Ranking the Broncos' last 10 first-round draft picks

7. Noah Fant, TE, Iowa (2019)

The Denver Broncos traded down in the 2019 NFL Draft and selected Iowa tight end Noah Fant, a tremendous athlete and receiver at the tight end position who was supposed to be a much higher volume receiver at the NFL level that has been.

Fant was outstanding as a rookie with the Broncos in 2019, ranking among the league leaders in yards after the catch per reception. He continued his positive trajectory over the next two seasons, catching 130 passes and 7 touchdowns between 2020-21.

The Broncos included Fant in the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade with the Seahawks and he's had a very solid career since. The Seahawks just gave him a two-year deal worth up to $21 million in total money.

8. Sylvester Williams, DL, North Carolina (2013)

The 2013 NFL Draft wasn't good for most teams. It's known for being a pretty terrible draft class all-around, but the Broncos at least got a solid contributor in the first round. Defensive tackle Sylvester Williams isn't the most renowned player from that defense, but he was a key contributor and starter on the Super Bowl 50 defense in 2015 that is considered arguably the best defense in league history.

He only had 5.5 career sacks but finished with 17 tackles for loss in Denver. He played from 2013-2020 in the NFL and actually ended his career with a second stint in Denver.