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Denver Broncos: 5 worst first-round picks in team history

By Travis Wakeman

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Paxton Lynch #12 of the Denver Broncos looks downfield against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on December 31, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Paxton Lynch #12 of the Denver Broncos looks downfield against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on December 31, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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Denver Broncos, Jarvis Moss, NFL Draft
BALTIMORE, MD – OCTOBER 10: Jarvis Moss #94 of the Denver Broncos takes the field before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 10, 2010, in Baltimore, Maryland. Players wore pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Ravens defeated the Broncos 31-17. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) /

The Denver Broncos are a proud NFL franchise, but every team makes mistakes.

For as many great first-round picks that there have been across history, there have been just as many, if not more, terrible ones. The Broncos have not been immune to that problem.

As we inch closer and closer to the start of the 2021 NFL Draft, we still have some time to reflect across history. We will discuss some of the best first-round picks made in team history, but we also have to talk about the bad ones.

Which players come to mind when thinking about terrible first-round picks made by the Broncos?

Players on this list will include those you have likely never heard of (and for good reason) as well as those whose names will never be forgotten due to the poor investment the Broncos made in them when using such a precious draft pick on them.

With that said, let the games begin in determining the worst first-round picks ever made by the Broncos.

5. Jarvis Moss, Defensive end, 2007

Denver Broncos, Jarvis Moss, NFL Draft
DENVER – AUGUST 29: Linebacker Jarvis Moss #94 of the Denver Broncos and cornerback Joe Burnett #27 of the Pittsburgh Steelers mix it up during preseason NFL action at INVESCO Field at Mile High on August 29, 2010, in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

The Broncos used the No. 17 overall pick in the 2007 draft to take Jarvis Moss out of Florida,  a pick that didn’t seem bad when made. In two seasons with the Gators, he registered 15 sacks.

This pick came at a time when Mike Shanahan was the team’s head coach and he was also in charge of all the personnel decisions. This would be one of the last first-round picks he would ever make.

Moss somehow managed to stick with the Broncos for three and a half seasons, but he was never a factor on defense and never came close to living up to his billing as a first-round pick.

His rookie season was ended prematurely due to a broken shin during practice and he never played in all 16 games during a season for the team. He finished his Broncos run with just 3.5 sacks… total.

The Broncos released Moss in November 2010 and he was picked up by the Raiders.

He was just about as effective there before being washed out of the league following the 2011 season.

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