The Denver Broncos left Lucas Oil Stadium last weekend with a 34-30 preseason victory over the Indianapolis ColtsThe Broncos received major contributions from their draft class and their rookie players.

Many of these newcomers have a place in the squad, but not all of them. Before the second preseason game against Green Bay PackersHere’s our stock report for the Broncos’ rookie class, but keep in mind there are a few more players not listed below due to relative sample size.

Nix continued his heralded trend in his NFL debut on Sunday, completing 71.4% of his passes for 125 yards and a touchdown and posting a QB rating of 102.3.

As the second quarterback to take the field for the Broncos in Game 1, his performance was impressive, even if it wasn’t perfect. In five possessions, Nix led four rushes, two of which resulted in touchdowns.

Nix will get the chance to build on his impressive debut as starting quarterback in Game 2 against the Packers. Another good performance could lead to head coach Sean Payton naming him the starter as early as next week.

The Broncos’ third-round pick was the defense’s most consistent pass-rushing force in Game 1. Elliss finished with a sack but also pressured the quarterback several times, including one that led to a key interception late in the second quarter and gave Nix and the offense new life to score late in the half.

Although Franklin arrived in Denver on a wave of enthusiasm and was considered Nix’s No. 1 target in Oregon, he failed to live up to expectations. Franklin’s downward trend was evident as early as Game 1, when he received just one target and no stats in 22 snaps.

As other receivers move up, it will be interesting to watch Franklin’s development. Nothing is guaranteed.

Abrams-Draine performed well in his professional debut, intercepting a pass on a potential two-point conversion by the Colts. With the Broncos looking for a reliable No. 2 cornerback to start alongside Patrick Surtain II, the fifth-round rookie appears to have worked his way into a competition that also includes 2023 third-round pick Riley Moss, veteran rookie Levi Wallace (who did not play in Game 1) and Damarri Mathis.

Estime had 10 runs in Game 1, the most on his team, and scored a touchdown, but overall his performance was underwhelming. It wasn’t just because of his lost fumble. Estime’s trademark is a short-yardage player, and he struggled in that regard in his professional debut.

However, his talent, size and speed were clearly visible. There is little doubt that Estime will have a role to play once he gets his feet wet in the NFL. But for now, his value has dropped just a little bit.

Vele was on a roll the week before Game 1, catching one spectacular ball after another in Broncos camp. While he wasn’t able to fully translate that momentum into Game 1, he played well (except for one snap) and was clearly a plus for the Broncos offense.

The only negative thing about Vele’s first game was the miscommunication between him and Nix in the red zone. Nix threw a fade, but Vele ran a slant, creating a dangerous turnover opportunity at worst and a missed scoring opportunity at best. He caught just one pass that day, but earned two massive pass interference calls that the Broncos were able to exploit.

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The seventh-round pick from South Carolina did not play in Game 1. And he was solid, if unspectacular, in training camp. Right now, his trajectory is static, and he was only included in this article because he is a 2024 draft pick.

Like Estime, Watson lost a fumble, but he proved to be the edgy playmaker the Broncos envisioned when they signed him as a college free agent. Watson ran for 26 yards for a touchdown and intercepted a Zach Wilson wheel route and carried it 33 yards.

Overall, the undrafted rookie played well and seemed like he belonged.

Crum has the size and talent a coaching staff could want, but the question is whether he can put it all together quickly enough to stay in the NFL as an early college free agent. Game 1 showed he still has a long way to go from a technical standpoint.

For an undrafted rookie, Bailey received a surprising amount of praise from Sean Payton in the offseason. But that didn’t pay off in Game 1. Bailey finished the game with two assisted tackles and had a largely forgettable debut.

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