ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The 2025 NFL Draft may look a little bit different than most.
But it also may align perfectly for the Broncos' needs.
Asked about the national perception that there are fewer players than usual who are deserving of elite first-round grades, Head Coach Sean Payton said the Broncos generally agree with that assessment.
Both Payton and General Manager George Paton, though, believe that impact may largely be felt earlier in the draft. When the Broncos are on the clock at No. 20, they believe the type of talent that will be available is both fitting of the selection — and comparable to the players being taken as far as 10 picks ahead of their selection.
"We think there is going to be a similar player at [No.] 10 that will be there at [No.] 20 in our grades," Paton said. "We have more players in that area than we do at [No.] 1 through [No.] 10. You just work your board and set your strategy based on that."
Added Payton: "It's good to be picking [at] No. 20, if that's the case. We all have heard and read — depending on where you are at and what you need — there is a point where we feel like we can get a similar player at this portion of the first round that you may be able to get maybe seven picks up and you may be able to get seven picks into the second [round]."
In short, the sweet spot of the draft — as Paton said initially at the Combine in late February — is where the Broncos hold their initial pick.
And, as the draft progresses, the Broncos could find more solid additions in Day 2 and early on Day 3.
"We do think there is some strength in the middle rounds," Paton said, "maybe [the] second, third and fourth [rounds]."
When the Broncos do add to their roster, they'll weigh a number of factors — including whether a player is able to contribute immediately or needs time to develop. After filling needs in free agency, the Broncos may have the luxury of factoring in a player's future improvement.
"We just had a conversation about this," Paton said. "We were talking about some interior [defensive] linemen, and there is one that is ready to roll. We think he's ready to play next year. Then there is another one that you may hit on him. I think it's important that you go around the room and you talk to the assistant coaches and you talk to the scouts about, 'What's the vision for this player [in] Year 1, Year 2 and beyond?' You have a lot of those discussions. Then you dig into the mental and the makeup of these players. Do they have the makeup — they are raw — to take that next step? [Do they have] the work ethic to take that next step? You dig into all of these and you get into the analytics and they help you break a tie or a cluster. That's how we go about it."
Added Payton: "I think we're focused on key positions. There are some positions that will be tougher to make on our team than other positions. One of the things that we did a good job of in free agency is put ourselves in a position to really look at — again, three years out — how do we like this player?"
As the evaluation nears its end, Paton said the continuity in leadership and the draft process has him feeling "the most prepared" he's been for a draft.
"It's valuable," Paton said. "It's going into our third draft. We've had three years of free agency, two seasons and everything in between. We're aligned in how we want to build this team. We both have a clear vision with what kinds of players and what types of people we want to bring into that building."
