Broncos Singled Out for ‘Most Exciting Young Core’ of Talent in NFL

“If your ‘young core’ includes the Defensive Player of the Year, it’s gonna be hard to top,” Gagnon wrote. “So yeah, Surtain pulls a lot of weight on his own. Now he’s joined by the first-round rookie (Jahdae) Barron, which is just ridiculous. And then offensively you have Nix coming off an extremely promising rookie campaign in which he posted a 126.0 passer rating in his last three regular-season games … it’s a damn exciting time to be a Broncos fan.”

The Broncos also addressed their most pressing need with UCF running back RJ Harvey in the second round (No. 60 overall) as well as another possible high level skill position player with Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant in the third round (No. 74 overall).

Mims Could Be Headed Toward Breakout Season

If you’re looking for the player on the Denver roster who is most likely headed toward a breakout season, it might be Mims after earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a return specialist his first 2 seasons.

Mims might be ready to take the next step as a focal point of the Broncos’ offense. He showed glimpses of his potential at the position with 30 receptions for 503 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2024.

The drum beat for Mims to get more of a chance in the offense has been getting louder dating all the way back to the start of last season.

“Mims can handle that quick-hitting route tree but also provides a much-needed explosive threat,” Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon wrote on Sept. 14, 2024. “He averaged a team-high 17.1 yards per catch as a rookie last season. Denver coach Sean Payton really didn’t ask rookie QB Bo Nix to push the ball downfield in Week 1. The reality is Mims’ presence alone will not demand respect from defenses, too. For opponents to truly take Nix seriously as a passer, however, the Broncos must find those moments to at least intend on taking a deep shot. Mims is the best option for that.”

Figuring Out How Broncos Rookies Will Contribute

The Broncos flipped the script on pre-draft predictions by taking Barron in the first round instead of addressing more pressing needs at tight end and running back — specifically by passing on North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, who went to the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 22 overall.

While Barron should step in right away and start at slot cornerback or maybe even at safety in a pinch, Harvey will almost certainly get a chance to be the Broncos’ featured running back.

Denver struggled running the ball in 2024, with leading rusher Javonte Williams (513 yards, 4 touchdowns) averaging just 3.7 yards per carry. Williams left for a 1-year, $3 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency.