Kris Abrams-Draine should be the Broncos’ fifth cornerback for the 2026 season

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 25: Kris Abrams-Draine #31 of the Denver Broncos warms up prior to the AFC Championship NFL football game against the New England Patriots at Empower Field At Mile High on January 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Denver Broncos begin their preparations for the 2026 season with the secondary being one of the premier strengths of the team. Top to bottom, you'll find quality players at both cornerback and safety. Their group of cornerbacks, led by Patrick Surtain II, is arguably the deepest and most versatile in the National Football League.

Having top-tier starters is important, but sporting quality depth is also critical. Entering his third year in the NFL, former Mizzou standout Kris Abrams-Draine is the incumbent fifth cornerback for Vance Joseph's defense. He will continue to be an important backup for the franchise.

A fifth-round pick by the Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft, Abrams-Draine was inactive for most of his rookie campaign. However, the talented Mizzou standout earned playing time at the end of the season after veteran cornerback Levi Wallace was benched for his poor performance against the Cleveland Browns. Last year, he appeared in all seventeen games with two starts.

No PS2? No problem. Look at this man coverage across the board by Kris Abrams-Draine, Jahdae Barron, and JaQuan McMillian. pic.twitter.com/DzYUqga7Nb

- Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) November 18, 2025

Player Profile

Age:24 |Experience:Third Year |College: Mizzou | Height:5'11" |Weight:178 pounds

Arm Length: 31" | Hand Size: 8-5/8" | Vertical: 33-1/2" | Broad Jump: 9'7"

40-Yard Dash: 4.44 seconds | 3-Cone: 7.15 seconds | Shuttle: 4.41 seconds

Kris Abrams-Draine's 2026 outlook with the Broncos

The Broncos have a loaded group of cornerbacks with Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja'Quan McMillian, and 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron. Right now, Kris Abrams-Draine is the favorite to be the fifth man in the group. There will be competition from several undrafted free agents and other fringe roster players, but it seems unlikely any are poised to unseat Abrams-Draine this summer.

In 25, Abrams-Draine notched 30 tackles and played 210 defensive snaps for the team along with 220 on special teams. Last year, 18 completions were made against him in coverage on 24 targets. As a rookie, he only allowed 7 of 16 targets to be completed. There was a bit of regression there in coverage, but nothing to be worried about.

Final Thoughts

Cornerback is a premium position in the league and Denver's group of players on the roster is arguably the best in the NFL. Abrams-Draine has flashed potential when given the opportunity but clearly is last in the pecking order at the position. Nevertheless, he has starting caliber ability and if called upon, Denver's secondary prowess shouldn't experience much of a drop off if he were tasked to start. It would be a surprise if he was ousted from the fifth spot by another player vying for the position.