The "dream" scenario for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 NFL Draft could vary significantly if you ask 50 different people. Most would agree, however, that getting the best possible players while loading up on draft capital is a "dream" option for any team. Everybody likes to have their cake and eat it, too.
This just so happens to be a scenario the Broncos could walk right into during the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night as there seems to be some last-second trade-up interest really ramping up in the last remaining hours before the draft.
Of course, every team calls around before the draft to gauge where teams are at regarding possible trades, but Broncos GM George Paton stated at his pre-draft presser that this week is when calls get more serious. The Broncos could benefit from the desperation of a number of teams with that 20th overall pick slot, thanks largely to the fact that they are one spot ahead of the QB-needy Pittsburgh Steelers.
Broncos could be in prime position to trade down, still get the players they want
The Broncos have said that they don't believe there's much of a difference in the quality of player you're going to get in this year's draft from pick 10 to pick 20. They have those players in a similarly graded bucket. With the depth of this year's incoming class at defensive line, tight end, and running back, the Broncos could move down and possibly even out of the first round, and still manage to get multiple instant-impact players while adding an additional top 100 pick (or two).
There have been rumors about certain teams really coveting Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart (like the Saints) and Shedeur Sanders potentially falling to that 20th overall pick. The Broncos also have the leverage of still liking this year's top tight ends, and they could barter for more picks if a team like the tight end-needy Rams wanted to jump ahead of the tight end-needy Chargers.
There are going to be a variety of ways for the Broncos to manipulate the draft board this year, but staying put at pick number 20 feels almost like it has only an outside chance of happening. Teams will have to be willing to move up, but teams like the Giants, Saints, and Browns are desperate. There are desperate teams and then there are also aggressive teams. There might be a team that wants to come up and get someone that the Broncos won't mind missing out on.
Thanks to the depth in this draft at positions of need, the Broncos really don't have to worry too much about missing out on their guys. They might have players they are targeting, but it's more likely that this Denver team has kept everybody in the dark about what their actual intentions are in round one and they like a variety of scenarios more than they are married to just one.
Which makes them the ideal team to trade down, add another pick, and potentially add four or five starting caliber players instead of three.
