There are 50 days until the NFL draft, so what are the Broncos going to do with the No. 9 overall pick?
In Phillip Heilman’s seven-round mock draft for The Denver Post, he has the Broncos targeting 6-foot-2 Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley. Denver certainly needs a No. 1 cornerback, especially after the release of A.J. Bouye.
Perhaps they’ll bolster their linebacking corps with Penn State’s Micah Parsons. Maybe the Broncos will choose a quarterback like Trey Lance or Justin Fields. That is, unless they win the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes and that draft pick simply gets traded away.
Here’s a look at who national draftniks are thinking will land in Denver.
ESPN | Mel Kiper Jr. | Updated Feb. 25
Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Trade: Denver sends No. 9 pick (QB Trey Lance) to New England for No. 15 pick, a 2021 second-round pick and a 2022 first-round selection.
“I’d even feel comfortable taking Farley at No. 9 if the Broncos don’t trade back, so this is good value. He showed in 2019 that he can be an elite, lockdown corner, though I would like to have seen one more year of film (he opted out of the 2020 season). He’s still raw. The Broncos could part ways with both safety Justin Simmons (free agency) and edge rusher Von Miller (cap casualty) this offseason, so they need to boost their talent on defense under Vic Fangio,” Kiper writes. .
ESPN | Todd McShay | Updated March 4
Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Trade: Denver sends No. 9 pick (Alabama QB Mac Jones) to San Francisco for No. 12 pick, the No. 43 pick and either a 2022 first- or second-round selection in McShay’s mock draft.
“In this scenario, the Broncos opt to stick with Drew Lock, pass on Mac Jones and move back for more draft capital. We still don’t know what new GM George Paton will do at quarterback, but we do know his defense needs some playmakers. What will become of Von Miller, and could Denver target an edge rusher here? Is Justin Simmons returning or might TCU safety Trevon Moehrig be in the cards? The Broncos have a lot of questions to answer, but Farley — another 2020 opt-out — can make plays for a group that managed only 10 interceptions last season (tied for third fewest),” McShay writes. .
NFL.com | Maurice Jones-Drew | Updated March 9
Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
“I tried to find a better fit, but there isn’t one. The long, rangy cornerback slots right into Vic Fangio’s defense, as a top-notch corner who can matchup with the AFC West’s elite receivers,” Jones-Drew writes. .
The Athletic | Bruce Feldman | Updated March 9
Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
“Denver needs cornerback help, and there are three good ones waiting. Farley, the freakiest athlete of that trio, once clocked 24.16 mph on the GPS in a game against Notre Dame,” Feldman writes. .
NFL.com | Cynthia Frelund | Updated March 2
Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
“The Broncos have a need at cornerback, but — presuming free agent safety Justin Simmons returns — Fields’ ability to make use of Denver’s pass-catchers gives the Broncos about 0.8 more wins than they would add by selecting the best CB prospect and slotting either incumbent Drew Lock or any of the available free agents in at QB,” Frelund writes. .
Pro Football Focus | Seth Galina | Updated March 8
Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
“With the other four quarterbacks off the board, the Broncos are left with Trey Lance — but the North Dakota State product might have the most upside of any of the “big five” quarterbacks. He’s an elite runner and understands how to get through his progressions, although the accuracy is a concern,” Galina writes. .
Sporting News | Vinnie Iyer | Updated March 1
Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
“The Broncos are already at a crossroads with Drew Lock and will be tempted to replace him here should Lance, appealing to John Elway, remain on the board here, pushing them away from taking cornerback or edge-rushing help for Vic Fangio’s defense. Lance has climbed back up boards with his massive upside. As more teams see tapes of his statistically brilliant lone season as a starter (2,786 yards passing, 28 TDs, no INTs, 1,100 yards rushing, 14 TDs) it’s harder to ignore the impressive physical and athletic skills,” Iyer writes. .
CBS Sports | Ryan Wilson | Updated March 8
Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
“Josey Jewell is coming off a strong season, but he’s the only off-ball linebacker currently under contract in Denver. Parsons is a top-five talent who could get pushed down the board if there are runs on QBs and offensive linemen,” Wilson writes. .
Wilson’s other Broncos picks:
- Second round, 40th overall pick: Ifeatu Melinfonu, CB, Syracuse
- Third round, 71st overall pick: Davis Mills, QB, Stanford
CBS Sports | Pete Prisco | Updated March 9
Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
“They let A.J. Bouye go, so they clearly need help there in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. Surtain is the best of this corner class in my mind,” Prisco writes. .
NFL.com | Chad Reuter | Updated March 5
Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
“Denver lucks into the top cornerback in the draft because four quarterbacks are selected in the top eight picks. Surtain’s ability to play the ball in the air is elite, and he will match up physically with any receiver in the league,” Reuter writes. .
Reuter’s other Broncos picks:
- Second round, 40th pick: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
- Third round, 71st pick: Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson
- Fourth round, 115th pick: Tommy Togial, DT, Ohio State
