Mile High Report
We have covered a lot of ground thus far in Future Broncos this season. With October nearing its end and the college football season at the halfway point, I thought it would be apt to throw out an early mock draft for the Broncos. For the sake of this exercise, I’ll be using Denver’s top five selections in the 2026 NFL Draft based on their currently record to date.
First Round — 26th Overall: Sonny Styles, LB — Ohio State
I haven’t been shy about discussing Denver’s long-term need at linebacker. Both Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are free agents as year’s end, Drew Sanders hasn’t played a snap, and what happens with Dre Greenlaw the rest of the year is anyone’s best guess.
Luckily, the 2026 NFL Draft is loaded with top prospects at inside linebacker. One of my favorites is Ohio State playmaker Sonny Styles. His teammate, Arvell Reese, is having an impactful season and playing extraordinarily well. However, Reese figures to be off the board long before the Broncos are on the clock.
At 6’4” and 243 pounds and being a converted safety, Styles has the size and athleticism teams are looking for at the position. You can’t teach those traits. He is wearing the green dot for the Buckeyes’ defense this season and his coaches often laud his football intelligence. His production is down compared to last year, but he has cleaned up on his missed tackle rate significantly and is excelling in his coverage assignments.
Ohio State is a school that has a storied history of developing linebackers who go on to be successful in the pros. I believe Styles (along with Reese) will continue that trend and both be first round picks next April. Pending on how the board falls, you could also argue for Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas) or C.J. Allen (Georgia) as well. They would also present long-term upgrades at a major position of need for the Broncos.
Second Round — 60th Overall: Domonique Orange, DT — Iowa State
The Broncos defensive line this season has been a bright spot for the team. They have been much better against the run in ’25 and are a major reason why their pass rush has been so successful. Even so, when it comes to reinforcing the trenches, that’s always a smart decision.
Denver opted to extend D.J. Jones this offseason, but he is getting up there in age. Malcolm Roach, who just came back from injured reserve, has been a very productive player. However, Roach is a free agent at the end of the season and will likely get a significant raise in pay in free agency. He has been a very underrated player in this Broncose defense and is one of the reasons they have improved so much against the run.
In the event the Broncos aren’t able to keep him, finding a player with similar traits and skills would make a lot of sense. Back in September, I wrote about Iowa State...
