The Denver Broncos will likely be active and aggressive in the 2026 NFL Draft despite not having a pick in the first round. After trading that pick in a package to acquire Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, the Broncos will wait until pick No. 62 before making their first choice.
But by all metrics, there should still be great value on the board with that pick. The Broncos could choose to fill a position of need (running back, tight end, inside linebacker) or take the best player on their board, regardless of need.
The draft can go in several different directions and it's entirely unpredictable. The team has a good idea of which players could fall to them at No. 62, but there is always the chance a trade could take place in which Sean Payton and his group move up the board to get a guy they can't live without.
Regardless of the scenario, there are some prospects in this class whom the Broncos should not pass on if there is any chance they fall to them or could be had through a reasonable trade. These are all players who have a first or high-second-round grade on them. While it's unlikely the Broncos get one of them, it's far from impossible.
Broncos can't pass on these prospects in 2026 NFL draft
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Jacob Rodriguez is likely to come off the board early in the second round, at worst, but stranger things have happened. He would be a dream prospect for the Broncos as he has all the tools to play inside linebacker but he is also excellent in pass coverage. If he came to Denver, he would likely take a starting job away from Alex Singleton or Justin Strnad almost immediately.
Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
Caleb Banks has first-round talent, but he is likely to slip down the board due to recent health issues. He missed almost all of the 2025 season before hurting himself again at the scouting combine. But if he drops all the way down to 62, the Broncos would be getting tremendous value in a big, athletic defensive lineman who can be a 10-year starter.
Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Max Iheanachor is one of this draft's biggest risers and with offensive tackle being a premium position, it's unlikely the Broncos get a shot to draft him. But there are rumblings that the Broncos could be looking for a top-level prospect at the position to eventually replace either Mike McGlinchey or Garett Bolles and Iheanachor would come with a ton of promise.
Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
The Broncos don't need another wide receiver, at least not early in the process, but sometimes there are guy you just can't pass on. Louisville's Chris Bell may be one of those players. A torn ACL in November likely knocked him out of the first round, but it's hard to see him not being a top-50 pick, despite other analysts feeling he could drop into Day 3.
He's a big, physical target who could become a terrific possession receiver in the league and in Denver, perhaps the eventual replacement for Courtland Sutton in that role.
Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
There are some good running back prospects for the Broncos to consider in this draft, and that feels like a position the team has to address. Many general managers and head coaches don't like using premium picks on the running back position, but Jadarian Price is a talented runner who brings a combination of speed and power that this team sorely lacked down the stretch last season.
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