After going the first four plus rounds without addressing the tight end position, the Denver Broncos ended up selecting a tight end in the fifth and seventh rounds. The latter ended up being Utah tight end Dallen Bentley with the second-to-last pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
As we head into the weekend, we’ll cover Bentley and also hit up the other drafted players I’ve covered this week. The last pick will be coming in the morning.
Potent quotables – Dallen Bentley focus
Paton and Payton quotes on Bentley
On TE Justin Joli and the different types of tight ends
Sean Payton: “I’m
going to kind of hit both tight ends [TE Justin Joli and TE Dallen Bentley]. With Bentley, there’s a more in-line wide, bigger. He does a great job down the field. With Joli, that would put him more in the ‘F’ category. Both are tight ends, and both have unique skill sets. They’re different.”
SP: “When we talked to [TE Dallen] Bentley, he’s vice president Mr. Irrelevant. So if there’s anything that [LB Red] Murdock can’t handle, then the two of them…”
Dallen Bently quotes
On being drafted by the Broncos
“Super excited. It was definitely a little bit suspected, but it’s always a surprise. I’m just super excited.”
On his football journey and how he put himself in position to be drafted
“Good question. Really I think just getting to work. Coming in every day ready to work as hard as I can, finding those little things of improvement and doing that consistently. You’re right, it’s not just a one-time thing, but doing it over and over again, I think that’s probably the biggest thing.”
On being one pick away from being Mr. Irrelevant
“I’m just grateful to be out there, and I’m grateful to be part of Broncos Country. I’m just excited. It doesn’t matter when or where you get drafted or undrafted, you just have to make the most of every opportunity.”
On what he considers his biggest strengths and what he hopes to work on in the NFL
“Biggest strengths, I think I’m a really great hybrid tight end who’s able to go out there and make some big plays in the passing game and stick my hand in the dirt and make some big plays there. I have great hands, so I don’t drop balls, so you can trust me in some situations. I’m always looking for things to improve on. Specifically right now, some things I’m working on are just getting a lot of improvement on my hand strength in the blocking game.”
On working with Head Coach Sean Payton and the offense
“I’m super excited. I’m thrilled, super excited to be part of the Broncos team and work under him, and his offense and be a part of that tight end group. So I’m super thrilled.”
On joining a number of former Utah players in Denver and what about the Broncos has drawn so many Utes
“I have no idea. (Laughs) I think Utah just plays with a certain style and has a certain grit to them that kind of draws attention from NFL teams, and specifically the Broncos. I have no idea to be honest, but we have a couple of guys there in the last few years, so it will be cool to see some of them.”
Under the radar
The Broncos have cornered the market on the Key family.
From the FEED
TheNeutralMatt dipped back into the tight end discussion well. It’s been a frustrating position over recent years. Have they figured it out yet? Time will tell.
Everything Dallen Bentley
We here at Mile High Report covered each Denver Broncos draft pick in a variety of ways, but the news feed got deep fast and much of that coverage was buried in short order. Here is everything we did on tight end Dallen Bentley over draft weekend ICYMI:
Denver Broncos select Utah TE Dallen Bentley 256th overall
Denver went back to tight end with the second-to-last pick in the entire draft, grabbing Utah’s Dallen Bentley at No. 256. A two-year starter for the Utes, Bentley posted 48 receptions for 620 yards and six touchdowns in 2025, earning third-team All-Big 12 honors and a semifinalist nod for the John Mackey Award. He joins a tight end room that already includes Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, and fellow rookie Justin Joly — making it clear the Broncos wanted to completely overhaul the position’s depth this offseason.Denver Broncos tight end Dallen Bentley highlights
The tape shows a different kind of tight end than Joly — Bentley is a bigger, more traditional inline “Y” who does his best work as a run blocker and sneaky downfield threat. His highlights showcase the ability to seal edges in the run game and get open down the seam when defenses forget about him, offering the kind of two-phase versatility that makes a seventh-round pick worth rostering. He plays to his size and isn’t afraid of contact at the point of attack.Why the Broncos drafted Utah TE Dallen Bentley
Sean Payton spelled it out: Bentley is the inline blocker, and they also like what he can do down the field as a receiver. He’s the Trautman complement to Joly’s Engram — a bigger body who can line up at the “Y” and handle the dirty work in 12-personnel while offering enough pass-catching upside to keep defenses honest. The room simply needed new bodies, and drafting two tight ends with different skill sets gives Denver options to reshape the position group. The caveat: Bentley’s blocking technique is still uneven and he’ll need to become more disciplined to earn trust on a pro field, but the raw size and willingness are there for the coaching staff to develop.
How do you feel about Dallen Bentley?
