After a small trade back that netted them an extra 6th round pick, the Denver Broncos made their first (and only so far) selection of the 2026 NFL Draft when they selected Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim. He is a 6-3, 292-pound defensive lineman with 34-inch arms, and profiles as a one-gap penetrator for the Broncos.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had him graded as his 74th overall player, ranked him as his 7th-best defensive tackle in the draft, and had a 3rd-round grade on him. Onyedim appeared
in 53 games over five seasons with Iowa State (four seasons) and Texas A&M (one season) and totaled 138 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
Brugler calls Onyedim a well-rounded defensive tackle with no “fatal flaw” to his game and says he profiles as a one-gap penetrator and a dependable rotational piece.
Onyedim is quick out of his stance and has adequate athleticism to shoot gaps and slice through blocks. His hands and feet stay connected as he works the blocker’s edge, but he reverts to a predictable long-arm move as his go-to plan B and needs to evolve beyond that. Against the run, he plays with awareness and extension to do his job, but he struggles reacting to double teams and down blocks. Onyedim might not have a true distinguishing trait, but he also doesn’t have a fatal flaw that will be exposed by NFL competition. He projects best as a one-gap penetrator and dependable rotational piece.
So, why did the Broncos draft Onyedim? They wanted to keep their defensive line strong. He will help replace the void left by John Franklin-Myers, who signed with the Titans during free agency.
He joins Zach Allen, DJ Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Sai’vion Jones, and the rest of the Broncos defensive linemen and will be a valuable rotational player for them. The Broncos signed Roach to an extension, so look for him to have an expanded role and fill some of the snaps that Franklin-Myers had last season. Onyedim will slot in as a depth player and could potentially take over Malcolm Roach’s previous role as the Broncos’ do-it-all reserve lineman. He could even push for some third-down/pass-rushing snaps this season if he has a strong training camp and preseason.
At the end of the day, you have to keep your trenches strong, and this is the second-year in a row where the Broncos have invested a third-round pick along their defensive line. Now, they need to continue to develop Jones and now Onyedim, and hopefully, one or both players can turn into starters and potential All-Pro players down the road.
While this wasn’t a flashy selection like a playmaker at tight end or running back, or even one of the linebackers we all talked about prior to the draft. It’s a solid addition to an important part of the roster. We saw a deep defensive line/pass rush rotation help the Eagles win the Super Bowl a few years back, and the Broncos are hoping to achieve the same success here with Onyedim.
I overlooked him a bit during the pre-draft process, and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t do a profile on him, but I like this pick. Hopefully, Onyedim pans out, and the Broncos landed themselves a future All-Pro player.
