The Denver Broncos don’t have a pick in Round 1 of the NFL Draft, which begins on April 27 in Kansas City. The Broncos own five total picks in the seven-round draft.
Broncos’ draft picks
| Round | Pick | Overall | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
3 | 4 | 67 | From Colts |
3 | 5 | 68 | |
4 | 6 | 108 | |
5 | 4 | 139 | |
6 | 18 | 195 | From Steelers |
Full draft order
Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.
NFL Draft details
• Round 1: April 27, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 28, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 29, Noon ET
All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
About the Broncos
• Head coach: Sean Payton (first season)
• General manager: George Paton
• Last year’s record: 5-12
The Broncos had the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense in 2022. In response, they hired a new coach in Payton, who guided arguably the league’s most prolific offense during his 16 years in New Orleans. The biggest question facing Denver, as it tries to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015, is whether Payton can quickly connect with quarterback Russell Wilson and help the veteran quarterback rebound from a dismal first season in Denver. After an aggressive approach in free agency landed the Broncos a reconfigured offensive line and other tools to improve their rushing attack, they appeared poised to improve on last season’s five-win finish. But will it be enough to compete in the high-powered AFC?
Broncos’ key position needs
Center: The Broncos appear to be set at left tackle (Garett Bolles), left guard (Ben Powers), right guard (Quinn Meinerz) and right tackle (Mike McGlinchey), but less clear is who will snap to Wilson. Lloyd Cushenberry and Luke Wattenberg are in-house options, but Payton routinely targeted interior offensive line depth in the draft during his tenure in New Orleans and the same could be true during his first offseason in Denver.
Running back: Javonte Williams’ timeline in his recovery from last October’s major knee injury is still unclear. Though Denver signed Samaje Perine as a reliable No. 2 option with some lead-back experience, the Broncos figure to add another young player at this position.
Edge: The biggest addition for the Broncos at outside linebacker would be a healthy Randy Gregory, who missed 11 games last season after signing a five-year, $70 million deal in free agency. But Denver needs more depth and competition even beyond a healthy Gregory, and that could make edge rusher a potential target with one of the two picks Denver currently has in the third round.
Broncos draft analysis
Broncos depth chart after free agency: Denver was one of the biggest spenders at the start of free agency, but that didn’t address all of their needs.
Broncos 2023 draft big board: Beat writer Nick Kosmider identifies prospects who could be fits for Denver.
What we learned at the combine: After a rough first season in Denver for Russell Wilson, the Broncos are planning to lean on their ground game in 2023.
The Athletic’s most recent mock drafts
March 22: Beat writer mock draft: QBs go quickly, surprise trade, Aaron Rodgers stalemate
March 13: After Panthers trade for No. 1, quarterbacks go 1-2-3-4
March 10: Broncos 2023 mock draft, 2.0: Trading down and adding to the offensive line
Broncos’ last five top picks
2022: Edge Nik Bonitto, pick No. 64 — Bonitto had some flashes during his first season, but it was clear that he needed to become stronger in order to set the edge in the run game at the NFL level. He should have a chance to compete for a rotational role in Year 2.
2021: CB Pat Surtain, pick No. 9 — This seemed like a slam-dunk pick the moment it was made, and Surtain has proven to be even better than initially advertised. Surtain was a unanimous All-Pro in 2022 and is already one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
2020: WR Jerry Jeudy, pick No. 15 — The first two-plus seasons in the NFL for Jeudy were an up-and-down ride, but the flashes of brilliance were always there. Then, during the final six games of 2022, it all came together and Jeudy was one of the most productive receivers in the league. Was it a sign of things to come in Denver for Jeudy? Or will the trade rumors that have followed Jeudy for much of the past year become reality before the draft?
2019: TE Noah Fant, pick No. 20 — Fant averaged 56.7 catches, 635 yards and 3.3 touchdowns during his three seasons with the Broncos. He was sent to Seattle last March in the trade that brought Wilson to Denver, and the Seahawks quickly picked up the fifth-year option on Fant’s rookie contract.
2018: Edge Bradley Chubb, pick No. 5 — The Broncos chose Chubb instead of attempting to find a long-term answer at quarterback, and that big bet never paid off for Denver. Chubb had bright moments and made a Pro Bowl in 2020, but injuries zapped his production during his four-plus years in Denver, and he was traded to the Dolphins for a first-round pick last November.
(Photo of Ohio State center Luke Wypler: John Adams / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)