Broncos No. 31 in the NFL in ESPN’s under-25 Power Rankings

The Denver Broncos are in a Super Bowl window right now.

QB Bo Nix made it clear last month that’s the goal this season — to win the the whole thing.

And hopefully it happens sooner rather than later, because despite a total rebuild over the last few years, the Broncos aren’t exactly a young football team. Entering his third season in the NFL, Nix is 26-years-old after a lengthy college career.

There’s nothing wrong with that, he just wasn’t 20 or 21 when he broke into the league like a lot of promising quarterbacks.

It’s not just Nix, it’s most of the roster. That was evident on Wednesday when ESPN released its under-25 Power Rankings and the Broncos checked in at No. 31 on the list. But they’re in good company, as the Super Bowl favorite Rams are No. 32.

Specifically with Denver, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz focused on one position group.

“There’s a lot of youth in Denver at wide receiver, although we don’t know who will get the most playing time after the Jaylen Waddle trade. Marvin Mims Jr. is 24, while Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin are both 23,” Schatz wrote.

Waddle and Courtland Sutton are the seasoned veterans, while Mims, Franklin and Bryant are all oozing with potential. Mims has flashed big-play ability, Franklin is starting to find that Oregon chemistry again with Nix and Bryant had a promising rookie season.

Schatz then went to the defensive side of the ball, while also noting an underwhelming 2026 draft is part of why the Broncos are ranked No. 31.

“Cornerback Jahdae Barron will turn 25 in December and cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine will be 25 in October. Otherwise, the Broncos are way down here in part because they didn’t have a pick in 2026 until the third round. (That first selection, defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim, is 23 years old.),” Schatz wrote.

Of course the Broncos used their first-round selection to acquire Waddle from the Dolphins, something most fans are thrilled about.

And when you sort Denver’s roster by age, it’s hard to have an issue with these rankings. They are indeed a veteran squad, ready to build on last year’s outstanding 14-3 effort.

If Nix, running back J.K. Dobbins and other key pieces can stay healthy, the sky is the limit. But the Broncos definitely want to hoist Lombardi sooner rather than later.

To see the full rankings, click here.

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