PB #13

Pat Bryant

Wide Receiver · Illinois

An Illinois record-setter who developed into a reliable red-zone target for Denver by the end of his rookie season.

Pat Bryant went from Illinois' all-time touchdown chase to a Broncos rookie season that built steadily as the year went on. He opened 2025 buried on the depth chart before coach Sean Payton found ways to get him more involved down the stretch.

★ Tied Illinois' single-season receiving touchdown record (10, in 2024)

★ Second-team All-Big Ten (2024)

★ Third-round pick (No. 74 overall) by Denver in 2025

★ Played through Denver's run to the AFC Championship Game as a rookie

Path to the league

Bryant earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2024, catching 54 passes for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns, a total that tied Illinois' single-season receiving touchdown record. For his career, the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Bryant caught 137 passes for 2,095 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 77.8 percent of his catches going for a touchdown or first down. Denver drafted him in the third round, No. 74 overall, in 2025.

Career highlights

Bryant's college tape stood out for physicality at the catch point and sharp releases rather than pure speed, reflected in his 4.61-second 40 at the combine. He signed a four-year, $6.58 million rookie contract with Denver that included a $1.426 million signing bonus.

2025 season recap

As a rookie, Bryant caught 31 passes for 378 yards and a touchdown on 49 targets across 15 games, mostly playing as Denver's third or fourth receiver. His role grew in November as Payton worked to get him more involved, and he averaged better than four catches a game over his final five regular-season outings. He battled concussions late in the year, including one in the Broncos' playoff opener, and exited the AFC Championship Game early with a hamstring injury.