Broncos fan draft grades

The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books, it’s now been a couple of days, and I am still feeling pretty good about what Payton & Paton Co. accomplished over the weekend. This is a sentiment that is also felt throughout most of Broncos Country as well. I took to Instagram, among a couple of other sources, to gauge how you feel about the picks the Denver Broncos made this year.

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Of course, I, and most of you, know that grading draft picks isn’t considered an “exact science”, so to be clear, we are grading each of the picks based mostly on how they appear on paper. Only time will tell how good these picks will end up.

Broncos Draft Grades

1st Round

Sean Payton

Sure, this technically wasn’t a pick the Broncos made this year, but they did get Payton in return for the 1st rounder that they held this year. We still have a long way to go in terms of seeing if this will actually be a good move for the franchise, but it seems like the team has been placed on the right track. A kick in the butt and a change in team chemistry and identity seems to be exactly what this organization needs.

Fan Draft grade: B

2nd Round

Marvin Mims Jr. - Wide Receiver, Oklahoma

This pick honestly caught me off guard when it happened. I was thinking that Denver might target a receiver in the draft, but definitely not this early on. I now feel pretty happy with it, and so do most of you, apparently. Mims has all the potential to turn into a big play, deep-threat option for Wilson. They may already have one of these kinds of players on their roster, but KJ Hamler unfortunately just can’t seem to stay healthy enough for Denver to use him in exploiting defenses.

Fan Draft Grade: A-

3rd Round

Drew Sanders - Linebacker, Arkansas

Sanders was the first pick Denver made that addressed a “need” on this roster. While Sanders was originally projected to go in the first or second round, he dropped right into Denver’s lap in the third. This hybrid athlete has the ability to sure up this linebacking corps, while also being a guy that can heavily aid their pass rush.

Fan Draft Grade: A

Riley Moss - Cornerback, Iowa

And at pick 83, the Broncos were able to add some key depth to their defensive backfield with the 2023 Senior Bowl starter out of Iowa. Moss is a versatile, athletic corner that made opposing quarterbacks pay when targeted last season. Per Sports Info Solutions, no cornerback generated more total points per game in press coverage than Moss. And when targeted last season, Moss generated the 5th-lowest EPA per target and the 12th-highest PFF coverage grade in the 2023 cornerback class.

Fan Draft Grade: B

6th Round

JL Skinner - Safety, Boise St.

The Broncos added to their defensive unit by taking the long and athletic safety out of the land of the Smurf Turf. Skinner is able to keep calling himself a Bronco, and will be able to make some big-time plays for another team that dons the blue and orange. An All-Mountain West player in 2023, Skinner put up four interceptions, 65 tackles, and four pass breakups over the span of 12 games.

Fan Draft Grade: A

7th Round

Alex Forsyth - Center, Oregon

It may have taken them essentially an entire draft, but the Broncos did eventually land an offensive lineman. It seems like they feel pretty good about landing Powers and McGlinchey in free agency, but we all know there is still a glaring hole in the middle of the offensive line. Payton has said that the team is rolling with Cushenberry as the starter, but I think that Forsyth has the talent to give the current starter a run for his money. Ranked 9th among centers at the combine, Forsyth has talent in both the run and passing game. He also ranked in the 93rd percentile in arm span among combine players with a massive 81 ¹⁄₃ wingspan.

Fan Draft Grade: B

Overall Draft Grade: B+