After passing on a glut of early-round receiver talent, Denver finally swung on a wideout in the third round of Friday night’s NFL draft.
Denver selected Illinois receiver Pat Bryant with pick No. 74, a new vertical threat entering Sean Payton and the Broncos’ offensive plans for 2025. He’s a ready-made fit in sheer frame for Payton, at a big-bodied 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds.
“They know all my attributes,” Bryant said Friday night on a conference call with reporters. “They know what I can do on the field. So my main focus in getting to Denver, man, is just do my job, and help the team win.”
Those attributes make for an interesting bag of traits, as Bryant was clocked at a 4.61-second 40-yard dash, second-slowest of all 39 receivers at the NFL combine. He could be a legitimate red-zone target for Denver, though, with a 37.5-inch vertical leap. And he’ll bring a steady set of hands for second-year quarterback Bo Nix, as he recorded just one drop in 78 targets last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I mean, that’s how I am as a receiver, man,” Bryant said. “My main focus, when the ball is in the air — it’s mine, and I’m better than the man that’s in front of me.”
He’s a steady blocker, too, expressing a simple philosophy to media Friday: “You block, you get the rock.”
The Broncos jumped up from an original No. 85 third-round slot to No. 74 after a maddening flurry of pick-swaps, the dust settling after dangling their second-round slot to the hungry Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions. After sliding down to No. 60 and landing their running back in UCF’s RJ Harvey, a number of potential draft needs still lay on the board for Denver: tight end, wide receiver, defensive line.
Tight ends, in particular, flew off the board faster than many anticipated, as a glut of second-tier options like LSU’s Mason Taylor, Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson and Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. went in the second and third rounds. And Texas tight end Gunnar Helm sat, waiting, at No. 74, a Cherry Creek High product who previously told The Denver Post it’d be a “great honor” to play for the Broncos.
And Denver, ultimately, opted for a different kind of receiving threat, as Bryant will join Courtland Sutton and a glut of young receivers come 2025.
Pat Bryant, Illinois
Round/pick: 3rd/74
Age: 22
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 204 pounds
College: Illinois
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Notable: Bryant was a staple for Illinois and coach Bret Bielema for multiple seasons. He saw his production increase each year of his college career, culminating with 54 catches for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. He caught 17 total touchdowns over his final two seasons. Not straight-line fast, clocking a 4.61-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He’s known for being a quality route runner and a willing blocker. According to The Athletic, Bryant had just one drop on 78 targets in 2024.
Originally Published: April 25, 2025 at 8:09 PM MDT
