Despite A-Graded Draft Class, Broncos Disrespected in Latest NFL Power Rankings

The Broncos can't seem to garner any clout from national pundits even though the team has been praised for its offseason moves.

We have long lamented how negative the national perspective has been on the Denver Broncos since the 2019 NFL season ended. Some national pundits have been downright suspicious of any- and everything Broncos. 

Drew Lock's 4-1 finish to last season fell on deaf ears and even after free agency, when GM John Elway filled several roster holes with Pro Bowlers like DL Jurrell Casey and CB A.J. Bouye, the Broncos could get nowhere edgewise with the national perspective. 

For many weeks now, I've been cautioning fans to pump the brakes on getting too worked up over the perceived national disrespect of the Broncos, saying 'wait until after the draft'. We have now reached that point. 

The 2020 NFL Draft has officially come and gone and the Broncos flooded the roster with 10 selections. Elway has roundly been lauded once again for his draft haul but how has it affected the Broncos' standing within the power rankings nation-wide? 

A good barometer is SI's poll-based power rankings that were just released. With the draft in the rear-view, here's what SI's poll revealed. 

24. DENVER BRONCOS

Points in poll: 57
Highest-place vote: 21 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 25 (1 voter)
Season result: 7-9, second place in AFC West
Post-SB Rank: 22
SI Draft Grade: A

The jury’s still out on Drew Lock, but he’s got plenty of weapons to take a leap in 2020.

So, wait a minute. The Broncos brought in a grade-A draft class and still fell two spots in the poll? Something isn't adding up. 

God bless SI but this doesn't hold water rationally. You can't be lauded for bringing as good of a draft class as it gets, only to fall in the power rankings, and have that power ranking withstand the scrutiny of logic. 

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

It Doesn't Matter

While it's fun to read these type of power rankings, the truth is, they're meaningless. And even if there were some innate truth therein, the reality is, the NFL is the No. 1 product on the American sports landscape due in large part to the parity of the league. 

Each year, the NFL cranks out worst-to-first success stories, and vice versa, where teams like the woeful Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans storm out of the cellar to make a playoff push. 

The reality is, the Broncos ended last season with real, tangible momentum. Nothing that has transpired since has detracted from that trajectory. 

In fact, with a great free agent class and a grade-A draft haul, all empirical evidence suggests the Broncos are a significantly better team post-draft. Not worse. 

Let them sleep on the Broncos. It plays right into the hands of Lock and company. I'm certain that by the time it's all said and done, the likes of Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Michael Ojemudia, and Lloyd Cushenberry will have something to say on the matter and a sizable impact on how it shakes it. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.