Since taking over as EVP/GM in 2011, John Elway has made a number of strong draft selections. As the 2017 draft approaches, the Broncos' digital media staff took a look at his best pick from each round. (Photos by AP)
With his first draft pick as General Manager, Elway found a generational talent. Miller, a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All Pro selection, is the man who makes the Broncos go. His Super Bowl 50 performance earned him MVP honors, and he recorded 13.5 sacks in 2016 after signing the largest contract for a non-quarterback in NFL history. The scary part? At only 28 years old, Miller's prime may be ahead of him.
Wolfe, a sixth-year player, is a physical specimen who provides a punch up front for the Broncos. Though the Cincinnati product has yet to make a Pro Bowl, he's been an emotional leader for the Broncos on defense and provides the unit with its toughness. In 2016, after he fractured his elbow, he missed just one full game before returning to the starting lineup.
Webster didn't see much playing time in the secondary because of the unit's incredible depth, but he was a key special teams player who made a number of important plays during the team's Super Bowl 50 run. In 2016, he was selected as a special teams captain, an honor that showed his teammates' respect for him in the locker room. Webster signed with the Los Angeles Rams following the 2016-17 season.
Thomas, now with the Dolphins after spending two seasons with the Jaguars, was a weapon over the middle of the field for Peyton Manning and the Broncos during his four years in Denver. He made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2013 and 2014 as he scored 12 touchdowns in each of those seasons. His production has dipped in his time since leaving the Broncos, but for those two seasons as a starter in Denver, there were few players who posed matchup problems like Thomas.
Jackson would also join Thomas in Jacksonville, but not until after the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 win. During that run, Jackson was a key cog on the defensive line as he played opposite Derek Wolfe. And, in perhaps the most memorable play of the Super Bowl, Jackson came up big. After Von Miller ripped away the football from Cam Newton midway through the first quarter, Jackson recovered the fumble in the end zone to put the Broncos up 10-0.
Paradis may not be the most glamorous of John Elway's picks, but he's been the most consistent offensive lineman of the previous few seasons. In 2015 and 2016, Paradis didn't miss a single snap, and he is quickly becoming recognized as one of the best in the league at his position. He was one of Pro Football Focus' highest-rated players in 2016 and was named a Pro Bowl alternate.
Starting quarterbacks aren't supposed to be found in the seventh round. But that's just what happened when Elway selected Siemian with the 250th pick in the 2015 draft. Siemian ended up as the starter after winning the competition in the 2016 offseason to replace Peyton Manning. In his first season, he threw for 18 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 3,401 yards as the Broncos fell just short of a playoff bid. He'll compete with first-round pick Paxton Lynch for the right to start again, but his selection may already represent Elway's best value pick.
Perhaps the Broncos' best defensive back was criminally underrated coming out of college. The Kansas product, who played a variety of different positions for the Jayhawks, ended up sticking with the Broncos. That's good news for Denver fans. Since 2011, Harris has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the entire league. He's earned two Pro Bowl nods and added a First-Team All-Pro selection last year -- but the awards likely won't end there. The lockdown corner should have his play validated for years to come.
The NFL Draft as a television production has given the Broncos and other teams opportunities to announce their picks in novel ways. When given the chance, Denver often asks its legends to represent the team, but the team has also experimented with other ideas recently as the league explores ways for teams to showcase their communities during their picks.
Here are just a few ways the Broncos have announced their picks without the commissioner at the podium:
Upchurch brings down the house
After a brief introduction from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Ring of Fame receiver/returner Rick Upchurch took the podium at the 2015 NFL Draft. But his first announcement wasn't the Broncos' pick; it was to thank Broncos Country for their support as he continued to fight leukemia. The crowd gave him a standing ovation before he proceeded to tell the world the Broncos' pick, Ty Sambrailo (second round, 59th overall).
Alumni announcements
Upchurch is just one of a handful of legends to announce picks for the Broncos. Others include Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little (Zane Beadles, 2010), Ring of Fame halfback/kicker/returner Gene Mingo (Cody Latimer, 2014) and Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe (Rahim Moore, 2011).
But one of the more memorable alumni picks came just last year when former quarterback Jake Plummer hit the slopes at Winter Park Resort, stopping to announce fourth-round pick Devontae Booker.
Making a wish come true
Like many Denver natives, Daniel Hailpern naturally loves his Broncos. But what separates him from the thousands of other Broncos fans is his devotion through difficult times in his life. As a leukemia patient at Children's Hospital Colorado, Hailpern won a Broncos-themed "Frozen"-parody contest which then sparked an hour-long radio show he hosted from the hospital's Seacrest Studios booth. Since then, Hailpern has visited Broncos practices as a junior reporter and done interviews on NFL Network. In 2016 the NFL and Make-A-Wish Colorado granted his wish to announce the Broncos' first pick, Paxton Lynch.
Bonding time
Two rounds after Hailpern's appearance, DeMarcus Ware and his son, DeMarcus Jr., stepped onto the stage at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre to announce the 98th overall pick, Justin Simmons, on behalf of the Broncos. Ware, in town for the draft, a legends luncheon with the commissioner and to provide commentary on ESPN, decided to make it a memorable father-son trip.
Salute to Service
In 2015, Buckley Air Force Base service members announced the Broncos' third-day draft selections, welcoming Max Garcia, Lorenzo Doss, Darius Kilgo, Trevor Siemian, Taurean Nixon and Josh Furman into the NFL.
