I covered the five offensive players I believe the Denver Broncos should target in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft yesterday, and now, today, we are going to take a look at the defense.
The Broncos’ defense ranks among the best in the league and has led the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons. However, they lost defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and safety PJ Locke in free agency, and could look to load up at a few positions during the 2026 NFL Draft.
With all that said, here are the five defensive players I believe the Denver Broncos should consider with their second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Anthony Hill Jr. just seems like a perfect fit for a Vance Joseph defense. He’s an athletic and rangy linebacker who excels at blitzing. He had 17 career sacks in college, and we all know Joseph loves to blitz his linebackers. He’s more than a pressure player, though; he has the size, length, and athleticism to develop as a coverage player while also being an explosive, downhill, rangy tackler in space.
ANTHONY HILL JR INTERCEPTIONJust one of MANY amazing linebackers in the 2026 Draft… pic.twitter.com/jMEzw4NWDC
The Broncos re-signed veterans Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad this offseason and are also moving Jonah Elliss from edge rusher to linebacker in some capacity. However, they could still draft a linebacker, and Anthony Hill Jr. would make a lot of sense for them. I personally believe they will address linebacker later in the draft, but I would not be upset at all with Hill Jr. in the second round.
Banks has first-round talent, but his production and injury history could have him slipping a bit during the draft.
Despite having all the size, length, athleticism, and talent, Caleb Banks never put it fully together in college, despite having flashes of brilliance. On top of that, he has dealt with multiple foot injuries, including suffering a broken foot while working out at the Combine. So, with those red flags, a talent like Banks could slip to the Broncos in the second round.
Caleb Banks is the most freakish athlete among the top 2026 DT prospects 🐊 pic.twitter.com/lw4u1kwIxL
He dominated at the Senior Bowl, tested very well at the Combine despite having a broken foot, and he has first-round talent. If the Broncos are comfortable with his medicals (they did have a top-30 visit with him), I could see them pouncing here.
You need to continue to add to your trenches, and the Broncos did lose veteran John Franklin-Myers to free agency. So, if you have the chance to add a 6-6, 327-pound lineman with 35-inch arms and pass rush upside, you do it.
I know, another defensive back early will get some fans worked up, but safety is a low-key need for the Broncos.
Brandon Jones is in the final year of his deal with the Broncos and is coming off a season-ending pectoral injury, and Talanoa Hufanga is a physical player with an injury history. On top of that, they lost PJ Locke, who was their third safety, and have Devon Key, JL Skinner, and Tycen Anderson as their depth. Those three combine for a total of 2 starts, all of which came from Key in 2024, and he did not play well at all.
AJ Haulcy is BIG HITTER and true playmaker at safety pic.twitter.com/hB5zVCDpjC
Haulcy would give the Broncos a talented third safety who could play either safety position and a player who could potentially replace Brandon Jones next season.
I like Haulcy’s overall game. He has some ball-hawking traits, which is always good, isn’t afraid to get involved in the run game, is a physical player, can cover the deep middle, and would just be a talented addition to the Broncos’ secondary.
If the Broncos are looking to add some size, strength, and run-stopping ability to their defensive line, then Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter makes a lot of sense for them. He is a stout run defender who can be an imposing run defender in the middle of your defensive line.
The quickness to decouple and the closing speed after prying past the block is *eye-catching* from Lee Hunter.6’4”, 330 pounds with a ton of juice. pic.twitter.com/loyyHrrjgt
The Broncos have DJ Jones, but he is 31 years old, and they can get out of his contract next season. On top of that, they have struggled to stop the Buffalo Bills’ running game in back-to-back postseason games, so adding a big run defender like Lee Hunter should help with that.
He doesn’t offer much in the way of pass rush, so he will not be replacing John Franklin-Myers, but he would improve the Broncos’ overall run defense if selected.