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Re-drafting the Denver Broncos last 10 first-round picks

By Sayre Bedinger

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: Patrick Surtain II poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onstage after being selected ninth by the Denver Broncos during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: Patrick Surtain II poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onstage after being selected ninth by the Denver Broncos during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – OCTOBER 10: Danielle Hunter #99 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates in the second half against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Detroit Lions 19-17. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Denver Broncos 2015 re-draft pick: Danielle Hunter, EDGE, LSU

Original pick (23rd overall): Shane Ray, EDGE, Missouri

The Denver Broncos traded up in the 2015 NFL Draft to secure Missouri pass rusher Shane Ray, the former SEC defensive player of the year.

Although the NFL Draft world had significantly cooled off on Ray in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, it was still thought by many that he would be a steal if a team could get him outside of the top 10 or 15 picks.

The Denver Broncos obviously felt like he was a tremendous value to them and they moved a couple of assets to go up and get him in the first round of this particular draft class.

Although Shane Ray played a pretty big role on the team in 2015 and 2016, the better long-term play would clearly have been LSU pass rusher Danielle Hunter, an extremely young prospect at the time who was thought to be more upside than production.

Ray had the production, but perhaps more limited upside.

Hunter, when healthy, has been a dominant force off the edge in the NFL.

The guy looks like he was carved out of a mold by the Greek gods and he combines power with speed off the edge to terrorize opposing offensive tackles.

In 2018 and 2019 combined, he had 29 total sacks and was averaging almost a sack per game in 2021 (6.0 sacks in seven games) but was limited due to injury.

Shane Ray is no longer in the NFL but Hunter is not yet 28 and could have some of his best years yet ahead of him, already with 60.5 career sacks.

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