Broncos' Draft Success in First Three Rounds Receives NFL Ranking

It's been a topsy-turvy decade of drafting for the Denver Broncos, but are they on the right track now?

Aug 11, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) and quarterback Bo Nix (10) stand on the field during warm ups before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

As teams prepare for the NFL draft, reflecting upon what they've done through the years can be insightful. A reexamination of history can carry more weight with some teams than others, especially in the case of the Denver Broncos, who have undergone multiple staff changes over the last decade.

Today, we're examining how the Broncos' draft hauls compare to the rest of the NFL over the last 10 years. 

Daniel Kelley of FTNFantasy examined NFL teams' performance over the last 10 years in the first round, and in another, he examined the second and third rounds. He didn’t include trades and only examined what the players did during their original tenure with the team. 

The Broncos failed to make it into the top 16 for the first round. In the end, the Broncos ranked 19th in terms of success in the first round. While it's better than the Las Vegas Raiders (31), the Broncos ranked lower than the Kansas City Chiefs (4) and Los Angeles Chargers (3). 

Kelley highlights how the selections of Patrick Surtain II and Bo Nix saved the Broncos from being even lower. When you look at Denver's other six first-round picks over the last 10 years, you have two guys no longer in the NFL: Paxton Lynch and Shane Ray.

Bradley Chubb and Jerry Jeudy got big contracts from the team Denver traded them to. Noah Fant found a role in Seattle, and then Garett Bolles made a living as the Broncos' left tackle. 

Only two of the eight have signed extensions with the Broncos; a third is one year into his rookie contract. The Broncos' first-round ranking is severely dinged by how big of a failure the Lynch and Ray picks were.

Denver got 54 games out of the two, with 49 for Ray and five for Lynch. Chubb also gave the Broncos 49 games before he was traded, Fant gave them 47, and Jeudy gave them 57. 

As a GM, John Elway had a successful start in Denver, but the final few years featured too many swings and misses in the first round. For the first round only, though, Denver ranking 19th out of 32 is very fair. 

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

When Kelley examined the second round, things got better for the Broncos. Denver moved up a few spots to be ranked 15th — in the top half. The Raiders were 32nd, the Chargers 28th, and the Chiefs came in at the top. 

Over these 10 years, the Broncos have made 26 selections in the second and third rounds and have gotten 1,464 games out of those players. That group is headlined by Justin Simmons, who garnered multiple Pro Bowls as one of the best safeties in the NFL for numerous years, and Marvin Mims Jr., who has been a Pro Bowl returner in his two years in the NFL. Courtland Sutton and Nik Bonitto are the two other players highlighted by Kelley. 

Jonah Elliss had a promising rookie campaign. Drew Sanders is on a downward trend, while the Broncos' other 2023 third-round pick, Riley Moss, had a good season in 2024 but needs to stay healthy. While Bonitto was a hit, Greg Dulcich was a bust. Javonte Williams and Baron Browning are with other teams, but Quinn Meinerz is one of the best guards in the NFL. 

The 2020 draft was a major miss. Four day-two picks were selected, three of which flamed out before their rookie contracts, and one, Lloyd Cushenberry, was allowed to walk in free agency. The 2019 draft featured Dalton Risner and Dre’Mont Jones, who were allowed to walk, and Drew Lock, who was traded away. 

Recommended Articles

feed

There were some good hits, but out of the 26 selections, only three signed new deals with Denver, one is looking for a new contract, and three others have been promising. So, eight out of 26 isn’t a terrible hit rate, but it isn’t great, putting them 15th in a fair spot. 

---

Join the most outspoken fanbase in Denver Broncos land by connecting with Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and subscribe on YouTube for daily live-stream podcasts!