DETROIT — Not far below a quarterback in the first round, history says Denver Broncos fans should be excited about their team taking a running back in the middle to late rounds.
The Broncos did it again Saturday when they selected Notre Dame running back Audric Estime with their No. 147 overall selection in the fifth round. Two picks earlier, at No. 145, the Broncos took Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine. The Broncos also drafted Utah receiver Devaughn Vele with their No. 235 pick in the seventh round and South Carolina center Nick Gargiulo with pick No. 256.
The Broncos class of 2024:
Rd (Pick) Player, position, college
1. (12) Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
3. (76) Jonah Ellis, OLB, Utah
4. (102) Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
5. (145) Kris Abram-Draine, CB, Missouri
5. (147) Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame
7. (235) Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah
7. (256) Nick Gargiulo, center, South Carolina
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Estime rushed for 920 and 1,341 yards his past two seasons at Notre Dame on 6.2 yards per carry with 29 combined rushing touchdowns. He was not much of a receiver for Notre Dame, recording just 26 catches in his two-plus seasons there.
Only 20 years old, Estime would have been drafted higher had he not run a disappointing 4.71 second/40 at the NFL Combine. He did improve his 40 time to 4.58 at Notre Dame's Pro Day,
"You have ups and downs in life,'' Estime said in a conference call with the Denver media Saturday. "I knew there would be ups and downs in practice, I've just got to stay right in the middle. I can't let one thing affect my whole process.
"I didn't run the time I was expecting to run. I had been running a lot faster during my time leading up to the 40. But that's over with, now it's time for me to play football and I'm ready to be a Bronco and play high-level football."
Over the past 30 years, the Broncos have had remarkable success with running backs drafted late. Here's a list of 1,000-yard rushers the Broncos have drafted in the fourth round or later:
- Terrell Davis, 1995, 6th round
- Olandis Gary, 1999, 4th round
- Mike Anderson, 2000, 6th round
- Peyton Hillis, 2008, 7th round (1,000 yard season came with Browns in 2010)
- C.J. Anderson, 2013, undrafted
- Phillip Lindsay, 2018, undrafted
Abrams-Draine, 22, was a second-team All-American and first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection last season as a senior. He is 5-foot-11, 178 pounds and had four interceptions last year and three in 2021 as a sophomore. Not bad for a star high school receiver who converted to cornerback in his sophomore year in college.
“I feel like DB is more I can show my athletic ability,'' Abrams-Draine said. "I just feel like it was an easier transition for me because I’m a competitive person, so I just never turn down a challenge.”
Abrams-Draine was Missouri's top kickoff returner in 2021, taking one all the way for a touchdown. The Broncos are looking for a returner to partner with Marvin Mims Jr. because of the NFL's new kickoff alignment that requires two returners in the box between the goal line and 20.
“Yes, if the coaches want me to be in that role, then I’m all for it,'' Abrams-Draine said. "I have return abilities, so I’m comfortable back there.”
Vele had 55 and 43 catches the past two seasons at Utah. He's 6-foot-4, 205 pounds and 26 years old. Between serving a two-year Mormon mission and getting an extra year of eligibility from the pandemic season of 2020, Vele was one of the older players in the draft.
"I knew the biggest concern coming into the draft was going to be my age,'' Vele said in his conference call. "Being a little older from serving the two-year mission but at the end of the day the NFL is a business. It's going to be based off your production. It doesn't matter how old you are as long as you contribute to the team and help them win you're going to be able to see the field.
"I understood that was going to be the thing going into this draft and any team that took a chance on me despite my age I was going to be grateful to them and I'm going to give them 110 percent."
Vele joins Utah teammate Jonah Ellis, an edge player, in the Broncos' 2024 draft class.
"We called him the Mayor of Sack Lake City,'' Vele said of Elliss.
The Broncos concluded their draft by taking Gargiulo, a center-guard, with the second-to-last pick, No. 256 overall.
“I am excited for the opportunity to play for such a great franchise,'' Gargiulo said. "Regardless of when my name was called, I am really thankful to them for the opportunity.”
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