10 Prospects in 2024 NFL Draft to Upgrade Broncos' D-Line

The Denver Broncos need help on their defensive line, and this year's draft class has some solid options.

One of the Denver Broncos' biggest issues this past season was a poorly performing defensive line. Zach Allen ranked in the top 10 in multiple metrics for interior defensive linemen, but it was a one-person show. 

D.J. Jones, Jonathan Harris, Mike Purcell, and Matt Henningsen did not perform up to par, leading to a poor unit with no depth. The Broncos have to get help for Allen and practically rebuild the unit outside of him. 

Turning to the NFL draft can take time, as defensive linemen typically take about two years to emerge in the pros fully. This isn't a strong class, with Jer'Zhan Newton and Leonard Taylor leading the way. 

What does the D-line class look like beyond Newton and Taylor? That's what we're diving into today: the next 10 defensive linemen in the 2024 class. 

Byron Murphy | Texas

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There are a lot of defensive linemen in this class who will be hit because of their size, and Murphy is one of them. He's an explosive defender who does an excellent job shooting gaps and immediately putting interior blockers at a disadvantage. 

What makes that explosion an even bigger danger for blockers is he does a good job transferring that into power and driving blockers back into the lap of quarterbacks.  Despite the lack of length and mass, Murphy has solid power, but it won't be a strength for his NFL evaluation. 

He also needs to play under control more consistently, as he has a bad habit of taking himself out of the play. There are also times when Murphy's suddenness can be hindered due to wasted steps when gathering and changing his direction. 

Murphy has been rising boards, likely continuing throughout the draft process. There is a chance he hears his name called in the first 50 picks. 

Murphy would be a fine option for the Broncos to bring a ton of upside to their defensive line and put opposite Allen. While Murphy is more of a pass rusher, he has enough ability as a run defender to help. 

Kris Jenkins | Michigan

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Jenkins is a physical freak who has the raw power, brute strength, and untapped athleticism to work with. All the tools are there, but the NFL has to put the pieces all together and finish the job that was started at Michigan. If a team can get him to put it all together and find consistency, he could be a star in the  NFL. 

There's an excellent build on Jenkins' frame, and he uses his tools well to move blockers and put himself in a good position to make a play. Getting his technique down is the most significant step he has to take with his development. The raw physical tools are there, and he has a solid technical foundation, but there is a lot to clean up and develop. 

If the Broncos want Jenkins, and he would be an excellent option with his ability in both phases, they would need to move around the board. He's currently projected to be a second-round pick and isn't expected to drop to the third round. Picking him 12th overall would be a massive reach. 

Brandon Dorlus | Oregon

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Dorlus is a lengthy defender that is a bit of a hybrid. He's a cross between an edge defender and an interior defensive lineman, but that can still be of value on the Broncos' front, giving Vance Joseph another piece for the creative fronts we saw this past season. 

There isn't a great explosion, and Dorlus is a high-waisted defender who doesn't play with a good bend. It allowed blockers to easily control his attacks because he played with a high pad level that kept him off-balance. He's also an aggressive defender and will often be caught over-pursuing plays instead of maintaining gap discipline. 

Dorlus has a great build on his frame and room to add more mass and be a true interior defender. His versatility is a plus, and his motor runs hot from start to finish. During the past season, he picked up nearly 50 total pressures, playing over 150 snaps in three positions. 

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Mekhi Wingo | LSU

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Wingo's size and length aren't ideal and will likely limit him in the NFL. In college, he was consistent as a pass rusher and run defender and has sound technique in both phases. The lack of length is one of the more significant concerns to his game. 

Due to the length issues, Wingo can get stuck on blocks and must learn to deconstruct blocks, which may be more difficult for him. There is good power, and he showed it consistently when he could play with leverage and into the chest of blockers. However, he couldn't do that always because of those length concerns. 

The athleticism is sound, and he can work from a 3- to a 5-technique with his skills. A defense that incorporates many stunts and twists would also benefit Wingo in the NFL. 

T'Vondre Sweat | Texas

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Sweat is a big man standing about 6-foot-4 and over 340 pounds. He's viewed as the best nose tackle in the class, but he brings solid versatility to move around a little along the line. You don't want him working as a 5-tech, but a 3-tech can still see him as an effective player. 

