The playoffs were not officially over when the Denver Broncos found out that Bo Nix had fractured a bone in his ankle during the Divisional Round win against the Buffalo Bills, but that was the moment they lost a shot at winning the fourth Super Bowl in franchise history.
Sean Payton was so close to becoming the first head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with multiple franchises, he could almost taste it.
The heartbreak of the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots will be the motivating fire for the Broncos in the 2026 offseason, but how can they use the 2026 NFL Draft to add to an already stellar roster?
Broncos' ideal top 3 picks in 2026 NFL mock draft to reload the trenches, support Bo Nix
1. 30th overall: Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa
You could really make a case here in the first round that the "ideal" pick for the Denver Broncos is a wide variety of positions on the roster. The one reason I keep coming back to the offensive line is the fact that Garett Bolels and Mike McGlinchey will be 34 and 31 this year, respectively, while starting left guard Ben Powers is also entering the last year of his contract with the team.
The Broncos have had enviable continuity on the offensive line for quite some time, but in the near future, they may have to sacrifice a high-priced free agent or in-house player for a talented player on a rookie contract. And Gennings Dunker is ready and willing to play anywhere on the line at the next level.
He was even taking some reps at center at the Senior Bowl to prove his versatility. He's got the potential to be a starter at either tackle or guard at the next level, and would be getting great mentorship from Broncos offensive line coach Zach Strief.
2. 62nd overall: Domonique Orange, DL, Iowa State
It's possible that nobody in the history of the NFL Draft has ever had a more fitting name to play for the Denver Broncos than Domonique Orange, the stellar defensive line prospect out of Iowa State.
In all seriousness, the defensive line is going to be a fascinating situation to monitor for the Broncos, because there's very real potential they could end up losing starter John Franklin-Myers in free agency. The Broncos are already prepared for that eventuality with Eyioma Uwazurike playing his biggest role so far as a pro in 2025, and third-round pick Sai'vion Jones behind him, but a player like Orange could add a new level of physicality to the defensive front.
There are not many players on Denver's defensive line rotation in excess of 300 pounds. Two years in a row in the playoffs, they've gotten bullied by the bigger offensive line of the Buffalo Bills. They need to respond, and Orange -- known as "Big Citrus" -- stands at 6-foot-4, 325 pounds.
3. 94th overall: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
By the time the whole pre-draft process is done, we might all be having a good laugh about the idea of Jacob Rodriguez going somewhere late in the 3rd round. The Texas Tech star really turned a lot of heads at the Senior Bowl, and that was coming on the heels of a year with the Red Raiders in which he piled up 128 total tackles, four interceptions, and an unbelievable seven forced fumbles.
The Broncos have four major question marks right now at the inside linebacker position. The first two are pending unrestricted free agents Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. The third is the oft-injured Dre Greenlaw. The fourth is the complete wild card that is former third-round pick Drew Sanders.
The Broncos will have to address linebacker in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a player like Rodriguez could be a hand-in-glove fit for Vance Joseph's defense.