It may seem like the Denver Broncos have all the depth they need at tight end, but they are still missing production. An elite player at the position can help take the offense to new heights. Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball has the Broncos taking Stanford tight end Sam Roush with the 62nd pick overall in the second round in one of his latest mock drafts. “Evan Engram is on the roster, but he’s just a temporary solution at tight end,” Cherepinsky wrote. “Sam Roush was a productive player and has good size for the pros.” Here’s more information on the tight end who could end up in Denver in two weeks.
Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tennessee) — Class of 2022
Roush was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but started his high school football career at Valley Christian School in San Jose, California, before eventually transferring to Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end played for Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer at Lipscomb Academy and also played on defense, winning the 2021 Tennessee Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
According to 247sports, Roush was a four-star recruit and was a top ten player in Tennessee in the class of 2022. Some other accomplishments of Roush in high school include helping lead Lipscomb Academy to a D2-AA state title in his senior season and lettering in basketball.
Stanford (2022-2025)
The Stanford Cardinal is who Roush decided to commit to play college football for. As a freshman, Roush played in all 12 games primarily as a special teams player and ended his first season hauling in two receptions for 34 receiving yards.
In his sophomore year, Roush had a much bigger role, starting in 10 games and serving as the team’s primary tight end in the final six games of the season, catching 28 receptions for 288 receiving yards.
Things continued to get better for Roush in his junior season, as he started all 12 games and was one of three players on Stanford’s offense to start every game in 2024. Roush had a career-high season, catching 40 receptions for 344 receiving yards.
Roush’s last season at Stanford was his best, as he set more career highs, recording 49 receptions for 545 receiving yards and two touchdowns, averaging 11.1 yards per catch, while also finishing second on the team in receptions and receiving yards.
As the ACC’s leader in receiving yards for tight ends, Roush ranked sixth among FBS tight ends in receiving yards, eighth in receptions, tied for the lead in receptions for tight ends in the ACC, and also earned All-ACC second team in 2025.
Roush would be a great addition to Denver’s offense if he continues to play productively as he transitions to the NFL. He also has a connection to the Broncos organization: his grandfather, Phil Olsen, a former center and defensive tackle, played for the team in the 1970s.