The Broncos haven’t drafted in the first round of the NFL draft since selecting cornerback Pat Surtain II with the ninth overall pick in 2021.
When the Broncos draft their first first-rounder in three years, the pick could very well be another cornerback.
A handful of mock drafts have the Broncos selecting Alabama’s Terrion Arnold with the 12th overall pick. And despite Denver needing a quarterback, with the possibility of the team parting ways with Russell Wilson, taking another cornerback in the first round could make some sense.
While quarterbacks like USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels seem to be locks to get selected in the top eight, Denver’s potential quarterback options, such as Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr., could either be Day 1 or 2 picks.
The Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine should provide a better sense of where those three quarterbacks will end up. But for now, is it worth selling high on someone like Penix or McCarthy, both of whom might fall in the draft?
Outside of quarterback, the Broncos could use their first-round pick to address other needs on the roster. And cornerback is one of them.
Sure, they have Surtain, arguably a top-five cornerback in the league. But if you were watching closely throughout the season, you saw that opposing quarterbacks would try their best to avoid throwing in Surtain’s direction, putting whoever is standing on the opposite side of the two-time Pro Bowler in a bad situation.
Earlier in the season, teams picked apart second-year cornerback Damarri Mathis to the point he was a liability on the field. Mathis gave up 361 receiving yards and four touchdowns in the first six games before veteran Fabian Moreau replaced him in the starting lineup. Mathis didn’t play a defensive snap in the final five games.
Even though Moreau held his own at times, the 29-year-old is not a long-term answer. Arnold, a first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press, will give the Broncos a lockdown cornerback who can play immediately.
Arnold is a scheme-friendly player who can play multiple spots on the field. In 2023, he played 557 snaps on the outside and 205 in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. Arnold is a solid tackler and can make stops in space, totaling 108 tackles and a sack in the last two seasons.
Arnold, a five-star safety in high school, has a knack for using his hands to be disruptive in coverage and making plays on the ball. The Florida native registered 12 passes defended and five interceptions in 2023 while holding quarterbacks to a 50.7 passer rating.
Arnold’s ability to remain locked in on a receiver and not allow too much separation makes him even more intriguing.
“I think Arnold could go as high as fifth overall,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote. “He’s the best cornerback in this draft, and he would pair with Pat Surtain II to give the Broncos one of the best CB tandems in the league, if not the best.”
Last April, Denver traded into the third round to acquire Riley Moss. Even though the former Iowa star played only three snaps at outside corner in 2023, the team believes he can develop into a starting-caliber player because of his speed. He ran a 4.45 at the scouting combine last year.
Arnold is a better prospect. But if Moss lives up to the team’s expectations for him, Denver is forming a strong secondary with those two players, Surtain and cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, who thrived in the nickel role during his second season.
Shutdown cornerbacks are hard to come by. If the Broncos believe Arnold can be that type of player in the NFL, you can’t fault them for drafting him.
Checkdowns
• Sticking with the draft, the Broncos could surely use some help at tight end. Georgia star Brock Bower is a name to monitor in the first round. But it’s hard to imagine Denver taking him at No. 12, especially since the team doesn’t have a long-term answer at quarterback.
Colorado State’s very own Dallin Holker should be available later in the draft and could give the Broncos the support they need. Holker was named second-team All-America by the Associated Press after he totaled 767 receiving yards and six touchdowns while averaging 12 yards per catch in his lone season with the Rams. All eyes will be on the Reese’s Senior Bowl, since Penix and Nix are participating. But don’t forget to check out Holker at the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 1 in Texas.
• The AFC West just got interesting. The Los Angeles Chargers announced Wednesday that they agreed to terms with Jim Harbaugh to be their next head coach. Harbaugh, a former quarterback for the Chargers, spent nine seasons at Michigan, leading the Wolverines to a national title in 2023. Harbaugh’s return to coaching in the NFL only makes Denver’s path to return to the top of the division even more difficult. Harbaugh showed he can be a winner in the NFL, posting a 49-22-1 record — postseason included — while making a Super Bowl appearance during his four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
Los Angeles is coming off its worst season since 2019, but with a competent coach like Harbaugh and star quarterback Justin Herbert, the future is bright for the Chargers. For the Broncos, that might not be a good thing.
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