After making calls related to moves up and down the board, the Broncos wound up staying put at No. 20. Instead of adding a skill-position prospect at that spot, Denver has selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron.
Barron was used all over the secondary in Austin, although he’s probably destined to be a cornerback in the NFL. Some pundits believe the prospect was the second-best CB (behind Travis Hunter) in this year’s draft, and he reinforced that sentiment with a strong showing during the 2024 campaign.
Despite dealing with a nagging ankle injury, Barron still appeared in all 16 games for Texas last season. He finished the year with five interceptions and 11 interceptions, earning him the Jim Thorpe Award, awarded to the top defensive back in college football. The Broncos had already invested in their secondary in free agency, signing Talanoa Hufanga. They will now pair Barron with a strong DB corps.
At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, there’s a chance the rookie temporarily takes over as a nickelback while he builds up some NFL strength. The Broncos still have Patrick Surtain and Riley Moss on the outside, with Ja’Quan McMillian providing depth at any of the CB spots. With all those options, the Broncos could take advantage of the rookie’s versatility to assure he’s constantly on the field. Either way, Barron should see a significant role in 2025.
There was some speculation that the Broncos could look to add to their offense with this pick. After hitting on their Bo Nix selection, settling on their OL depth, and adding TE Evan Engram in free agency, the team really only had holes at running back and wide receiver. Instead, the front office decided to add to their defense, and they added one of the most versatile defensive backs in the draft. Barring a late reentry into the first round, the Broncos will have their Day 2 picks to help round out Nix’s weaponry cadre.
Ben Levine contributed to this report.