Denver Broncos
(20) Jahdae Barron CB Texas
(60) RJ Harvey RB UCF
(74) Pat Bryant WR Illinois
(101) Sai’vion Jones DL LSU
(134) Que Robinson Edge Alabama
(216) Jeremy Crawshaw P Florida
(241) Caleb Lohner TE Utah
Immediate Impact: CB Jahdae Barron, RB RJ Harvey
The Broncos took one of the best defensive backs in the draft in Barron. He can be an elite nickel corner who can switch outside depending on the matchup. They have the best CB in football in Patrick Surtain and Riley Moss played well last year. Now they complete their trio to give them a nice nickel package. Harvey is short but big at 5’8 220 lbs. He has a tough running style with burst and speed and he’ll fit this scheme quite well. He can also catch out of the backfield which is a trait Sean Payton loves.
Best Value: DL Sai’vion Jones
Jones isn’t flashy because he’s a big power end but that’s perfect for this defense. The Broncos have Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers, two big power ends who don’t have much backing them up. They are also both free agents to be so Jones is a nice hedge against that. He needs to learn a few tricks of the trade and veterans like Allen and Myers are good guys to learn from. He could be a starter for them at DE in 2026.
Sleeper: Edge Que Robinson
Robinson comes from Alabama where there were just waves of elite pass rushers around him his whole career so he never got the chance to be a full-time player. He made the most of his pass rush opportunities but he’s just not very experienced. He’s a bit undersized but that hasn’t been a problem for Denver’s defense, they seem to like those guys.
Overall Analysis
Jahdae Barron is going to be a good pro for a long time, he’s just too good of a football player not to be. RJ Harvey should thrive in Payton’s offense and this team desperately needed a top RB. WR Pat Bryant felt like a bit of a reach in round three. He’s tall but he’s not fast, he’s not particularly big, and he’s not all that athletic. He runs good routes and understands positioning but he feels like a poor man’s Courtland Sutton and I think there were better options on the board; Jalen Royals and Elic Ayomanor for example. He’ll make this roster because they don’t have much behind Sutton but I wouldn’t expect a ton of production.
The Jones and Robinson picks are very good mid-round picks who should help the Broncos defense with depth in the front seven. The defense has been good and these are solid reinforcements and investments for the future. They drafted a punter in the sixth round, the only thing I hate more than drafting a kicker is drafting a punter. They finished up by drafting a TE from Utah who barely played. He was once a basketball player who switched up to finish his college career playing football. Sean Payton may think he can turn him into Jimmy Graham, that’s not going to happen.
Nitpick or Concern: This team needed more WR help than Pat Bryant. At the very least, those last two picks could have been used on guys like Tez Johnson or Kaden Prather. Tez Johnson would have been a nice story with his connection to Bo Nix. He also would have given them a playmaker in the slot.
Kansas City Chiefs
(32) Josh Simmons OT Ohio St.
(63) Omarr Norman-Lott DT Tennessee
(66) Ashton Gillotte Edge Louisville
(85) Nohl Williams CB California
(133) Jalen Royals WR Utah St.
(156) Jeffrey Bassa LB Oregon
(228) Brashard Smith RB SMU
Immediate Impact: OT Josh Simmons, DT Omarr Norman-Lott
Simmons might not start the season as he recovers from his knee injury but he’ll eventually take over at LT. I know they signed Jaylon Moore for too much money but Simmons is the better player. Norman-Lott gives them a nice interior pass rusher and they lack depth there. Chris Jones is working alone at this point and I don’t think Mike Pennel or Jerry Tillery are going to keep Norman-Lott off the field.
Best Value: WR Jalen Royals
No way Royals should have been available in round four. I know he’s coming off an injury but he’s a very talented WR. They have Xavier Worthy and then two guys coming off injury, Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice. Royals is better than the rest of the depth chart; JuJu Smith-Schuster, Skyy Moore, and Tyquan Thornton are not better than Royals. If I were those guys, I’d be worried.
