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From the archive: The Denver Broncos' top 12 draft picks in franchise history

As the Broncos approach the 2024 NFL Draft holding the 12th-overall pick, get ready for the big moment with this look back at the 12 best draft picks in team history, as selected by DenverBroncos.com staff members.

1967 AFL-NFL Draft: No. 6 overall Accolades: Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, five AFL All-Star or Pro Bowl selections, 1969 AFL first-team All-Pro, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, first Denver Broncos first-round pick to sign with Denver, 1971 NFL rushing leader, 1973 NFLPA Alan Page Community Award,
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1967 - RB Floyd Little

1967 AFL-NFL Draft: No. 6 overall

Accolades: Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, five AFL All-Star or Pro Bowl selections, 1969 AFL first-team All-Pro, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, first Denver Broncos first-round pick to sign with Denver, 1971 NFL rushing leader, 1973 NFLPA Alan Page Community Award,

1974 NFL Draft: No. 14 overall Accolades: Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, seven Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, three second-team All-Pro selections, 1978 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, Denver Broncos all-time tackling leader
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1974 - LB Randy Gradishar

1974 NFL Draft: No. 14 overall

Accolades: Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, seven Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, three second-team All-Pro selections, 1978 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, Denver Broncos all-time tackling leader

1975 NFL Draft: No. 17 overall Accolades: Five Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, second-team NFL 1970s All-Decade Team selection
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1975 - CB Louis Wright

1975 NFL Draft: No. 17 overall

Accolades: Five Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, second-team NFL 1970s All-Decade Team selection

1975 NFL Draft, No. 95 overall (fourth round) Accolades: Four Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, two second-team All-Pro selections, 1975 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, 1977 NFL leader in punt return yards, fourth in NFL history in career punt return touchdowns, first-team NFL 1970s All-Decade Team selection, second-team NFL 1980s All-Decade Team selection, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection
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1975, Round 4 - WR/RS Rick Upchurch

1975 NFL Draft, No. 95 overall (fourth round)

Accolades: Four Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, two second-team All-Pro selections, 1975 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, 1977 NFL leader in punt return yards, fourth in NFL history in career punt return touchdowns, first-team NFL 1970s All-Decade Team selection, second-team NFL 1980s All-Decade Team selection, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection

1981 NFL Draft: No. 15 overall Accolades: Six Pro Bowl selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection
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1981 - S Dennis Smith

1981 NFL Draft: No. 15 overall

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

Eric Lars Bakke/© Eric Lars Bakke
1983 NFL Draft, No. 310 overall (12th round) Accolades: Six Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection
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1983, Round 12 - LB Karl Mecklenburg

1983 NFL Draft, No. 310 overall (12th round)

Accolades: Six Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection

Eric Lars Bakke
1989 NFL Draft: No. 20 overall Accolades: Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII), eight Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, first-team NFL 1990s All-Decade Team selection
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1989 - S Steve Atwater

1989 NFL Draft: No. 20 overall

Accolades: Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII), eight Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, first-team NFL 1990s All-Decade Team selection

David Gonzales
1990 NFL Draft, No. 192 overall (seventh round) Accolades: Eight Pro Bowl selections (seven with Denver, 1 with Baltimore), four first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, two-time Super Bowl champion with Denver (XXXII and XXXIII, and one additional with Baltimore), first-team NFL 1990s All Decade Team selection, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection
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1990, Round 7 - TE Shannon Sharpe

1990 NFL Draft, No. 192 overall (seventh round)

Accolades: Eight Pro Bowl selections (seven with Denver, 1 with Baltimore), four first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, two-time Super Bowl champion with Denver (XXXII and XXXIII, and one additional with Baltimore), first-team NFL 1990s All Decade Team selection, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection

Ryan McKee
1994 NFL Draft, No. 218 overall (seventh round) Accolades: Five Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII and XXXIII), Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection
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1994, Round 7 - C Tom Nalen

1994 NFL Draft, No. 218 overall (seventh round)

Accolades: Five Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII and XXXIII), Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection

Eric Lars Bakke
1995 NFL Draft, No. 196 overall (sixth round) Accolades: Three Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, 1998 NFL MVP, two-time Offensive Player of the Year, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII and XXXIII), Super Bowl XXXII MVP, 1995 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, 1997 NFL leader in rushing touchdowns, 1998 NFL leader in rushing touchdowns, 1998 NFL rushing leader, second-team NFL 1990s All-Decade Team selection, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, holder of several franchise records including all-time Denver Broncos rushing leader
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1995, Round 6 - RB Terrell Davis

1995 NFL Draft, No. 196 overall (sixth round)

Accolades: Three Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, 1998 NFL MVP, two-time Offensive Player of the Year, two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXII and XXXIII), Super Bowl XXXII MVP, 1995 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, 1997 NFL leader in rushing touchdowns, 1998 NFL leader in rushing touchdowns, 1998 NFL rushing leader, second-team NFL 1990s All-Decade Team selection, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Ring of Fame inductee, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team selection, holder of several franchise records including all-time Denver Broncos rushing leader

Rich Clarkson
2010 NFL Draft: No. 22 overall Accolades: Super Bowl 50 champion, five Pro Bowl selections, two second-team All-Pro selections, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, No. 1 in Denver Broncos history in single-season receiving yardage, single-season receiving touchdowns (14 - tied with Anthony Miller) and single-game receiving yardage, No. 2 in Denver Broncos history in career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, No. 3 in Denver Broncos history in career receptions
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2010 - WR Demaryius Thomas

2010 NFL Draft: No. 22 overall

Accolades: Super Bowl 50 champion, five Pro Bowl selections, two second-team All-Pro selections, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, No. 1 in Denver Broncos history in single-season receiving yardage, single-season receiving touchdowns (14 - tied with Anthony Miller) and single-game receiving yardage, No. 2 in Denver Broncos history in career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, No. 3 in Denver Broncos history in career receptions

Gabriel Christus/Gabriel Christus 2012
2011 NFL Draft: No. 2 overall Accolades: Two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl 50 with Broncos, LVI with Rams), Super Bowl 50 MVP, eight Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, four second-team All-Pro selections, 2011 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
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2011 - OLB Von Miller

2011 NFL Draft: No. 2 overall

Accolades: Two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl 50 with Broncos, LVI with Rams), Super Bowl 50 MVP, eight Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro selections, four second-team All-Pro selections, 2011 NFL All-Rookie Team selection, 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Denver Broncos Top 100 Team selection, first-team NFL 2010s All-Decade Team

Gabriel Christus/© Gabriel Christus
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