Few in Broncos Country was expecting the Denver Broncos to pick Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron or any other defensive back, but they did and it could turn out to be the smartest move.
The Denver Broncos shocked a lot of people tonight when they passed on the top running backs and a slew of wide receivers to go with Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron instead with their 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
As the reaction waters calmed and us fans scrambled to play catch up, the move may not have been a bad one for the Broncos — especially for their defense. I asked the Mile High Report staff what they thought about the pick.
Scotty Payne: Pleasantly surprised with this pick. I think Egbuka going the pick before may have thrown a wrench into their plans, but they get a damn good player in Barron.He can play inside or outside and is an ultra-aggressive and physical corner who is taking someone’s job in the Broncos secondary. Their defense just got better and you need a strong secondary to have success in the QB loaded AFC
Joe Mahoney: Was not excited expecting a CB in the first, so I know almost nothing about this guy. Gonna do some digging and analysis tomorrow to see if he’s the next Darrent Williams or the next Karl Paymah.
Sadaraine: I love this player for the Broncos. Yes, the team needs weapons on offense and many in Broncos country won’t be thrilled, but this is a super pick for the team. Jahdae Barron is going look great in Vance Joeseph’s defense. He’s got superb skills to get the ball and can absolutely run with anyone with jet packs for legs. He’s a guy that you can plug in multiple places (slot, outside, extra linebacker) to take away options from an offense.
Chris Hart: Jahdae Barron was my second-ranked defensive back in this year’s class. This year’s Jim Thorpe Award winner, Baaron can play all over the secondary for the Broncos and gives them a versatile Swiss Army knife for Vance Joseph’s defense. The trend of Longhorn defensive backs in the Mile High City continues. This might be a bit of a surprise for Broncos Country, but I promise you he has the ability to become a great player in the NFL. I’m hyped!
Ian St. Clair: Payton and Paton pulled a fast one. Almost no one had them picking a cornerback. However, the size, ball skills, and tackling ability of Barron added to this defense, wow. Whether he plays opposite of Pat Surtain or in the nickel, this secondary is going to be stacked. And the fact he can cover tight ends with his size shouldn’t be overlooked given a tight end in Las Vegas. Time will tell if Barron pans out, but this hopefully makes a great defense even better.
Adam Malnati: I like it. He makes the defense better, and the secondary becomes a “pick your poison” situation for opposing QBs. Most of us expected something to help Bo Nix on offense. Nope. Make that defense better. I’ve heard it wins championships. The second round will have a RB. This may be a surprise, but it’s not a bad one.
Taylor Kothe: I definitely didn’t see this pick coming. But the last time George Paton took a DB in the 1st, it turned out pretty damn well. I’m always happy to watch great defense, and this move secures the secondary for years to come.When you play in the same division as Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, the value of that really can’t be understated.Here’s to adding offensive weapons tomorrow night!
Ross Allen: Like most people I was totally caught off guard, but this is a great pick. Probably the best value-pick of the night. Between the free agency acquisitions and now this pick, this Denver defense is going to be very formidable, which it’s needed given the level of offensive talent inside their division. Now the Broncos can get after the running back position in round two.
Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann: I definitely didn’t see this coming, but I ain’t mad at the pick. As Sean Payton has emphasized over and over, finding defensive weapons can be just as good for your quarterback as offensive ones. And finding a ball hawk who can play anywhere in the secondary and loves getting the ball back for the offense, is definitely a quarterback’s best friend. I am now Jahdae’s No. 1 fan.