Sweat's lateral quickness and agility are not great, which you expect at that size, and he can be late to get off the snap. However, his mass and strength can make him a brick wall as a run defender. There's also enough juice to push the pocket and be a three-down defender. 

With Sweat's size and the motor he plays with, he can be terrifying for blockers. There needs to be consistency with his technique, as he won't be able to rely on his size as much in the NFL as he did in college to win reps. 

Sweat would be a good fit for what the Broncos can use, but as things stand currently, he is unlikely to be there when they pick in the third round. 

Ruke Orhorhoro | Clemson

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Orhorhoro's frame is lean, and he will need to add bulk and mass for the NFL. However, his quickness and explosion can make him work as an interior pass rusher. His best trait is how quickly he can shoot gaps and work around blockers to get after the quarterback. 

On the flip side, Orhorhoro doesn't offer much as a run defender right away and could be a liability there in the NFL. There are flashes of being effective that you can bet on, but you have to develop the frame and technique to help him be more effective. That would be most of the focus from coaches, as his technique as a pass rusher is reasonably well-developed. 

With a third-round grade currently, Orhorhoro can move up boards during the draft process. His interior pass rush ability should interest the Broncos, who need additional help inside next to Allen. Still, the concerns about his run defense could push them to look elsewhere. 

DeWayne Carter | Duke

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The Duke product doesn't have the ideal size for the NFL, and his lack of length can concern getting off blocks at the next level. Carter will have to improve his hand technique and pass rush moves developed while learning to limit the impact of his shorter arms. 

There's good use of leverage, and he has solid power to hold up against the run. The issue is that sometimes he cannot shed his block to make the play before the ball carrier gets through the line. He also has good vision to keep his eyes in the backfield and track the ball carrier and constantly works to be in the proper position. 

While Carter can work in the Broncos scheme up front, his lack of versatility to move around the defensive line does hurt. He is more of a true 3-tech, and his lack of length will be more of a problem farther out, while he doesn't have the mass and strength to move more inside. 

Braden Fiske | Florida State

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Fiske's size will be a slight concern for NFL teams, as he doesn't check all the boxes there. However, he has developed his technique well and can boost the depth of his position. His lack of length will often be mentioned in his evaluation because it did create problems in college and will likely generate more in the NFL. 

Fiske will also be a 24-year-old rookie and won't test out very well. On top of that, he doesn't have the best flexibility and short-area quickness to shoot gaps and generate instant disruption. To make up for that, Fiske has an impressive snap sense to get off quickly and get into a good position before the blockers are out of their stance. 

His technique is quite developed for the NFL, and Fiske knows how to deconstruct blocks and work into good positioning. He has a good use of leverage to control blockers, and he has good power to set his anchor of the bull through blocks, which can make him a solid pick later on Day 2. 

McKinnley Jackson | Texas A&M

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Jackson is a tall and long interior defender who weighs over 320 pounds. However, he shouldn't be pigeonholed into being a nose tackle. There are serious concerns about his balance with his rush and too many instances of him ending up on the ground over his career. 

All the tools are there to work with, as Jackson is a good athlete with a good build and a great frame. He will have to have the technique taught and developed in every aspect. 

There is good potential with Jackson, but he also has a low floor because of how much work needs to be done to bring him along. He has excellent explosion, especially in short areas, and it can be seen in his quickness and movements. 

Jackson has a good football IQ and breaks down run-blocking concepts so well to work through and cause disruption in the backfield. Jackson can boost the Broncos' run defense as a Day-2 pick while providing serious pass rush potential. 

Maason Smith | LSU

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Maason Smith would add to the pass rush ability of the Broncos, but there are concerns about his run defense. The Broncos need help in both areas, but for a later Day 2 pick, he would be fine to help bolster the depth and try to develop the run defense.

Smith has good athleticism to work with, and his arm length is above standards for interior defenders. He would bring good versatility to work up and down the defensive line as a pass rusher, though his best spot is as a 5-tech.

NFL coaches must improve Smith's consistency as a pass rusher to make him more effective and help develop his pass rush arsenal. Sometimes, the motor can stall when Smith's first move doesn't work, and he has issues chaining moves together. 

Bottom Line

The Broncos need to rebuild their defensive line room, and there will be some solid, cheap options to hit the free-agent market. However, even if the Broncos sign a free agent or two, they need to bring in some youth with potential to the room because they are missing that currently. 

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