Why the Broncos selected CB Jahdae Barron in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft

I tell you why the Broncos surprisingly selected CB Jahdae Barron in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

In the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron. This was a surprising pick as nobody really expected the Broncos to go cornerback at 20th overall, but he was a top-ranked player and simply too good to pass up at 20th overall.

During the Broncos’ press conference at the conclusion of the first round of the draft, General Manager George Paton told reporters that they did not expect Barron to be available at 20th overall. He was one of the top cornerbacks and overall defensive players in the draft, and sometimes you take the best player available over a player at a position of need.

So, why did the Broncos select Barron? It’s simple. If you can never have enough talented cornerbacks on your roster, especially when playing in the AFC. Hell, the Broncos have to face Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and now Geno Smith six times a year. On top of that, you have Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud, and other talented quarterbacks and passing offenses in the AFC. If you want to make a deep postseason run, you need to be able to slow down their passing offense.

Also, Barron is just a damn good player. He can play all over the secondary, is a physical and aggressive corner, is a bit of a ball-hawk, and isn’t afraid to make a play in the run game and in space. He is also a high-IQ player with great character who will be an excellent addition to the Broncos’ locker room.

We’ll see what happens to the rest of the cornerbacks. Obviously, Pat Surtain II, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, isn’t impacted, but someone is likely losing a starting job. The talk is that Riley Moss could be moved to slot, and Barron can play outside, or vice versa, but that leaves Ja’Quan McMillian out of a starting job. We’ll see if he is dangled in any trade discussions this weekend, especially with Kris Abrams-Draine, who looked promising last season as well.

During the Broncos’ pre-draft press conference, Sean Payton said, “Let’s not bypass the crystal for a blender if we need a blender.”. The Broncos needed a blender but decided not to bypass the crystal and selected a top player on their board and getting themselves another damn good football player.