The Denver Broncos seem to believe the 10th pick is roughly equal to an early 2nd rounder in the 2025 draft
Don’t expect the Denver Broncos to move up, unless it’s WAY up, next Thursday for the first round of the NFL draft. Broncos general manager George Paton told the press that a player selected in the 10th spot “is going to be similar” to the player taken 20th overall in the 2025 draft. At the moment, Denver holds the 20th pick in the draft, just a few selections before the Green Bay Packers at 23rd overall.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton had the following quote about their position:
“It’s good to be picking [at] No. 20, if that’s the case. We all have heard and read — depending on where you are at and what you need — there is a point where we feel like we can get a similar player at this portion of the first round that you may be able to get maybe seven picks up and you may be able to get seven picks into the second [round].”
So, to at least one team in the NFL, the 10th to 13th overall pick is roughly equal to the 39th pick in the draft. If that’s how most teams feel, don’t expect there to be a lot of movement, beyond the top 10 selections, for next week’s draft.
According to Paton, the strength of this class is the late first round and the middle rounds. That seems to jive with how most people feel about this class. At the moment, the non-quarterbacks who are considered consensus blue chip prospects in this class are Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, Penn State edge defender Abdul Carter and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.
From there, opinions vary on whether or not LSU left tackle Will Campbell, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Penn State tight end Tyler Warren and Georgia edge defender Jalon Walker are blue chip prospects, due to their projected positions. Neither Jeanty or Warren play “premier” positions, while Campbell might end up as a guard and Walker could end up at off-ball linebacker in the NFL.
If Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst thinks about this crop of talent in the same light as Paton and Payton, then the team probably won’t be looking for a trade up from the 23rd pick, but rather a trade down. That’s a good position to be in for the Packers, who don’t have an extra selection in any round until the seventh round for this year’s draft.