Denver Broncos select defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim in 2026 NFL draft, traded picks with Buffalo Bills

The Denver Broncos selected defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim from Texas A&M with the 66th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft Friday night. This came after a trade with the Buffalo Bills moments before the Broncos' initial selection toward the end of the second round. 

"It's going to be a blessing, being able to learn from the best. They have a really, really good defensive line. I'm excited; I'm happy; I'm excited. I'm just ready to go. I'm ready to go," said DT Tyler Onyedim, as he reacted to his selection by the Denver Broncos during his NFL draft conference call.   

The Broncos traded its second round pick to the Bills, COO Patrick Smyth confirmed leading right up to the 62nd selection of the draft. Denver received Buffalo's selections in the third round and sixth round of the draft — the 66th overall (Onyedim) and 182nd overall picks.  

With the 62nd pick, the Bills selected cornerback Davison Igbinosun from Ohio State. Igbinosun was not a name mentioned among projected targets for the Broncos at that spot in this year's draft. 

Onyedim was also not originally among targets mentioned as Broncos selections on the Denver Broncos website. But, for Onyedim, he told the team his instincts took over when the trade for the 66th overall pick was made. 

"I prayed. I prayed to God. We talked about this. I've been praying about this my whole entire life, so just me waiting. I know the coach really wanted me," Onyedim said during his draft call. "I saw Denver on the clock. I saw they traded. I just had a feeling they were picking me. I just had a feeling. When they traded, I looked at my agent, and I just knew. I knew what it was. That's how I felt."

Immediately, when head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton sat down to talk about the second draft night and the selection, Payton made it clear Onyedim was a player they wanted, and a player the Broncos needed. 

"Going through this process, it was really the athleticism, and playing a position that it's always hard to find — defensive tackle," Payton said of Onyedim. "His strike, his shed. But it was the athlete makeup. Those were the traits."  

The Broncos originally held picks in the first round (30th overall) and late picks in the third and fourth rounds of the draft. But those were traded to the Miami Dolphins when the Broncos acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle earlier in the offseason. 

Denver also held selections in the following rounds in 2026: 

• Fourth round — 108th (RB Jonah Coleman) and 111th (OL Kage Casey) overall picks 
• Fifth round — 152nd overall pick (TE Justin Joly, traded up by sending picks 170 and 182 to the Cleveland Browns)
• Seventh round — 246th (S Miles Scott) 256th (TE Dallen Bentley) and 257th (LB Red Murdock) overall picks 

The Broncos general manager was positive about the team's outlook for the third day of the draft moving forward. 

"The reason why we've been so good the last couple of years is because of our depth, and where you get that depth is the third day," Paton said during the press conference.