Broncos' 2024 Draft Class Buried by The Athletic's Respected Guru

Tell us what you really think, Mr. Brugler.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix throws out a pass during warm ups as the No. 9 Oregon Ducks host / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

The Denver Broncos walked away with a potential starting quarterback in the NFL draft without having to give up additional draft capital to move up. Bo Nix is a scheme fit and beloved by Sean Payton.

On the surface, that's a good day at the office for an NFL team in the draft. But what if the team valued the quarterback a lot more than that of general consensus?

The Nix pick will continue to be an issue as Broncos Country navigates the post-draft media hot takes, rankings, and reactions. Earning bottom-five rankings around the NFL for their draft class, the Broncos “reaching” on a quarterback and only having one other pick in the top 100 will weigh down any perception of the team's haul.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler was also not a gigantic fan of Denver's draft class. Despite drafting Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin well above Brugler's rankings on Day 3, as well as Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, and Notre Dame running back Audric Estimé, the earlier picks account for more of the grade.

Brugler claims Denver over-drafted on each pick and didn't make many selections of value. He ranked Denver's draft class second-to-last, with only the Atlanta Falcons earning a worse ranking from The Athletic analyst.

Brugler’s favorite pick of the Broncos’ draft class was Utah edge rusher Jonah Elliss.

“The Broncos have a glut of pass rushers in their rotation, but Elliss makes the unit even stronger. Although he was a little 'out of sight, out of mind' this process after undergoing shoulder surgery in the fall, he is a disruptive presence with upfield explosion and violent hands," Brugler writes.

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Selected at No. 76, Elliss was a highly productive pass rusher for the Utes, notching 1.2 sacks per game before his season was cut short with a shoulder injury. He's not large for an edge and doesn’t possess incredible power or bend, but he's a tenacious pursuer of the passer with a variety of pass-rush moves. 

Undoubtedly, the Broncos do have a "glut" of bodies in the edge room now. With Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, Nik Bonitto, Thomas Incoom, and Drew Sanders returning, as well as the addition of inside/outside rusher Jonathan Franklin-Myers, Denver may have more bodies than snaps in the edge room. Keep an eye out for the Broncos to shop an edge rusher on the trade market before the 2024 season starts.

As for Day 3, Brugler really liked the Broncos selection of Franklin, a lanky down-the-field receiver with exceptional statistical output for the Ducks.

“Although I wasn’t a fan of what the Broncos did in the first round, reuniting Franklin with his college quarterback is smart drafting. Franklin, who has inconsistencies in his game, was overrated by many throughout the process, but there’s a good chance he winds up looking like a steal. He has legit speed before and after the catch and can make an immediate impact as a rookie," Brugler writes.

If the Broncos are going to succeed with Nix under center, they're going to need to add talent and explosive playmakers who can create explosive plays when afforded opportunities in the quick game. Likely a Z in Denver’s offense, it will be worth monitoring how the roles of Marvin Mims Jr. and Franklin leading into next season.

Mims has more versatility as a receiver, but given his inconsistencies last season in route running and play strength, Franklin has a chance to eat into some of the reps vacated after the Jerry Jeudy trade this offseason.

Overall the grades of the NFL draft are rather inconsequential. In all reality, Denver’s draft class will come down to whether Nix transcends into a perennial top-10 caliber quarterback worthy of battling with the insane number of young talented superstars in the AFC.

However, outside of the opinions on the Nix “reach," Denver appears to have done well overall. But unless Nix is a hit, the odds of the Broncos draft class turning the franchise’s fortunes around are unlikely.

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