Thanks to a stupendous free-agent haul, filling in a majority of the needs and musts across the Denver Broncos’ roster, head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton enter the next step of the offseason. The focus turns to the NFL draft, where the Broncos have ample viable options and directions to go with their early-round selections.
The Broncos have a massive chasm at the running back position, a spot that both Paton and Payton discussed as a position in need of desperate help during their NFL Combine podium session, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they're hamstrung into selecting one with the 20th overall selection.
After signing a 'joker' tight end in Evan Engram to add to a position group desperate for more talent, the Broncos don’t necessarily have to be done in adding more pass-catching players to attack opposing defenses. Another running back or tight end could be on the table. After all, don’t all decks of cards have not one but two jokers?
In long-time draft guru Todd McShay’s latest mock, he has the Broncos adding an additional joker and an injection of juice into the running back room in electric Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson.
"The Broncos could go with wide receiver or defense with this pick (and history tells us that Sean Payton may look to a defender and believe that he can find what he needs for his offense in later rounds). But I would absolutely love to see Henderson in Sean’s offensive system and paired up with promising young quarterback Bo Nix.
"Henderson is a downhill runner whose explosive initial acceleration is on tape (and confirmed by his 1.52-second 10-yard split, which was tied for fifth among running backs at the combine) and has shown second-gear explosiveness (4.43-second 40). And it's’ not just when he’s going in a straight line. His feet are also so damn quick when it comes to sidestepping defenders before he accelerates upfield. In pass protection, he somewhat reminds me of Ezekiel Elliot. Henderson is more accomplished in run blocking than he is in pass protection, but his nastiness and initial power will translate. Finally, Henderson is ridiculously explosive after the catch. I think that he could become for the Broncos what Jamhyr Gibbs has been for the Lions," McShay wrote.
Henderson is one of the more dynamic backs in the 2025 NFL draft. While not a large back by any means at just 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds, he tested as an exceptional athlete at the NFL Combine with a vertical jump of 38.5 inches (94th percentile), broad jump of 10-foot-8 (97th percentile), and a 4.43-second 40-yard dash (94th percentile). The testing matches the tape, as he has ample reps of simply blowing past defenders during his three years of prominence for the Buckeyes.
Henderson’s home-run ability, both as a rusher and a pass-catcher, should help whichever offense he finds his way to in the league. His ability as a true joker, though, is likely based on traits rather than tape at this point, as he was mainly utilized as a checkdown option or in the screen game, as opposed to being flexed out and functioning in the slot or out wide as a wide receiver. That doesn’t mean he can’t evolve into that role, but it's not something he's done at a high level so far.
Henderson’s explosiveness also does not come from breaking tackles. He simply is not an upper-tier tackle-breaker and shouldn’t be a back expected to create a lot of yards after contact.
Furthermore, Henderson has a concerning injury history. During a September match in 2022, he fractured his sesamoid bone in his left foot.
Henderson attempted to play through it but ended up electing for surgery and missed the College Football Playoffs. The injury became a problem again in October 2023. Whether or not the Broncos and other teams are comfortable with his foot concerns will likely play a heavy role in how early Henderson will be drafted.
Henderson is an explosive athlete who would feature quite well in the type of split backfield that Payton employs. Given Henderson’s build and injury history, he will likely be best served in a tandem similar to how the Detroit Lions utilized David Montgomery and Gibbs. Henderson also has plenty of splashy highlights in pass protection that will keep him on the field any down and distance and further allow him to be a multi-phase weapon.
The 20th overall selection may be a bit high for a player of Henderson’s position, injury history, and likely overall snap usage limitation, but given the Broncos’ lack of dynamism at running back and the prospect's game-breaking ability, it makes sense for a player of his ability to be ranked high among the different options for the team early in the 2025 NFL draft.
