Broncos Trio Earns Spot on CBS Sports’ Top 100 Players of 2025

It's that time of year. The six-week stretch between the end of NFL offseason training programs and the beginning of training camp has begun, and we're only one week into it.

The NFL desert, as I call it, is replete with one list after another across the media landscape. It can be fun to cover them, especially when it comes to a renowned NFL writer like CBS Sports' Pete Prisco, who just dropped his top 100 players of 2025 list.

Only three Broncos made the list, but it's a two-player improvement over Prisco's 2024 top 100, so that's a silver lining. Let's examine.

Patrick Surtain II | CB | No. 9

"PS2 has emerged as the top cover corner in the league. His ability to lock down receivers impacts the Denver defense in a big way. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for a reason," Prisco wrote.

Surtain made quite the jump in Prisco's rankings, leaping from the No. 24 spot last year. Still, Surtain's placement is a tad low, considering he's the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is Prisco's highest ranked defender, and the only one above Surtain, at No. 2. Curious.

Quinn Meinerz | OG | No. 51

"Meinerz was named an All-Pro after a dominant 2024 season. He is adept as both a run blocker and in pass protection and is a big part of why the Denver offensive line improved last season," Prisco wrote.

Meinerz was unranked on Prisco's top 100 last year, so it's great to see him garner the recognition, but, again, he should be higher. Over the past two seasons, Meinerz has emerged as one of the top three offensive guards in the NFL, so his placement, even within the wider context of all players, should be higher on the rankings.

The Broncos have something special in Meinerz. He was one player Sean Payton knew he was fortunate to inherit upon taking the head-coaching job in Denver.

Garett Bolles | OT | No. 72

"Bolles excels in pass protection playing on the left side of the Denver line. He isn't a power player in the run game, but he gets by with his smarts. He's more known for his pass blocking," Prisco wrote.

Bolles may not be a power run-blocker, but he's plenty strong enough and apt in the field. He's tailor-made for a zone-blocking scheme, which isn't what Payton runs as a base offense, but its use is peppered in here and there by the savvy coach. Bolles' strength isn't an issue in Denver's power run game.

Again, though, as a player who went unranked by Prisco last year, it's great to see Bolles get some props.

No Bo Nix?

Indeed, Nix was unranked by Prisco. Only one 2024 rookie quarterback made Prisco's top 100, and you can probably guess who it was: Washington's Jayden Daniels. So fret not, as Nix's ascension is only just beginning, and soon, NFL media across the fruited plain will be unable to deny, overlook, or omit him.

The Takeaway

It may be a drop in the bucket of what's to come for the Broncos, but as the team's collective fortunes improved last season, we're seeing how that brings greater scrutiny and clout to the individual players. Last year, just one Bronco made Prisco's list, and this year, there are three.

The Broncos had a whopping five players selected to the A.P. All-Pro Team last season, the most for the team since the 1990s. Think back to when Peyton Manning was calling the signals in Denver; the individual accolades reached far because the Broncos were a force to be reckoned with.

That's where this team's at once again, thanks to Payton and Nix. Obviously, everyone deserves credit for the Broncos' success; but the head coach/quarterback combination is the cornerstone to any competitive team.