We just saw our 2022 rookie class get their numbers, and after George Paton’s well-regarded 2021 draft expectations are high. There’s great potential all around this group, and the fun part of rookie classes is literally anyone could step up and become one of the next great All-Time Broncos.
While we love our 1st round picks, it’s important to remember that it’s all about where you end up, not where you started. And what better place to start than the 7th round.
Top Denver Broncos players taken in each round of the NFL Draft
TE Shannon Sharpe – 7th Round, 1990
The Hall of Famer, 3x Super Bowl Champion and greatest tight end in franchise history ended his football career covered in glory. It all started with a 7th-round pick in 1990. Sharpe was a big receiver out of Savannah State in the SIAC.
Scouts questioned his speed, and ability to separate in the NFL, but it was clear early on that he was a special talent.
After a couple of seasons as a wideout, Dan Reeves moved him to TE, where he exploded on the scene with 53 receptions, 639 yards, and 2 scores. At tight end, he quickly became one of John Elway’s favorite targets and finished his career in Denver as the best to ever play the position in the Mile High.
He was an 8x Pro Bowler, 4x All-Pro, and amassed 813 receptions, 10,060 Yards, and 62 touchdowns in a gold jacket career. Crazy to think all that came from a late-round flier on a small-school prospect.
Honorable Mentions
C Tom Nalen -1994
LB Karl Mecklenberg -1983 (12th Rounder)
DB Steve Foley -1975 (8th Rounder)
DT Paul Smith – 1968 (9th Rounder)