Why did the Broncos pass on offensive playmakers in favor of Jahdae Barron?

For fans of the Denver Broncos who watched the team go through a huge turnaround in 2024 only to be exposed by the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, most thought the team would use its first-round pick on an offensive weapon for Bo Nix. 

Instead, the Broncos used the No. 20 overall pick in the draft to select Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, last year's Jim Thorpe Award winner, given to the nation's best defensive back. 

The Broncos likely considered moving up or down via trade in this draft but ultimately stood pat at No. 20. The board likely didn't fall the way they thought it might and they ended up with Barron. If you read any mock drafts before Thursday, and there were thousands to choose from, you may not have found a single one that had the team selecting Barron. 

Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden and North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, two popular mock draft picks, were both on the board when the Broncos went on the clock. So why did the team go the defensive route?

It turns out that they had a high grade on Barron and didn't think he would be available to them. 

The #Broncos had a high grade on Jahdae Barron and didn’t expect him to be there at 20th overall. pic.twitter.com/q4ove2OguJ

For the fans who wanted the team to take an offensive player, this pick won't be popular. However, looking at the grand scheme of things, the Broncos added the best defensive back in the country to the same secondary that has Pat Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. 

Barron is also versatile. He projects best as a nickel corner at the next level but he started his college career at safety.

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There are still six more rounds to find offensive playmakers. The Broncos play in a loaded AFC West that features Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert while the Raiders just added Ashton Jeanty to an offense that already has Brock Bowers. The Broncos are building a defense that can compete with those players. 

The Broncos could have taken Golden, Hampton or even TreVeyon Henderson (who they could still get in the second round). In the end, the overall talent of Barron still being on the board could not be ignored. 

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