C
Denver Broncos
The Broncos got the worse of every deal, and it shows in the C.
by JKrodel ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 15 picks
· 4 steals
· 8 reaches
The Broncos lost the trade war and it was not close, handing partners the better end again and again.
They will need Jefferson to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. Getting Orange where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
The Breece Hall deal gives the class an established piece to lean on.
Hit on Gennings Dunker and the swing picks, and this ages a lot better than it grades today.
Pick-by-Pick
Nothing to complain about; Gennings Dunker went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. A need, and now a little less of one.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Jacob Rodriguez in the 60th pick. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Max Klare at slot 68 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They took Skyler Bell at par in pick No. 79, which is nothing to complain about. It fills a real need, too.
They robbed the room for Domonique Orange here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Jalon Kilgore slid further than he should have, and the Round 4 slot is lovely value for the cornerback. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Oscar Delp at No. 122 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Somehow Genesis Smith was still sitting there in Round 4, Pick 26, and they pounced on premier safety value. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Chris McClellan in the 129th overall pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Keagen Trost at the Round 5 slot is a conviction pick that outran the value. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Justin Jefferson. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A premium they did not need to pay, Fa'alili Fa'amoe a notch or two before his time. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A reach on Luke Altmyer in the 255th pick; the board had better options right there. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They did well to land Eli Heidenreich in pick 256, just ahead of his grade. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A real head-scratcher, Adam Randall in slot 257 is miles ahead of his ranking. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.