John Elway's best draft selections
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.
