NFL Draft grades are coming in hot for the first round and people are loving the Denver Broncos pick, Jahdae Barron.
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft was a fun day for Denver Broncos fans as Sean Payton and George Paton seem to keep us on our toes even when we all think we know who they would draft if said player was available.
The big surprise was that North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton was available at the time, but George Paton made it clear that the running back position was one they considered only from a trade back standpoint.
“There was a runner that we considered in that range,” Paton said. “I think that was more of a trade-back scenario. We had some opportunities to trade back, and we feel good moving forward with like we’ve said throughout the process, there’s a lot of runners in this draft. You never know, but we feel pretty good we’ll get a runner in this draft. There’s just a lot of them. If there’s not then we’ll sign one after the draft, they’ll sign as a free agent. There are a lot of good players left in the draft, and we feel good with where we’re at. [There are] a lot of offensive players, a lot of weapons left. We got a weapon on defense [in the] first round.”
Listening to him talk about that after the event last night made it seem like the back they were considering wasn’t Hampton at all — perhaps they will be looking at TreVeyon Henderson here in Day 2.
All that said, with their first pick they ended up going with Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron to the shock of literally everyone.
After that shock subsided and people began to analyze the pick and the fit, the general consensus is that the Broncos defense just got insanely better. There wasn’t a single bad draft grade I could share here as there was a mix of A’s and B’s with the only gripe being that they didn’t take a running back. I suspect they’ll solve that issue today.
Before we get to the national grades, we had a huge response to our FanDuel sponsored SB Nation Reacts survey last night and the results were surprisingly not as kneejerk as I would expect from fans. We do tend to overreact sometimes. 76% of us voted A or B and that aligns with the national media pretty closely.
Let’s compare that to how the national media graded the Broncos first round selection last night.
SB Nation
20. Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Grade: BI’m really curious about what the plan is with Barron in Denver, but he’s an instinctive and explosive defender in short areas. He might be more of a nickel at the NFL level, but his inside-out versatility should be a big help for a Broncos team that likes to move their DBs around. Pretty intriguing!
NFL.com
Denver Broncos: A
Round 1 (No. 20): CB Jahdae Barron, TexasAnalysis:
Barron showed the ability to play outside corner, nickel and free safety during his Texas career. He proved his long speed with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine and showed the physicality/instincts to be a plus starter very early in his career. I believe he’s one of the top 12 players in this draft class.
The Broncos passed on running back Omarion Hampton even though they have a big need at that position. They can meet that need a bit later in the draft, though, and Barron’s value was too good to ignore.
CBS Sports
20. Broncos: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Grade: B-He is a good defensive back who can do a lot of things. I think he will play inside on the next level, but he can play outside and he play safety if need be. He’s just a good football player, but is he a pure corner?
FOX Sports
20. Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Rang: The Broncos were widely projected to take a running back and so some might question this selection, but I love it. Barron is the reigning Thorpe Award winner, showing not only the coverage skills but the ball-skills and open-field tackling reliability absolutely required if playing opposite a superstar like Patrick Surtain Jr. With the quarterbacks in the AFC West, cornerback is always a need, and the Broncos got a good one.
Grade: A-
USA Today
20. Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas – Grade: B+
Almost everyone assumed a back would be the call here given Sean Payton’s insistence that the team build out its backfield. But with an abundance of options later on, Denver can circle back on Day 2 and instead look to extract the most overall value here. It’s easy to see why the Broncos would gravitate toward Barron, an extremely versatile coverage piece who has a knack for finding the ball in an array of scenarios. Barron can take over the nickel role and help reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II and Co. counter the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert for years to come.
Yahoo Sports
20. Denver Broncos: CB Jahdae Barron (Texas)
Grade: BWhew, this gives the Broncos a crazy trio of cornerbacks. Pat Surtain, Riley Moss and Jahdae Barron could be the best cornerback room in the league and will create a true “no-fly” zone for opposing quarterbacks. Barron can also play downhill like a safety and makes a lot tackles in the open field.
Player comparison: Brian Branch
The Ringer
Denver Broncos: A
When you play in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert (and now Geno Smith), it’s pretty important to have playmaking cover cornerbacks. The Broncos add some tenacity to their defensive backs group with this pick, grabbing a high-energy ball hawk in Barron. He’s super versatile, with experience lining up outside, in the slot, and everywhere in between, and should give defensive coordinator Vance Joseph plenty of options with his coverage looks. Barron complements Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and newcomer Talanoa Hufanga perfectly.
Pro Football Focus
20) Denver Broncos: DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
Pick Grade: EliteDenver opts to build upon a strength, pairing one of the best cornerbacks in college football, Barron, with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Pat Surtain II. The versatile coverage defender — the highest-graded cornerback in college football last season (91.1) with at least 400 coverage snaps — is a natural zone defender with incredible instincts and can slot in at any position in the secondary.
Sports Illustrated
20. Denver Broncos
Jahdae Barron, CB, TexasBarron is the best slot corner in this draft. The former Longhorns star played 57 games over his five years in Austin, notching eight interceptions including five as a redshirt senior. He comes into the league with solid size for a nickel back at 5’11” and 195 pounds, helping him utilize physicality on the inside. —MV
Scouting report: The winner of the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to the nation’s top defensive back, Barron is a versatile playmaker who finished tied for fourth in the FBS with five interceptions in 2024. Barron is a good tackler, and often puts himself in advantageous positions due to his instincts and route recognition. He’s physical in coverage, at times too much, and has only average burst. Barron can play nickel, outside corner or safety. —DF
Grade: B+
Bleacher Report
Grade: A
The Denver Broncos know what they’re doing. They’re building on a strength by adding a dynamic young defensive back in Texas’ Jahdae Barron.
Last season, the Broncos finished third in scoring defense. However, they finished 19th in pass defense despite featuring star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The Broncos’ problem is that they didn’t have strong complementary cornerbacks. Barron immediately solves that issue, regardless of where Denver wants to play him.
One of the best compliments an athlete can receive is that everyone should want to coach them because of their attitude and how they play the game. Barron is one of those prospects.
Barron listened to Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and came back for a fifth season with the Longhorns. He improved his game, became a consensus All-American and won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back.
Barron can serve as a Swiss army knife in Denver’s secondary. He’s capable of playing outside corner, over the slot and some safety. Wherever he’s lined up, he’ll be around the ball and making plays.