Don't look now, but the Denver Broncos actually have a pretty good roster. They have a lot of great offensive weapons, solid blocking, and a well-coached defense that is looking especially strong on the back end.
Of course, they're lacking one key position that contenders need: A quarterback. Drew Lock hasn't yet lived up to his second-round billing and his third season will be a make-or-break year. Last year, Lock was a roller coaster ride for Broncos fans, and trading for Teddy Bridgewater isn't a significant improvement.
Vic Fangio's squad will look to avoid those pitfalls this year and if Lock or Bridgewater improve, they could be a playoff team. The question is just about whether or not they'll be positioned to land a top-tier passer in the 2021 NFL Draft at the latter end of the top 10.
Here's a look at the Broncos' picks in the 2021 NFL Draft:
MORE NFL DRAFT: Complete 7-round mock | Top 100 big board
Broncos draft picks 2021: Who did Denver take?
- Round 1, Pick No. 9: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
- Round 2, Pick No. 35: Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
- Round 3, Pick No. 98: Quinn Meinerz, OG, Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Round 5, Pick No. 152: Caden Sterns, S, Texas
- Round 5, Pick No. 164: Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana
- Round 6, Pick No. 219: Seth Williams, WR, Auburn
- Round 7, Pick No. 237: Kary Vincent Jr., CB, LSU
- Round 7, Pick No. 239: Jonathan Cooper, DE, Ohio State
- Round 7, Pick No. 253: Marquiss Spencer, DE, Mississippi State
Broncos 2021 NFL Draft order
| Round | Pick |
| 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 3 (from Falcons) |
| 3 | 7 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 3 (from Falcons) |
| 7 | 9 |
| 7 | 11 |
| 7 | 26 |
MORE: Read the latest NFL Draft news at SN's draft HQ
Broncos NFL Draft needs
- Quarterback: The Broncos have a stacked-looking offense, but is Drew Lock the answer? He's averaging an interception per game during his NFL career and tied for the league lead in interceptions (15) despite playing just 13 games last year. Denver also traded for Teddy Bridgewater as presumed insurance if a top QB doesn't fall to No. 9.
- Offensive tackle: Demar Dotson is a 35-year-old free agent. The Broncos need to add a young right tackle to the fold to bookend Garret Bolles.
- Defensive tackle: The Jurrell Casey experiment didn't pan out last year. The Broncos need to add another contributor along their defensive line next to Shelby Harris.
- Linebacker: The Broncos could use a true three-down linebacker to pair with Alexander Johnson. Josey Jewell was strong last year, but if the team could find a better coverage option to pair with him, their linebacker unit would look excellent.
- Edge rusher: Von Miller and Bradley Chubb are a good edge duo. Miller missed all of last year with an ankle injury, however, and the team doesn't have much depth at the position behind them.
Broncos mock draft 2021
Here are the latest 2021 NFL Draft projections for the Broncos, according to Vinnie Iyer's seven-round mock draft:
| Round | Pick | Team | Position | College |
| 1 | 9 | Justin Fields | QB | Ohio State |
| 2 | 8 | Rondale Moore | WR | Purdue |
| 3 | 7 | Jamin Davis | LB | Kentucky |
| 4 | 9 | Caden Sterns | S | Texas |
| 5 | 8 | Khalil Herbert | RB | Virginia Tech |
| 7 | 9 | Jamar Watson | EDGE | Kentucky |
| 7 | 11 | Drew Dalman | G/C | Stanford |
| 7 | 26 | Jaylon Moore | OT | Western Michigan |
