This is not as easy as you might think. First, some ground rules. The Broncos drafted some Hall of Famers back in the early 1960s. Merlin Olsen. Dick Butkus. In 1964, they drafted three future Hall of Famers - Bob Brown, Paul Krausse and "Bullet" Bob Hayes. None of these actually suited up for the Broncos. They went to the NFL, so those don't count.
Secondly, factoring in players who were traded using draft picks, don't count. Only players the Broncos actually selected with a draft pick count which means John Elway doesn't count although 1983 is still a good year. Years where one outstanding player was picked (Randy Gradishar, Lyle Alzado, Trevor Pryce, Shannon Sharpe) count but you have to weigh them against the rest of the selections.
Here are the best draft years (in chronological order):
* 1967 - Floyd Little (HOF, 5x Pro Bowler) 1-6, Mike Current 12-yr starter at OT 3-58.
* 1968 - Curley Culp (HOF, 6x Pro Bowler) 2-31. The Broncos tried to convert Culp to OG then traded him to KC in training camp when it didn't work out. Paul Smith (2x Pro Bowler at DT) 9-222, Marlin Briscoe (1x Pro Bowler) 14-357 WR whom the Broncos made into a running QB. Also Charlie Greer, 7-yr vet at DB 13-330.
* 1973 - Otis Armstrong (2x Pro Bowler) 1-9, Barney Chavous 13-yr starter at DE 2-36, Paul Howard 13-yr vet at OG 3-54, Tom Jackson (3x Pro Bowler, 12-yr starter at LB), Lyle Blackwood (13-yr DB but none at Denver) 9-217.
* 1975 - Louis Wright (5x Pro Bowler) 1-17, Rick Upchurch (4x Pro Bowler) 4-95, Rubin Carter (10-yr starter at NT)5-121, Steve Foley (9-yr starter at DB) 8-199.
* 1980 - Rulon Jones (2x Pro-Bowler at DE) 2-42, Keith Bishop (2x Pro-Bowler at OG) 6-157, Mike Harden (11-yr veteran at DB) 5-131, Rick Parros (7-yr RB and special teams guy) 4-107.
* 1983 - Chris Hinton (7x Pro-Bowler at OT) who we traded to Baltimore for Elway, 1-4, Karl Mecklenberg (6x Pro-Bowler as LB) 12-310, Gary Kubiak (9-yr backup QB) 8-197, Clint Sampson (3-yr WR), 3-60.
* 1985 - Steve Sewell (6-yr RB) 1-26, Vance Johnson (10-yr WR) 2-31, Simon Fletcher (10-yr LB) 2-54.
* 1989 - Steve Atwater (8x Pro-Bowler) 1-20, Doug Widell (9-yr starter OG) 2-41, Darren Carrington (6-yr DB) 5-134.
* 1994 - should get a special award since they had only 5 picks, three in the final round and yet drafted Allen Aldridge (7-yr starter at LB) 2-52, Keith Burns (12-yr vet and special teams maven) 7-210, Tom Nalen (5x Pro-Bowler), 7-218.
* 1995 - no picks until the 4th round but got Terrell Davis (3x Pro-Bowler) 6-196 and Byron Chamberlain (1x Pro-Bowler at TE), 7-222.
* 2000 - Deltha O'Neal (2x Pro-Bowler), 1-15, Ian Gold (1x Pro-Bowler) 2-40, Cooper Carlisle (12-yr veteran at OG) 4-112, Mike Anderson (4,000-yd career rusher) 6-189.
* 2006 - Jay Cutler (1x Pro-Bowler, 27,000-yd passer) 1-8, Brandon Marshall (5x Pro-Bowler at WR) 4-119, Elvis Dumervil (4x Pro-Bowler) 4-126, Tony Schefler (3200 yd receiving TE), 2-61, Chris Kuper (7-yr vet at OG), 5-161.
* 2010 - Demaryius Thomas (3x Pro-Bowler) 1-22, Zane Beadles (1x Pro-Bowler), 2-45, Eric Decker (4,000-yd receiver), 3-87.
* 2011 - Von Miller (3x Pro-Bowler) 1-2, Julius Thomas (2x Pro-Bowler) 4-129.
Obviously, the last three are still compiling stats and years played although 2006 draft year is winding down. I'm listing 9 choices in the poll as well as "other" for those who wish to vote.