Despite adding Evan Engram in free agency, the Denver Broncos have consistently been linked to the deep group at the tight end position in the 2025 NFL draft. Fans in Broncos Country have called for the team to add an impactful player with their first-round selection, pounding the table to add either Penn State's Tyler Warren or Michigan's Colston Loveland.
As the draft process has evolved, it's seeming more and more unlikely that Warren would fall down the draft board for the Broncos to have a shot at selecting him, and Loveland has been linked to the Indianapolis Colts recently. Meanwhile, Warren is still seeing some time in the top-10 of mock drafts.
If the Broncos aren’t able or willing to select a tight end in the first two rounds, this class features some high-quality options in the later rounds.
Who could they have their eyes on?
Round 3: Gunnar Helm | Texas
After a breakout senior season with the Longhorns, the Colorado native showed that he has the goods to be a featured weapon at the tight end position. A true Y-tight end with a lot of snaps attached to the line of scrimmage, Helm shows great route running capability with good nuance to help him create separation at the catch point.
Helm has smooth, consistent hands that snatch the ball out of his framework with a vice-like grip. While not the most elite athlete at the position, he glides through his routes, maintaining good play speed, and shows some decent burst when he gets the ball in his hands. Helm led the Longhorns with 60 receptions last season, setting the school’s single-season receptions mark for tight ends in the process.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done in Helm's blocking capabilities, especially as a drive blocker in the run game. He has a good amount of experience dropping back as a pass blocker, but a lack of strength in his lower half allows pass rushers to collapse him back into the pocket. His hands also need to show more accuracy to the chest plate and develop a stronger punch, but overall, he has a solid baseline to work with as he continues to grow into the position.
With the floor of a solid No. 2 tight end and the ceiling of a middle-tier starter, Helm is an intriguing option for the Broncos in the third round. The team met with him formally at the NFL Combine and also brought him in for a team visit.
Round 4: Mitchell Evans | Notre Dame
Another true Y-type tight end who is a solid option attached to the line of scrimmage, Evans is a big bodied bruiser over the middle of the field. There are some major injury concerns with him, as he suffered a broken foot in 2022 and tore an ACL in 2023, but he showed consistent week-to-week production with the Fighting Irish in 2024, finishing with 43 catches for 421 yards and three scores.
Evans has good acceleration out of his three-point stance and can get into defenders rather quickly in his route stem, but he doesn’t have enough long speed to be considered a deep threat in any capacity. His big body and long arms can be jarring at the top of the route, which allows for instant separation coming out of his breaks. He can be a little high-hipped as a route runner and shows stiffness out of his breaks, which can limit his ability to separate without contact and see his routes rounded off down the field.
As a run blocker, he shows a strong punch with firm hands and a nice base to drive defenders at the second level, but bigger defensive lineman can cause him some issues at the point of attack. He stands up too much and can get over his skis in open space, causing him to lean into contact or whiff on defenders as a whole. There’s a good foundation here, but there is some development needed.
Given good health in his future, Evans can be a solid contributor to an offense as a secondary option at the position working over the middle of the field and as a checkdown option in the offense.
Round 5: Jake Briningstool | Clemson
A player that the Broncos have already brought in for a top-30 visit, Briningstool is more of an H-type tight end who can be an explosive vertical threat from the slot or coming from a wing attachment at the line of scrimmage. He has a thin frame but shows incredible feistiness as a blocker and a willingness to dominate opponents at the catch point.
Briningstool may struggle against man coverage due to stiffness in his hips as a route runner, but he does a great job identifying space and presenting a good target against zone coverage. When he gets a head of steam rolling, he can be a load to take down with the ball in his hands.
As a receiver, Briningstool shows soft but strong hands, a nice catch radius, and a handful of highlight-worthy receptions. He is the model of consistency, catching 50 passes for 498 yards and five scores in 2023, as well as 49 receptions for 530 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024.
Although there are some scheme limitations for Briningstool, he is a quality receiving option for teams that like to run a lot of 12 personnel looks, and he has good enough upside as a pass catcher out of the slot to be an option in breaking and crossing routes. There’s enough to work with as a willing blocker who shows violent contact at arrival, making him a three-down player who won’t show your hand as a play-caller.
