This Broncos draft pick is dangerously close to being a bust

Nobody wants to talk about the dreaded "bust" label when it comes to high draft picks in recent years. Especially for Denver Broncos fans, everyone wants to see all of the high draft picks contributing and starting, but the reality of the NFL is that won't always be the case.

Because of the infamous Russell Wilson trade, there is maybe an unfair additional set of expectations heaped upon the team's top picks in 2022 and 2023, even though they weren't first-round picks or even high second-round picks. The Broncos didn't pick until 64th overall in 2022 (Nik Bonitto) and 63rd overall in 2023 (Marvin Mims).

One of the players the Broncos prioritized in that 2023 NFL Draft was linebacker Drew Sanders, the 67th overall pick out of Arkansas. Sanders played linebacker in his lone season at Arkansas after failing to crack the depth chart at Alabama as an EDGE player. He did great work on special teams with the Crimson Tide but really blossomed at Arkansas, and the Broncos bought into his continual ascent.

That hasn't happened.

Drew Sanders facing dreaded bust label in 3rd season with Broncos

The good news for Sanders is simple: He was a late bloomer at the college level, and he's got time to prove himself in the NFL. As a high third-round pick, the "bust" word is maybe getting thrown around too loosely, but Sanders has an opportunity to seize this offseason and it would be a massive disappointment if he didn't.

The Broncos struggled all throughout last season at the linebacker position. It would have been the absolute ideal time for Sanders to come into the lineup and make an impact, but he was unfortunately recovering from an Achilles injury suffered early in the offseason.

We didn't see Sanders until late last year, and he put his "pressure player" label on display by getting after Justin Herbert for a sack. The talent is there for Sanders, but for a guy whose projection was maybe up for interpretation at the pro level (the Broncos have changed his positions multiple times now), missing a crucial second year due to injury was about the worst thing that could have happened for his development.

Now entering his third season, the opportunity is there for Sanders to force the Broncos to make a tough decision. Alex Singleton is making his way back from an ACL injury last season. Dre Greenlaw is expected to start but he's also got a quad injury he's working his way back from, and he only played two games last season.

It feels like the 2026 offseason will truly be the tipping point for Sanders with Singleton and Justin Strnad hitting free agency next year, but the 2025 offseason is his chance to prove he belongs in the starting lineup, and that his lofty draft status wasn't a mistake by the team.