Jon Heath
April 16, 2024 9:00 am MT
With the 2024 NFL draft now just over one week away, it’s time for another Denver Broncos mock draft roundup.
We recently sampled 33 NFL mock drafts that have the Broncos selecting 12 different players. Of those 12 players, the position breakdowns are three different quarterbacks, three outside linebackers, two cornerbacks, two wide receivers, one offensive lineman and one tight end.
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix is by far the most popular choice for the Broncos, with 10 of the 33 sampled mock drafts having him land in Denver. Two other QBs — J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix — were picked twice each.
The second-most popular picks for the Broncos were Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, FSU pass rusher Jared Verse and Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu, who were all picked three times.
After Nix, Arnold, Verse and Fautanu, six other players were mocked to Denver twice and two players were mocked to the Broncos once.
Here’s a quick list of the 12 most popular picks for Denver in recent NFL mock drafts.
1
QB Bo Nix, Oregon
(Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY Network)
Picked by: Vinnie Iyer, Doug Farrar, Curt Popejoy, Joel Klatt, Ryan Fowler, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, Tony Catalina, Walter Cherepinsky,Luke Easterling, Marcus Mosher
Commentary: “Denver stays put and scoops up Nix, an experienced and discerning signal-caller whose ability to make plays on the move should aid him as he figures out the pro game.” — Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY
2
CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Picked by: Josh Edwards, Ryan Wilson, Charles McDonald/Nate Tice
Commentary: “The first defensive player off the board is Arnold. The Broncos have so many needs it’s hard to get picky about who to take. Arnold gives the Broncos a high-floor cornerback to pair with Pat Surtain II for the long term.” — Charles McDonald and Nate Tice, Yahoo! Sports
3
OLB Jared Verse, FSU
(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Picked by: Pete Prisco, Bucky Brooks, Bleacher Report
Commentary: “Sean Payton is rebuilding the Broncos, with a premier pass rusher among the team’s top needs. Verse is an energetic sack artist with the potential to reach double digits in that category.” — Bucky Brooks, NFL.com
4
OT Troy Fautanu, Washington
(Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)
Picked by: Chris Trapasso, Christopher Hart, Joey Richards
Commentary: “Sean Payton has his eyes on another quarterback later in the draft and instead looks to tighten up the blocking unit with the selection of Troy Fautanu.” — Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports
5
QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
(Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Picked by: The Ringer, Sayre Bedinger
Commentary: “The former Michigan star is steely under pressure and athletic enough to make plays outside the pocket and outside of structure. He is comfortable ripping passes up the seam and has the skill set that Sean Payton can build his offense around.” — The Ringer
6
QB Michael Penix, Washington
(John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
Picked by: Robert Lorge, Wayne Gregoire
Commentary: “Denver needs a new quarterback, and Penix is a quick processor with a strong arm. He should fit into Payton’s system well.” — Robert Lorge, RotoBaller
7
OLB Dallas Turner, Alabama
(John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
Picked by: Christian Williams, Connor Rogers
Commentary: “After missing on all four quarterbacks, the Broncos pivot to a best-player-available approach and select Turner. Turner’s length, bend, and athleticism give him massive potential. Getting to the quarterback is necessary in the AFC West, and Turner helps to achieve that.” — Christian Williams, FootballGuys.com
8
OLB Laiatu Latu, UCLA
(Darren Yamash*ta-USA TODAY Sports)
Picked by: Arjun Menon, Jeff Risdon
Commentary: “Latu instantly becomes the best pass rusher on the roster with his craftiness and technical savvy, plus his pretty impressive athletic prowess.” — Jeff Risdon, Draft Wire
9
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
(Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports)
Picked by: Lance Zierlein, Diante Lee
Commentary: “The Broncos don’t own a second-round pick, so they might have interest in moving back and adding more draft currency. If not, Mitchell has the athletic and cover traits to start early opposite Pro Bowl CB Pat Surtain II.” — Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
10
TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
(Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Picked by: Tom Fornelli, Field Yates
Commentary: “This is a best player available situation for the Broncos. They may move up to grab a QB, but it seems unlikely, given their lack of trade assets. Instead, they get Bowers, who immediately upgrades their thinning cadre of pass-catchers.” — Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports
11
WR Brian Thomas, LSU
(Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports)
Picked by: Brad Spielberger
Commentary: “Broncos head coach Sean Payton is plenty familiar with the LSU program after spending 15 years with the New Orleans Saints. And with wideout Courtland Sutton also perhaps not a long-term solution, Denver builds out a great supporting cast for the hypothetical quarterback they add in 2025.” — Brad Spielberger, Pro Football Focus
12
WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
(John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
Picked by: Jacob Romano
Commentary: “Mitchell is one of the best route runners in the class and understands the many nuances that come with it, including how to leverage defensive backs to create separation.” — Jacob Romano, Let’s Talk Broncos
