The Denver Broncos surprised many with their third-round NFL Draft pick of wide receiver Pat Bryant from Illinois, following a similar unexpected strategy as their earlier picks. Despite ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s skepticism, the Broncos' front office, led by George Paton and Sean Payton, seems confident in their choices. Bryant, known for his impressive physical stature and ball skills, caught 19 touchdown passes in college but needs to work on route running and separation at the professional level. The decision to select Bryant is seen as a reach, with other potentially more impactful players like Jaylin Noel and Elic Ayomanor available. The pick has been graded a C+, as it suggests a long-term project rather than an immediate contributor for the upcoming season.

The Denver Broncos' third-round selection of wide receiver Pat Bryant from Illinois continued their surprising draft strategy, following the unexpected pick of running back R.J. Harvey.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. criticized the Broncos' draft choices, yet the team's leadership, including George Paton and Sean Payton, remains confident in their unconventional selections.

Pat Bryant is recognized for his physical size and above-average ball skills, having caught 19 touchdown passes in college, including 10 in his last season.

Bryant is considered a project due to his underdeveloped route running and need to improve separation against professional defenders.

Despite the potential seen in Bryant, analysts believe the Broncos missed out on more immediately impactful players like Jaylin Noel and Elic Ayomanor, who would fit well within their offense.

The selection of Bryant has been graded a C+, reflecting concerns about his readiness to contribute significantly in the near term.

The Broncos' draft approach underlines a focus on long-term development rather than immediate impact, although this strategy has been questioned by some experts.

The Denver Broncos followed up their selection of running back R.J. Harvey with a wide receiver, taking Pat Bryant out of Illinois. 

However, the pick stuck to the theme that the Broncos' front office seems to be going with in this draft... take players no one expected us to take. The Broncos scored well for their first-round selection of Jahdae Barron. Though the value was great at the No. 20 spot, the pick was a surprise to many. 

The selections of Harvey and Bryant are likely seen by most as surprises as well. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. was not a fan of either pick in his post-round analysis. 

I disagree with Kiper and scored the selection of Harvey high, but I won't be as generous with the selection of Bryant, which appears to be a big reach.

It's hard to question what George Paton and Sean Payton are doing with these picks. They are the ones spending hours evaluating them and they aren't going against the grain to start trending on X/Twitter. Clearly, there is an aspect of Bryant's game or something they see in his future development that they felt was the right fit for the team. 

But it's certainly questionable to pass on guys like Jaylin Noel and Elic Ayomanor, two players who not only graded higher according to every draft analyst but would also be great fits in this offense. 

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Bryant has the physical size that Payton loves at 6-foot-2 and his ball skills are above-average. He caught 19 touchdown passes in college, including 10 last season. He is far from polished as a route runner and will need to prove that he can get separation at the next level, but he is a project that Payton is happy to take on. 

Still, there were better players on the board who would have made a much more immediate impact this coming season. 

Grade: C+

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