The third week of the college football season is already upon is. So far, I’ve covered the team’s 2026 NFL Draft picks, their biggest needs, and three offensive linemen to watch that could be long-term upgrades for the Denver Broncos. This week, I’ll focus on three prospects in the defensive trenches that would help keep the Broncos’ play up front formidable for years to come.
Domonique Orange — Defensive Lineman — Iowa State
The depth of this year’s Broncos defensive line is impressive. However, that
doesn’t mean there aren’t some long-term concerns to consider. With Malcolm Roach being an unrestricted free agent at year’s end and D.J. Jones entering the latter years of his career, the Broncos would be wise to consider looking for another prospect that can help man the middle of their defense.
Iowa State senior Domonique Orange is definitely a prospect to keep your eye on who could assume such a role. Showcasing and impressive blend of size (6’4″ and 325 pounds) and power, Orange has impressive physical traits that will appeal to defensive line coaches. Primarily playing as a reserve player his first few seasons, he appeared in 13 games with 7 starts and racked up 24 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack last season. This year, he is a full-time starter who does a lot of the dirty work at nose tackle that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet for the Cyclones’ defense.
He’s a mountain in the middle of the defense that also has surprisingly good closing speed for his size. He is a game-changer that can flat out dominate opposing interior offensive linemen. The flaws in Orange’s game relative to technique and pad level can be overcome with quality coaching, yet he checks the boxes to what you can’t teach which are necessary for success at the NFL level.
A few years ago, the Denver Broncos took Iowa State defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. There might be some parallels between the two, but it’s important to remember Uwazurike spent six years in college, while Orange is a true senior in his fourth year. If Orange puts together a quality senior campaign, he could very well wind up being a Top 100 selection next April.
Kedric Faulk — Defensive End — Auburn
Last week I discussed Auburn center Connor Lew as an option for the Broncos to consider in the first round next April. That’s not the only Tigers trench player to take note of. Lew has a teammate on the other side of the ball that also could be an early round pick if he declares. That’s defensive end Kedric Faulk who is one of the rising stars of the SEC.
It didn’t take long for Faulk to hit his stride. He immediately saw playing time in 13 games with 35 tackles, and one sack as a freshman in 2023. But last season, the Auburn standout had a breakout year as a sophomore amassed 45 tackles, 7 tackles, and 11 tackles for loss. At 6’6” and 288 pounds, Faulk’s frame is pro-ready with the ability to add on more muscle mass and weight. He is moved around a lot along the Tigers’ defensive line, but projects best as a 3-4 defensive end in Vance Joseph’s scheme.
If Faulk is able to continue his ascent as college football’s best pass rushers, it’s not out of line to believe he could hear his named called within the first twenty picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is a well-rounded player formidable against both the run and the pass and will become even better once he adds more pass rush moves to his arsenal.
While the Broncos did choose Sai’vion Jones in the third round of last year’s draft, adding another player like Faulk into the mix would help alleviate the potential departure of John Franklin-Myers next year in free agency. I’m not sure a first-round pick is what they will ultimately do, but most of the best teams in the NFL have adhered to the policy of taking defensive lineman early and often. Just look at the Philadelphia Eagles.
Lee Hunter — Defensive Lineman — Texas Tech
With the advent of NIL money and changes to the transfer portal, sometimes it’s very hard to keep track of some of the best players. Texas Tech defensive lineman Lee Hunter is one of those players who is now on his third team in the past five years. Originally committed to Auburn in 2021, Hunter was a redshirt player as a freshman before transferring to UCF in 2022 where he would spend the next three seasons.
He was a teammate of Broncos’ running back RJ Harvey during that time frame. Hunter had a modest role as a reserve player as a freshman in 2022 but took the Big 12 by storm the past few seasons and solidified himself as one of college football’s best defensive lineman. Between ’23 and ’24, he amassed 107 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 4 sacks in 25 games played.
Evaluators and scouts will be intrigued with the fifth-year senior’s size at 6’4″ and 325 pounds. What’s even more impressive is how well he moves with a quick first-step at the line of scrimmage. If you’re looking for a prospect that can hold his own in run support and collapse the pocket from the interior, Hunter is someone you will think highly of.
A lot of sites have him ranked as a Day 3 prospect, but that seems far too low given his abilities and production. I have a strong feeling that Hunter will be one of the biggest defensive line risers in this class and will merit consideration in the Top 75 picks by NFL teams who want a versatile player that can contribute on defense for them immediately. I think he would be a tremendous addition to Joseph’s defense and give them a player who has top-notch starting potential in the pros.
