
4. 121st overall: Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
The Broncos could look to add another playmaker offensively who can help in the passing game and in the return game. Malik Washington is one of the best big-play threats in this draft and proved it with more 20+-yard receptions last year at Virginia than just about anyone else in the entire country.
He caught 110 passes overall last year and would give the Broncos another explosive player offensively that they could manufacture touches for. This team needs to continue to add weapons, and getting Malik Washington here in the 4th round would be a steal. He's going to be an instant weapon out of the slot at the next level.
5. 136th overall: T'Vondre Sweat, DL, Texas
Will Texas defensive lineman and Outland Trophy winner T'Vondre Sweat really last to the 5th round? Anytime you get pulled over and popped for DWI a few weeks before the NFL Draft, a slip into the deeper portion of Day 3 is possible.
On the field, Sweat would be a great fit for the Denver Broncos and what they lack right now defensively -- a true nose tackle. Sweat could come in along with Malcolm Roach, Brandon Dorlus, and veteran Angelo Blackson and really give the Broncos a competent unit up front. Upgrading this roster in the trenches defensively is going to raise the floor of the entire team.
6. 145th overall: Tyrone Tracy, RB, Purdue
Former Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver turned Purdue running back Tyrone Tracy could be one of the most underrated offensive weapons in this year's class. Some have watched him and compared him to Cordarrelle Patterson due to the positional versatility, but regardless of the comparisons, this guy is electric in space.
He's going to play a big role on special teams as both a returner and on coverage units, and for the Denver Broncos, he'd be a really fun chess piece offensively.
7. 147th overall: Dwight McGlothern, CB, Arkansas
The Broncos are undoubtedly going to add players for the defensive backfield in this draft class, and getting someone like Dwight McGlothern on Day 3 could end up being a steal. McGlothern has tremendous size, athletic traits, and ball production. When the Broncos were scouting Drew Sanders last year at Arkansas, they would have undoubtedly seen McGlothern's productivity (picked off 7 passes over the last two seasons).
8. 207th overall: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
Notre Dame's Marist Liufau has been connected to the Broncos during the draft process and would serve as an ideal impact player on special teams with developmental abilities as an eventual starter at off-ball linebacker. This is the type of guy who is a heat-seeking missile on the field and he hits with bad intentions.
9. 256th overall: Kedon Slovis, QB, BYU
Would the Broncos really double up on the quarterback position? Maybe, maybe not. Kedon Slovis worked with Davis Webb at the East-West Shrine Bowl, however, and has intriguing athletic traits to at least bring to camp and see what he can do. If the Broncos draft Bo Nix, they'd already have four QBs on the roster, but perhaps they would be willing to swap out Ben DiNucci for Slovis if they liked him enough in the pre-draft process.