Drafting the top-10 Broncos on the team right now with some surprises

Who are the best Denver Broncos at this moment?

That’s the question Zach Bye posed Brandon Stokley on Wednesday’s edition of “Stokley and Zach” on 104.3 The Fan. The two drafted their top-10 players, salaries were not a factor and soon-to-be free agents were eligible. The fellas alternated picks, with Stokley picking No. 1 overall after winning rock-paper-scissors.

“What can we learn in the process? The number of offensive players versus defensive players. What does your first five look like? That’s your bluechip talent,” Bye framed the segment. “Where does that stack up to other NFL teams? Ages of players? Could that tell us something?”

After one of the worst games of rock-paper-scissors on the radio you will ever hear, Stokley kicked things off by taking cornerback Pat Surtain II No. 1 overall.

“You’ve got a cornerstone over there that in his second year was an All-Pro,” Stokley said.

Surtain felt like a no-brainer for Stoke. He’s clearly the best player on the Broncos and looks poised to become the next Champ Bailey in Denver.

Next up, Bye went with a bit of surprise, taking left tackle Garett Bolles No. 2 overall. Bolles broke his leg early in the 2022 campaign, but should be healthy for 2023.

“Again, premier position. Former All-Pro. Imperfect, but we’ve seen what this offensive line looks like without him. It’s scary,” Bye said.

Stokley followed by taking safety Justin Simmons, saying the pick gave him “a really good secondary” to pair with Surtain. Bye then picked running back Javonte Williams at No. 4 overall, commenting “there’s some risk involved” with Williams coming off a devastating knee-injury against the Raiders in Week 4.

Stoke took advantage of being allowed to select Dre’Mont Jones with the No. 5 pick, although there’s a decent chance he’s not on the Broncos in 2023 after he hits free agency in two weeks. Bye went with Jerry Jeudy at No. 6, calling him “the best wide receiver on the team.”

After six picks, Stokley had taken all defensive players, while Bye went with all offensive players. That script would flip during the final four selections.

Stokley snagged QB Russell Wilson at No. 7 and offensive guard Quinn Meinerz at No. 9. Bye took defensive tackle D.J. Jones at No. 8 and closed the draft with edge-rusher Randy Gregory at No. 10. He was barely healthy for the Broncos in 2022, but when he was on the field, looked good.

“This would be the pick I would pick Randy Gregory. The final pick. I wouldn’t take him before this and didn’t, but I’m taking him here because I’ve seen what it looks like in a Broncos uniform and he looked like maybe the best football player at an impactful position,” Bye said.

So, there you have it, the inaugural Stokley and Zach draft is complete, with the rosters shaking out like this…

Stokley
Round 1: Pat Surtain II
Round 2: Justin Simmons
Round 3: Dre’Mont Jones
Round 4: Russell Wilson
Round 5: Quinn Meinerz

Zach
Round 1: Garett Bolles
Round 2: Javonte Williams
Round 3: Jerry Jeudy
Round 4: D.J. Jones
Round 5: Randy Gregory

Who drafted better? That’s up for debate, but there’s a lot to like on both rosters, along with some questionable and curious selections. You can vote in our Twitter poll to decide who won.

And to listen to full episodes of Stokley and Zach, including today’s draft, click here.

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