2022 NFL Draft: Grading Every Team’s 2022 NFL Draft Haul
By Hunter Haas
Broncos (9 picks):
2:32 – Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma
3:16 – Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
4:10 – Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
4:11 – Eyioma Uwazurike, DL, Iowa State
5:09 – Delarrin Turner-Yell, Safety, Oklahoma
5:19 – Montrell Washington, WR, Samford
5:28 – Luke Wattenberg, Center, Washington
6:28 – Matt Henningsen, DT, Wisconsin
7:11 – Faion Hicks, CB, Wisconsin
The Denver Broncos had been in the market for a quarterback ever since Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset (and quite frankly, even before then). Their half-decade long search finally came to an end this offseason, as general manager George Paton was able to pry future hall-of-fame quarterback Russell Wilson away from the Seattle Seahawks. It was a costly trade, and left the team with little to work with in the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Still, they entered the draft with five selections between pick 64 and pick 115. Following a trade with the Colts for a third-round pick in 2023, they ended up with four players in that span. Nik Bonitto and Greg Dulcich were their day two picks, and I like both moves. Bonitto has a lot to work on, but he bends around the edge as well as any in the class and was impossible to block at times in college. As far as Dulcich goes, he is a superb athlete for a tight end, but is still raw. It gets knocked down a bit when you consider the fact that Wilson rarely (if ever) utilizes that position. Still, he adds a new dynamic to the offense.
Day three was even better for me. Damarri Mathis and Eyioma Uwazurike are two of “my guys” from this draft. Mathis is versatile and can play anywhere in the secondary by using his god-given athleticism. Uwazurike offers the same versatility, but this time on the defensive line. He is long and can eat people up in the run game, while showing flashes of pass rushing potential. The rest of the class looks like quality depth. The day three value is what really sets this class apart from the pervious teams in this exercise.
Grade: B-