With just over two weeks before the 2026 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos are beginning to put some of the final touches on their big board of prospects. While the team has several positions where more depth is necessary, a spot that most people aren't talking about could be on the agenda.
Head coach Sean Payton has always shown a great appreciation for a strong offensive line, and the Broncos have had one of the league's best in recent years. Though it won't rank high on anyone's positions of need list, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report believes that it is a position the Broncos could surprisingly target in the draft.
"The Broncos are in a position where they want to future-proof their roster and extend their current contention window.
That means securing protection for Bo Nix beyond what 33-year-old Garett Bolles and 31-year-old Mike McGlinchey might be able to provide. Both are assets on the line right now, but the Broncos would be wise to add an understudy.
Max Iheanachor fits the bill for what Sean Payton has looked for in tackles before. He's a bit raw, but his athleticism at 6'6", 321 pounds is hard to come by. He would be an ideal addition to add now and watch him blossom into a starter down the line.
Slightly further down the draft board Jude Bowry and Austin Barber are similar prospects.
Barber is another solid athletic projection. He impressed at the combine with a 32" vertical and 9'3" broad jump at 6'6", 318 pounds. Any of these players would give Payton a tackle-in-waiting to build as a replacement for either Bolles or McGlinchey down the line", wrote Ballentine.
Will Broncos draft an offensive lineman ahead of 2026 season?
Those are all strong points. Though Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey are still entrenched as starters for the Broncos, they could hit a wall at any point in the future, and smart, forward-thinking guys like Payton and George Paton could sense that as well.
Looking at the players the Broncos have brought in for top 30 visits suggests that they could be looking at drafting a tackle for the future as well. Most recently, the Broncos hosted UCF tackle Paul Rubelt, who is from Germany. He is a massive prospect at 6-foot-10 and 310 pounds.
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The Broncos, almost amazingly, have not drafted an offensive tackle in any draft since taking Bolles in the first round in 2017. They have drafted guards and several centers, but no tackles. The team has found options as undrafted free agents in Alex Palczewski and Frank Crum, but the team probably needs to address this position, even if it is not currently a major "need".
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