Editor’s note: First in a series of NFL draft previews as it relates to the Broncos. Monday: Quarterbacks. Broncos’ in-house offseason moves: Re-signed backup QB Jarrett Stidham; added QB Sam Ehlinger in free agency. Under contract: Bo Nix (three years + club option), Stidham (two years), Ehli nger (one year) Need scale (1-10): 2. This time last year, head coach Sean Payton’s staff was facing “a lot of pressure” to hit on a QB of the future. They made out like bandits with Nix at pick No. 12 after an initial heap of post-draft questions. Now, with Nix cemented heading into Year Two and steady backup Stidham returning, there’s little reason for Denver to look especially hard at a QB in the draft. They could still look at a late-round guy or UDFA to push Ehlinger for QB3. Top five Cam Ward, Miami: Our lackadaisical king. At his best, behind a behemoth offensive line last year at Miami, Heisman finalist Ward operated in the pocket like he’d just woken up from a two-hour nap. He’s got aura; he could be the NFL’s answer to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s also a pretty solid quarterback who threw for 39 touchdowns last year and has the arm talent to hit on throws of all kinds, even when his feet are topsy-turvy. It’ll be fascinating to see how the presumptive No. 1 overall pick’s style will translate to the NFL. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado: Sanders is polarizing, partly (okay, mostly) because of the name on the back of his jersey. His pro day tape from Friday set off Twitter arguments between players currently in the league. ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said recently Sanders was the toughest QB he’d ever evaluated since a majority of his snaps involved either dinky throws or line protection so terrible it defied logical explanation. That sliver of remaining tape, though, shows a live-armed QB who’s comfortable in the pocket. Lightning rod or not, he’s almost assuredly a top-five pick. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss: Pretty fascinating collegiate career here. Dart was a top recruit who battled for a year at USC, transferred out when Lincoln Riley brought Caleb Williams with him from Oklahoma, then rocketed up draft boards in three seasons playing under former USC coach Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. He’s big (6-foot-2, 223 pounds) and could eventually profile as a solid NFL starter. In a fairly weak QB class, he has risen high into the first round in most draft projections. Jalen Milroe, Alabama: There’s some disagreement beyond a pretty clear top three of Ward-Sanders-Dart, but Milroe has as much upside as anyone. Dual-threat QBs are all the rage, and Milroe ran for 20 touchdowns last year at Alabama and can bowl people over at 217 pounds. The problem: he threw five touchdowns against 10 picks in SEC play. There’s a lot of room for growth. Related Articles Broncos Journal: Thanks Bo Nix, too, for Denver’s free-agent haul Renck & File: Any NFL mock draft that doesn’t have Broncos picking running back in first round needs to go Broncos need a late-round WR? Three sleepers lie up Route 36 at CU CU’s Travis Hunter wants to play both ways in the NFL. Champ Bailey knows it won’t be easy Running back or bust? Broncos believe they have flexibility as NFL draft stretch run arrives Will Howard, Ohio State: You could throw a few names here to round out a top-five, from Syracuse’s Kyle McCord to Texas’ Quinn Ewers to Louisville’s Tyler Shough. Let’s go with Howard, who might not have the mechanical quickness to become an NFL stud but at the very least will be a plus backup for however long his body lets him. He stands 6-foot-4, is tough, and showed he can make every throw in Ohio State’s run to a national championship. His leadership might be his best NFL projectable. More Broncos options Cam Miller, North Dakota State: Miller’s done a 30 visit with Denver, and could catch Payton’s eye as a UDFA. He’s got pedigree from five years at FCS power North Dakota State. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame: If the Broncos wanted to reach a little higher for another young quarterback in their room, Leonard could be a good developmental guy. He’s got great size at 6-foot-4 and ran for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns last year as a dual-threat standout at Notre Dame. The arm might not profile as a consistent NFL starter, though. Max Brosmer, Minnesota: Brosmer’s had multiple Zoom chats with Denver QBs coach Davis Webb, and could be another late-round or UDFA fit. He’s a smart, accurate processor with a solid arm, completing 66.5% of his passes last year at Minnesota. He just doesn’t carry a ton of upside. Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier (Canada): Hey, this would just be cool. Elgersma’s aiming to become the first player to ever be drafted who hasn’t played a snap for an American college. He was a standout in Canada, and has drawn interest from NFL teams for his size (6-foot-5, 227 pounds) and pedigree. The Elgersma Bandwagon is accepting all comers. Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis. ...read more read less