Broncos Need Answers on 30 Prospects at NFL Combine

The scouting combine is a useful tool to answer questions for the Broncos about incoming rookies.

As teams head towards Indianapolis, IN, for the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, they have a list of players they want to see more of. There are many reasons for the combination, and having some questions answered about athleticism, measurements, or techniques is all part of it.

The Denver Broncos only have six picks in the NFL Draft and still are roughly $13 million over the salary cap despite the higher-than-anticipated salary cap. That puts the pressure on the Broncos to nail their draft picks so they can get a good influx of cost-controlled youth to balance out the moves they will be making to get cap-compliant. 

While all 321 prospects invited to the combine have something to answer, there are some with more draft stock-impacting questions. While it is less than one-tenth of the prospects, here are 30 prospects with something to answer who could be on the Bronco's radar.

Quarterbacks

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports Kentucky

Spencer Rattler | South Carolina

Crucial aspect: Interviews. 

The question with Rattler has never been if he has the talent to be an NFL QB but if he has the right mindset and football IQ. While he has been praised for maturing, the interviews will give him another chance to squash those concerns. Additionally, it will allow him to work the whiteboard for NFL teams. 

Michael Penix Jr | Washington

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing & Medicals.

It has largely been about the medicals with Penix and whether there are any long-term concerns. Part of the combine is going through a workup, and teams will determine if there are long-term concerns. 

Joe Milton III | Tennessee

Crucial aspect: Everything. 

There is a lot on the line for Milton. He needs to show athleticism while showing sound technique when working the drills. On top of that, the interviews will give him a chance to show off his football IQ. 

Jordan Travis | Florida State

Crucial aspect: Medicals. 

After suffering a late-season injury, teams will want to see where he is at with his recovery and determine if there was more to the injury than what is out there. 

Running Backs

© Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK

Trey Benson | Florida State

Crucial aspect: Burst/Explosion/Long Speed Testing.

Benson is a quality running back inconsistent with his burst and explosion. There are also questions about his long speed. 

Wide Receivers

© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Marvin Harrison Jr | Ohio State

Crucial aspect: Change of Direction/Long Speed

While he is a great prospect, there are concerns about his long speed. He changes direction quite well, but can he change direction without shifting down?

Xavier Legette | South Carolina

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing & Route Running Technique

Legette is a one-dimensional receiver who needs to answer questions about his athleticism. The bigger question to answer for Legette is about his route tree and overall technique. 

Devontez Walker | UNC

Crucial aspect: Agility & Hands in Drills

Walker is another one-dimensional receiver with issues catching the ball securely during the Senior Bowl. He will need to do some damage control about his hands.

Tight Ends

© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Brock Bowers | Georgia

Crucial aspect: Medicals

Bowers had an ankle injury that bothered him during the 2023 season. While he is a highly-rated prospect, teams will want to know if there are long-term concerns. 

Brevyn Spann-Ford | Minnesota

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing & Blocking Drills

Spann-Ford will need to show off the athleticism as a bigger receiving threat tight end to be a mismatch-type weapon. Also, the biggest concern is his blocking, and he can ease concerns with proper technique during the blocking drills. 

What happens next on the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Offensive Tackles

© Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Guyton | Oklahoma

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing, Drill Technique, & Interviews.

Guyton is a big, athletic tackle who can shine with athletic testing. He will also need to show consistent technique during the drills. He also lacks experience, which can be addressed during interviews.  

Amarius Mims | Georgia 

Crucial aspect: Everything

How big is Mims? How athletic is he? He can significantly boost his stock during the combine by answering questions in every aspect. Injuries have sidelined him, and he doesn't have much experience, so the medicals and interviews can answer questions there. 

Interior Offensive Line

© Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cooper Beebe | Kansas State

Crucial aspect: Measurements

Even as an interior offensive lineman, the arm length matters. Will Beebe have longer arms than most teams' minimums of 31.5-inch arms?

Graham Barton | Duke 

Crucial aspect: Measurements

While at Duke, Barton was a tackle but isn't expected to get much consideration to be a tackle at the NFL level. The measurements will provide more insight into his position in the NFL. 

Troy Fautanu | Washington

Crucial aspect: Measurements

Will Fautanu have enough length to be a tackle option in the NFL, or will he fall below requirements and get moved inside? 

Interior Defensive Line

© Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

T'Vondre Sweat | Texas

Crucial aspect: Size & Explosion

Sweat was at the Senior Bowl but didn't weigh in, and there have been concerns about how heavy he is. Will he have shed some weight for the combine? Can he keep his weight in check? There are also questions about his explosiveness. 

Brandon Dorlus | Oregon

Crucial aspect: Explosion & Agility

When you watch his tape, Dorlus is a bit of a tweener and doesn't have a primary position. Answering questions about his explosion and agility could lead teams to pinpoint his primary position. 

Edge Defenders

© Alex Gallardo-USA TODAY Sports

Laiatu Latu | UCLA

Crucial aspect: Medicals & Athletic Testing

With the injuries he has had, there are serious medical concerns. Seeing how well he tests could also boost his draft stock. 

Chop Robinson | Penn State

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing & Drills

Robinson is expected to test extremely well at the combine, but can he exceed those expectations? On top of that, there are serious technical questions that he can answer during position drills. 

Marshawn Kneeland | Western Michigan

Crucial aspect: Explosion

Kneeland is a bigger edge defender who is one of the best run defenders at the position. Sometimes, his explosion isn't there on tape, so having good explosion testing could help him. 

Austin Booker | Kansas

Crucial aspect: Technique in Drills

There are no questions about the athleticism Booker plays with, but where is the technique? Even though he was at the Senior Bowl, the technique is still a concern.

Linebackers

© Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Jeremiah Trotter | Clemson

Crucial aspect: Measurements

As the NFL looks for more length from the linebacker position, Trotter has some major questions about that.  

J.D. Bertrand | Notre Dame

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing

Bertrand is an intelligent and physical linebacker, but will he meet the thresholds teams have with the athletic testing?

Tommy Eichenberg | Ohio State

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing

Eichenberg is very similar to Bertrand, and the athletic testing will be crucial. 

Cornerbacks

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Kool-Aid McKinstry | Alabama

Crucial aspect: Long Speed, Agility, & Interviews.

There have been some rumblings of off-field stuff with McKinstry, and if those are accurate, then interviews will give him a chance to address that. The confirmed issues with McKinstry are his agility and long speed, which we will see tested. 

T.J. Tampa | Iowa State

Crucial aspect: Athleticism, Ball Skills, & Technique.

The athleticism from Tampa should be a bright spot for him, but he is pretty raw with his technique. During the drills, he will get a chance to answer concerns about his ball skills. 

Cooper DeJean | Iowa

Crucial aspect: Athletic Testing & Drills

DeJean won't do much at the combine, which could hurt his draft stock. Teams are unsure if he is a corner or a safety in the NFL, and the combine was a chance to answer those concerns. 

Safeties

© Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Cole Bishop | Utah

Crucial aspect: Range in Drills & Athleticism

Bishop is viewed as a box safety, but if he can test out well and show more range in drills, it would help the perception around him. 

Ryan Watts | Texas

Crucial aspect: Position Drills

Watts is a big and physical defensive back, and position drills will go a long way to determining if he is a safety or a corner. 

James Williams | Miami

Crucial aspect: Position Drills

There is a good chance Williams is limited to a box safety or even flat-out moved to linebacker for the NFL. The position drills will provide some clarity about what his role in the NFL will be. 

The NFL Scouting Combine allows all 321 players to address concerns and impress teams. This is their interview for all 32 NFL teams. They are put under the microscope, and teams will want answers to these questions, or they could be removed from their draft board. 

---

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!