We hope John Elway and company beat the odds -- or at least make a better choice than the ones on the following list. Here's our top-ten roster of the ten worst first-round draft picks in Broncos history. Count them down below.
Number 10: Tommy Maddox Quarterback: UCLANumber 25 overall pick in 1992
Maddox had some good years at QB in Pittsburgh, long after his Broncos days. But in Denver, he was mainly drafted because then-coach Dan Reeves was disenchanted with John Elway and seldom rose from the pine.
Number 9: Ashley Lelie Wide receiver: HawaiiNumber 19 overall pick in 2002
Lelie never became the big-time receiver the Broncos envisioned, and he was a grumbler, leading to his 2006 trade. Two years later, he was out of the league.
Continue to keep counting down our choices for the ten worst first-round draft picks in Broncos history. Number 8: Tim Tebow Quarterback: FloridaNumber 25 overall pick in 2010
We're of two minds on Timmy. Yes, he got the Broncos to the playoffs (and won a game!) in his best season with the squad. But he was a terrible passer and a weirdly divisive presence who was disappeared from the roster at the earliest opportunity. It now looks like his main connection to football will involve the ESPN studios.
Number 7: Don Latimer Nose tackle: Miami (Florida)Number 27 overall pick in 1978
The Broncos hoped Latimer would become a mainstay of the vaunted Orange Crush defense, but he proved an underwhelming talent. By 1983, he was in the USFL.
Continue to keep counting down our choices for the ten worst first-round draft picks in Broncos history. Number 6: Willie Middlebrooks Cornerback: MinnesotaNumber 24 overall pick in 2001
He was drafted with the idea that he'd become a star, but Middlebrooks was more of a journeyman. He lasted just three seasons in Denver.
Number 5: Kelvin Clark Offensive tackle: NebraskaNumber 22 overall pick in 1979
Clark is so little remembered for his brief stint in Denver that we couldn't even find a trading-card image showing him in a Broncos uniform. This is him sporting Nebraska red.
Continue to keep counting down our choices for the ten worst first-round draft picks in Broncos history. Number 4: Dan Williams Defensive end: ToledoNumber 11 overall pick in 1993
One of the highest Broncos picks of the team's Super Bowl era never blossomed in Denver. Williams was out in three years as well.
Number 3: Jarvis Moss Defensive end: FloridaNumber 17 overall pick in 2007
Moss was supposed to return the Broncos' pass rush to its former status as one of the most feared units in football. Instead, he made no impact when he was healthy, which wasn't all that often, and his attitude appeared to get progressively worse during his time with the team. A big -- make that really big -- bust.
Continue to keep counting down our choices for the ten worst first-round draft picks in Broncos history. Number 2: Marcus Nash Wide receiver: TennesseeNumber 30 overall pick in 1998
Nash was expected to be a terror of a wide receiver. But during his first year, he only played eight games and caught just four passes for 76 yards. In year two, he appeared in just two games and caught nothing but the cold chill of disappointment from Broncos' loyalists. He was subsequently traded to Miami, which dealt him to Baltimore. By 2003, he was in the Arena Football League. Grim.
Number 1: Ted Gregory Defensive tackle: SyracuseNumber 26 overall pick in 1988
This screen capture from a Deadspin piece naming Gregory the eighth worst NFL player ever says it all.
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