Crean’s taunt sends Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez to Denver with the 30th pick of the first round.
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“Because he is only 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds, there is a realistic chance that Jacob Rodriguez goes down in the second or even the beginning of the third round,” Clean wrote for ClutchPoints. “However, if a team can get out of its own way and just go ahead and fill a need with the best defensive player in college football last season, this could work out very well. Sean Payton drafts at the rate of his own drummer, and will see Rodriguez for what he is: an incredible football player at any level.”
Rodriguez ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash and a 1.6-second 10-yard dash at the NFL combine. He totaled 128 tackles, seven forced fumbles, six pass deflections, four interceptions and one sack in 14 games with the Red Raiders last fall. It’s easy to imagine the Broncos targeting Rodriguez, but the first round could be a little early.
After receiving two compensatory picks ahead of NFL free agency, Denver now has nine picks in the 2026 NFL draft, which will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Broncos select LB Jacob Rodriguez