Editor’s note: Final of a series of NFL draft previews as it relates to the Broncos. Previously: Quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line, outside linebacker, inside linebacker and cornerback. Today: Safeties
Broncos’ in-house offseason moves: Signed Tycen Anderson to a one-year deal.
Under contract: Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner and Anderson.
Need scale (1-10): 6. When healthy in 2025, Hufanga and Jones played like one of the best safety tandems in football. Key is a first-team All-Pro special teams player, Skinner is valuable in the kicking game as well and Anderson was signed to be yet another quality player in the third phase. The task for 2026 is to figure out who replaces P.J. Locke as the next man in after he signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Dallas. The questions don’t end there, however. Jones is entering the final of a three-year deal and Skinner the final of his four-year rookie deal. Anderson is on a one-year contract. This group could look much different after the upcoming season. Not only that, but the Broncos have not yet developed a long-term solution at the position in-house. Perhaps a draft class that is considered to be just OK overall but deep and talented at safety can generate the solution.
The Top Five
Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Itap pretty simple: Downs is on the shortlist of best overall players in the class. If his position were considered a premium one by the league, he’d be in contention to be the first non-quarterback drafted. Even with the way safeties are generally valued, it’d be a surprise if he waited longer than the first 10 picks to hear his name called.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
A rangy, play-making safety who draws comparisons to Nick Emmanwori in last year’s draft. McNeil-Warren is one of three safeties likely to go in the first round. He’s almost 6-4 and checked into the Combine at 201 pounds before running 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Had five interceptions for the Rockets over the past three seasons and also forced eight fumbles, including four in 2023 and three last year.
Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Thieneman isn’t as big as McNeil-Warren but he’s a rocket ship. Ran 4.35 seconds in the 40 at the Combine at 6-0 and 201 pounds. Also jumped 41 inches vertical and 10-5 broad. He’s explosive and versatile and is a player who should be able to play deep, in the box or in the slot depending on what team he lands on. Like the two above, a near surefire first-rounder.
Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Wheatley is another physically imposing player at 6-3 and 200-plus pounds. The Nittany Lions have churned out defensive prospects in recent years and Wheatley is another, though likely a Day 2 pick. Two-year starter whose most productive year was 2024 when he had 96 tackles and three picks.
A.J. Haulcy, LSU
A candidate to be one of the six players Broncos GM George Paton referenced targeting with the No. 62 overall pick. Haulcy played at New Mexico his first year, then Houston for two and LSU last year and started all four. He checked into the Combine a shade under 6-foot and 215 pounds, then ran 4.52 in the 40. Had five picks in 2024 for UH and three last year for LSU. Denver always has good insight into LSU players given the staff’s deep connections to the school and state of Louisiana, plus new Denver DBs coach Doug Belk coached him at Houston in 2023.
More Broncos options
Bud Clark, TCU
Clark’s an older player and stayed at TCU for the duration of his six-year college career. Another player Denver will have a good read on in part because head coach Sean Payton’s son, Connor, attended school and worked for the TCU football program during Clark’s tenure. Clark’s played in 61 college games and come away with three or more interceptions in four straight years. Ran 4.41 in the 40 at 6-1 and 188 at the Combine.
Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Kilgore is a freaky athlete, having checked into the combine at 6-1 and 210 pounds and ran 4.40 in the 40 while jumping 37 inches vertical and 10-10 broad. He played in the slot and at safety in college and is still a young player, having just turned 21 years old. Not the most refined prospect, but would be a fascinating development project for new secondary coaches Belk and Rob Livingston if Denver finds itself maneuvering around Day 2.
Michael Taaffe, Texas
A defensive back from Texas, you say? The Broncos have had a ton, from Jones and Jahdae Barron on the active roster to the recently departed Locke and Caden Sterns before him. Taaffee told The Post he had a Zoom call with Livingston. Denver clearly knows the school well and will have seen a ton of him before even digging into this class, having fallen in love with Barron last year. Taaffee is slightly bigger than Jones at 6-0 and 198 and regarded similarly heading into the draft or perhaps a bit lower – maybe a Day 3 guy but could slide up like Jones did.
Kamari Ramsey, USC
Yet another Broncos connection here as Ramsey played for Belk the past two years in Southern California. Didn’t have a pick in nine games last year but one the year before to go along with a pair of sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. Ramsey ran 4.46 in the 40 at the Combine at 6-0 and 202 pounds. Could be available when Denver’s fourth-round picks come up. If you’re looking at the Belk connections, fellow former Trojans safety Bishop Fitzgerald fits, too.
Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma
Yet another college the Broncos have drafted heavily from. Spears-Jennings ran a blistering 4.32 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine at 6-2 and 205 pounds. His most productive year was 2024 when he picked off a pass, forced four fumbles and had 2.5 sacks and five TFLs. The Broncos love back-end players who can make plays behind the line of scrimmage. They drafted an OU safety in the fifth round in 2022 in Delarrin Turner-Yell. Maybe they’ll swing at another on Day 3 this year.
