Broncos Have Three Bonafide Breakout Candidates in 2025

The lone rookie on this list, Harvey arrives via the second round of the draft. As the most explosive running back in the FBS last year (based on the number of 10-plus-yard carries), he arrives in the NFL as the Broncos' de facto RB1.

That's a lot of pressure, but the Broncos did their homework on Harvey. The size and talent are there, and he checks all of Payton's boxes, but his football IQ could be as dangerous as his impressive jumpcut.

As a proponent of the running-back-by-committee philosophy, Payton doesn't rely on a bell-cow, per se, but expect Harvey to get the lion's share of the touches in 2025. Time will tell whether his explosiveness can translate to a league of professionals much bigger, faster, and stronger than the collegiate opposition he faced.

I'm confident that it will, as are the Broncos. Harvey has a legitimate opportunity to break 1,000 yards rushing as a rookie. He'd become the first Broncos running back to hit that milestone in a single season since Phillip Lindsay in 2019.

Jonathon Cooper | OLB

For a guy coming off a 10.5-sack season and entering his fifth year, it might sound like a stretch to include him on a list of breakout candidates, but when it comes to his national profile and name cache, Cooper is still very much slept on. Last year, Bonitto garnered the media spotlight, not just because he notched three more sacks than Cooper, but because of the timing of some of his biggest plays, two of which were takeaways that he returned to the house.

However, Cooper has been a far more reliable and consistent player on the edge for Denver. The Broncos rewarded him last year with a multi-year extension, and he immediately produced a career-high season in kind.

It could be that Cooper is just scratching the surface. 10.5 sacks is an achievement. But with his toolbox, work ethic, and veteran savvy, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him push the high-teens in 2025.

If Cooper can do that, and turn in a few of his own highlight-worthy plays in critical moments, we could see the Broncos boast a Pro Bowl edge-rushing duo for the first time since Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.

Honorable Mentions

There are a few more guys I'll list as honorable mentions, whose breakout potential is within the bounds of the plausible.

Jahdae Barron | CB

The Broncos' first-round pick might seem like an obvious choice for a breakout candidate, and while he is the reigning Jim Thorpe Award winner, unlike Harvey, it's a little too early to pencil him in as a day-one starter. Don't get me wrong, if I must err, I'd do so on the side of him starting at some point this season, but I'm not sure when or at which position.

If Barron gets on the field early on Denver's first-team unit, he could easily break out and lead the team in interceptions, as he's an uber-ballhawk. But Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian will have a little something to say about that.

Devaughn Vele | WR

Vele's breakout potential would be higher if the Broncos didn't already have Courtland Sutton. Vele is projected to reprise his starting role at the Z position opposite of Sutton, but with Evan Engram joining the fray at tight end, and the aforementioned Mims likely poised to be a featured weapon, it's hard to see enough bites at the apple for the former seventh-rounder to truly break out.

But you never know how an NFL season is going to unfold and what opportunities may arise due to unforeseen circumstances, including the injury bug. Keep an eye on Vele, though.

Troy Franklin | WR

Part of Denver's impressive 2024 draft class, fans expected Franklin to produce at the level that Vele did as a rookie because of his two-year experience at Oregon playing with Nix. But it took Franklin some time to really get his NFL legs beneath him, and even then, he struggled with bad drops.

If Franklin can prove that he's mastered the over-the-shoulder catch, I could see his speed being an oft-utilized weapon in the Broncos offense. Similar to Vele, though, I'm not sure there will be enough touches to satisfy a breakout season, but injuries and other unforeseeable scenarios make it possible, provided Franklin has taken the necessary steps in his development from Year 1 to 2.

Drew Sanders | LB

On paper, the Broncos have an impressive starting linebacker duo in Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw. However, both are coming off of recent injuries, which makes it highly probable that Denver will have to turn to its linebacker depth at some point in 2025.

At this year's NFL Combine, both Payton and GM George Paton professed a belief in Sanders' future as a starter. The question is whether Sanders' number will be called in 2025, and that will depend totally on the vagaries of the injury bug. It would seem that Denver plans on Sanders being the succession plan when Singleton's contract expires following this season.

A 2023 third-round pick, Sanders' development has been impeded by positional changes and injuries, but he's a ridiculously talented player and it's easy to see why the Broncos are still so high on him. After the team made the decision last fall to move him back to inside linebacker permanently, he can now focus on mastering his craft.

Recommended Articles

If the football fates will him onto the field, I could see Sanders producing a genuine breakout campaign. But if 'ifs and buts' were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas.

Join the most outspoken fanbase in Denver Broncos land by connecting with Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and subscribe on YouTube for daily live-stream podcasts!