Skip to main content
Advertising

Denver Broncos draft history: The franchise's second- and third-round picks who became Pro Bowlers

Look back through Broncos history with these photos of Denver's second- and third-round draft picks who went on to become Pro Bowl players with the Broncos.

1969 NFL-AFL Draft: No. 61 overall (third round) Accolades: Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, three Pro Bowl selections, one first-team NFL All-Pro selection, one second-team AFL All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, second-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, 1973 NFL punt return yardage leader
1 / 13
1969, Round 3 - DB Billy Thompson

1969 NFL-AFL Draft: No. 61 overall (third round)

Accolades: Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, three Pro Bowl selections, one first-team NFL All-Pro selection, one second-team AFL All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, second-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, 1973 NFL punt return yardage leader

1980 NFL Draft: No. 42 overall (second round) Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections, one first-team All-Pro selection, one second-team All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, 1980 NFL All-Rookie Team selection
2 / 13
1980, Round 2 - DE Rulon Jones

1980 NFL Draft: No. 42 overall (second round)

Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections, one first-team All-Pro selection, one second-team All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, 1980 NFL All-Rookie Team selection

1987 NFL Draft: No. 86 overall (third round) Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection with Broncos, one second-team All-Pro selection with New York Giants
3 / 13
1987, Round 3 - LB Michael Brooks

1987 NFL Draft: No. 86 overall (third round)

Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection with Broncos, one second-team All-Pro selection with New York Giants

Eric Lars Bakke
1993 NFL Draft: No. 43 overall (second round) Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections (one with Denver), one first-team All-Pro with Chicago Bears, one second-team All-Pro selection with Broncos, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection
4 / 13
1993, Round 2 - RB Glyn Milburn

1993 NFL Draft: No. 43 overall (second round)

Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections (one with Denver), one first-team All-Pro with Chicago Bears, one second-team All-Pro selection with Broncos, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection

1993 NFL Draft: No. 70 overall (third round) Accolades: Three Pro Bowl selections, three second-team All-Pro selections, 1993 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII), Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, franchise leader in several categories including career points and field goals made, 2001 NFL leader in field goals made, tied for third-longest made field goal in NFL history
5 / 13
1993, Round 3 - K Jason Elam

1993 NFL Draft: No. 70 overall (third round)

Accolades: Three Pro Bowl selections, three second-team All-Pro selections, 1993 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII), Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, franchise leader in several categories including career points and field goals made, 2001 NFL leader in field goals made, tied for third-longest made field goal in NFL history

Ryan McKee
1996 NFL Draft: No. 65 overall (third round) Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)
6 / 13
1996 Round 3 - RB Detron Smith

1996 NFL Draft: No. 65 overall (third round)

Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)

David Gonzales
1998 NFL Draft: No. 81 overall (third round) Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection, Super Bowl XXXIII champion, 2000 NFL leader in passer rating
7 / 13
1998, Round 3 - QB Brian Griese

1998 NFL Draft: No. 81 overall (third round)

Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection, Super Bowl XXXIII champion, 2000 NFL leader in passer rating

Eric Lars Bakke
2000 NFL Draft: No. 40 overall (second round) Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection
8 / 13
2000, Round 2 - LB Ian Gold

2000 NFL Draft: No. 40 overall (second round)

Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection

Ryan McKee
2002 NFL Draft: No. 51 overall (second round) Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections (one with Denver), one second-team All-Pro selection with Washington, 2002 NFL All-Rookie-Team selection, 2002 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection
9 / 13
2002, Round 2 - RB Clinton Portis

2002 NFL Draft: No. 51 overall (second round)

Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections (one with Denver), one second-team All-Pro selection with Washington, 2002 NFL All-Rookie-Team selection, 2002 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection

PHOTO:: Trevor Brown
2010 NFL Draft: No. 45 overall (second round) Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection
10 / 13
2010, Round 2 - OL Zane Beadles

2010 NFL Draft: No. 45 overall (second round)

Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection

Eric Lars Bakke/Eric Lars Bakke
2016 NFL Draft: No. 98 overall (third round) Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections, four second-team All-Pro selections, 2022 NFL interceptions leader
11 / 13
2016, Round 3 - S Justin Simmons

2016 NFL Draft: No. 98 overall (third round)

Accolades: Two Pro Bowl selections, four second-team All-Pro selections, 2022 NFL interceptions leader

Gabriel Christus/© Gabriel Christus
2018 NFL Draft: No. 40 overall (second round) Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection
12 / 13
2018, Round 2 - WR Courtland Sutton

2018 NFL Draft: No. 40 overall (second round)

Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection

Gabriel Christus/© Gabriel Christus
2023 NFL Draft: No. 63 overall (second round) Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection, 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team selection
13 / 13
2023, Round 2 - WR Marvin Mims Jr.

2023 NFL Draft: No. 63 overall (second round)

Accolades: One Pro Bowl selection, 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team selection

Gabriel Christus/2023 Denver Broncos
Advertising
This Ad will close in 3
Advertising

Related

gallery

Photos: A peek inside the 2024 NFLPA Rookie Premiere with Bo Nix, Troy Franklin and Audric Estime

Rookies Bo Nix, Troy Franklin and Audric Estime represented the Broncos at the NFLPA's 2024 Rookie Premiere weekend events, as they donned their new uniforms for the first time and posed for portraits.
gallery

The Denver Broncos' 2024 draft class in photos

Here is a quick look at the Denver Broncos' 2024 draft class.
gallery

Photos: Seventh-round pick Nick Gargiulo's path to the Denver Broncos

Flip through photos of G Nick Gargiulo's path from South Carolina to the Broncos, who selected him with the 256th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Seventh-round pick Devaughn Vele's path to the Denver Broncos

Flip through photos of WR Devaughn Vele's path from Utah to the Broncos, who selected him with the 235th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Fifth-round pick Audric Estime's path to the Denver Broncos

Flip through photos of RB Audric Estime's path from Notre Dame to the Broncos, who selected him with the 147th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Fifth-round pick Kris Abrams-Draine's path to the Denver Broncos

Flip through photos of CB Kris Abrams-Draine's path from Missouri to the Broncos, who selected him with the 145th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Fourth-round pick Troy Franklin's path to the Denver Broncos

Flip through photos of WR Troy Franklin's path from Oregon to the Broncos, who selected him with the 102nd-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Third-round pick Jonah Elliss' path to the Denver Broncos

Flip through photos of OLB Jonah Elliss' path from Utah to the Broncos, who selected him with the 76th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Inside the Broncos' war room during the 2024 NFL Draft

Go inside the Denver Broncos' war room during the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Broncos Country shows out at 2024 Broncos Draft Party presented by Ticketmaster

Check out photos from the 2024 Broncos Draft Party presented by Ticketmaster at Empower Field at Mile High on Thursday night.
gallery

Photos: First-round pick Bo Nix's path to the Denver Broncos

Flip through photos of QB Bo Nix's path from Auburn to Oregon and now to the Broncos, who selected him with the 12th-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
gallery

Photos: Every 2024 draft prospect analysts mocked to the Denver Broncos in the first round

Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday, we rounded up as many major mock drafts that we could find since January to make a pool of potential first-round draft picks for the Denver Broncos.
Advertising