ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos' offense got an influx of playmakers on the final day of the 2024 NFL Draft.
As Denver rounded out its draft class on Day 3, the Broncos spent three of their five selections on skill position players — and they added skill, speed and toughness in the process.
The Broncos traded up to select wide receiver Troy Franklin in the fourth round before adding running back Audric Estimé in the fifth round and wide receiver Devaughn Vele in the seventh round.
The trio combined for 3,459 scrimmage yards and 35 touchdowns in 2023, and they'll aim to bring their talent to the NFL level this fall.
Denver's day began with Franklin, as Payton and Paton coveted the Oregon wide receiver but expected him to be drafted in the second round. The Broncos ended Day 2 of the draft knowing Franklin would go quickly when Saturday arrived, and Payton sent Paton a 6 a.m. text expressing his desire to secure the first-team All-Pac-12 player.
"I said, 'Well, I got to figure this one out,'" Paton said. "It was universal. It was a consensus [in the war room]."
Payton said the Broncos view Franklin as an outside "Z" receiver with "really good speed," and they spent time with him at both the Combine and quarterback Bo Nix's private workout.
"He is real quick out of his cuts," Payton said. "Some players, maybe vs. bump and run, that can be problematic. Some players excel versus it. He is one of those guys that has really quick feet and he can run. George and I were watching Bo, and we are seeing the results of this player. Certainly our scouts and coaches had him graded. When you watch his tape, some players like Vele are going to play in traffic more and be contested ball catchers. Some players are guys that are going to separate and play differently. He did a really good job with yards after the catch. We saw a lot of explosive plays. That value stood out when we left here last night. The big question was if there was going to be a partner the next morning at the other end that is willing to do a deal. We were lucky enough to find one."
In Vele, the Broncos believe they found a receiver who was "too talented to pass up" in the seventh round.
"We had a clear vision for him fitting in with what we're doing," Paton said. "Twenty-six [years old] is still young relatively speaking, but he plays a mature game, and he has all the traits. He's [a] prototype. He's big. He's fast. For a big guy, he can get in and out of his breaks and separate."
Payton said Vele is a "big slot" receiver and compares to a current Bronco and former Ute.
"His comp might be a Tim Patrick-type player — [he's] strong [and] smart," Payton said.
In the backfield, the Broncos found another player they believed would be gone before their pick. Estimé was the 98th-ranked player on The Athletic's Dane Brugler's list of top prospects, and the Broncos acquired him with the 147th-overall pick.
"We had a couple runners that maybe we thought would be available, but we didn't feel like this guy would be," Payton said. "He's a physical runner, but he's also someone that when you study yards after contact, average yards per run, runs over 20 yards, he's been real consistent."
Payton said the Broncos initially view Estimé as a first- and second-down player with "really good vision" and "contact balance." Payton also noted the system in which he played at Notre Dame should help with his transition to the NFL.
"[He's] physical, real smart, tough [and a] real good teammate," Payton said. "They love him at the school, and he kind of grew on us as the process went."
Following the draft, Paton noted the Broncos believe they improved as a football team.
With the mix of speed and physicality brought by Franklin, Estimé and Vele, that was certainly true at the skill positions.
