Thread: What Was The Broncos' Best Draft Year?

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.

John Elway.

The whole 2010 draft was pretty awesome - in part, because we took a gamble on the phenom that is Timmy Tebow. But Decker and dt were great picks as well.

Originally Posted by Valar Morghulis

The whole 2010 draft was pretty awesome - in part, because we took a gamble on the phenom that is Timmy Tebow. But Decker and dt were great picks as well.

But let's not kid ourselves with rules about what players are included - the 1983 draft was the greatest thing to happen to Denver

1) Baltimore drafted Elway then traded him to us for Chris Hinton, Mark Herrmann and picks. If you want to say the 83 draft was awesome, it could still be so when you consider Hinton's success as well as Mecklenberg's. We got a backup QB that eventually became OC and now HC.

2) I intentionally left out Tebow so as to keep posters focused on the subject. Even if you're a fan, it can be argued that more should be expected of a first-round selection than 2 seasons and one memorable playoff win.

3) A good case can be made for 2010 as the best ever. I think 1973 and 2006 are probably my preferred classes.

DT and Decker, one good pick and one great pick, not even close. Beadles was too high/didn't even fit systemand DT Shoulda been the player Doogie moved back into round one for, using the first pick on an OL that actually fit a power scheme. J.D Walton was horrible and Tebow put a stink on the franchise that still permeates to this day. Decker and DT were well on their way to being busts before the FO saved their career by firing the inept leadership that got played like a piano in this draft.

F+

By the way, Elway was part of the '83 draft class, Hinton never even signed a contract with Denver iirc. Elway makes this discussing a question of which draft class was 2nd best.

1983 all day!

A++++++


The 2nd best draft would be interesting.

It came down to '73 or '75 because of how many great players that we go from that 1 draft, it gave it to '75 because it was just a bit better.

Yes, Elway + Meck was great in '83, but that all we got that were note worthy as players. Kubes is great as a coach, but barely adequate as a player.

As far as the last 3 options, I'll wait until they finish their careers before making my final assessment of them.

Why aren't you including Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore, Virgil Green and Quinton Carter in the 11' draft class?

It's not the best group but those names in the 2000 class bring back memories.

Originally Posted by Jaded

DT and Decker, one good pick and one great pick, not even close. Beadles was too high/didn't even fit systemand DT Shoulda been the player Doogie moved back into round one for, using the first pick on an OL that actually fit a power scheme. J.D Walton was horrible and Tebow put a stink on the franchise that still permeates to this day. Decker and DT were well on their way to being busts before the FO saved their career by firing the inept leadership that got played like a piano in this draft.

F+

By the way, Elway was part of the '83 draft class, Hinton never even signed a contract with Denver iirc. Elway makes this discussing a question of which draft class was 2nd best.

DT was well on his way to being a bust? Are you high?

IAOFM had this question with what was the best -single- draft pick ever - they started post-Elway because before that is kind of impossible with Elway the obvious most important Bronco ever (or you could say without Floyd Little there would be no Denver Broncos).

Imagine the same rationale applies to full drafts.

FWIW in that poll Atwater, '89, won in a landslide in the poll.

I'll say '95, TD in the 6th. They didn't get anyone else but that pick won 2 SBs.

'06 is interesting. Putting Cutler aside I don't know how you get Brandon Marshall and Elvis Dumervil back to back in the 4th. That's insane.

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

Why aren't you including Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore, Virgil Green and Quinton Carter in the 11' draft class?

Because their contributions are somewhat undefined at the moment. Green is just now getting some playing time (maybe), Franklin and Moore were apparently not good enough to keep around. I've totally lost track of Carter. Pretty clear who the headliners of that draft turned out to be.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

DT was well on his way to being a bust? Are you high?

He didn't do a ******* thing until late, LATE in his second season, except: a broken hand, broken foot, torn Achilles. . .leaving his date passed out so she could get raped by his teammate.

Are you high?

Btw, is the insult to DT that bothers you or to Joshie-poo?

Yes, he was injured early in his career. That doesn't mean he was on his way to being a bust. Once he got healthy, he was a beast. That has absolutely nothing to do with who our coaching staff was at any of those times.