Broncos 7-round mock draft: What if John Elway goes defense first?

What if John Elway and the Denver Broncos go against the grain and pick a defensive player first in the 2020 NFL Draft? How would they add playmakers later?

Just about all offseason and certainly since the free agency period got underway, the Denver Broncos have been predicted to emphasize offense early and often in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Rightfully so.

The Broncos could certainly add a target or two at receiver for Drew Lock, the presumptive franchise quarterback after a tremendous five-game audition at the end of the 2019 season.

Lock’s emergence has allowed the Broncos to focus entirely on other areas of the team in the 2020 offseason, including putting a major emphasis on defense in the free agency/trade period.

The Broncos traded for Jaguars cornerback AJ Bouye and Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey and signed back defensive lineman Shelby Harris, all after franchise tagging safety Justin Simmons.

The primary investments in free agency were made on defense, but the Broncos also upgraded the offense by adding guard/center Graham Glasgow and running back Melvin Gordon.

Despite the additions made on both sides of the ball, however, the Broncos still have a need at the cornerback position. They had and still have the cap space to bring in a veteran if they want to, but it’s very possible the Broncos have taken a liking to some of the cornerbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

LSU’s Kristian Fulton will have a pre-draft teleconference with the team and another player that makes a ton of sense in the first round — if he’s available — is Florida’s CJ Henderson. What if the Broncos can land an elite cover corner?

Would CJ Henderson be enough for the Broncos to pass on the wide receiver position in round one?

Let’s look at how they could wrap a draft class around the star cornerback.