Due to the blockbuster Jaylen Waddle trade, the Denver Broncos currently do not select until the 62nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s going to be a long wait for Broncos fans, but when it is their time to be on the clock, there are five offensive players I hope to see the Denver Broncos select in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers
Vandy’s Eli Stowers is a polarizing tight end prospect. He has good size, a 45.5-inch vertical jump, and profiles as a pass-catching
weapon at tight end (or just a wide receiver). Since his blocking ability is not great, some view him as just a big wide receiver, while others still see him as a move tight end. Either way, I see a player that I believe Broncos head coach Sean Payton will love.
We all know his love and desire for a ‘Joker’ at the position, and Stowers fits that mold. He will be a threat down the seam and in the middle of the field, and he has the athletic ability to be a big-time red-zone threat. Just throw it up and let him use his 45.5-inch vertical jump to go up and get the ball.
He doesn’t need to play right away and can learn from veteran Evan Engram, who is a very similar style of player, and develop his rookie year. ‘
I am all about surrounding quarterback Bo Nix with weapons, and if available (which is probably unlikely), he makes a lot of sense for Sean Payton and the Broncos.
Ohio State TE Max Klare
Klare is another tight end prospect I love for the Broncos. He looked like a potential TE1 player while at Purdue, and while his overall production slipped a bit at Ohio State, you still saw the flashes of big-play ability from Klare.
He is a better overall blocker than Stowers, but blocking will likely never be a strength for him; his pass-catching upside is hard to ignore. He is very athletic, can create after the catch, and has the ball skills you look for in a pass-catching tight end in the NFL.
The Broncos’ tight end room has struggled to do much in the passing game in recent years, and a player like Klare has the ability to instantly change that for the Broncos. Like Stowers, he will not start right away, but it’ll be hard to keep him off the field, and if available, I believe he is a strong candidate for the Broncos in the 2nd round of the draft.
Arkansas RB Mike Washington Jr.
Mike Washington Jr. is a 6-1, 223-pound running back with explosive 4.33 speed. If you’re a size/traits guy like me, Washington is an exciting prospect.
He is a threat to take it the distance whenever he touches the ball and would give the Broncos an explosive RB3 who would serve as some valuable depth behind veteran JK Dobbins and second-year running back RJ Harvey. Due to Dobbins’ injury concerns, better depth is needed, and I believe Washington makes a lot of sense for the Broncos.
He does run tall, is a little stiff, and has some ball protection concerns (correctable), but the talent and athletic ability are hard to ignore. Adding another explosive runner to the Broncos’ backfield would be exciting and hopefully give the Broncos a dangerous three-headed monster to work with this season.
Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price
This one is probably a reach, considering he is probably getting selected before the Broncos pick, but if available, he makes a lot of sense for them.
Price is a well-built running back with starter traits and would give the Broncos valuable depth and potentially a future starter moving forward. He has good burst, excellent vision, and great contact balance, and would make a lot of sense for the Broncos.
Their weakness has been their run game, and even though they re-signed JK Dobbins, his injury history gives you pause. If he were to miss a significant amount of time again, the Broncos would be back where they were late last season. So, adding a player like Price gives them insurance if/when that happens and potentially a starter down the road.
Will he be there at pick 62? I would be surprised. Do I think they would trade up for him? I don’t think so either. However, if he does make it to pick 62, I believe he would be a strong candidate for the Broncos.
Georgia State WR Ted Hurst
I am throwing a curveball in here.
After the Jaylen Waddle trade, wide receiver isn’t viewed as an immediate need at all. However, if you look deeper, it’s a position that could use some more talent.
First, Courtland Sutton isn’t getting any younger. Sutton turns 31 years old in October and has a large cap number moving forward. Father time is undefeated, and that age wall hits quickly, so the Broncos need to be planning for the future here sooner rather than later. Marvin Mims Jr. is in the final year of his rookie deal and is a tricky re-sign candidate. He is an All-Pro returner and has made some clutch catches, but hasn’t been used consistently on offense. Would they pay him the market price for a wide receiver despite him not being utilized consistently in the passing game?
On top of that, Pat Bryant suffered two concussions late last season, which is concerning and something to monitor moving forward, and Troy Franklin appears to be nothing more than a WR3 at best. Due to all of this, adding another high-upside wide receiver to this room would make sense.
Hurt is a big and explosive downfield threat who needs some development, but has the talent to be a very good wide receiver in the NFL. He makes a ton of plays down the field, something Bo Nix loves to do, and would be given time to develop his game in Denver.
Courtland Sutton isn’t getting any younger, and his cap hit is only getting higher. It could be time to start looking for his future replacement.
