With all due respect to Cincinnati Bengals second-round selection Kris Jenkins, Jr. the best interior defensive lineman for Michigan during last year's title run was the ultra-powerful 6-foot-3, 318-pound Graham. A rare true freshman starter at Michigan, Graham bulldozed his way into First Team All-Big Ten honors a year ago with 36 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and three sacks.
Finding protection for Bo Nix is a high priority for Denver. Banks is a raw pass-protector, but he has all of the necessary tools to become a high-end starter at the next level. He has played on the left side since setting foot in Austin (1,788 total snaps) and has allowed only two sacks over those two seasons. But I think Banks might be even more impressive as an overwhelming run-blocker.
All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain Jr.'s future with the Broncos remains up in the air. Johnson is a press corner with outstanding size (6-2, 202), ball skills and athleticism. The former five-star recruit would've been the first corner off the board this year had he been eligible (possibly in 2023 as well).
Since he earned his way onto the field as a true freshman, it was clear Campbell was a little different than everyone else. The left tackle is able to sink, stay in front of rushers and answer counters with ease.
The Broncos need a true difference-maker on their defensive line. Denver's edge defenders and interior defensive linemen combined for the fifth-lowest grade in the league. Enter Graham. He was one of only two interior defensive linemen in college football to finish with top-10 grades as both a pass rusher and run defender (T'Vondre Sweat was the other). He's a nearly complete player who could rival Jalen Carter and Quinnen Williams as a prospect next April.
This is one of the deeper classes when it comes to pass rushers, and Nic Scourton has the chance to be the best of the group. Scourton led the Big Ten in sacks (10) as a junior and recorded a whopping 15 tackles for a loss. He is also 280 pounds, which gives him some inside-outside flexibility.
A record 14 offensive players were picked before the first defender heard his name called this year. There's little chance for a similar situation to unfold in 2025, thanks in large part to Pearce. At 6-5 and 242 pounds, he is long, explosive and loose, making him a truly troublesome matchup off the edge.
The Broncos put their pass rush on the backburner somewhat as they used their first-round pick this year on quarterback Bo Nix. In Pearce, Denver would land a potentially dominant presence to lead a group that has mostly been left to try to scrape by.
