‘Anchor’ With Local Ties Sends Strong Message After Agreeing to Broncos Offer

The Denver Broncos are bringing in former Colorado Buffaloes offensive lineman Justin Mayers in free agency after the 2025 draft.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton raised eyebrows leading a noteworthy contingent of team brass on an excursion to the Colorado Buffaloes’ pro day. Speculation linked them to multiple prospects like Travis Hunter. But it was Mayers, a guard, who got the Broncos’ attention.

Now, he will get his chance to impress them again in rookie minicamp.

“Blessed with the opportunity!” Mayers said, quoting his alma mater’s announcement post on April 27. “Let’s get this [handwriting emoji].”

“Denver, Anchor arriving ASAP [anchor emoji],” the Buffaloes social media team posted on X on April 27. “Offensive Lineman, Justin Mayers has accepted a Rookie Mini Camp Invite from the Denver Broncos.”

Mayers was a grad transfer in 2024. He began his college career with a five-year stint at UTEP.

He started seven games for the Buffaloes last season. It was his lone with the program. Mayers had 35 collegiate games under his belt when he arrived in Boulder.

Former Coaches & Teammates Rave About New Broncos OL

Mayers became beloved in Boulder during his lone season, with many of his teammates raving about him as a player and person ahead of the 2025 draft. Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders offered his take on Mayers before the draft.

“I really love this young man,” Sanders said in a video shared on Instagram on April 8. He is a tremendous friend of my son, Shedeur. And I got to know him from being around Shedeur all the time. He’s been working his butt off every day, preparing for our pro day, preparing for the draft. He went down there in the Hula Bowl and balled out. Kicked some butt, like I knew he would. He would be a tremendous asset to your roster.”

Additionally, fellow Buffs guard Tyler Brown called Mayers an “awesome guy.”

“Can’t wait for him to go pro, see him do his thing on pro day, and go out there and just kick butt at the next level,” Brown said during a pre-draft mini-documentary Mayers shared on YouTube in March. “He said a great example for everybody here, everybody in the room. And so excited to see him just take that next step and achieve his dream, his lifelong dream.”

“He’s a very athletic O-lineman. When I watch him run, I watch him accelerate, I watch how he moves. He goes through his pro agility drill, and his L drill, and stuff like that, [and] he’s very explosive and he’s very athletic for his size,” Buffs assistant strength and conditioning coach Cory Nelms said in another video that Mayers shared in March.

“I think he’s going to be able to take advantage of that at the next level. Whatever organization or team is able to get their hands on him, I think they’ll be very pleased with how much of an athlete that he is for his size.”

Mayers put up 28 reps at his pro day.

That would have been good enough for the fourth-most in terms of reps and the sixth overall among offensive linemen at the 2025 combine had he received an invite.

Pro Football Focus gave Mayers the best offensive and pass blocking grades among the Buffaloes’ offensive linemen. Per the Buffaloes’ website, Mayers played the fifth-most snaps among the team’s offensive linemen with 366.

He also allowed 7 pressures, 5 hurries, and 2 sacks.

Justin Mayers Can Learn Behind Broncos LG Ben Powers

PFF graded the Broncos as the league’s best pass-blocking team. They were the 11th-best run-blocking group in 2024, though. Notably, the newest Broncos lineman, Mayers, graded out as the Buffaloes’ worst starter in the run game.

However, he would likely have plenty of time to develop. That is, if he sticks. The Broncos have several starters and backups ahead of him, including 2024 All-Pro right guard Quinn Meinerz.

Mayers played on the left side for the Buffs, though.

The Broncos have veteran Ben Powers there. He is under contract through the 2026 season on a four-year, $52 million contract. The Broncos can cut him in 2026 and save $13 million with $5.4 million in dead money, per Over The Cap.

PFF graded Powers as the Broncos’ fourth-best starting lineman. They ranked him fourth in run blocking and last in pass blocking among the group.

Calvin Throckmorton, Nick Gargiulo, and Will Sherman all sit behind Powers and Meinerz.