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Best available NFL draft Day 2 prospects for Broncos: Quest for running back continues in second round

Published

7 months ago

April 25, 2025

Best available NFL draft Day 2 prospects for Broncos: Quest for running back continues in second round

As the night darkened in Green Bay, a slew of talent falling off the board, the Broncos walked straight into the running back crossroads that had been presented by analysts for months: Omarion Hampton or TreVeyon Henderson. Power or speed. Bell-cow or complement. Both sat, ready and waiting at pick No. 20, various mocks largely linking the Broncos to one or the other in this year’s NFL draft.

But the mocks, as head coach Sean Payton smirked at a first-round presser Thursday, were embarrassing. Entertaining, sure. But embarrassing.

The Broncos, in a move that completely upended most pre-draft logic, took neither back. Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, who stole Payton and general manager George Paton’s eyes on film, came in. Hampton went two picks later to the Chargers, Denver’s foe in the AFC West. Henderson stayed on the board. And Denver seemed wholly unconcerned.

“You never feel good, but we feel pretty good we’ll get a runner after this draft,” Paton said Thursday night. “There’s a lot of ’em. If there’s not, then we’ll sign one after the draft, we’ll sign a free agent.”

In retrospect, Paton’s proclamation that one could grab a running back “in the second round and all the way to the sixth round,” as he said at the owner’s meetings, was no smokescreen. It was an omen. And after snatching up a first-round draft slider in Barron, the Broncos still have a fairly obvious need for skill-position talent in Day 2 and beyond.

Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, Penn State TE Tyler Warren and Hampton are all gone. But Henderson remains, as do a host of impact receivers and defenders. Here’s some of the best talent remaining for the Broncos to look at come Friday.

Offense

RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State: A player the Broncos likely considered at No. 20 now sits there going into Friday night. He won’t last long. It will be interesting to see if the Broncos consider trading up for Henderson or another offensive player.

TE Mason Taylor, LSU: The Broncos have several connections to Taylor. Multiple staffers have long histories at LSU and defensive QC Brian Niedermeyer coached Taylor for a year in high school. The son of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor does everything well and won’t have to wait long to hear his name called Friday night.

WR Luther Burden, Missouri: Burden spent much of the past year being touted as a first-rounder. His stats lagged in 2024 due to underwhelming quarterback play, but he’s still a versatile play-maker. He will be gone quickly on Friday.

RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State: Judkins is a big, powerful runner in the Omarion Hampton mold who was super productive at Ole Miss and then in one year with the Buckeyes. In a loaded running back class, he’s near the top of the Day 2 heap.

RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee: Sampson’s got home-run speed and the ability to work out of the backfield in the passing game. He’d work well as a pair with Audric Estime in Denver’s backfield.

RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa: Johnson thrived in Iowa’s outside zone scheme and might fit best with teams that base their offense in that world. But he’s talented and versatile and could end up thriving wherever he lands.

TE Elijah Arroyo, Miami: Big-time athlete who can stretch the seam and is a vertical threat. He’s more of a receiver than a plus blocker, but he’s got a chance to be really good in the red zone and the kind of passing-game threat Sean Payton knows exactly how to use.

TE Terrence Ferguson, Oregon: The Littleton native is a former teammate of Denver quarterback Bo Nix and he’s got a chance to carve out a real role early in his career. Ran 4.63 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine at 6-5 and 247 pounds.

WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State: Higgins is a big, talented receiver who is likely to go early Friday night. He’s got big-play ability and was super productive the past two years for the Cyclones, totaling 2,166 yards and 15 touchdowns.

WR Jack Bech, TCU: Bech is really good after the catch and has a lot of the traits and route-running abilities Payton likes in his receivers. He broke out in 2024, totaling 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns.

Defense

S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina: The Broncos probably don’t need more top-tier help in the secondary, but they’ve done their homework on Emmanwori, and he’s a value talent at this point for any team that snags him. 4.38 40-yard-dash! 43-inch-vertical!

CB Will Johnson, Michigan: Shockingly, Johnson slid all the way out of the first round Thursday night, a season-long fall after he was widely projected as a top-five pick coming off a national championship in 2023. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Johnson has a “knee issue that has concerned some teams.”

