Revealing the 5 best second-round picks in Denver Broncos history

The Broncos took Rulon Jones with the 42nd overall pick in the 1980 draft out of Utah State.

Utah State’s football program has come a long way since the late 1970s when Jones attended school there, but he is still one of the best players in program history. The Broncos brought him aboard to join what was already a good defense and he was coached by the great Stan Jones, the team’s defensive line coach from 1976-1987.

Rulon Jones would become one of the better defensive linemen of his era and though he’s largely forgotten today, his 52.5 sacks still rank sixth on the team’s all-time list. Jones spent his entire nine-year career in Denver.

At 6-foot-6, Jones was always a threat to get his long arms up and bat down a pass if he couldn’t get to the quarterback. He was selected to the Pro Bowl twice and was a First Team All-Pro in 1986, a huge part of a team that went to the Super Bowl that year.

Jones retired at the age of 30 and his playing career ended over 30 years ago, but he left a memorable mark on the franchise and should be remembered as one of the better defensive linemen in team history.