Denver Broncos mock draft: Outlining best and worst-case scenarios for Sean Payton

Despite the addition of Josh Reynolds, the Denver Broncos, led by Sean Payton, have experienced several departures during this offseason. Nevertheless, the team will eventually need to acquire new players and with the upcoming 2024 NFL draft happening later this month, the organization will make strategic decisions to strengthen their roster.

Despite this, it cannot be guaranteed that the team will see overall benefits from these additions. Every draft has its share of positive and negative outcomes, and the 2024 NFL draft is no exception. Below is an examination of the most favorable and unfavorable outcome from the draft, established through simulations.

Broncos Mock Draft: Dream Scenario

In the simulation, Denver traded up to the sixth overall spot and chose Drake Maye, who had surprisingly fallen out of the top few spots.

The New York Giants, a team that is divided on whether or not to give Daniel Jones another season, made a trade. In this situation, not only did the Giants choose not to acquire a quarterback, but they also opted to pass on one of the top prospects in the draft. As a result, Denver was able to secure their quarterback for the future.

The 2024 NFL draft presents the Broncos’ best scenario as follows:

• Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
• Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami (FL)
• Chau Smith-Wade, CB, Washington State
• Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville
• Khalid Duke, EDGE, Kansas State

Broncos mock draft: Nightmarish scenarios

The first round of the simulation brings the worst-case scenario for Denver Broncos fans as the team lacks a top-quality quarterback on their roster. It becomes crucial for them to secure a rookie prospect in the NFL draft. However, in this simulation, the team made the decision to wait until the end of the draft to select a quarterback.

Fans will likely accuse the team of deliberately losing the 2024 season for a top 2025 draft pick if they choose to overlook the top quarterback prospects. While they may eventually select a quarterback, it is rare to find a player like Brock Purdy or Tom Brady. In this scenario, fans who were anticipating a playoff appearance may as well give up on the current season.

Below are the players that Denver picked in this simulation: