One of the great things about having your franchise quarterback set for the next decade for the Denver Broncos is that aside from not having to worry about that spot, the emphasis for the position in terms of the roster can almost solely focus on the backup.
For the Broncos, that meant Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson in 2024 — and neither of them seeing the field — and likely means Stidham and Sam Ehlinger in 2025.
While those are both serviceable options, it might be smart for the Broncos to continue to interject young talent into the mix. That might start with extending a rookie minicamp invite to a talented, homegrown product in Arvada, Colorado, native and Eastern Illinois quarterback Pierce Holley.
Holley, 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, became just the fourth quarterback in Eastern Illinois history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a single season in 2024, following 4-time Pro Bowler Tony Romo, 2-time Super Bowl champion Jimmy Garoppolo and Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who played one season for the Chicago Bears in 1987.
If that’s not a case of history showing us some sort of path forward, what is?
Holley Starred in Patriot League Before Transfer
Holley threw for 3,186 yards and 28 touchdowns in his final season at Lakewood (Colorado) High School before becoming a 2-year starter at Georgetown, where he was an All-Patriot League pick in 2022 after he threw for 2,882 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games while completing 66 percent of his passes.
Holley transferred to Eastern Illinois for his final 2 seasons and was an All-Big South/OVC Football Association pick in 2023 with 2,741 yards, 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 11 games.
Holley was the preseason OVC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and capped his college career with 3,125 yards, 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 12 games. That included 6 consecutive games with over 300 passing yards and a career-high 458 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 31-28 loss to Gardner-Webb.
In 4 seasons as a starter between Georgetown and Eastern Illinois from 2021 to 2024, Holley threw for 9,974 yards, 57 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.
In 4 seasons, Holley threw for over 300 yards in 14 games.
“I think (Holley) is so underrated,” Illini defensive coordinator Aaron Henry said before his team faced in EIU in 2024. “He is as talented as talented gets. I think we’re going to play a multitude of good quarterbacks this season, which I’m excited to face.”
Broncos Split ’25 Draft Class Down Middle
The Broncos were a flurry of activity with trades in the 2025 NFL draft and surprised mock draft experts by selecting a defensive player — not a running back — with their first round pick when they took Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron at No. 20 overall.
While the Broncos started off the draft with defense, they split it down the middle in the draft with 3 picks on offense, 3 picks on defense and 1 pick on special teams with Florida punter Jeremy Crawshaw in the sixth round (No. 216 overall).
According to Broncos Wire’s Jon Heath, the Broncos have invited 16 players to rookie minicamp so far and only one quarterback, with Princeton’s Blake Stenstrom.
Denver is scheduled to hold its rookie minicamp from May 10 to May 12.
