As we plunge headlong into the upcoming 2024 draft, NFL.com has been busy looking in the rear-view mirror to grade the performance of the 2023 class. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter didn’t pull any punches on the Denver Broncos, revealing his opinion that they largely botched their recruitment strategy last year.
It’s difficult to evaluate the Broncos’ efficacy in the draft outside of the scope of the Russell Wilson trade, which saw the team relinquish back-to-back years’ worth of premium draft capital. Thus, Reuter offered up a stunning broadside blow directed at the Broncos’ fateful decision to mortgage the farm to land the underwhelming Wilson and took aim at some of GM George Paton’s lower-round whiffs in 2023.
First, a quick recap of the Broncos’ 2023 draft haul:
- Round 2: Marvin Mims, Jr. | WR/KR/PR
- Round 3: Drew Sanders | LB
- Round 3: Riley Moss | CB
- Round 6: JL Skinner | S
- Round 7: Alex Forsyth | C
- Notable undrafted signings: Jaleel McLaughlin | RB and Nate Adkins | TE
Reuter went on to hand Denver’s 2023 draft class a D grade.
Two years ago, the Broncos sent three players and five draft picks to Seattle for quarterback Russell Wilson and a fourth-round selection. They parted with last year’s first- and second-round picks in the deal, which has brought a very low return on investment based on Wilson’s performance with Denver over the past two seasons.
Mims jumped out to a big start for the Broncos, posting 113 receiving yards and a score against Washington in Week 2. He only bested 50 receiving yards twice over the rest of the season, though, as the team’s offense stagnated. A healthy sophomore season could be quite productive for Mims.
Sanders struggled with his tackling early in his rookie season but was better later in the season. The team’s remaining picks played very little, with Moss missing time due to injury, Skinner playing one snap on defense the entire season and Forsyth failing to see action. McLaughlin ended up being a nice find as an undrafted free agent, gaining 570 yards from scrimmage.
Reuter strangely chose to skip over rookie Marvin Mims, Jr.’s Pro Bowl/All-Pro season as a return specialist and instead dwelt on the rookie’s failure to produce consistently as a receiver. Let’s also not forget that a draft class will always need more time to be more accurately evaluated, particularly those largely devoid of premium picks.
Dishing out his D grade to the Broncos’ 2023 draft class also glosses over the extent to which injury also had a significant adverse impact. In particular, Moss missed significant time, but once the former Iowa product returned to action, he excelled as an ace gunner on special teams.
Moss figures to feature more heavily next season as a cornerback under the fresh guidance of newly hired defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard.
Similarly, Sanders’ first-year struggles will need to be consigned to history if he’s going to replace veteran starter Josey Jewell, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency. Opportunity might knock the most for Forsyth because he’s already being earmarked by the team to replace free agent Lloyd Cushenberry III at center.
Thankfully, the Broncos hit on the undrafted McLaughlin in 2023, but nevertheless, they will be hoping the draft provides more of a nucleus for their rebuild moving forward.