Denver Broncos Rookie Talks Mental State After Draft Day Tumble

The Denver Broncos made one of the most controversial picks of the 2024 NFL Draft when they took quarterback Bo Nix. However, that is distracting from the great value they got in the rest of the class. They took Nix’s teammate from Oregon, Troy Franklin, in the fourth round. A month ago, many had Franklin as a fringe first-round player, but he tumbled all the way to pick no. 102. At rookie camp, Franklin talked about his mental state going into the season.

Denver Broncos Troy Franklin On Mental State

When a player falls in the draft, it can have an impact on the mental state of a player. Troy Franklin isn’t letting it get him down. He is using it as motivation. 

“I think I just like to self-talk to myself, to remind myself, to see how all the other 31 teams viewed me or whatever the case is,” Franklin told Denver Sports‘ Andrew Mason. “So I kind of just let that sit in my head—a chip on my shoulder type deal.”

The fall in the draft may have been easier because he gets to play with his college teammate. Franklin already has chemistry with Nix, which means he could see a lot of volume early on. The Denver Broncos could also find themselves behind in a lot of games this year. This could give plenty of opportunities for Troy Franklin to show teams they made a mistake passing on him.

Solid Draft Class

The Denver Broncos went into the draft with very limited draft capital. While they only had two picks in the top 100, they got a promising quarterback and a solid linebacker. Then, they were able to grab Troy Franklin in the fourth round. In the fifth, they nabbed Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, who has big game experience thanks to playing in the SEC. This team is in bad shape, but the draft class might help fill some roster holes.

It’s hard to see the Denver Broncos winning many games this year. The fallout from the Russell Wilson deal will be felt for the next few years. Hopefully, Bo Nix and Troy Franklin can keep their chemistry going and dominate the NFL as they did in college.