The NFL draft is three weeks away and there’s plenty of speculation as to what the Broncos will do with their No. 12 overall pick.
Will they trade up for one of the top-tier quarterbacks? Will they trade down and get more picks? Will they take the best player available?
Here’s a look at who national draftniks are thinking will land in Denver.
CBS Sports | Ryan Wilson | Updated April 2
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
“Denver didn’t have the firepower to trade up in this mock draft for QB4, so it stays put and fills big needs on the the defense. Like Jared Verse vs. Dallas Turner, Terrion Arnold vs. Quinyon Mitchell will vary team by team, but both players have a chance to be special. For the Broncos, Arnold has the SEC pedigree, and after the success with Patrick Surtain Jr., going back to the Alabama well was an easy choice,” Wilson writes. See the full mock draft.
CBS Sports | Kyle Stackpole | Updated April 2
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
“Rick Spielman — Here comes the cornerback run, and Terrion Arnold would pair very nicely opposite Pat Surtain II. Bryant McFadden likes what he’s seen from the Alabama standout: ‘I love Terrion Arnold. Complete corner. I love his ability to tackle, and he WANTS to tackle,'” Stackpole writes. See the full mock draft.
Fox Sports | Jason McIntyre | Updated March 29
Laiatu Latu, edge, UCLA
“I think Sean Payton has his eyes on a QB, but not here. Does he move up for McCarthy? Trade into the second round to take Bo Nix or Michael Penix? Best on board for the Broncos,” McIntyre writes. See the full mock draft.
Pro Football Focus | Arjun Menon | Updated April 1
Laiatu Latu, edge, UCLA
“The Broncos are heavy favorites to take a quarterback at most sportsbooks, but with the top four signal-callers off the board, it doesn’t seem like Sean Payton would reach for QB5 here and build around him. It makes sense for them to address the edge defender position, where the Broncos could use reinforcements — something Latu would provide,” Menon writes. See the full mock draft.
USA Today | Jeff Risdon | Updated March 25
Laiatu Latu, edge, UCLA
“Latu instantly becomes the best pass rusher on the roster with his craftiness and technical savvy, plus his pretty impressive athletic prowess,” Risdon writes. See the full mock draft.
ESPN | Matt Miller | Updated March 27
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Broncos acquire: No. 4 overall pick
Cardinals acquire: No. 12 overall pick, 2025 first-round pick, 2026 first-round pick
“McCarthy is a tough, instinctive and accurate quarterback with above-average mobility and great play from the pocket. I’m not saying he’s Drew Brees, but the style of play would fit very well with what Payton ran in New Orleans. McCarthy is relatively inexperienced with just 28 starts in college, but he left Michigan with a 27-1 record. He completed 72.1% of his passes and threw only four picks last season, and his third-down QBR of 86.7 was 11th-best in the nation. McCarthy would be a sure bet to beat out Jarrett Stidham and start Week 1 for Denver,” Miller writes. See the full seven-round mock draft.
Other Broncos picks:
- Third round, 76th pick: Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
- Fourth round, 121st pick: Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
- Fifth round, 136th pick: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
- Fifth round, 145th pick: Sedrick Van Pran, C, Georgia
- Fifth round, 147th pick: Isaiah Davis, RB, South Dakota State
- Sixth round, 203rd pick: Trente Jones, G, Michigan
- Sixth round, 207th pick: Marcus Harris, DT, Auburn
Fox Sports | Rob Rang | Updated April 1
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
“The Broncos also are on the lookout for a quarterback, but with just two of the top 120 picks of the 2024 NFL draft at their disposal, Denver lacks the resources to realistically move up and will be at the mercy of the teams selecting ahead of them. McCarthy lacks Penix’s arm talent but is much younger and his anticipation, athleticism, accuracy (including on the move) and team-first mentality match nicely with Sean Payton,” Rang writes. See the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Charles Davis | Updated March 28
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
“Instead of reaching for a quarterback here, the Broncos add Mitchell, who should make a great running mate opposite Pro Bowl CB Pat Surtain II,” Davis writes. See the full mock draft.
Yahoo Sports | Charles McDonald and Nate Tice | Updated March 29
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
“Mitchell’s stock is soaring throughout this draft cycle, and deservedly so (he’s the No. 1 defender on my big board). He has very good body control, burst and ball skills to stay sticky in coverage and make plays on the ball. That showed up at the Senior Bowl in Mobile and with his excellent testing day in Indianapolis. The Broncos need a ton of help throughout their roster, and will likely be eyeing the trenches, but pairing Mitchell with the best cornerback in the NFL in Pat Surtain II could at least give Denver one position unit to hang its hat on,” Tice writes. See the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Lance Zierlein | Updated April 2
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
“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,” Zierlein writes. See the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Eric Edholm | Updated March 29
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
“It really will be interesting to see if it goes this way. Can the Broncos avoid a costly trade-up and still land a quarterback? Yes. But can Nix be the QB who can elevate Sean Payton’s team? I’m less sure about that. But what other options are there at this point? I’d feel much better if Denver could move down and still get Nix,” Edholm writes. See the full mock draft.
The Sporting News | Vinnie Iyer | Updated April 2
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
“Nix provides another welcome arm-accuracy-athletic combination to fill another team’s major QB void. The Broncos have had a good look at Nix, and he can execute the offense of Sean Payton and Joe Lombardi well,” Iyer writes. See the full mock draft.
The Denver Post | Ryan McFadden | Updated March 29
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Broncos acquire: No. 19 and No. 52 picks
Rams acquire: No. 12 and No. 136 picks
“With Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy likely getting picked inside the Top 10, the Broncos turn to the next best thing, and that’s Nix. The 24-year-old put up impressive numbers during his time with the Ducks, throwing for 8,101 yards, 74 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. More importantly, Nix has the tools that Payton looks for in a quarterback, such as efficiency, processing and ability to extend plays. The Heisman Trophy finalist will also provide experience, having played 61 career games in college. A quarterback battle with Jarrett Stidham awaits in training camp,” McFadden writes. See the full Broncos seven-round mock draft.
Bleacher Report | Staff | Updated April 1
Dallas Turner, edge, Alabama
“If the franchise stands pat, it shouldn’t just reach for a quarterback. Instead, the Broncos could add a prospect at a premium position with more upside than any other defender in this year’s class, Alabama’s Dallas Turner.” See the full mock draft.
NFL.com | Bucky Brooks | Updated March 26
Jared Verse, edge, Florida State
“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,” Brooks writes. See the full mock draft.
Sportskeeda | Tony Pauline | Updated April 2
Jared Verse, edge, Florida State
“Denver will desperately attempt to move up for a quarterback, yet they don’t have the ammunition. Sean Payton loves his pass rushers, and Verse is a terrific fit,” Pauline writes. See the full mock draft.
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