Troy Renck: Watching the NFL draft felt like being awake during surgery. Between the rantings of Mel Sanders, er, Kiper Jr. on quarterback evaluation (Is his promise to retire if Jimmy Clausen wasn’t a star still on the table?), the prank phone calls and the clumsy picks, our temples are throbbing. And that’s just from the Browns. The Broncos made news for what they didn’t do — namely, act aggressively in pursuit of a running back or tight end. But there were some interesting selections. Taking first-rounder Jhadae Barron out of the conversation because of his status, who is the sleeper of this draft class?
Sean Keeler: The Joker wasn’t just on us. It was on the defense. Barron was a classic BPA (Best Player Available) grab who, as you pointed out, should make Vance Joseph very, very happy. I mean, as far as rounds 3-7, the only correct answer is punter Jeremy Crenshaw, right? I kid, I kid. Sai’von Jones could be sneaky good, and Que Robinson is one of those long, raw dudes with all kinds of upside as a situational edge rusher. But as this was kind of a wacky draft for Payton/Paton, I’m going to go a little wacky on your question, too. My sleeper: The basketball player — ex-Utah tight end Caleb Lohner.
Renck: The risk the Broncos regret not taking TreVeyon Henderson or Omarion Hampton hangs over this draft, especially if R.J. Harvey is slow to adjust to his role in the passing game. But the Broncos defense got better. Barron is a future star, and Sai’von Jones will emerge as a key piece. At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, Jones profiles as a defensive end who is big enough to slow the run and twitchy enough to pressure the quarterback. This is a chess move as Jones should emerge as John Franklin-Myers’ replacement in 2026. That is when this sleeper will really awake.
Keeler: K-State’s DJ Giddens was the best Big 12 back I saw in person in ’24. Easily. Let’s put it this way: Harvey annoyed CU in Orlando. Giddens eviscerated the Buffs at Folsom. Harvey’s UCF film says he’s strong and compact, though, and the pass-catching quicks — the quicks, period — are real. Given space, he’ll outrun everybody to the pylon. But Payton has a history of taking unconventional prospects, raising their floors and hammering the unique into something that’s productive in the NFL. Which is another reason I’m curious about Lohner, who projects as the kind of jump-ball threat in the red zone who made decent-sized cornerbacks — such as CU’s DJ McKinney — look bad last fall.
Renck: Receiver Pat Bryant is the knee-jerk pick to emerge. But his opportunity hinges on taking away snaps from Devaughn Vele, a steeper challenge than people realize. Jones will become a rotational player, carving out a niche with his toughness and inside rush, especially on third downs. He is only 21 years old. His best football is ahead of him, meaning it will be clear why he is a gem of this class in a few years.
Keeler: Jones doesn’t just have gap power — he’s got staying power. But I’d invite you to check out a piece of footage I found late Sunday night, from the Utah-Utah State football game last fall. Fast forward to the 7:18 mark of the second quarter. The Aggies fire off a 35-yard field goal attempt. Only you notice Utah has this giant 6-foot-7 dude lurking behind the line of scrimmage, waiting to pounce. The kick goes up, and this No. 84 rises over the pile, stretching, getting his hand high enough to meet the ball during ascent. That was Lohner. I think the plan is to turn my sleeper into a sleeper weapon, the Broncos’ “designated leaper.” Payton can’t wait to impose the NFL’s golden rule on the Chiefs — do unto Kansas City what K.C. did unto him.
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.