Zach Allen’s rise in the NFL Top 100 kept rolling Friday, and the Broncos defensive end made one of the bigger jumps in this year’s rankings.
Allen landed at No. 73 heading into the 2026 season, a 17-spot climb from his previous placement. It’s another sign of how far he’s come since arriving in Denver, where he has turned into one of the defining pieces of the Broncos’ defense.
“Respect continues to be earned for Allen, who was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection for the first time in 2025 and is now a two-time Top 100 member,” NFL Media’s Grant Gordon wrote. “A ballyhooed free-agent signing of the Broncos ahead of the 2023 season, Allen has become a driving force in Denver emerging as one of the league's top defenses.
Over the past two seasons, Allen has combined for 15.5 sacks, his 8.5 and seven sacks in 2024 and 2025, respectively, far exceeding his previous career bests. As the Broncos have risen to AFC heavyweight status, Allen has been a crucial reason as to why.”
The ranking comes after a strong season in the first year of Allen’s $102 million extension. He played in all 17 games and finished with 38 combined tackles, 47 quarterback hits and seven sacks. That production helped him pick up multiple all-star nods after earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2024.
“It was definitely nice to get it," Allen said in June of the recognition. "Obviously growing up as a kid, you dream of stuff like that.
I think the cool thing, too, is we have a lot of guys who are… It’s really just kind of a cohesive group where everyone kind of helps everyone. That’s why you saw so many guys get those recognitions on the team.
With team success comes individual award. We just have to keep on winning, and more guys will keep getting awards.”
The Top 100 placement is just another marker of Allen’s standing in Denver, where he’s become a cornerstone of a defense that has been built around him. The “baby JJ Watt” label he picked up before arriving from the Cardinals has only looked more fitting as his Broncos tenure has gone on.
And now, at 29 in August, Allen is also helping bring along the next wave. He’s working with younger defensive linemen like sophomore Sai'vion Jones and third-round rookie Tyler Onyedim, who are expected to be part of what could be a record-breaking effort this fall.
“He’s got the hard part kind of done," Allen said of Onyedim. "You could definitely tell he’s got the physical traits, and then he’s got a good attitude about it.
So he is always trying to learn, always asking questions. He really takes the film seriously, which is pretty rare for a young player.
He’s been great. It’s been awesome.
[I’m] really excited just to keep working [with him]. It’s crazy to think it’s only his second week on the job.
When the pads are on, it’s going to be fun.”
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