Grading the Denver Broncos 2024 draft picks only makes sense one year out.
Yes, everyone tries to take a stab at the picks immediately following the NFL Draft. But, those are only educated guesses.
After a year in the league, we now have a better idea of how well George Paton and Sean Payton did last year.
Grading Denver Broncos 2024 draft picks: Bo Nix and role players
Anytime you can land the future of the QB position and it pans out, it’s a homerun.
Bo Nix is that guy.
The 2024 NFL Draft was loaded with quarterback talent. Three QBs went in the first three picks, after all.
But the bad news for Denver was they picked at No. 12. It looked like all the top talent–Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, specifically–would be gone by the time they picked.
Sean Payton knew who he wanted, though.
Not only did Payton have his eyes on Nix, he even played the Raiders and pretended Denver wanted to move back.
Payton and Paton landed Nix and the kid improved all season long, cementing himself as the quarterback in the Mile High City.
After Nix, the Broncos didn’t have a second round pick, and they looked to fill needs with mixed results. Let’s examine grades for the Denver Broncos 2024 draft picks.
Bo Nix, Quarterback, No. 12: A-
With Nix, they got a solid starting quarterback at No. 12 overall. That’s huge considering he was the sixth QB taken in the first round, and he played the second-best football among the group.
Only Daniels’ incredible season was better than Nix’s rookie year; Denver’s QB even out-played No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.
It’s still early in his career, sure. But Nix has proven he is a threat to make a play with his arm or legs, enjoying 10 explosive runs last year.
He’s nowhere near a finished product, but the kid proved he’s a legitimate NFL starter. The sky’s the limit for him going forward.
Jonah Elliss, EDGE, No. 76: B-
Considering it was a breakout year for Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper set a career-high with 10.5 sacks, Elliss making an impact was huge.
The rookie came in and racked up 5.0 sacks in limited snaps, acting as a valuable depth piece on the Broncos’ top sacking defense in franchise history. The hope is he continues to take advantage of those snaps because Cooper and Bonitto are locked in as starters.
Troy Franklin, Wide Receiver, No. 102: D
Franklin completely underwhelmed as a rookie. Especially when you consider he played his college ball with Nix; the connection should’ve been automatic in Denver.
He struggled mightily early on, dropping multiple big bombs from Nix. The good news is, he became more reliable as the year went on. Plus, receivers usually struggle their first year in the NFL, so there’s hope he will turn it up in 2025 and beyond.
Kris Abrams-Draine, Cornerback, No. 145: C-
Abrams-Draine is still a bit of an unknown quantity. He didn’t play for the first 12 weeks, and then was so-so to finish the year. He only allowed a 34.6 passer rating when targeted, but he also only defended against 16 passes.
With Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain and rising star Riley Moss as starters, plus Ja’Quan McMillian balling out, Abrams-Draine is a key depth piece on the defense and on special teams. Like many others from the Denver Broncos 2024 draft, he must focus on continuing to grow going forward.
Audric Estime, Running back, No. 147: C
Two things went against Estime to begin 2024: He was behind three other backs on the depth chart, and he fumbled twice in his first three games.
But the bruising back finally got some playing time in the loss at Kansas City, totaling a career-high 53 yards. He also was leaned on more down the stretch, racking up 106 yards and 2 touchdowns over the last three weeks. Estime can be a change of pace back with speedy Jaleel McLaughlin on the roster, and it’ll be interesting where he fits if Denver takes Omarion Hampton or another back in the first round this year.
Devaughn Vele, Wide Receiver, No. 245: B+
There were little expectations of Vele, but he became an immediate threat and first down machine as a rookie.
His 41 catches were second most to Courtland Sutton, as were his 26 first down receptions. Vele finished with 475 yards and 3 touchdowns as a rookie, which are solid numbers when remembering he didn’t play in four games early in the year. Vele was so good, he crowded Franklin out, who went three rounds earlier in the draft.
Nick Gargiulo, Center/Guard, No. 256: D
He competed but didn’t make the final roster, landing on Denver’s practice squad. It’ll be interesting to see what he can do this year in terms of making the roster or if he’ll be stashed on the practice squad once again.
In ten days, the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off, with Denver set to take the No. 20 pick in the first round. Then, they have a second-rounder (No. 51), a third-rounder (No. 85), a fourth (122) and three sixth-round picks (Nos. 191, 197, 208).
The Broncos need a running back, young tight end, interior defensive linemen, a linebacker, and can always add depth to receiver, safety, and the O-line.