Broncos’ 2023 Draft Class Enters Contract Year: Who’s Rising?

The first-ever draft pick of the Sean Payton head-coaching regime, Mims hit the ground running, earning dual Pro Bowl/All-Pro honors as a rookie returner. Mims followed that up with the same accolades in Year 2, becoming the only Bronco to ever achieve that feat in his first two years besides Von Miller.

I wish Mims's production as a receiver was All-Pro caliber, but he hasn't been given enough bites at the apple to generate it. The Broncos have played him at wide receiver, obviously, but he's always been the No. 4 guy on the depth chart, sometimes the No. 3, for reasons that aren't clear.

When Mims's number has been called as a receiver, he's answered the bell. That's been especially true in big-game and big-moment situations. He led all Broncos receivers in the playoffs this past January, for example, when Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant were lost to injury.

2025 was a bit of a disappointment for Mims, although, again, he finished strong by coming up big for the Broncos in the playoffs. He did not garner individual accolades as a returner for the first time in his career, though.

Entering his contract year, it's hard to say what awaits Mims, especially with the arrival of Jaylen Waddle, a similar player. The Broncos would be wise to extend Mims, retaining that dynamic and explosive impact in the return game and buying them time to continue developing his receiving chops and figuring out how to work him into the game plan more consistently.

Trajectory: Up

Drew Sanders | LB | Round 3

Sanders's rookie campaign was relatively uneventful. He stayed healthy throughout, contributed on special teams, and even saw some action on defense late in the 2023 season.

It's been all downhill... (uphill?) ... since then. One injury after another has derailed Sanders's career. Over the past two years, he's appeared in just four regular-season games, and missed all of the 2025 campaign.

Along the way, the Broncos have made it a bit harder on Sanders by switching his position multiple times. He was drafted as an inside linebacker. The Broncos moved him to outside linebacker in Year 2, then back to inside linebacker for Year 3.

Now the Broncos are moving Sanders back to the edge, which just complicates things for him. The good news, though, is that entering Year 4, he knows the scheme, and he's athletic enough to thrive at outside linebacker.

All Sanders needs from here is a little luck by way of the injury bug. If he gets that, he could make himself some money in his contract year, but if the best predictor of future outcomes is past outcomes, I don't think anyone should hold their breath.

Trajectory: Down

Riley Moss | CB | Round 3

The Broncos traded up to land Moss in the third round, valuing what he brings to the table as an uber-physical, fiesty cornerback on the boundary. He spent his rookie year dealing with an injury, but his big opportunity came in 2024.

Moss has been an entrenched starter opposite Patrick Surtain II for the past two years now, and although he dealt with some major penalty issues last season, he has emerged as one of the best No. 2 cornerbacks in the NFL. No. 2 guys like Moss can earn upwards of $20 million per year on the open market, so if the Broncos opt to re-sign him, he won't come cheap.

Getting ahead of the market by extending Moss early is the Broncos' best hope of saving a few bucks, if they envision him as part of the long-term picture. Time will tell whether the Broncos pony up, but after he put the kybosh on the penalties late last year, it's pretty clear which way Moss's arrow is pointed going into a contract year.

Trajectory: Up

JL Skinner | S | Round 6

Skinner spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad, though he did appear in two games. Since then, he's been a depth safety but also a key special-teams contributor.

Skinner doesn't have the profile of a draft pick in line to get a summer-time extension, but with P.J. Locke departing in free agency this spring, he has a great opportunity to compete for more playing time on defense this year, and ply his wares — both for the Broncos and the rest of the NFL.

Trajectory: Static

Alex Forsyth | OL | Round 7

Forsyth has been a great value pick as a former seventh-round find. Could he be classified as a "draft steal?" Probably not, just because he hasn't become an entrenched starter, but that shouldn't diminish the modest impact he's made.

Luke Wattenberg has been Denver's starting center, but he's dealt with injuries in each of the past two seasons, which has vaulted Forsyth into the lineup. Forsyth played college ball with Nix at Oregon, so that chemistry certainly helps him.

When is number has been called to play on offense, Forsyth has answered the bell. He has six career starts, and he's been more than solid when pressed into action.

Beyond that, Forsyth also contributes on special teams, which is, unfortunately, how he is most remembered by Broncos fans. In the Broncos' Week 10 road tilt vs. the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024, Nix had Patrick Mahomes and company on the ropes, driving deep in the closing seconds to set Wil Lutz up for a game-winning field goal as time expired.

Alas, Forsyth was absolutely bowled over by former Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal, who blocked Lutz's kick to preserve the Kansas City win. It was a shocking turn of events, and Forsyth bore the brunt of the backlash.

Other than that ignominious moment, though, Forsyth has been a solid and reliable contributor as a backup center. The Broncos threw in with Wattenberg long-term, inking him to an extension last fall, so this is could well be Forsyth's last year in Denver.

Trajectory: Down