ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For the Broncos' 2026 draft class, the wait is finally over.

Denver's draft selections — in addition to college free agents and tryout players — took the field for rookie minicamp this week. And for defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim, the 66th-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it marked both the culmination of a journey and the start of a new chapter.

"It's truly a blessing, walking out there," Onyedim said of taking the field for the first time. "Finally doing what I dreamed to do."

The same was true for running back Jonah Coleman, whom the Broncos selected with the 108th-overall pick.

"I was ready to get down here right after I heard my name called," Coleman said. "So, it was definitely a long two weeks, and I'm glad the wait is over. I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to get with the team and ultimately do what you're supposed to do and that's win."

While Head Coach Sean Payton said he certainly pays attention to the draft class during minicamp, he also stressed that the three days of practice create somewhat of a level playing field for all participants. Though he acknowledged the "tough challenge" of making an impression — especially for tryout players — in such a finite amount of time, Payton noted the number of players who have made the Broncos' roster as free agents and tryout players.

"The first thing that came up in our team meeting, it's one of the first messages … [is] once you're here, how you got here is really not important," Payton said.

Payton clearly outlined the evaluation process and said the same messaging was shared with players ahead of the first practice session.

"There's four things [or] five things, we said, 'This is how you're being evaluated,'" Payton said. "A: Does a player know what to do? B: Is the player trying to do what's being coached? C: How well are they doing it? And then effort and talent."

Payton said regardless of a player's background, "any time something catches your attention, you're looking at the roster and seeing who it was."

And that evaluation process was communicated to five dozen players participating in Denver's rookie minicamp.

"Part of the messaging at the start of it was, 'I just can remember tryouts making teams here,'" Payton said. "Your worst fear is that someone leaves here and then you hear about them later somewhere else. So, they're all going to get evaluated."

'I THINK I'VE COME A LONG WAY'

Along with the Broncos' 2026 draft picks, college free agents and tryout players, three veteran/first-year players are participating in this year's minicamp.

"We have a few players from our team that are out here, and it's good having those guys," Payton said.

Tight end Caleb Lohner, a seventh-round draft pick a year ago, is one such player. And according to Payton, the former college basketball player looks "entirely different" after spending a full season with the team.

"I'll tell you who stood out: Caleb," Payton said. "… He was here in this camp a year ago as a draft pick. But, he stood out."

When asked what things, exactly, Lohner has improved upon, Payton simply said "everything." He noted that Lohner's limited college snaps likely contributed to the drastic jump.

"That learning curve and growth curve is greater for someone who had far less experience than others," Payton said. "… It's entirely noticeable. He's in great shape; you see his athleticism."

Lohner said he has done a little bit of everything during the offseason to improve his craft — from film study to working on the mental side of his game.

"I think I've come a long way," Lohner said. "Just at the end of the day, [I] want to be here for the team. [I] want to do what I can to help win — prepare the right way, play the right way. And I think this is a great organization to do it."

After spending a year in Denver, Lohner is confident he is poised to make an impact in 2026.

"I just think being in the system, being around the vets, seeing kind of how things go has helped me a lot," he said. "Kind of having a confidence and comfortability in how things operate … I feel a lot more comfortable. I'm super grateful to be with an organization and coaches that believe in me, and [I'm] excited to do what I can to help this team win."