ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver's seven draft picks may have officially become Broncos during draft weekend, but their journeys to the Mile High City began much earlier.
The call to each draft pick is the culmination of a months-long — and sometimes years-long — process that helps determine the next crop of Broncos.
At the heart of that process is the team's scouting staff, which offers detailed insight into each prospect. The Broncos' scouting staff crisscrosses the country, visiting schools throughout the year to obtain valuable information about the upcoming class. As such, the scouts are experts on the prospects in their respective areas, and they can provide unmatched insight on those players.
Throughout the 2026 NFL Draft, DenverBroncos.com checked in with the team's scouts and other members of the personnel staff to receive an inside look at each of Denver's seven draft picks.
Read on for a scouting report on the newest Broncos through the eyes of the scouting staff:
DT Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M
Round 3, 66th-overall selection
The Broncos traded down from the 62nd-overall selection — adding a sixth-round pick that would later help them acquire tight end Justin Joly — and took Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim with their first pick of the draft.
"He's a heavy-handed run defender," Assistant General Manager Reed Burckhardt said. "He can also rush the passer. I think, most importantly, is his wiring, his makeup. It's a perfect fit for [Defensive Coordinator] Vance [Joseph] and his defense and [Defensive Line Coach] Jamar [Cain] in that room. We're excited to get him going."
Burckhardt later described Onyedim as a future "three-down player" for the Broncos.
"His ability to strike and use his hands [stands out]," Burckhardt told reporters. "… He's got length that we covet. His ability as a pass-rusher, too. When you're talking [about a] 3-technique, you want a guy that can get on the edge that we can loop and game. 'V.J.' does a ton of that stuff. He kind of fit the total package we were looking for inside."
RB Jonah Coleman, Washington
Round 4, 108th-overall selection
Denver added to its backfield with the selection of Washington running back Jonah Coleman, who scored at least 10 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. A finalist for the Paul Hornung award as the nation's most versatile player, Coleman profiles well in the run game, catching the football and as a pass protector.
"Jonah is a physical, downhill runner," Burckhardt said. "Fits our style, fits what we have in our running back group right now."
Burckhardt later mentioned Coleman's ability to run between the tackles and finish, and he said the comparison between Coleman and J.K. Dobbins was "very valid."
Co-Director of Player Personnel Cam Williams described Coleman as a player that "could help us immediately" on offense.
"We're super excited," Williams said. "Averages 5.5 yards per carry throughout his career. Really good ball carrier. Tough, really instinctive. He creates with the ball. He's a good, just natural runner, and he can play in the passing game. He's good in pass protection, he has good hands. We really like his tape."
OL Kage Casey, Boise State
Round 4, 111th-overall selection
The Broncos secured more depth along their offensive line in selecting Boise State's Kage Casey, and Williams said he believes Casey has the positional versatility to possibly play multiple positions along the interior of the offensive line.
"That's the good thing about Kage: He's a versatile player," Williams said. "Played left tackle throughout his career. We think he can play guard — maybe even center long term. Just a versatile front player. [He's a] tough, smart, dependable, consistent offensive lineman. He's athletic. Still young. … We really liked his tape, and we're excited to have him."
Burckhardt said Casey fits the mold of the existing players within the offensive line room.
"Kage is a physical, high-makeup, high-trait player that's really going to fit in our O-line room," Burckhardt said. "We talk about setting the tone for our team in the offensive line room, and he certainly is going to add to that."
TE Justin Joly, NC State
Round 5, 152nd-overall selection
A first-team All-ACC player, NC State tight end Justin Joly caught 49 passes for 489 yards and seven touchdowns in his final collegiate season.
The Broncos envision Joly beginning his career with a focus as an "F" tight end — a pass-catching player that plays in space — but his versatility helped him stand out as a prospect. Director of College Scouting Bryan Chesin also identified Joly's instincts, run-after-catch ability and strong hands as key traits.
"He's a prototype 'move' tight end that can play in multiple spots and has flex," Chesin said. "Really fits what we do offensively. … Ideally, he's off the ball, he's moving. He's going to play in the slot. We can do a lot of things alignment-wise with him and variation. What stands out to me is his instincts after, in the middle of the field. He can find space. You can see the former basketball player stand out with him. Really good hands — contested catches. He's strong.
"He has bear claws for hands — they're like 11 inches. He catches through traffic and plays through contact, and he's a bull in a china shop with the ball in his hands after the catch."
Chesin described Joly as "a versatile Swiss Army knife" and said the Broncos did "an extensive amount of work on him" throughout the process. When Joly — who The Athletic's Dane Brugler graded as a top-100 player — was still available in the middle rounds of the draft, the Broncos were compelled to make a move up the board.
"We had him much higher than where we got him," Chesin said. "When the value meets where he's falling, you get really excited. We were working the phones for a while trying to get up and get the player, because we know what he would bring to our team. So, we're really, really excited about it."
Chesin also said Joly's character fits with what the Broncos have built over the last several years.
"We're not taking a player that won't fit with our locker room," Chesin said. "We know what we have here. We know what we've built. [General Manager] George [Paton] and [Head Coach] Sean [Payton] have done a great job with that.