EDGE Jordan Burch, Oregon: As far as pure pass-rushers go, Burch might be the best fit left on the board for Denver. He racked up 8.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss last year with the Ducks, and at his size — 6-foot-4 and 279 pounds — profiles as a potential successor to John Franklin-Myers, who’s up for a contract extension.

LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA: If the Broncos are looking for a developmental MLB behind veteran Alex Singleton and new signee Dre Greenlaw, Schwesinger was one of the most productive linebackers in the country in 2024, racking up 136 tackles as a former walk-on at UCLA.

EDGE Mike Green, Marshall: He’s a clear first-round corner in profile and production, but Green comes with major character concerns, denying multiple allegations of sexual assault.

EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College: A monster at Boston College in 2024, with 16.5 sacks and 80 tackles. Would the lower-level production hold up in the NFL, though?

DT Shemar Turner, Texas A&M: Slightly oversized for a defensive end, slightly undersized for a tackle, Turner nonetheless is proven in the pass-rush. He struggled with missed tackles in 2024, though.

EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M: Scourton’s sack production dropped off from 10 at Purdue in 2023 to just five after transferring to Texas A&M, but he still was a pocket-pressuring presence, and is widely praised for his motor.

EDGE Bradyn Swinson, LSU: One of the more underrated prospects at his position, Swinson could well fall to the third round after an 8.5-sack breakout season this past fall. He’s an aggressive 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds.

S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame: Watts was tremendous in coverage last year for a tremendous collegiate program in Notre Dame, and if the Broncos indeed turn back to their secondary, he’d be solid depth behind injury-prone signee Talanoa Hufanga.

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Denver, CO

Nine in 10 Denver area homes lost value in the past year, Zillow reports

Published

56 minutes ago

November 18, 2025

Press Room

Nine in 10 Denver area homes lost value in the past year, Zillow reports

Metro Denver is leading the country for the share of homes that have lost value over the past year, with 9 in 10 homes down in price compared to only half nationally, according to an analysis from Zillow.

About 91% of metro Denver homes lost value in the past year compared to 53% nationally. Denver edges out other once-hot metros like Austin, with 89.5% of homes down in value and Phoenix, with 86.9% down the past year.

Home prices have bounced around in a narrow band since the peak in June 2022, making it hard to discern the overall trend. Overall, Denver home prices are about 10% below the peak, matching the average decline measured nationally, Zillow said.

“Denver’s home values were growing in 2024, so it’s natural to see a bit more giveback now. What stands out more is the depth of the losses. The average Denver home has lost about the same as the national average, while Austin’s average drop is more than twice that,” said Mischa Fisher, Zillow’s new chief economist, in an email.

While nearly all Denver homeowners have lost equity, those losses are mild and very much in line with what homeowners across the country are experiencing when measured from the peak, he said.

If the declines accelerate, however, the situation could prove problematic for first-time buyers who bought near the top, especially if they made only a small down payment and are forced to sell.

The Zillow Home Value Index for metro Denver, which includes both homes and condos, peaked at $592,969 in June 2022. Last month, its index reported a value of $530,699. That represents a decline of $62,270 or 10.5%.

In Colorado, the average commission that a seller pays is 5.65% of the sales price, which would mean about $30,000 that needs to be covered. Someone who bought a typical home at the peak and sold last month would be down about $92,000, not counting other closing costs.

Back in 2022, the average down payment a first-time buyer made was 6%, according to the National Association of Realtors. And someone using a 30-year mortgage might pay down principal by about 5% or 6% in the first three years. It isn’t 10% because the bulk of monthly payments in the earliest years of a mortgage go to cover interest.

Vulnerable buyers, however, represent a small share of the overall market. The volume of activity or turnover has slowed down since the peak, and of the homes that do sell, only a quarter to a third are claimed by first-time buyers. Depending on where they bought, when they bought, and how much they put down, even those buyers might still have equity.

“Absent a major hit to the economy, most of today’s paper losses will likely have turned into profits down the road when recent buyers sell,” predicted Fisher.

Another way to look at the stress on a specific housing market is what share of homes are being listed below the last price paid. From that viewpoint, Denver’s market is still in good shape.

About 6.3% of homes in metro Denver are being listed below the prior sales price, which compares to 3.4% nationally, according to Zillow. The metros with the biggest shares of homes being discounted are San Francisco, 14%; Austin, 13%; San Jose, Calif., 9% and San Antonio at 8%.

