The Denver Broncos settled for a defensive tackle that builds their depth on the line when they took Tyler Onyedim on Thursday night.
Denver’s three biggest needs coming into the draft in no particular order were tight end, linebacker, and defensive line.
Well, they filled one of those spots, but likely had to compromise the way the second round fell.
Denver Broncos settled when they took Tyler Onyedim
Before the 2026 NFL Draft, the Broncos had a lot of big-named prospects floated as fits for their team.
At tight end, there was Eli Stowers, Max Klare, Sam Roush and others.
And at linebacker, names like Josiah Trotter, Max Hill Jr., and CJ Allen looked like longtime fixtures for the Broncos defense.
But when Denver was finally on the clock, at No. 62 late in the second round of the draft, almost none of them remained on the board.
Trotter went to Tampa Bay at No. 46, Allen was picked by Indianapolis at No. 53, and Stowers went one pick later to the Eagles at No. 54. As the Broncos initial pick of the 2026 NFL Draft came closer, Hill Jr. (60) and Klare (61) when right before George Paton and Sean Payton could pick. Only Roush (69) was still available when Denver was on the clock.
So, given that and the Buffalo Bills desire to move up, the Broncos traded back to No. 66 overall.
That’s where Denver settled for defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim out of Texas A&M.
At 6’3″ and 292 pounds, Onyedim has the beef to play on the interior of the Denver defensive line. He was at Iowa State for four years, starting 21 games in 2023-24 for them before transferring to Texas A&M last year. Onyedim had his best season in the Lone Star State, totaling 48 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
The thing that sticks out right away—literally and figuratively—are his very long arms, measuring at 34 1/8″. He uses those arms and his explosive ability off the snap to get around defenders, with multiple swim moves showing up in his highlight tape. He’s got great athleticism for a guy his size, especially in his upper body.
His lower body is where he shows a bit of issues, where he’s not big or strong enough to anchor and stop a NFL guard. His pass rush is also secondary to his run-stopping, but that’s somewhat typical for a defensive tackle. And what makes Zach Allen’s pass rush so special.
The way the draft fell forced Denver’s hand
Onyedim could be a great player, we likely won’t know for three years from now. And, yes, the Broncos needed a guy to play alongside Allen in the middle of the defensive line.
Eyioma Uwazurike has started only one game during his four years as a pro, but was decent as a rotational player last year. Then there’s also Sai’vion Jones, who barely appeared last year as a rookie.
Both Uwazurike and Jones have those same long arms, with the former weighing in at 320 pounds vs. 280 for Jones. Onyedim is right in the middle at 292.
Ultimately, those three guys are the future of the interior of Denver’s line.
And while Paton and Payton will never admit it, their hand was forced when all the linebackers and tight ends they (likely) wanted went before they could make their first selection.
Stowers was always a long shot as the John Mackey Award winner, but Klare seemed like a great, versatile tight end. There were rumors the Broncos would look to trade Evan Engram if they picked a young tight end; that seems incredibly unlikely now. And it leaves the Broncos vulnerable at the position for the long-term future.
Similarly, Hill Jr. could have been the future of the inside linebacking position, playing alongside Strnad if that young man continues to grow as he has.
So, not only did the Broncos settle, but they reached a bit with Onyedim.
He went at No. 66 overall, but ESPN had him ranked as their No. 111 overall player, while Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 150 players had him at No. 87. He was Jeremiah’s 7th-best defensive tackle and ESPN’s 11th-best, with higher-ranked guys still on the board when the Broncos took him.
The same thing happened last year with Pat Bryant when the Broncos took him in the third round at No. 74 overall. His ESPN grade was No. 174, but clearly Denver thought he fit their system well, and he did.
So, the same is likely true with Onyedim in terms of fit with the defense.
A way-too-early grade for Denver’s No. 66 pick is a C-. Klare or Hill Jr. at No. 62 would’ve been a B+.
Denver was forced to fill a position of need with a worse player, but if they did their homework well, Onyedim could end up being a solid starter in the next few years.
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