There is no spot Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton likes to draft more than wide receiver.
In his first 3 drafts as Broncos head coach, he’s taken more wide receivers (4) than any other position, and picked at least one each year.
Don’t expect that to slow down in 2026, with the Broncos in need of wide receivers more than ever, with The Athletic’s latest mock draft predicting USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane to the Broncos in the 3rd round (No. 94 overall).
There are wildly different projections on Lane’s NFL prospects after the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Arizona native had one of the wildest stat lines you’ll see in 2024 with 43 receptions for 525 yards … and 12 touchdowns.
Lane, 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, followed that up in 2025 with another line that will throw you off — 49 receptions for 745 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“Ja’Kobi Lane is a prototypical X-receiver with outstanding ball skills to dominate the catch point, similar to Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens,” Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “Lane is equipped with the frame and wingspan to thrive as a high-point specialist in the NFL. Lane is a former 4-star recruit in the 2023 class. He is coming off his best season of college football in 2025. Lane has never eclipsed 800 yards receiving in a single season.”
Lane Previously Projected for 1st Round
Before the 2025 season, the NFL Mock Draft Database projected Lane as a 1st round pick after he he capped 2024 by earning Las Vegas Bowl MVP honors with 7 receptions for 127 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 35-31 win over Texas A&M.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid had Lane ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver prospect in the 2026 draft class, while fellow draft expert Matt Miller didn’t even have him in his top 5 prospects.
“I have the 6-4, 195-pound redshirt sophomore ranked higher than everyone and will continue to reside on that island,” Reid wrote in July 2025. “But he is a polarizing prospect who has many scouts needing to see more. Despite 12 touchdowns last season, Lane had only 528 receiving yards and was held below 50 yards in eight of USC’s 13 games. There isn’t a true WR1 in this class yet, so, with a bit more consistency, Lane has the opportunity to rise and be the first receiver off the board.”
In February 2026, Reid no longer had Lane in his Top 5 wide receivers for the 2026 draft.
AFC Title Game Loss Led to Big Changes
The Broncos went 14-3 in 2025 and set the NFL record with 12 come-from-behind wins on the way to clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs.
One loss — a 10-7 home defeat against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game — seemed to undo a lot of that good work.
Playing without starting quarterback Bo Nix (fractured ankle), the Broncos didn’t necessarily struggle to throw the ball … but they did struggle to catch the ball. In the bigger picture of the season, Denver’s offensive struggles weren’t just something that popped up in the playoffs but instead prevented them from being 16-1 — 2 early-season losses on last-second field goals were because of offensive struggles.
In response, Payton fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and wide receivers coach Keary Colbert following the loss to the Patriots.
Draft Prediction Brings Broncos 6-foot-4, 200-Pound WR Compared to George Pickens