Broncos acquire pick 35 from Falcons, select UNC running back Javonte Williams

The Denver Broncos made a move early in the second round of the NFL Draft, moving up to pick 35 in a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The Broncos then used that pick to select UNC running back Javonte Williams.

Here’s the breakdown of the trade:

Broncos Receive

• No. 35
• No. 219

Falcons Receive

• No. 40
• No. 114

The Broncos needed backfield help after letting Phillip Lindsay walk in free agency, and Williams was widely considered the top running back left. Williams, Najee Harris, and Travis Etienne were universally regarded as the top three backs in this year's draft, with many teams having them ranked in different orders.

As Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets, there were strong rumors that the Dolphins wanted Williams at 36, so Denver wanted to leapfrog them to get their guy. Williams broke out as a sophomore in 2019 with 933 yards and five scores, but took his game to a new level this past season.

He was electric for UNC in 2020, rushing for 1,140 yards (7.3 YPC) and 19 touchdowns. He added 25 catches for 305 yards and another three touchdowns. He’ll immediately start pushing Melvin Gordon for touches.