Broncos Rookie Report Card: How does the 2025 class grade out?

Now that the season is officially over for the Denver Broncos, we can take a look back and assess how the season went. That starts here with the 2025 rookie class. 

The Broncos had a curious draft last spring, mostly because the team seemed to veer off the path that was predicted by many draft analysts. Instead, George Paton and Sean Payton opted to take players they were content with, in some cases, a full round or two before most had them projected. 

That produced varied results as the Broncos were forced to turn to some of these rookies more than they likely anticipated. Still, it was a balanced class that promises exciting things for the team's future. 

So, just as if these guys were still in school, they will each get a letter grade for their performance in their first year as professional football players. This will include the undrafted free agents who played in games for the team this season. 

Denver Broncos 2025 rookie report cards

First round, No. 20 overall: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

2025 stats: 35 tackles, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass deflections

The selection of Barron with the No. 20 overall pick turned some heads, as many saw the secondary as the strength of the team and had the Broncos pegged for an offensive playmaker in the first round. However, the front office saw the potential value of the player who won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2024 and couldn't resist. 

Barron played on only 29.7 percent of the team's defensive snaps this season and it would have been nice to see him on the field much more. That said, with the way Ja'Quan McMillian played this season, it was the correct call to bring Barron along slowly. 

When he was out there, he showed flashes of being a long-term option for the secondary, but it will be interesting to see how soon the Broncos make him a fixture in that secondary, as the way it is currently structured is likely something the team does not want to tinker with too much. 

Barron's rookie season is difficult to grade as a result. While some Broncos fans may already see him as a "bust", he showed enough to believe he'll benefit the team in the future. 

Grade: C+

Second Round, No. 60 overall: RJ Harvey, RB, Central Florida

2025 Stats: 146 carries, 540 yards, 7 TDs, 47 receptions, 356 yards, 5 TDs

RJ Harvey was terrific for the Broncos as a rookie, even if the team had to use him in a role that wasn't what they intended. 

The Week 10 injury to J.K. Dobbins, which ended up being season-ending, changed the Broncos' offense dramatically. It thrust Harvey into the lead-back role and it appears that won't be his strength as a professional. Harvey is a great change-of-pace back who can come in and hit a home run after the defense has been pelted by a more traditional rushing attack.

That said, Harvey handled the role quite well, especially for such a young player. His receiving ability makes him a strong asset for the team and his nose for the end zone (12 total TDs) was a great sign.

Grade: A-

Third Round, No. 74 overall: Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois

2025 Stats: 31 receptions, 378 yards, 1 TD

The Broncos' selection of Pat Bryant was one of the most surprising of the entire draft, as he was seen as a Day 3 pick by almost everyone. Payton liked him so much that he compared him to his former New Orleans Saints wide receiver, Michael Thomas. 

Bryant didn't do much to stand out in a fairly thin wide receiver corps in Denver, but he had his moments and should remain a consistent piece of the offense going forward, so long as he can stay healthy. He suffered two concussions toward the end of the season and left the AFC Championship Game early with an injury. 

Grade: B-

Third Round, No. 101 overall: Sai'vion Jones, DE, LSU

2025 Stats: 1 fumble recovery

The Broncos traded back into the third round to select Sai'vion Jones out of LSU and it was immediately seen as a pick to create insurance in the event that the team loses John Franklin-Myers in free agency. If the Broncos do in fact lose Franklin-Myers, it's difficult to say what they have in Jones. 

He saw just 33 total defensive snaps this past season and was listed as a healthy scratch in all but three games. That can be see in two different ways. Either the Broncos didn't need to force him onto the field or he wasn't ready. 

He will be one of the more interesting players to keep an eye on when training camp opens this summer but as a third-round pick, particularly one the team traded up for, he's going to need to step up. His rookie season has to be seen as a disappointment. 

Grade: D

Fourth Round, No. 134 overall: Que Robinson, Edge, Alabama

2025 Stats: 12 tackles, 0.5 sack, 1 pass deflection

Like Jones, Que Robinson was used sparingly as a rookie, but he did get out on the field a little more. He showed signs of being able to make plays behind guys like Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper and become a rotational pass-rusher for the team that gets after the QB better than any other. 

That was evidenced by the biggest play he made as a rookie, a sack of quarterback Drake Maye in the AFC Championship Game.

Hopefully, that's a sign of things to come, but his rookie season was too small a sample size to give a high grade. 

Grade: C

Sixth Round, No. 216 overall: Jeremy Crawshaw, P, Florida

2025 Stats: 75 punts, 47.6-yard avg., 41.1-yard net, 9 touchbacks, 30 punts inside the 20-yard line

The Broncos needed a punter and they were the only team to draft one this season. They found a good one. 

Jeremy Crawshaw helped the Broncos play the field-position game quite well this season which his directional kicking. He also has an incredibly strong leg, as evidenced by his long of 76 yards this season. He wasn't perfect, but he was just a rookie and should be the team's punter for several years to come. 

Grade: B+

Seventh Round, Pick No. 241 overall: Caleb Lohner, TE, Utah

2025 Stats: N/A

With one of the last picks of the 2025 draft, the Broncos threw a dart at Utah tight end Caleb Lohner, who was mostly a basketball player in college. He did catch four passes for the Utes and all four of them went for touchdowns. 

He was placed on the Broncos' practice squad and is nothing more than a future project. Since we only saw him in action in the preseason, you can only give him a satisfactory grade for doing what would have been expected of a former basketball player drafted late in the seventh round. 

Grade: C

Undrafted Free Agents

Karene Reid, LB, Utah

Jordan Turner, LB, Michigan State

Karene Reid made the Broncos' 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent and was one of the top players on the special teams unit, registering five tackles. A hamstring injury in Week 10 put him on the shelf for most of the rest of the season. 

Jordan Turner out of Michigan State was placed on the team's practice squad after the preseason and was elevated to the gameday roster later. He posted seven tackles on the season. 

Both Reid and Turner will be names to watch in 2026 for a team that can use more depth at the inside linebacker position. 

Grades: Reid- C-, Turner C

Overall Grade

So what does this all average out to for the 2025 rookie class? 

The Broncos found some future prospects who will hopefully be big contributors as soon as this coming season. At this point, there doesn't seem to be any "bad" picks in this class. That can always change, but the team found a great young running back and a solid punter. 

MORE: Broncos lose coveted assistant coach to AFC rival

Whether or not this turns into a great rookie class for the team will largely depend on what Barron, Jones and Robinson mean to the defense in the next two to three years.

Overall Grade: C+

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