Why the Broncos don't have a Round 1 pick in 2026 NFL Draft

Broncos draft picks 2026

The Broncos have seven draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft:

Denver fans shouldn't check out of the NFL Draft completely, even without a first-round pick. A second-round pick still gives general manager George Paton a chance to draft a difference maker for Denver. In an interview with ESPN, Paton did admit the team has been without first-round picks for more than he'd like to admit.

"No one loves picks more than me, so that's hard," Paton said at the league meetings. "I've probably traded too many [first-round picks], darn it."

The Broncos have three picks within the first four rounds, so the roster will gain valuable pieces by the end of the weekend, even if no player is guaranteed to make an immediate impact.

MORE 2026 NFL MOCK DRAFTS:

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Why don't the Broncos have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Denver is without their 2026 Round 1 pick due to the Jaylen Waddle trade in March. Here are the full trade details, per the team:

• Denver Broncos received: Waddle and a 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 111)
• Miami Dolphins received: 2026 first-round pick (No. 30), a third-round pick (No. 94), and a fourth-round pick (No. 130)

The Broncos have needed a bona fide WR1 for a while now, despite Courtland Sutton rising up to that task. However, Sutton will turn 31 in October, and Denver would have been without a high-caliber receiver in the coming seasons. Trading for 27-year-old Waddle, who was the 2021 sixth-overall pick, gives the Broncos a younger and more dynamic No. 1 option in their wide receiver room.

The Dolphins have found themselves on a rebuilding track, and they join five other teams in having multiple first-round selections (New York Jets, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, and Dallas Cowboys). Miami still has the No. 11 pick, where they are projected to take OT Spencer Fato in Vinnie Iyer's latest three-round mock draft.

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When is the Broncos' first draft pick?

Barring a trade, the Broncos are slated to make their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 62. The pick is the third-to-last in the second round, but it is Denver's best shot at selecting a starter for their team.

Denver does have a second-round pick, so the front office will still have an opportunity to add an impact player. Their last four Round 2 picks have been RJ Harvey (2025), Marvin Mims (2023), Nik Bonitto (2022), and Javonte Williams (2021). That history shows the Broncos can still hold their own in the second round, even without a first-round pick for the third time in five drafts.