GREEN BAY — The Denver Broncos added another weapon to their offense during the third round of the NFL Draft Friday night, selecting Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant with the 74th overall pick.
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Bryant led Illinois with 984 receiving yards (54 receptions) in 2024 and tied a school record with 10 receiving touchdowns. He was selected to the second-team All-Big Ten.
"It's clear [head coach] Sean Payton has a type when it comes to receivers. He likes big body, long wingspan, rangy-type guys," said Scripps News Denver Sports' Nick Rothschild.
Coming in at 6 feet 2 and 204 pounds, Bryant will be another solid receiver for quarterback Bo Nix.
- Hear instant reaction to the Bryant pick from Scripps News Denver7 Sports' Nick Rothschild in the video player below:
"He's a mismatch out of a slot. He's very good at the top of routes, great catch radius, good with the ball in his hands. Just kind of does all the dirty work that you want out of a wide receiver," said Rothschild.
But what stands out most about Bryant, according to Rothschild, is his ability to play under pressure.
"He plays best in big moments. He is clutch. He's the only player in college football last season that had three game-winning touchdown receptions. So you know you can count on him when the lights are the brightest," he said.
Offense was the name of the game Friday night. The Broncos drafted another weapon — Central Florida standout RJ Harvey — during the second round. Payton traded down twice in the second round and ultimately picked up the wide receiver with 60th overall pick.
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