As the NFL Draft inches closer, the chatter about who the Broncos might pick in the first round is getting louder. Read on to see which players have been slotted to Denver, which will make the 15th-overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Lamb is tremendous after the catch, and he'd be a good fit on the other side of Courtland Sutton. Denver could also take one of the offensive tackles.
Peter Schrager, NFL.com: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama [via trade up]
Longtime buddies and Stanford alumni John Elway and John Lynch make another trade, and in this case, it's for Denver to move up two spots to get the expert route runner out of Alabama. The Broncos return the third-rounder they got from the Niners in the Emmanuel Sanders trade (No. 95 overall) and add another target to go with Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
The Broncos are another potential trade-up team. Ruggs' speed complements Courtland Sutton beautifully.
Nicki Jhabvala, The Athletic: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama [via trade up]
Jeudy is one of the most polished route-runners to come out of college in years, but in a class this deep on receiving talent, it could be argued (I have argued) the Broncos would be better off either holding pat at No. 15 or trading back to gain extra picks while still getting an elite receiver.
Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated: WR CeeDee Lamb, Alabama
The Broncos have been sniffing around the tackles. They could trade up in Round 1 for one. They could trade back in the bottom of the first round to catch the second wave going at the position. But in this scenario, Lamb's too good to pass on.
Ryan O'Halloran, The Denver Post: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU [via trade down]
The leading pass catcher in FBS last year (111 catches), Jefferson will be a fine addition to Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant.
Peter King, NBC Sports: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Elway could sit back after a pick like this and think about Drew Lock, Courtland Sutton, Jeudy and Phillip Lindsay: I've got a quarterback I feel pretty good about, two top-20 NFL receivers, a 1,000-yard back, and none are 26 years old yet. We're pretty good at the explosive offensive positions.
Domonique Foxworth, The Undefeated: DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
As a pass rusher from the defensive tackle position, he has rare quickness, strength and size, which translated to outstanding production in college. It will work on the next level, too. Adding Kinlaw inside, next to Jurrell Casey, with Bradley Chubb and Von Miller rushing from the outsides, will be unblockable with just five offensive linemen.
Charley Casserly, NFL.com: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
They get a speedy receiver to stretch the field and pair with Pro Bowler Courtland Sutton.
Danny Kelly, The Ringer: WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
GM John Elway wastes no time in building a fearsome pass-catching group around second-year quarterback Drew Lock, adding Lamb to a group that already includes a budding superstar in Courtland Sutton and a high-upside tight end in Noah Fant. Lamb is a big-time playmaker who's strong at the catch point and incredibly slippery after the catch; he adds a unique dimension to an ascending offense.
Charles Davis, NFL.com: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Second-year QB Drew Lock gets the fastest pass catcher in the draft to continue opening up the Broncos' offense.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
The Broncos can recover nicely after Lamb, Jeudy and Ruggs are drafted in front of them by simply addressing a playmaking hole in Vic Fangio's 3-4 front. Kinlaw (6-5, 324 pounds) knows how to use his size and arms to complement his strength and power at the point of attack.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
They would have loved to have a shot at Ruggs, but with him being off the board they take Lamb. He isn't as fast, but he is great after the catch.
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: CB CJ Henderson, Florida
The talented cornerback would team with A.J. Bouye to give the Broncos a dynamic tandem on the outside.
John Clayton, The Washington Post: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
If the Broncos trade up, it may be for Jeudy. But Ruggs would give Broncos boss John Elway the speed he is looking for on offense.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: CB A.J. Terrell, Clemson
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Courtland Sutton is an emerging star who is a bona fide deep threat. Noah Fant is the dynamic tight end entering Year 2. Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon are the backfield playmakers, and Drew Lock is the quarterback who appears ready for the full-time job. Why not add one more weapon to this offense in Ruggs, who was the fastest player on Alabama's roster last season? He can score from anywhere on the field.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: LB Kenneth Murray, Okahoma
Jerry Jeudy could be the pick here, but given the depth at receiver in this draft, the Broncos might simply pick the best player on the board -- either Murray or Javon Kinlaw. Murray is a ruthless force on the field and a leader off it. Teams will not regret selecting him in the top half of the first round.
Rob Rang, NFL Draft Scout: LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
Allowed to choose between a playmaking receiver for strong-armed sophomore Drew Lock and the heat-seeking missile missing from the middle of Vic Fangio's defense, former Hall of Fame QB John Elway checks to his head coach, pulling one of the draft's first surprises.
Rhett Lewis, NFL.com: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
Providing a complement to budding star Courtland Sutton should benefit him and second-year quarterback Drew Lock in 2020. Jefferson set the LSU single-season school record for receptions with 111 last year and should provide Lock some outs on third down.
Will Brinson, CBS Sports: DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
The Broncos wanted one of the three big wideouts in this draft and contemplated going with Justin Jefferson here, but Kinlaw gives them some serious juice on the interior moving forward.
Luke Easterling, Draft Wire: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Ruggs may be the third receiver off the board, but he's exactly the one the Broncos need. Courtland Sutton already gives them that big, physical target, but Ruggs brings elite speed and big-play ability the offense currently lacks. Don't be surprised if the Broncos make a jump up the board and take Ruggs before Jeudy or Lamb.
Dan Kadar, SB Nation: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Has a pick in the middle of the first round ever been this commonly mocked for, like, four months straight? I've been doing these mock drafts for SB Nation since the 2009 draft and can't recall it.
Walter Cherepinsky, Walter Football: LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
The Broncos need a receiver, but given the depth of talent at the position in this class, they can afford to wait until the second round to address the position. Instead, they can really strengthen the middle of their defense, which has been a need ever since Danny Trevathan departed for Chicago.
Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
On draft night, if the top three receivers are gone, the Broncos would have to turn their direction to someone other than Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, or CeeDee Lamb.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
GM John Elway isn't hiding his interest in a receiver, saying this week that the position is a point of interest in the draft. Ruggs' 4.27-second 40-yard dash speed would be put to quick use by offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who wants to ramp up the attack's aggressiveness.
R.J. White, CBS Sports: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama [via trade up]
The Broncos have a lot of draft capital this year with three third-rounders in their pocket, and they don't have a ton of needs after a busy offseason. So it makes sense to swing a deal to go up and get their WR1 rather than sit back and hope you can get possibly your third choice at the position. They give up No. 15, 83 and 118 to get to this spot for an excellent receiver in Jeudy.
