The Denver Broncos need Tyler Warren or Ashton Jeanty as part of their offense in 2025.

That 2025 NFL Draft take is from the magnificent Mina Kimes on her latest podcast Thursday.

Yes, we’re still about three months away from the yearly selection process. But this year’s draft is special for the Broncos because they’ve inched closer to being a contender.

Denver Broncos need Tyler Warren or Ashton Jeanty in the first round this year

If you haven’t tuned into a Mina Kimes podcast, are you really a football fan?

Kimes is one of the best NFL personalities out there today; she knows ball, she’s funny, and she brings on fantastic guest hosts.

On her latest podcast, “What EVERY Playoff loser NEEDS to Improve in 2025” Kimes and Mike Golic Jr. go through all the playoff losers and discuss what are each team’s biggest needs. And Kimes was spot on when it came to the Broncos.

“I wrote playmaker,” Kimes explained. “Don’t think it needs to specifically be a running back, receiver, or tight end…”

“I did write Tyler Warren down as a tight end,” Kimes continued. “Now, he might be a little too rich for them…but watching him play this year…he strikes me as someone Sean Payton would covet immensely for this offense.”

Warren could be a great fit, but will he fall to No. 20?

“They pick 20. I don’t think he’s going to make it that far,” Golic Jr. responded. “It was Gronk-esque in terms of the sheer size of this player and the way it shows up in the run game, the way it showed up in the pass game. How physical he is at the top of routes. How difficult he is to bring down.”

Golic was speaking specifically about the Penn State-Notre Dame game. Warren led the Nittany Lions with six receptions for 75 yards, plus he ran twice for 21 more yards.

What about Ashton Jeanty to the Broncos?

“They really need a back,” Kimes said of Jeanty. “They’ve got a line. This feels like the team where the run game could be so good. It’s so close to being good.”

She’s not wrong there. And all Broncos fans can attest to a sorry run attack this season. To wit, Denver had only 10 explosive runs of 20-plus yards this year, and Bo Nix accounted for six of them.

Running back and tight end are atop Denver’s needs

Looking at the 2024 Broncos, what are their biggest needs?

The quarterback position is set with Nix. The offensive line is mostly set, though they may look to upgrade at center. Cornerback is set, with Pat Surtain and Riley Moss, although a team can always add depth there. Similarly, the defensive line and wide receivers rooms have talent, but each needs depth and possibly a starter.

So, the team’s biggest positions of need are tight end and running back. After that, probably safety, receiver, and the D-line.

But, do the Denver Broncos need Tyler Warren or Ashton Jeanty?

Starting off at tight end; it’s a position Denver urgently has to fill with a playmaker. Last year, Adam Trautman’s 188 yards led the team’s tight ends. Nate Adkins scored 3 TDs to lead in that department. Trautman led in 2023 as well, with only 204 receiving yards.

You have to go back to 2021 to find dynamic tight end play. That year, Noah Fant (670 yards) and Albert Okwuegbunam (330) combined for 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns.

If Payton and George Paton want to help their young gunslinger, a talented tight end is in order.

Warren is far and away the best in this year’s class. But many are projecting him to go in the top-15 picks, which is well before Denver at No. 20. That means they’d have to move up to land the 6’6” beast who many expect to be a Day 1 starter.

The same can likely be said for Jeanty.

He’s an even more-well known name after being a Heisman Trophy finalist and lighting defenses on fire all season long. Jeanty ran for an insane 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last year for the Boise State Broncos.

The 5’9” 215-pound back can take a hit and keep on running. And he’s a homerun threat, enjoying 60-plus yard runs in eight games last year. Jeanty’s toughness and vision make him special, and he’s the perfect kind of back to run behind Denver’s strong O-line.

Many mock drafts have the No. 1 running back going in the top-15, and some have him going top-10. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Jeanty falling to No. 20 to the Broncos.

If the Broncos are sold on either Warren or Jeanty but they go early, and Denver wants to land a running back or tight end, there are some options. Omarion Hampton of North Carolina is the second-best back and is projected to go in the late first round. The same can be said for Colston Loveland, tight end out of Michigan.

But it seems if they fall in love with Jeanty or Warren, they’ll likely need to trade up. The 2025 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 24 at 6 p.m. MT.