Paton on picking No. 62: “There’s six players we’re kind of focused on that could be there at 62. We feel good about those players. We’re going to keep working through them.”
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 27: General manager George Paton of the Denver Broncos speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Denver Broncos have already made their first round draft pick in 2026. Well, perhaps more accurately, the team sent away their first and third and fourth round picks, #30. #94 and #130 in exchange for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and a fourth round pick, #111.
However, this hardly means that the draft is over or irrelevant for the Broncos in 2026. If anything, it puts more pressure on General Manager George Paton and the rest of the front office to maximize the limited draft capital the franchise has left for next week’s selection process.
Amid much speculation as to what he will decide on doing with their all-important late-second round pick, Paton spoke on Thursday outlining exactly how many players the Broncos have targeted at #62 overall.
Paton on picking No. 62: “There’s six players we’re kind of focused on that could be there at 62. We feel good about those players. We’re going to keep working through them.”
“There’s six players we’re kind of focused on that could be there at 62. We feel good about those players. We’re going to keep working through them.” Mike Klis of 9News reported on Thursday.
Paton did not elaborate on exactly who those players might be, but it appears that the front office at least has a group of players in mind as to who they might take.
And if the stockpile of players starts to diminish earlier than Paton and co. expect, the Broncos could look to move up in the draft. But according to the GM, it is not probable that the franchise will move all the way up into the first round.
“It’s unlikely. It would cost quite a haul to get up there.” Paton said, via Klis. Most of our draft we’d have to trade. I would say it’s unlikely but we certainly could move up in the second.”
The Broncos have that valuable extra early fourth round pick at #111 overall. So if the chance came to snag a player who they did not anticipate would make it deep into the second round, or if the believe there to be a big gap between a player a few spots ahead of them and the rest of the prospects, Denver could pounce.
The 111th pick, along with one of their three seventh rounders, would be enough to boost them from #62 to #55, per the widely agreed upon Jimmy Johnson trade chart. So do not be shocked if the Broncos move up in that sort of range on Day 2 of the draft.
After shoring up the wide receiver room with the addition of Waddle, the Broncos have limited visible needs on either side of the ball. But with Bo Nix still developing and them having perhaps unenviable talent in other skill positions, both running back and tight end could certainly be in play.
The team met with both tight end Eli Stowers of Vanderbilt and Notre Dame tailback Jadarian Price at the combine, and met with Stowers again for a top-30 visit, so it is fair to say Stowers is firmly on their radar.
Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon also came in for a local visit this past pre-draft period, and he could also be a candidate in the mid-late second round, particularly given left guard Ben Powers‘ contract is currently set to expire at the end of the 2026 season.
Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas
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