ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Broncos find themselves in a familiar position.
Following a trade with the Miami Dolphins that brought wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to Denver, the Broncos’ first selection of the 2026 NFL Draft will not come until late in the second round. It is not uncharted territory for General Manager George Paton, though, who has added three dynamic playmakers via second-round selections during his tenure in Denver.
Denver holds the No. 62-overall pick, marking the third time in Paton’s tenure that Denver will make its first selection in that area of the draft. In both 2022 and 2023, the Broncos made their first selections with the 64th- and 63rd-overall picks, respectively. In addition to adding All-Pros in Nik Bonitto and Marvin Mims Jr. with those selections, the Broncos also chose RJ Harvey with the 60th-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
As the Broncos near the 2026 NFL Draft, they’ll look to continue that run of success.
“Obviously we’re focused on [Pick] 30 in the second [round],” Paton said at the NFL Annual Meeting in March. “We’ve fortunately been there before. … We have a good feel for that. We can home in. It doesn’t mean we won’t trade up at some point, but we’ll have a really good feel for the 62nd pick. We took Mims at [63], Bonitto at 64. Harvey maybe [at] 60, I think. We have a pretty good feel of that realm.”
The Broncos three most-recent second-round picks were all chosen within a span of four selections, from No. 60 overall to No. 64. Ahead of this year’s draft, here is a closer look at those three impressive selections:
OLB Nik Bonitto – No. 64, 2022
Bonitto is entering his fifth season in Denver after earning back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in 2024 and 2025. The Oklahoma product recorded a career high in sacks (14) and quarterback hits (28) in 2025, and he has totaled 27.5 sacks over the last two seasons. Bonitto had a sack and a pair of forced fumbles in Denver’s Divisional Round win over the Bills in 2025.
A 2024 second-team All-Pro, Bonitto has posted double-digit sacks in each of the last two seasons, becoming the first Broncos player since Von Miller to reach the 10-sack mark in back-to-back years.
WR Marvin Mims Jr. – No. 63, 2023
Mims has made an impact both as a receiver and returner during his three seasons in Denver. The Oklahoma product – who earned Pro Bowl nods as a returner in 2023 and 2024 – led the league in punt return average in 2024 (15.7) and punt return yardage in 2025 (452). Against the Raiders in 2025, Mims posted the first punt return touchdown of his career.
Offensively, Mims has hauled in 98 receptions for 1,202 yards and 8 touchdowns across three seasons with the Broncos. He turned in a pair of strong performances in Denver’s postseason run, catching a go-ahead touchdown late in the Broncos’ win over the Buffalo Bills.
RB RJ Harvey – No. 60, 2025
After finishing his college career at Central Florida, Harvey immediately emerged as a key offensive weapon for Denver during his rookie season. The dual-threat running back recorded 540 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, adding 356 receiving yards and 5 receiving TDs.
In a Week 8 win over the Cowboys, Harvey became the first Denver rookie to record a three-touchdown day since Clinton Portis in 2002, earning NFL Rookie of the Week honors. Harvey’s 12 scrimmage touchdowns led all rookies in 2025, and he became the first rookie in franchise history to score a touchdown in five consecutive weeks.
