This is the ninth in a series of NFL Draft previews assessing the Broncos’ positional needs.
Broncos’ in-house offseason moves: Re-signed Ja’Quan McMillian via second-round tender; re-signed Jaden Robinson to futures deal
Under contract: Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine, Reese Taylor, Robinson
Need scale (1-10): 2. The Broncos need any more cornerbacks like Sean Payton needs any more doses of caffeine. The Surtain-Moss-McMillian-Barron-Abrams-Draine quintet is as stacked as any room in the NFL; both Barron and Abrams-Draine were reserves in 2025 despite being talented enough to start on a slew of teams across the league. The Broncos need to create more opportunities for Barron, their 2025 first-round pick, to see the field — not create additional competition that could stunt his growth. That being said, both general manager George Paton and Payton love hoarding skilled cornerbacks. One source who’s spoken with the Broncos in the pre-draft process told The Denver Post the organization has expressed interest in adding a boundary cornerback in the late rounds, and Denver’s done diligence on a crop of players in that range.
The Top Five
Mansoor Delane, LSU
Pretty unanimous across the draft-evaluation board: this is CB1. Delane combines elite production (11 PBUs in an All-American season in 2025) with solid traits, . Even more impressive: the 5-foot-11 corner surrendered just 14 catches on 35 targets his way in the 2025 season, according to Pro Football Focus. He could grow into an elite outside cornerback at the next level.
Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Good defensive-back genes run in the Terrell bloodline, as Terrell’s brother A.J. was a Falcons first-round pick in 2020. Terrell was a malleable piece at Clemson last year, playing some snaps from the slot and a handful in the box; he finished with 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and five forced fumbles. His stock is up in the air, though, after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported he .
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
The talent here is significant enough that McCoy could land in the first round despite missing the entire 2025 season with a torn ACL. He had excellent ball production at Tennessee in 2024, with four interceptions, and has a solid frame at close to 6-foot-1. If teams get a clean medical on McCoy, he’ll go on Day 1.
Colton Hood, Tennessee
The Vols boys. Hood stood out for Deion Sanders at Colorado in 2024, and put together a solid all-around season at Tennessee in 2025. He excelled in run support last year, with just four missed tackles (according to PFF), and jumped 40.5 inches at the combine.
Chris Johnson, San Diego State
A non-Power-Four gem, Johnson blew out the combine: a 4.40-second 40-yard-dash (third amongst CBs), 17 reps on bench press (tied for first), and a 1.54-second 10-yard-split (fourth). He broke out last season, with two pick-sixes and nine passes defensed. The athleticism and development across four years at a non-major program should interest teams, and potentially slot five corners into the first round.
More Broncos fits
Ephesians Prysock, Washington
If Prysock slips into the fourth or fifth round, Denver could take a hard look. The 6-foot-3 Prysock combines elite length with standout athleticism, at a 4.45-second 40-yard-dash and 39-inch vertical. He’s done a Zoom with Broncos defensive-backs coach Doug Belk, according to a source.
Julian Neal, Arkansas
Neal is plenty stout as far as corners go, measuring at 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, and was excellent against the run last year at Arkansas. His coverage stats were slightly hit-or-miss last year at Arkansas, but Neal’s explosiveness — a 40-inch vertical and 11-foot-2-inch broad jump — should endear him to the Broncos’ brass.
Latrell McCutchin, Houston
Denver’s stayed in consistent pre-draft communication with the nearly 6-foot-2 McCutchin, a source said. His combine numbers were among the best in his class, and McCutchin had a standout 2025 at Houston, with 10 passes defensed and three tackles for loss. The lack of ball production — no picks in four years of college ball — should be a concern, but McCutchin could be a late-round fit.
Brent Austin, Cal
Big-time draft sleeper here. Austin wasn’t a combine invitee, but had an excellent season for the Golden Bears in 2025, with 13 passes defensed and a couple forced fumbles. He could fall into the seventh-round-to-PFA range for the Broncos, and has had several conversations with them in the pre-draft process, a source said.
Blake Cotton, Utah
The Broncos love their Utah boys, and Cotton could be the latest in a line of hard-nosed, under-the-radar Utes to make their way east to Denver on Day 3 or after the draft. A one-time UC Davis product, Cotton made the FCS-to-FBS jump in 2025 and acquitted himself well late in the season. His frame is intriguing, at 6-foot-2.
