ESPN Forecasts Broncos' Top Post-Round 1 Target to 'Fill a Need'

Denver Broncos fans collectively have their sights set on a running back early in the 2025 NFL draft. The current consensus is that there are just two backs worthy of a first-round selection — Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. As GM George Paton stated on Monday at the annual NFL meetings, “I think you can get a running back in the second round all the way to the second round.”

To that point, the Broncos could certainly address the position outside of the 20th overall selection and still be just fine. With Jeanty becoming more and more of a pipedream for Denver, the running back that much of Broncos Country has been gravitating towards, along with Hampton, is Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson.

It’s not just Broncos Country, though, that believes Henderson would be an excellent option for Denver in the draft, but ESPN’s Matt Miller recently listed him as a “Prospect to fill a need outside of Round 1."

"Sean Payton made his living with Alvin Kamara as a slasher and receiver out of the backfield in New Orleans, and he could get that 'joker' hybrid player via the dynamic three-down ability of Henderson. He's also the best pass-protecting back in the class," Miller wrote.

Henderson is certainly an enticing option at running back for the Broncos. With such analysts at Underdog’s Josh Norris pushing for the Broncos to take Henderson as high as 20 overall in a recent mock draft, and such draft honchos like Todd McShay mocking the Buckeye playmaker to Denver as well, could the talented running back fall outside of the first round?

The current reality for the Broncos and any Henderson match is that pick 20 overall seems to be a bit rich for his overall skill set. Henderson has a fine frame but is best in tandem with a bigger back to help lessen the overall workload.

Henderson isn't necessarily a three-down tackle-breaking monster you want to run power with behind the middle of the offensive line. He also has a foot injury that has cost him time and availability over multiple seasons. That could be a problem, and any team drafting him may want to protect against reaggravation.

But Henderson is such an explosive athlete, a fantastic pass protector, and instant offense in the passing checkdowns and screens that pick 51 overall seems like a rather unlikely scenario for Denver as well. Do the Broncos love Henderson so much they would simply just sit there at 20 and take him, or is he one of many backs they really like but don’t love enough to take at 20, opting to wait until pick 51 (or 85)?

As the Payton and Paton trio has shown in the past, the Broncos do have the option to be aggressive on Day 2 of the draft and trade up for Henderson should a run on backs start early in the second round. The Broncos traded up twice on Day 2 in 2023 for wideout Marvin Mims Jr. and cornerback Riley Moss and also traded up to the second pick on Day 3 last year for wideout Troy Franklin. They have shown that if a guy they like falls in the mid-rounds, they will package picks in an offer to go get their guy.

The teams to keep an eye on in Round 2 to jump for Henderson would be the Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, and Chicago Bears (who have two picks early Round 2). However, situations can change as those teams could certainly wind up going running back in Round 1 and changing the math for each team entering Day 2.

There is always risk involved, as Henderson could certainly start that run, but the Broncos would have to be willing to live life without him. He's not exactly the “perfect” joker back for Denver because while he has been a weapon in the pass game, his actual ability to flex out of the backfield and function as a receiver with route-running prowess was not something asked of him at Ohio State.

But Henderson's combination of explosive offensive generation in both the run and pass game and his top-of-the-line pass protection make him an absolutely ideal option for Denver (barring medical concerns with his foot) outside of Round 1, as Miller suggests.