In 2019, 0.6% of homes sold below the prior sales price in Denver, compared to 5.9% nationally. That measure has improved nationally but deteriorated locally. Building equity looks like it will be more of a slog for buyers who started down the home ownership trail late in metro Denver, and they will need to watch their footing. But patience will still be rewarded, Fisher argues.

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4 reasons why the Denver Broncos are the best team in the AFC after Week 11 | Sporting News

Published

19 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Press Room

4 reasons why the Denver Broncos are the best team in the AFC after Week 11 | Sporting News

The Denver Broncos have won eight games in a row and, after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 22-19 on Sunday, have made their case as the best team in the AFC and perhaps, the entire NFL.

What a difference one game makes. The Broncos hung on to beat the Las Vegas Raiders 10-7 on Thursday Night Football in Week 10 and all of the talk was about how the sky was falling in Denver because the offense was so bad. That was the narrative that the national media ran with, but others were talking about the fact that all wins in the NFL count, no matter how they come. Those same folks realized that it was a short week, having to play on a Thursday night, and that the team was playing in its seventh game in 39 days.

Maybe Sean Payton knew the Broncos could easily beat the Raiders, even in ugly fashion, and held back so he can unveil bigger plays when the team really needs them?

There are many things to consider, but one thing is for sure: that performance against the Raiders doesn’t mean anything now. The Broncos arguably got their biggest win since winning Super Bowl 50 when they beat the Chiefs on Sunday, and now hold a 3.5-game lead over them in the division standings.

Right now, the Broncos are the best team in the AFC. If the season ended today, the Broncos would have the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs on the AFC side, meaning they would have home-field advantage. While the team still has six games to play, there are multiple reasons why they are the best team in the AFC, not just on paper, but in reality.

4 reasons why the Broncos are the AFC’s best team

The Broncos have beaten both teams that were in last year’s Super Bowl

Super Bowl LIX featured the Philadelphia Eagles playing the Kansas City Chiefs. Within a span of just 42 days this season, the Broncos have beaten them both.

Both games were hard-fought, but the Broncos arguably got each team’s best shot in both of them. The Eagles were still undefeated and playing at home in Week 5, but the Broncos left Lincoln Financial Field with a 21-17 win. On Sunday, the Chiefs had their backs against the wall and many considered it a must-win situation for them. The Chiefs, who never lose those games, were also coming off their bye week. Andy Reid was 22-4 in his career when coming off the bye week.

The Broncos overcame all of that and handed the Chiefs a loss.

Denver has won its last 11 home games

The best teams in the league don’t lose at home. The Broncos have won their last 11 games at Empower Field and if they can get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, it will be a very difficult place for any team to come into and play.

The Broncos have the best defense in the NFL

This is almost not even an argument at this point.

The Broncos lead the league in sacks and could break the all-time record by a team in that category. They are allowing only 17.4 points per game and have been winning even without Pat Surtain II, who could be back in the lineup following the bye week.

Defense wins championships and a team with a combination of having the best defense and home-field advantage will be quite difficult to beat.

The Broncos’ two losses are by a combined 4 points

A case could easily be made that the Broncos could be 11-0 right now. Their only losses are by a total of four points, both on field goals on the last play of the game.

Their first loss came against the Indianapolis Colts on a 45-yard field goal as time expired. Of course, that was when the Colts got to run the play again as their first attempt, a kick from 60 yards, missed badly, but the Broncos were called for a somewhat fluky unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for leverage when trying to block the kick.

They lost to the Los Angeles Chargers the following week, but that took a miraculous throw from Justin Herbert after slipping through a Zach Allen sack. The Broncos went three-and-out on their following possession and the Chargers moved into range for a game-winning field goal from Cameron Dicker on the game’s final play.

READ: Ja’Quan McMillian proving that team would have messed up by trading him

Both the Colts and Chargers are current playoff teams and both of those games were on the road, so they weren’t bad losses. Both games could have easily gone the other way.

Broncos defeat Chiefs to take a two game lead in AFC West

Published

2 days ago

November 16, 2025

Press Room

Broncos defeat Chiefs to take a two game lead in AFC West

The Kansas City Chiefs had two weeks to prepare for a game that would save their season and against a team they have dominated for a decade. The Denver Broncos want to change the narrative and change the guard. They played a hard-fought defensive masterpiece that ended in yet another fourth quarter comeback in a season filled with them.

