Whew!  After losing my appetite doing the past two draft reviews I am hoping for some improvement in the 2002 draft.  Looking at some of the name, I am feeling pretty good about how this will all shake out.  Care to join me, taking a look back at the 2002 Denver Broncos draft?  Let's do it.

1st Round -- Pick 19(19) - Ashley Lelie, WR (Hawaii) -- We've gone through several receivers the Broncos drafted to be that down-filed threat.  Lelie was the latest, and coming out of college it appeared that it was a solid move.  The choice came down to two receivers, Lelie and Javon Walker.  The Broncos went with Lelie, mainly because of his speed.  Lelie quickly showed what made him a star at Hawaii, making several acrobatic catches his rookie season.  Playing mostly a reserve role, Lelie was still able to catch 35 passes, averaging 15 yards per grab, and two TD's.  He improved each of the next two seasons, catching  a career-high 54 passes for 1084 yards and 7 TD's.  His 20.1 yards per catch was among the league leaders.  Lelie appeared on the verge of breaking out, similar to Walker, pick one spot after Lelie in the draft by the Packers.  Something happened in 2005, however, and Lelie production digressed.  Lelie nabbed 42 passes for 770 yards but only reached the end-zone once.  The writing was on the wall.  Questions began to circulate about Lelie's effort on the practice field, and whether or not he had the toughness to be a #1 receiver in the league.  On Draft Day 2006, the Broncos traded a 2nd round pick to the Packers to get Javon Walker, with hopes that Walker would motivate and push Lelie.  It backfired, and Lelie decided to hold himself out of all team activities.  Feeling he should be handed the #1 job, Lelie pouted his way in a trade, ending up in Atlanta.  The Broncos received a 3rd round pick this year and a 4th rounder next year in the deal, but with Walker on board long term, the Broncos have the guy they probably should have picked originally.  As for Lelie, his mediocre play continued for the Falcons, failing to be the deep threat they were looking for as well.  He was allowed to leave, and the 49'ers ended up signing Lelie to be their third WR.  In the end, Lelie may never realize hi potential, but the Broncos were able to turn a negative into a positive, making this bitter pill easier to swallow.

2nd Round -- Pick 19(51) - Clinton Portis(Miami, FL) - The Broncos have made some bad picks in rounds 2 and 3, but in 2002 they hit a home run big time with Portis, whose draft stock plummeted due to concerns about size and attitude.  There might not be anything more dangerous than a very talented football player with a chip, and Portis definitely played like he had something to prove.  In only 31 games with the Broncos, Portis rushed for 3099 yards and 29 TDs, more than anyone ever.  After the 2003 season, Portis started to squawk about his contract.  Sure, he was underpaid, but to redo a deal with two seasons remaining would be set a bad precedent.  The Broncos once again sent out trade feelers, and received interest from a familiar spot.  Washington had some contract issues of it's own with star DB Champ Bailey.  The match seemed perfect.  The Broncos traded Portis to Washington for Bailey and a 2nd round draft pick, one the Broncos used to draft Tatum Bell.  Since getting to Washington Portis has yet to be able to reach the lofty success he did in Denver.  In 3 injury plagued seasons, Portis has rushed for 3354 yards and 23 TDs.  Still young at 25, Portis needs to have a big rebound season in 2007 or risk becoming a cap casualty next season.

3rd Round - Pick 31(96) - Dorsett Davis, DT(Mississippi State) --The Broncos had high hopes when they selected Dorsett Davis out of Mississippi State.  He was big and athletic and the Broncos figured he was going to fit right in to the defensive line scheme.  As is typical, Davis sat out his rookie season, learning the intricacies of playing in the NFL.  The experience seemed to do him well, with Davis seeing action in 14 games in 2003.  Coming into the '04 season, Davis seemed primed and ready to take that next step.  It looked like he was cementing a starting spot during training camp in 2004 when a finger injury left Davis with a tough decision.  He could have surgery on the finger, ending his season, or he could play and risk losing the finger altogether.  Davis chose surgery and the IR.  The Broncos brought Davis back in 2005, but released him before training camp started.  After visists with Minnesota and Miami, Davis spent most of 2005 and early 2006 with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL.. Currently, Davis is free agent, looking for a team to give him another chance.

