The Lead
The day before the start of the 2021 NFL Draft will mark an important anniversary for the Broncos.
Ten years ago, on April 28, 2011, the Broncos changed the course of their future by selecting Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller with the second-overall pick.
But while there was plenty of Pro Bowl-level — and some Hall of Fame-level — talent available when the Broncos went on the clock, the Broncos never really had eyes on anyone else, as Denver's former head coach John Fox recently said in a retrospective written by The Athletic's Nick Kosmider.
"We were unanimous the last two weeks on Von, mainly because he was a defensive player who could play all four downs," Fox told Kosmider. "He had that kind of dynamic as an athlete, and we liked him as a young man. He was by himself."
However, that's not to say Miller's path to that position was a given. As Kosmider details through a conversation with former Aggies head coach Mike Sherman, Miller had to strive through some adversity to prove his potential to be the kind of player who could someday win Super Bowl MVP.
"At the end of it, probably what intrigued me the most was we took Julius Peppers during my first year with the Panthers," Fox told Kosmider. "He's going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I kind of saw remnants of that, and an even more explosive of a guy than that, in Von."
Be sure to check out the full article to hear more about how the Broncos scouted Miller and other players during John Elway's first year leading the personnel department, as well as how Miller and other rookies adjusted amid the 2011 lockout.
Below the Fold
While most of the attention is on the Broncos' options with the ninth-overall pick, their second-round pick at No. 40 also holds plenty of potential. At that spot, Denver could find first-round talent but without first-round status. NFL.com asked five of their analysts to pick a player they each think are worthy of a first-round pick but may have to wait until Day 2 to hear their name called, and a few of them could fill important needs for Denver if they're available.