At 9-2, the Broncos are now in firm control of the AFC West in 2025.

Broncos vs. Chiefs final score

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Kansas City Chiefs	3	3	7	6	19
Denver Broncos	6	0	7	9	22

There was no slow start for the Broncos offense in this game. They would open up with a 14-play drive, but would settle for a field goal. The Chiefs would go a quick four and out getting one first down. On the punt return, Marvin Mims Jr. welcomed himself back to the NFL with a 70-yard return to the Chiefs 10 yard line.

Unfortunately, the Chiefs red zone defense was showing up in this game and would hold Denver to back-to-back field goals to start the game. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs caught a huge break with a questionable defensive pass interference call on a deep ball with Riley Moss in coverage. Denver’s defense would shut it down from there anyway, but Kansas City would get on the scoreboard as the first quarter wound down.

Broncos 6, Chiefs 3. Full first quarter recap.

The Broncos offense did nothing in the second quarter, though they didn’t have the ball much due to a 17-play, 10 minute drive by the Chiefs that ate up much of the quarter. The Broncos defense did keep getting the job done in the quarter, though.

The first half would end with the Chiefs having another chance to put points on the board, but the Broncos defense clamped down in the secondary to force multiple incompletions before ending the half with their second sack of the game.

Broncos 6, Chiefs 6. Full second quarter recap.

The third quarter was strange. Jahdae Barron had himself a pick six that would have blown the game wide open, but a rather ticky tack illegal contact penalty on Riley Moss wiped out the play. The momentum swing from that seemed to breathe new life into Mahomes and the Chiefs offense with Travis Kelce making three big catches to move them into the red zone.

Then Ja’Quan McMillian entered the conversation with a massive interception of his own on third down.

After penalties on Denver, they would start at their own 11 yard line and begin an 11-play, 89 yard touchdown drive that was capped by a touchdown run from Jaleel McLaughlin.

Mahomes and the Chiefs would answer with a 61-yard bomb to Tyquan Thornton, with Kareem Hunt punching it in from one yard out three plays later. That would be the Chiefs first touchdown scored in Denver in the last 11+ quarters.

Broncos 13, Chiefs 13. Full third quarter recap.

Just before the final quarter began, Nix would go deep to Pat Bryant who would come down with the ball for a 48-yard gain. That would spark the drive to a field goal to give Denver a 3-point lead early in the quarter.

The Kansas City Refs get all the calls at the biggest moments. Whether it comes during a pick six or a third and 19. This time it was a third and 19 for a 46-yard DPI call on — you guessed it — Riley Moss. That would lead to a Travis Kelce touchdown and the first lead of the game for the Chiefs.

A blocked extra point kept the score close, however, with a 19-16 lead midway into the fourth.

The Broncos offense, in their biggest regular season game in a decade, came out with a three-and-out in response to the Chiefs momentum-changing score. Not the ideal response. Fortunately, the Broncos defense would force an immediate three-and-out to get Nix and the offense another chance to get a drive going.

Marvin Mims Jr. would get a 24-yard return to set the Broncos up near midfield with 6:30 left in the game. That would give the Broncos offense enough momentum to pick up a few first downs to tie the game back up in short order. The Broncos defense then forced a quick punt after Ja’Quan McMillian picked up his second sack of the game on third and long to get Denver’s offense back on the field with just under three minutes left in the game.

From their own 26-yard line, the Broncos would start off with a five yard pass to Pat Bryant. Things went south in a hurry from there after a phantom holding call was thrown by the officials and a yolo ball to Troy Franklin that predictably went incomplete. On third and 15, however, Nix remembered Courtland Sutton is a dude and hit him for a 20 yard gain and a first down at their own 41-yard line to bring the game to the two minute warning.

Two plays later on third and six, Nix with ice in his veins would find Sutton short of the sticks where he would dive forward for the first down. With a minute left in the game, that was a huge moment. Two plays later, Nix went deep to Troy Franklin for a 32-yard strike to the Chiefs 15-yard line with the game on the line.

Wil Lutz would kick the 35-yard walk off field goal to win it.

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