Sleeper: RB Brashard Smith
At one time in his college career, Smith was a WR. He moved to RB at SMU and he excelled at it despite not being the biggest guy. One thing he is, is fast. He brings a speed element the backfield lacks and he obviously has pass catching skills. He’s basically the Jerick McKinnon starter kit and I think Andy Reid will love him.
Overall Analysis
The Chiefs are obviously a good team with solid roster but they have been good long enough that guys have started to leave as players get more expensive. They need this draft to replenish some spots and they did a solid job. Simmons fills the biggest hole and the one they have barely been papering over for several years. He and Moore give them options if they have injuries too. They lost Derrick Nnadi in free agency after losing others over the years leaving Omarr Norman-Lott a opportunity to find playing time. DE Ashton Gillotte is a powerful prospect who fits their preference and is insurance with Charles Omenihu’s recent injury history and Felix Anudike-Uzomah being undersized and underdeveloped.
CB Nohl Williams has good size and a lot of experience from his time at Cal and he fits the same mold as other CBs in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. I think WR Royals is a steal and he’s going to allow them to boot some of the dead weight off the WR depth chart. LB Jeffrey Bassa was a good fifth-round pick, he’s fast and fluid running to the ball. He needs a little more power to his game but he’s useful player. I love the Brashard Smith pick for this team, he couldn’t be a better fit for the skills they lack in the backfield.
Nitpick or Concern: As much as I like Brashard Smith they could have used an earlier pick on a guy with more upside or someone who could push Pacheco at RB. The pick where they took Nohl Williams, they could have had a guy like Dylan Sampson or even with the Jeffrey Bassa pick they could have had Devin Neal. Those guys would have been real competition for the starting RB job. Smith is a complementary piece.
Las Vegas Raiders
(6) Ashton Jeanty RB Boise St.
(58) Jack Bech WR TCU
(68) Darien Porter CB Iowa St.
(98) Caleb Rogers OL Texas Tech
(99) Charles Grant OT William & Mary
(108) Dont’e Thornton Jr. WR Tennessee
(135) Tonka Hemingway DL South Carolina
(180) JJ Pegues DT Ole Miss
(213) Tommy Mellott WR Montana St.
(215) Cam Miller QB North Dakota St.
(222) Cody Lindenberg LB Minnesota
Immediate Impact: RB Ashton Jeanty, WR Jack Bech, CB Darien Porter
The Raiders RB group was looking pretty rough before they added Jeanty. He’s a truly talented player who changes the complexion of the offense. He’s a three-down back who can carry the workload for sure. He’s the playmaker they need on offense to go with Brock Bowers. WR Jack Bech is a good WR who doesn’t have great speed but just knows how to win. He’ll come down with the tough catch and he should be additive to an offense that needs guys who can make plays. Porter is walking into a CB room that needs help. He’s a big, raw CB but if anyone can get him ready to play, it’s Pete Carroll, he likes guys like this.
Best Value: CB Darien Porter
An early third round pick who has a chance to start immediately at CB is good value. Porter isn’t going to be the best CB right away but he has talent and physical skills. Carroll has taken mid to late round CBs and turned them into starters early in their careers; think Richard Sherman and Riq Woolen. Porter could be the next one.
Sleeper: OT Charles Grant
Grant has the measurables and the athleticism to be a LT in the NFL. He’s making a major step up in competition coming from William & Mary but it can be done. He may be the heir apparent to Kolton Miller if the Raiders can’t work out an extension for Miller. He may even help them out at guard this year and move outside next year.
Overall Analysis
The Raiders have a big class with 11 players so they took some chances. Jeanty is about as sure of a thing as you get with a RB. He has every skill you need to be a true three-down back. WR Jack Bech is a useful player and that makes him valuable to the Raiders, they don’t have many of those at WR. Porter gives them a good prospect at CB and they need that too. Then in round three they went back-to-back with offensive linemen. Carlos Rogers is a big guy they will move inside. Grant gives them a potential OT of the future.
