The Denver Broncos entered the 2024 draft needing to knock one out of the park. Depending on which fan you talk to, there are some mixed reviews within Broncos Country, but the vast majority of those fans are highly encouraged by the picks that the team made.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. did not give the team his best grade, handing them a C- for their efforts. As I analyzed this draft, it certainly started out that way on my report card as well. However, the team had a strong Day 3 and rounded out the class nicely.
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With some more time to digest each selection, here is how the Broncos’ draft class shakes out.
Denver Broncos 2024 draft grade
Round 1- Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Round 3- Johan Elliss, EDGE, Utah
Round 4- Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Round 5- Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
Round 5- Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame
Round 7- Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah
Round 7- Nick Gargiulo, C, South Carolina
Pick-by-pick grades
Round 1, Pick No. 12: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
The Broncos have caught a lot of criticism for making this pick where they made it. Kiper made some good points about how many times the sixth quarterback taken in the draft has turned into something and about how the best move was to trade back and collect picks because Nix could have been had at a later time, which was the same point I made leading into the draft.
But there is also something to be said about having the mindset to take the guy you want when you have a chance to do it and that is exactly what Sean Payton did. Would another team like the Las Vegas Raiders have taken Nix if Denver didn’t? We will never know.
What we do know is that he is the guy that Payton has hooked his legacy to and all Broncos fans can do is hope that it turns out the way the head coach envisions.
Grade: C+ (77/100)
Round 3, Pick No. 76: Johan Ellis, EDGE, Utah
There were plenty of analysts who saw this pick as a reach but it was another one that Payton strongly defended, stating that he felt Elliss was just too good to pass on.
Elliss will have to prove that he can get past a shoulder injury that troubled him in college but his high motor and effort on plays are something that the team can look forward to. The fact that his father was a great NFL player and he drafted his brother, Kaden, while with the Saints, were likely big factors for Payton with this selection as well.
Grade: B (85/100)
Round 4, Pick No. 102: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
As soon as round four kicked off on Saturday, the Broncos made a move with the Seattle Seahawks to come up and get this pick. If the team wants Nix to succeed, then selecting his top pass-catcher in Oregon makes a lot of sense.
Franklin is coming off a stellar season in one of college football’s top offenses, catching 81 passes for just shy of 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. With the question marks that are surrounding the team’s No.1 receiver, Courtland Sutton and the fact that he could be looking for a new contract, this pick was made at the right time.
There is nothing to dislike about this choice.
Grade: A+ (97/100)
Round 5, Pick No. 145: Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
The Broncos needed to add another defensive back and Kris Abrams-Draine is a developmental prospect but one in which the potential upside is quite evident.
He started his college career at wide receiver before quickly being moved to the defensive side of the ball. He has quick feet and good ball skills and perhaps his most admirable trait is his willingness to lay a hat on someone and make a tackle.
The big knock on him is his thin frame so he is a guy the Broncos will need to get into the strength and conditioning program and add some size to that frame, but his length is what you look for at this position.
He may start slowly as a rookie and have a slow rise for the team, but when he gets to where he needs to be, he can be a difference-maker in the league.
Grade: B (85/100)
Round 5, Pick No. 147: Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame
Audric Estime saw his draft stock take a hit when he clocked a 4.71-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, but he is going to fit nicely into the Broncos’ backfield which was in a big need of a jolt.
The Broncos have Javonte Williams but he struggled last season in his return from knee surgery. Samaje Perine was mostly used as a receiving and third-down back and Jaleel McLaughlin, who went undrafted, was arguably the most dynamic running back on the roster.
Estime should be able to slide into this backfield and make his presence felt quickly. He is a strong runner who can turn into a bully. He can also play a role in the passing game. It reminds me of when Payton had Mark Ingram in New Orleans.
Estime could earn a role as the team’s short-yardage and goal-line back but he could carve out a key spot in the offense even as a rookie, but certainly as his career goes on.
Grade: A- (91/100)
Round 7, Pick No. 235: Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah
Devaughn Vele was a walk-on at Utah but became an integral part of the team’s offense. At 6-foot-4, he fits the size profile of the kind of receiver Payton loves to have on his roster.
Vele has a great catch radius, but was inconsistent at times and is already 26 years old, which is ancient for a rookie. In the seventh round, it’s hard to have a “bad” pick, but Vele projects mostly as a practice squad guy. Of course, so did Tim Patrick, who also came from Utah.
Grade: B- (81/100)
Round 7, Pick No. 256: Nick Gargiulo, C, South Carolina
Nick Gargiulo was a team captain at Yale before using his last year of college eligibility to transfer to South Carolina, where he put himself on the NFL radar.
He is a big offensive lineman at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds. He can play at other slots on the offensive line and could be a guy who fights for a rotational spot through the summer. The Broncos didn’t necessarily need another center, but Gargiulo should at the very least be a guy who lands on the practice squad with a chance of earning a solid role in the future.
Grade: B (84/100)
Overall Grade
This draft started out shaky for the Broncos. Regardless of what Payton tells the media, he almost certainly panicked when he saw five quarterbacks come off of the board with the first 10 picks. He felt it was now or never to get Nix and he made sure it was now.
With that in mind, the rest of this draft seems quite solid. The Broncos added some offensive weapons while getting a good depth piece for the secondary and a potential star in the pass-rush department. Time will tell how good this draft was but my initial reaction is positive, even though Kiper and several other major outlets passing out grades don’t seem to agree.
Overall grade: B (85.7/100)
