DENVER — The Denver Broncos selected University of Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the 20th overall pick in Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft.
WATCH: Colorado sports fan react to NFL Draft
Barron had a decorated 2024 campaign, winning the Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation's top defensive back, First Team All-America honors and All-SEC accolades.
Barron joins a cornerback room that already included last year's AP Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain – a first-round pick in 2021 – and Riley Moss. Denver boasted the NFL's third best scoring defense last year but was middle of the pack in passing yards allowed.
- Hear instant reaction to the Barron pick from Scripps News Denver's Sports' Lionel Bienvenu and Nick Rothschild in the video player below:
Jahdae Barron: “I can’t wait to learn from Pat Surtain. I’m gonna live up to the opportunity.” #BroncosCountry
— Bradey King (@BradeyKing) April 25, 2025
Many projected the Broncos to address an offensive team need with their top pick. The glaring team need is at running back, where the team lacked explosiveness last year and lost Javonte Williams to free agency. Even with North Carolina's Omarion Hampton and Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson – widely considered the favorites to be Denver's pick – still on the board at No. 20, the Broncos went defense.
"We were all thinking running back or offensive weapon or trading up to get a tight end," Scripps News Denver Sports' Lionel Bienvenu said right after the pick. "None of that happened."
#Broncos pick cornerback Jahdae Barron from Texas. Did not see him on any mock draft for the Broncos. So they bypass running backs Omarion Hampton and Treveyon Henderson and any receiver as well. https://t.co/8rntRjQXyT
— Lionel Bienvenu (@lionelbienvenu) April 25, 2025
Some projected Denver to be in the market for a bona fide No. 2 wideout behind Courtland Sutton. Emeka Egbuka, the highly regarded former Buckeye, went off the board at No. 19 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"My best guess is that they believe that the depth is so good at the positions of need for the Broncos – running back, defensive line – that they can wait, that they don't have to make that pick early," said Denver7's Nick Rothschild. "They like a bunch of guys, and so they'll just let whoever fall to them."
"I do wonder how hard they tried to trade out of that pick. I know that it was a discussion."
Well alright then ... guess the Pa(y)ton's assume they can get good value at RB later? #Denver7 https://t.co/LXpD9YeCcg
— Nick Rothschild (@nick_rothschild) April 25, 2025
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