According to DNVR’s Zac Stevens, the Denver Broncos are expected to draft a linebacker at some point during the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, this isn’t breaking news, but Stevens adds that the Broncos are not desperate to find a day-one starter at the position, but rather to find someone to sit behind and learn from Alex Singleton for a few seasons before hopefully taking over.
My takeaway from this is that the Broncos are probably not going to take a linebacker in the second round and will likely target one sometime on day 3 and potentially with one of their two 4th round selections. Using your lone selection in the top 100 picks on a linebacker who they will want to sit for two years isn’t the best use of your draft capital.
One name to potentially watch for the Broncos in the 4th round is TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr. Recently, draft insider Tony Pauline listed the Broncos among the teams very high on the explosive linebacker.
The Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings are very high on Elarms-Orr and have interviewed him through different mediums since the Senior Bowl.
Elarms-Orr would make more sense for the Broncos if they are looking for a linebacker to sit and learn behind Alex Singleton for two seasons. He needs some developmental time, especially on the mental side of the game, and can contribute on special teams in the meantime. He is an explosive athlete with sideline-to-sideline range and comes with some pass-rush potential as well. A linebacker like this would make more sense than taking one in the second round when they are potentially plug-and-play caliber players.
Now, this all depends on how the board falls. If a talented linebacker falls into the Broncos’ laps in the second round, they could take them and worry about how it all shakes out down the road. So, I will not completely rule out a linebacker in the second round, but based on Stevens description, it sounds like they may be looking for one later in the draft.