In round four they took the Al Davis memorial award winner WR Dont’e Thornton Jr. He’s a 6’5 214 lbs. speedster who doesn’t catch all that well. They need a deep threat but I’m not sure Thornton will ever be that guy. They were really into doubling up at positions because after taking two offensive linemen and Thornton, they took two DTs. Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues give them two different types of DTs. Hemingway is the smaller, slasher type while Pegues is the bigger body player.
They followed that up with two FCS QBs; Montana St. QB Tommy Mellott and North Dakota St’s QB Cam Miller, clearly, they watched the FCS National Championship game. It’s a little misleading though, they plan to move Mellott to WR and try him in the slot. Miller will be the developmental QB here. LB Cody Lindenberg isn’t making the roster unless it’s as a special teamer.
Nitpick or Concern: They could have done a little more in the secondary. Porter gives them an option at CB but they could use some help at safety. They are also counting on Darnay Holmes to be the nickel back, that could be an issue.
Los Angels Chargers
(22) Omarion Hampton RB North Carolina
(55) Tre Harris WR Ole Miss
(86) Jamaree Caldwell DT Oregon
(125) Kyle Kennard Edge South Carolina
(158) KeAndre Lambert-Smith WR Auburn
(165) Oronde Gadsden II TE Syracuse
(199) Branson Taylor OT Pittsburgh
(214) RJ Mickens S Clemson
(256) Trikweze Bridges CB Florida
Immediate Impact: RB Omarion Hampton, WR Tre Harris
The Chargers signed Najee Harris in free agency but Hampton is going to be the guy for Harbaugh. Hampton is just a more explosive playmaker even if he isn’t a homerun hitter. He’s a better pass catcher than Harris and Harris will just give the Chargers a very reliable backup. WR Tre Harris can be everything the Chargers thought they were getting in Quentin Johnston and more. He’s a true deep threat with good size and ball skills down the field. He will finally give Justin Herbert a downfield playmaker.
Best Value: DT Jamaree Caldwell
The Chargers lost Poona Ford in free agency and while they brought in Teair Tart, they are very thin up front. Caldwell was a late third round pick and he could be very important to the defensive line. He’ll certainly be in the rotation and he might start. He’s a good player with great size and they are in short supply of that.
Sleeper: S RJ Mickens
Mickens is a good safety who played at Clemson and has NFL bloodlines. He dad was long-time NFL CB Ray Mickens. The Chargers have Derwin James and Alohi Gilman but their depth isn’t great and Mickens could be a starter eventually. He could certainly play safety over Tony Jefferson at this point. I think they found a long-term starter in round six.
Overall Analysis
Hampton and Harris are going to help the offense immediately and that’s impressive for a couple of rookies. Those are good draft picks when you pull that off. Caldwell gives them a good player on front line, which they need. Edge rusher Kyle Kennard is a big rush end who gives them some depth they need even if he’s not an elite pass rusher. He could still give them a little more at the position than Bud Dupree.
The next three picks were on offense with another deep threat WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, he’s sort of the poor man’s Tre Harris. He’s a solid player and with their desperate need to open up the offense he can make this team. If I were Mike Williams, Quentin Johnston, or Derius Davis I wouldn’t feel confident in place on the roster. TE Oronde Gadsden II isn’t scaring Will Dissly or Tyler Conklin but he could be the third TE. OT Branson Taylor is a big man who could be a swing tackle for them. Mickens is a real player at safety but I’m not sure Bridges makes the team, even though they need help at CB.
Nitpick or Concern: They could have done more to help the defense. They need some more depth on the line, they probably could have been more aggressive to upgrade the pass rush, and they needed CB help. They gave the offense an upgrade but I don’t think they upgraded the defense even with the guys I do like.
The Hott Read 