Ranking the Broncos' last 10 first-round draft picks

9. Shane Ray, EDGE, Missouri (2015)

Shane Ray had an unexpected fall in the 2015 NFL Draft that caused the Denver Broncos to pounce even though they had just signed DeMarcus Ware the year before. John Elway saw the way his team was beaten by a deep Seattle pass rush group in the Super Bowl in the 2013-14 season, and he wasn't going to let a good pass rusher pass him by.

Ray had four sacks in his rookie season, helping the Broncos win the Super Bowl. He had a breakout year in 2016 with 8.0 sacks and 21 QB hits, but an injury in the 2017 offseason derailed his NFL career. Shockingly, Ray only lasted four years in the NFL and was floating around other professional leagues most recently.

10. Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis (2016)

The Paxton Lynch selection is not only the worst among the last 10 first-round picks for the Broncos, but it's the worst first-round pick arguably in franchise history.

Lynch had tremendous arm talent and showed it off while he was at Memphis, but apparently there's a big difference between playing ball at Memphis and playing on the reigning Super Bowl champions. Lynch was drafted to be the heir to Peyton Manning's throne in Denver after the Broncos were spurned by Brock Osweiler in free agency.

I don't think I have ever seen a player who exemplifies "deer in headlights" more than Paxton Lynch. He played just five games as a Bronco and was the very first first-round pick by John Elway who was cut before his rookie contract expired.