Look back through some of the best draft picks in Broncos history from the fifth round, where the franchise has found some key contributors.
Draft position: Fifth round, 121st overall in 1975 College: Miami (FL) Years with Broncos: 12 (1975-86)
Career stats (via Pro Football Reference): 166 games, 152 starts, 13 fumble recoveries, 30 sacks, one defensive touchdown (all with Broncos)
Career accolades: Broncos Top 100 Team selection, Broncos 50th Anniversary Team first-team selection, 1977 AP second-team All-Pro selection
Draft position: Fifth round, 131st overall in 1980 College: Michigan Years with Broncos: 9 (1980-88)
Broncos stats (via Pro Football Reference): 128 games, 98 starts, 33 interceptions, four defensive touchdowns, 11 fumble recoveries, one sack
Career stats: 158 games, 125 starts, 38 interceptions, four defensive touchdowns, 14 fumble recoveries, one sack
Career accolades: Broncos Top 100 Team selection
Draft position: Fifth round, 125th overall in 1981 College: Florida State Years with Broncos: 13 (1981-92, 1994)
Broncos stats (via Pro Football Reference): 177 games, 165 starts
Career stats: 179 games, 167 starts
Career accolades: Broncos Top 100 Team selection, Broncos 50th Anniversary Team first-team selection
Draft position: Fifth round, 131st overall in 1982 College: Southern Mississippi Years with Broncos: 9 (1982-90)
Career stats (via Pro Football Reference): 127 games, 83 starts, 1495 rushing attempts, 5427 rushing yards, 39 rushing touchdowns, 197 receptions, 1302 receiving yards, nine receiving touchdowns (all with Broncos)
Career accolades: Broncos Top 100 Team selection, Broncos 50th Anniversary Team second-team selection, third in career rushing yards and career rushing touchdowns in franchise history
Draft position: Fifth round, 161st overall in 2006 College: North Dakota Years with Broncos: 8 (2006-13)
Career stats (via Pro Football Reference): 90 games, 79 starts (all with Broncos)
Career accolades: Broncos Top 100 Team selection
Draft position: Fifth round, 137th overall in 2012 College: Tennessee Years with Broncos: 4 (2012-15)
Broncos stats (via Pro Football Reference): 62 games, 24 starts, 14.5 sacks, 134 total tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 44 quarterback hits, 15 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one safety
Career stats: 142 games, 89 starts, 35.5 sacks, 292 total tackles, 63 tackles for loss, 106 quarterback hits, 29 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, one safety
Career accolades: Super Bowl 50 champion, two-time AFC champion, 2017 Pro Bowler
Draft position: Fifth round, 144th overall in 2016 College: Missouri Years with Broncos: 4 (2016-19)
Broncos stats (via Pro Football Reference): 47 games, 36 starts
Career stats: 95 games, 84 starts
When the 2023 NFL Draft arrives in a little less than two weeks, the Broncos are scheduled to make their first selection with the 67th-overall pick.
Yet while Denver lacks a first- or second-round pick, the Broncos still have a chance to add significant talent to their roster. Over the franchise's history, the team has found a number of key contributors later in the draft — and in the coming days, DenverBroncos.com will take a look at some of those selections.
We continue with the fifth round, where the Broncos are slated to make a selection in this year's draft.
Read on for a look at a few of the franchise's best fifth-round selections.
Editor's note: The following selections are the solely the opinion of the author and do not represent the organization. Additionally, because it can take time for draft picks to round into form, players are only eligible for this list if they were drafted at least five years ago. The selected players are listed in alphabetical order.
NT RUBIN CARTER (1975, 121st overall)
A 12-year player for the Broncos, Carter earned second-team All-Pro honors in 1977 as the Broncos advanced to their first Super Bowl. He then remained a mainstay in the middle of the defensive line, recording at least six sacks in a pair of seasons and starting 152 games during his career. Briefly a coach for the Broncos following his playing career, Carter was named a member of the Broncos' Top 100 team in 2019.
DB MIKE HARDEN (1980, 131st overall)
Another longtime contributor for the Broncos, Harden appeared in 128 games across nine seasons in Denver. During his career, he played at a variety of positions in the defensive backfield, including at free safety, strong safety and cornerback. Harden recorded at least two interceptions in all but one of his seasons in Denver and posted a career-high six interceptions in both 1984 and 1986. Harden also recovered 11 fumbles in Denver and scored four touchdowns. The Michigan product, who appeared in Super Bowl XXI for the Broncos, was also a member of the Top 100 team.
DE MALIK JACKSON (2012, 137th overall)
Jackson did not make a Pro Bowl in Denver, but his role on the Broncos' 2015 defense earns him a spot on this list. The Tennessee alum started all 19 games — including postseason — during the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 run and recorded 45 tackles, 5.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits and seven passes defensed during the regular season. He also recovered a Cam Newton fumble for a touchdown to open the scoring in Super Bowl 50. Jackson appeared in 62 games during his four years in Denver.
T KEN LANIER (1981, 125th overall)
A stalwart on the Broncos' offensive line for more than a decade, Lanier started 165 games across 13 years in Denver. From 1982-92, Lanier missed just four starts and appeared in 164 of the Broncos' 168 regular-season games. A member of the Broncos' Top 100 team, Lanier protected John Elway and started in all three of the Broncos' Super Bowl appearances in the 1980s. The Florida State alum played the second-most consecutive games of any Broncos player and started the third-most consecutive games. He ranks seventh in all-time starts with the Broncos.
RB SAMMY WINDER (1982, 131st overall)
The third-leading rusher in franchise history, Winder posted 5,427 career rushing yards during his nine-year career in Denver. Winder, a Southern Mississippi alum, also ranks third in career rushing touchdowns. A two-time Pro Bowler, Winder set a career mark in 1984 as he posted the lone 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. He rushed for 23 touchdowns over the next three seasons, including a career-high nine in 1986 that earned him his second Pro Bowl berth. Winder is one of eight running backs to make the Broncos' Top 100 team.
Honorable mention:
OL Chris Kuper
