Troy Franklin, an Oregon wide receiver who may turn out to be the draft’s best value, was chosen by the Broncos after they traded up in the fourth round of the draft.
Denver Broncos selected Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin with the 102nd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Broncos traded up to select Franklin who will now reunite with their first-round pick, quarterback Bo Nix in Denver. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had a 2nd-3rd grade on Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin while ranking him as his 12th-best wide receiver in the draft and his 58th overall player in the draft.
Franklin played a total of three seasons at Oregon and was a productive player during his time with the team. During his three seasons, he totaled 160 receptions for 2,483 yards and 25 touchdowns. This past season with Bo Nix at quarterback, Franklin totaled 81 receptions for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Now the explosive wide receiver joins a crowded wide receiver room and reunites with his college teammate Bo Nix in Denver. Can the two create the same magic they had in Oregon in Denver with the Broncos? I hope so.
Player Profile
Height: 6-2
Weight: 176 pounds
40-time: 4.41 seconds
Vertical Jump: 39 inches
Broad Jump: 10’4”
3-Cone Drill: 6.9 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.31 seconds
Arm Length: 31 7/8th inches
Hands: 8 3⁄4 inches
How rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin fits with the Denver Broncos
Franklin is a fascinating case.
Some had him ranked as a first-round prospect while most figured he would be a second pick. A wide receiver taken in those rounds would be expected to be an instant contributors. However, Franklin fell into the fourth round despite being a productive deep/explosive threat at Oregon and now has the potential to be a steal for the Broncos.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters after the draft that he views Franklin as a ‘Z’ receiver in his offense. He praised his “really good” speed while also saying he was really impressed with him at the line of scrimmage. He worked out with Bo Nix at the private workout he had with the Broncos so they had some more exposure to him than others and ended up moving up to get him.
“Troy Franklin. I think when we went home last night, it kind of clears out and you are looking at how the next day might unfold. The two of us looked at Franklin and knew it was going to be impossible for us to wait. When the day ends, there are always these six players around the league that you feel like are going to go pretty quickly. We see him as an outside ‘Z.’ He has really good speed. He is a guy we were really impressed with at the line of scrimmage. We also had the Combine and even at Bo’s private workout he was there. We probably had a little bit more exposure. There was a lot more coincidence to that. That is just how this draft unfolds sometimes. There was a really unique player with a high grade, call it two rounds over, that is sitting there by himself. We see him as a ‘Z.”
Payton and the Broncos entered round four with their sights set on Franklin. General manager George Paton told reporters that he received a text from Payton at 6 am saying “we need to get this player” and he agreed and they made it happen.
We left about midnight because we were here late, obviously. Sean [Payton] sleeps in a bit typically. I knew when I got a text at 6 a.m. that said, ‘Let’s get this player,’ that we had to figure this one out. It was universal. It was a consensus.”
As for his potential fit and role in the offense, it is complicated. The receiver room has Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims, Tim Patrick, fellow rookie DeVaughn Vele, Brandon Johnson, and others who have contributed to the team in recent years. The path to playing time is limited but he has a skill-set that a lot of the players mentioned do not have. He is a true speed threat who has good size and is very familiar with the quarterback the team drafted at 12th overall. So, while it might be tough, it would not surprise me to see Franklin find a way to earn a starting job in the offense.
Courtland Sutton’s pending future with the team could open up a pathway for Franklin but how that plays out remains to be seen.
Final Thoughts
Getting Franklin in the fourth round was a pretty big steal for the Broncos. This was a very deep receiver class so naturally, someone had to drop, and Franklin was that player. He brings some much-needed speed to this offense along with good size, explosiveness, and familiarity with Bo Nix.
How the receiver room shakes out remains to be seen, but you have to think Sean Payton has a plan for Franklin, especially if Bo Nix earns the starting job. He will be looking for his favorite target in college early and often when he is on the field.
The Broncos need a player like Franklin to be a hit. They have lacked a true playmaker in their offense for quite awhile and Franklin has the potential to be just that. Hopefully, we see a lot of Nix to Franklin connections in Denver for the foreseeable future.