D
Denver Broncos
The Broncos let Golday fall into their laps, and walked away with a D.
by JKrodel ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 15 picks
· 4 steals
· 6 reaches
Nobody else had Dominic Zvada anywhere near Round 7, Pick 41. The Broncos did, by 52 spots, and that gap is the whole story.
The dealing is the wound this class cannot quite close. That Golday pick is the receipt they will wave around later.
They went 8 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for. The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even.
Pick-by-Pick
A top-tier linebacker at a bargain, CJ Allen in Round 2, Pick 30, plain and simple. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Eli Stowers at the 64th pick is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Fair-plus on Jadarian Price, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They barely believed it either: Skyler Bell still on the board at slot 104. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Jake Golday in Round 4, Pick 24 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
No edge and no loss on Oscar Delp in the Round 4 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A conviction pick on Chris McClellan at the 133rd overall pick that the board grades a round light. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Beau Stephens at slot 164 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. The roster fit checks out.
A reach on Keagen Trost in pick No. 172; the board had better options right there. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Taylen Green in pick 183 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It fills a real need, too.
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on TJ Hall. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
Adam Randall at No. 235 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A need, and now a little less of one.
They went early on Eli Heidenreich in slot 244, and the value did not follow. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A tidy little value on Jalen Huskey in No. 256, a step better than break-even. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They reached into another round for Dominic Zvada, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.