"We brought him in on a Top 30 visit, and it's like, 'Oh, man. This guy's one of us — one of our guys.' We call them OKGs: Our Kinda Guys. That's one of my favorite parts about the kid, is he's going to come in here and instantly be a lifter, not a puller."
S Miles Scott, Illinois
Round 7, 246th-overall selection
While safety Miles Scott may display the ball skills of an offensive player, the Broncos' scouting staff identified his physicality as an even clearer key trait.
"That what's really stood out from the beginning: super physical," Midwest Area/International Scout Ish Seisay said. "He's a thumper, is what we say. Really instinctive. He goes downhill quickly. He has the ball skills. You do see that receiver kind of stuff. He's super instinctive. That's what stood out in his game."
Scott was one of just two Big Ten players with multiple interceptions in each of the last three seasons, and he earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors in 2025. The former walk-on recorded seven career interceptions and a pair of pick sixes.
It's been just three seasons since Scott moved to the defensive side of the ball, and Seisay believes there's still more potential for Scott to unlock.
"There's so much more, right?" Seisay said. "This guy was playing receiver when he first got there. Former walk-on, became a captain, now moves to safety. He's done great things. I think the sky's the limit for this guy. He's going to keep getting better. Like I said, him being instinctive, that's huge. That's going to help him elevate his game."
Seisay said being able to learn from players like Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones will help Scott's game, and he believes the former Illini captain will add to the makeup of the room.
One more key trait that stands out to Seisay?
"I would say instincts. He sees it and he triggers."
TE Dallen Bentley, Utah
Round 7, 256th-overall selection
While Joly profiles as an "F" tight end, the Broncos view Utah tight end Dallen Bentley as a "Y" in-line player who can still make plays down the field.
The third-team All-Big 12 player's six touchdowns in 2025 were tied for the Utes' team lead, and he caught 48 total passes for 620 yards. A 12-game starter in 2025, Bentley broke out after recording just three catches across 18 games during his first two seasons with Utah.
"He came on this year," Assistant Director of College Scouting Dave Bratten said. "Really hadn't played a whole lot, but what he showed early in the season and early in camp was his ability to go get the ball — especially back-shoulders down the sideline. Elevate. He's got really good hands. And then he's strong in traffic as a pass catcher. That jumped out early, and it was consistent the whole year. And then in the spring process, he just got better and better from the Shrine Game to his pro day all the way through."
Bratten said for both Bentley and Joly, their pass-catching ability is what immediately stands out — but he believes "they both have the size and lower-body build" to believe they can continue to improve as blockers.
As part of the evaluation process, Bratten acknowledged the team's familiarity with Utah's program was a helpful barometer as they scouted Bentley. The tight end is the fourth Utah player the Broncos have selected in the last three years.
"It's huge, in terms of feeling like you really know what the player's been exposed to and what he's been coached to do," Bratten said. "With Utah, I know he's not there now, but as long as Coach 'Whit' [Kyle Whittingham] was there, through this season, there's just a consistency of message and work ethic. We've had success with their players in the past coming in and doing well for us. We have a bank of players — and they all played in the same system with the same coach and the same people coaching them.
"It's getting harder and harder to find less transfers, more coaching staff consistency. You develop a comfort level with those guys."
LB Red Murdock, Buffalo
Round 7, 257th-overall selection
About a week before the start of the NFL Draft, each member of the Broncos' personnel department is provided a Broncos logo to bestow on a single player of their choice. Each "Bronco head" is awarded to a player that the respective scout feels convinced should be added to the roster.
"Someone that fits the Broncos," Northeast Area Scout Chaz McKenzie said of the designation. "We're convinced on him — an OKG, Our Kinda Guy. They're going to fit us well, a culture changer."
Buffalo linebacker Red Murdock was McKenzie's choice this year, and McKenzie said he had his eye on Murdock from the very beginning of the scouting process.
"He's just a playmaker," McKenzie said.
Murdock was a second-team AP All-American in 2025 and set the NCAA record for career forced fumbles with 17. Over the last two seasons, Murdock has recorded 298 combined tackles, 30 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and 13 forced fumbles.
"He's always around the ball, super instinctive, very smart," McKenzie said. "Lives inside the building watching film all day. That's why he is so productive, because he's so smart. He sees things before they happen. Just makes plays."
OK, but what's the key to recording that many forced fumbles?
"It's something that he works on and practices," McKenzie said. "He takes pride in it. How? I can't tell you, because I can't do it. But it's something he puts his mind to and he actually works on. It's such a valuable trait to have. Sometimes it's not coachable, and he's just got that knack for it."
McKenzie said the Broncos had Murdock "way higher" on their draft board and were "1000 percent" surprised that he was still available late in the draft.
"We had to go snag him," McKenzie said.
McKenzie said the Broncos view Murdock as a reliable defender with playmaking ability, and he said that's his metaphorical superpower as a prospect.
"It's the playmaking with the forced fumbles and the production," McKenzie said. "You look at his stat sheet from the forced fumbles, interceptions, PBUs, tackles. He's making all those plays. But the reason he's doing that is because of the instincts and how smart he is."
