Mel Kiper has Broncos landing stud RB in first-round of NFL Draft
Jan 22, 2025, 10:34 AM
The Denver Broncos are looking to hit another home run with their first-round pick in the NFL Draft.
QB Bo Nix is coming off a phenomenal rookie year, and now that the quarterback position is settled, the Broncos need to add more help around Nix.
That will be the mission for head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton in free agency and the draft. And perhaps the No. 1 priority is finding Nix a reliable running back that can take the pressure off the passing game to be perfect.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. dropped his first mock draft of the year on Wednesday, and there’s good news for Broncos fans. The longtime expert has Denver landing a stud RB in the first-round.
Kiper thinks former Boise State star Ashton Jeanty could fall to the Broncos with the No. 20 overall pick. Jeanty had a monster year, rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. He finished a close second to CU’s Travis Hunter in the Heisman Trophy voting.
“Make no mistake, Jeanty is going to go in the first round. He’s a top-10 prospect with incredible elusiveness,” Kiper wrote. “(Denver) could make a Day 1 splash at the position this year. And an added bonus: Jeanty is a great pass catcher out of the backfield, which would give Nix another outlet.”
In 2023, Jeanty had 43 catches for 569 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver. Those numbers dipped last year, but Kiper is correct he’d be not only an incredible running back for the Broncos, but also a threat in the pass game for Nix.
As we’ve seen in the NFL playoffs, having an elite running back is important. The Eagles wouldn’t be close to the NFC Championship without a guy like Saquon Barkley. Denver needs to give Nix a weapon like that.
Javonte Williams is likely gone from the Broncos this offseason, and Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime have shown flashes, but don’t appear to be every down guys. Jeatny fits that profile.
He is also the only running back off the board in Kiper’s first-round mock, showing just how special he is. To read the full article, including seeing where Hunter and Shedeur Sanders go, click here.
