While many expect the Denver Broncos to take a quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft, what options should they take a look at in the first round if they wanted to go the cornerback route, similar to 2021’s draft?

Denver Broncos could add to the cornerback position in the 2024 NFL Draft

During the 2021 NFL Draft, the widespread expectation for the Denver Broncos was that they were likely going to go quarterback with the ninth overall pick. Despite adding veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater the day before the draft, George Paton said that wouldn’t take them out of the QB market.

The Broncos ended up taking cornerback Patrick Surtain II with the ninth pick, passing on the quarterback position. This year, the Broncos pick 12th overall, and the expectation is that they’ll go quarterback. What if the Broncos go the same exact path as 2021?

Right now, Denver’s corner room features Surtain, third-year player Damarri Mathis, second-year player Riley Moss, veteran Tremon Smith, undrafted rookie free agent Art Green, Ja’Quan McMillian, and Reese Taylor.

Mathis and Moss are expected to compete for the starting job opposite of Surtain, but there is a chance Denver could add to the position room. Here are two prospects that would be worth the 12th overall pick if the Broncos pivot away from quarterback.

Could Broncos pair Surtain with fellow Crimson Tide cornerback Terrion Arnold?

Terrion Arnold was one of the best cornerbacks in college football this past season for the Crimson Tide, a team that made it to the College Football Playoff.

Arnold redshirted his first year in 2021, and took the field in 2022, where he appeared in 11 games and started seven of them under Nick Saban. In that season, he 45 tackles, nine passes defended, and one interception while being named a Freshmen All-American and SEC All-American.

He followed that season up with an incredible 2023 season, which led to a First Team All-American and First Team All-SEC after he led the SEC in interceptions (5) and passes defended (17).

He has a first-round grade, and is considered by many draft analysts as this year’s top cornerback. Arnold is a technician at the position who has good footwork and fluid hips that allow him to jam at the line of scrimmage and get in phase or make plays while in off-ball coverage.

Good reaction time and instincts, combined with a high football IQ, would make him and Surtain an exciting duo. This pick would give the Broncos room to argue they would have the best cornerback tandem in the NFL.

Quinyon Mitchell is a name to keep an eye on

A lot of the conversations surrounding cornerbacks this year are about Arnold and Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell being the 1A/1B tandem at the position going into the NFL Draft.

Mitchell was a three-year starter at Toledo, and had strong production on the outside against opposing offenses. He has a 38-inch vertical, ran a 4.33 40-yard dash, and has great lateral explosiveness at the position.

In the last two seasons combined, Mitchell had 44 passes defended and six interceptions, and 81 tackles. According to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Mitchell has a variety of strengths that project to translate well at the NFL level.

“Composed, fluid athlete with solid size and above-average speed (23.58 mph in practice) … balanced in his turn and run to stay on the same plane vertically … flashes a secondary burst when the ball is in the air … outstanding route recognition and anticipation to locate and play the football (NFL scout: “From now on, I’m calling him ‘right on Q’”.) … elite ball production, with half of his pass breakups coming downfield and the other half from his read-and-drive conviction downhill … had a four-interception game (two returned for touchdowns) against Northern Illinois in 2022, becoming the only FBS player with four interceptions and two pick sixes in the same game since at least 2000 … didn’t commit a penalty in 2023 (and drew only one pass interference fl ag in 2022) … didn’t play a ton of press but showed credible patience when he did … alert as a run defender, and missed tackles were rare on his senior film … stronger than he looks and had a 555-pound squat at Toledo … productive special-teams resume (444 career snaps) and played on both punt-return and punt-coverage unitsthe last four seasons (blocked a punt
in 2023) … reserved by nature and described as “humble” and “reliable” by his teammates, but he asked the staff to coach him hard … admirable toughness and will play through minor injuries … didn’t miss a game the last three seasons (40 straight starts).”

If the Broncos don’t feel good about any of the quarterbacks in the vicinity in which they are on the clock, it would be hard to ignore both Mitchell and Arnold at 12th overall, even though it wouldn’t be the preferred move in the eyes of most fans.