4th Round -- Pick 33(131) - Sam Brandon, S (UNLV) --Brandon seemed to be on his way in the Denver defense until a knee injury in 2006 curtailed his career.  Brandon is rehabbing, trying to get back to his pre-injury form, and for the Broncos, who desperately need help in the secondary, the sight of Brandon in '07 will be a welcome one.   Early on it became apparent that the Broncos had found something in the safety from UNLV.  Brandon saw special teams action in all 32 games his first two seasons, finding a spot in the nickel package in 2003.  Brandon's combination of size and speed made him the perfect player to lineup against slot receivers, and better yet, the super-Tight Ends the Brocnos face every season in Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates.  He was so successful, the defense became know as the "Big-Nickel" and the Broncos used it extensively over the next 3 seasons.  Injuries have always been the bug-a-boo for Brandon, but nothing as serious as the knee injury Brandon suffered against the Steelers last season.  Without Brandon the Broncos struggled mightily, with Gonzalez, Gates and others having big-time success through the air.  Off the field, Brandon has had some trouble keeping out of trouble, and will need to stay clean or risk being suspended in the new era of player conduct.

5th Round -- Pick 9(144) - Herb Haygood , WR(Michigan State) -- Ok, we knew there would be one crapper and Haygood was it.  Haygood saw action in 3 games as a Bronco his rookie year before being released before being signed to the practice squad in 2003.  The Broncos released Haygood for good in 2004, and he was picked up by the Chiefs, most likely in hopes that Haygood could give some insight to the Broncos offense.  After a season in Europe and on the Chiefs inactive roster, Haygood once again found himself out of work.  Haygood has kept himself busy teaching other high-schoolers how not to become NFL receivers as well as play in the Continental Indoor Football League for the Kalamazoo Xplosion, though, similar to his NFL days it appears he has yet to catch a pass.

6th Round - Pick 19(191) - Jeb Putzier, TE(Boise State) -- Just like the downfield receiver the Broncos kept wasting picks on, the Broncos have made numerous choices in hopes of finding a replacement for Shannon Sharpe.  In part because they couldn't do it, Sharpe returned to the Broncos in 2002, and the Broncos chose Jeb Putzier to be ready when Sharpe called it quits.  Like so many before him, Putzier had wide receiver experience, but could never block enough to keep Mike Shanahan happy.   Putzier didn't see much action during his first two seasons in Denver, but in 2004 exploded for 36 catches, 572 yards and 2 TDs.  Putzier was a liability in the run game, and struggled to find consistent playing time.  Let's face it, if you know the TE on the field can't run block, chances are the play in going to be a pass.  In what I consider to be an odd move to this day, the Jets signed Putzier to a RFA contract before the 2005 season, and the Broncos promptly matched.  It appeared that Putz might be in Denver to stay.  Putzier put up similar numbers in 2005, but his total inability to block made it impossible for the Broncos to keep him and he was released in a cap move last spring.  Jeb ended up in Houston with old friend Gary Kubiak, but found bad teams lead to bad times, and Putz had his worst season, catching only 13 passes.

7th Round -- Pick 17(228) - Chris Young, CB(Georgia Tech) -- Chris Young looked like a player early on, flying around on special teams, making plays.  But life for a 7th round pick in the NFL is hard, and after 3 seasons and seven total tackles, Young was released in 2005.

7th Round - Pick 20(231) - Monsanto Pope, DT(Virginia) -- Pope has actually turned out to be a great value, for a guy picked 231st overall.   Early on, Pope too advantage of Dorsett Davis' injury woes to get significant playing time on the d-line.  As a rookie, Pope registered 18 tackles and 4 sacks in 14 games.  Pope went on the play in every game in 2003 and 2004, though he never was able to find the magic sack touch.  After a disappointing 2005, Pope was signed by the New York Jets, though his stay was short.  Pope quit the team during the first week of training camp last July, citing personal reasons.

Guru's Take -- As bad as some of the past few drafts have been it would be easy to over-compensate and give this draft an unfair grade.  But let's look at what the Broncos were able to do in 2002.  Not every pick was a great one, but for the most part the Broncos were able to take bad situations and turn them into huge positives.  Just the fact that the Broncos were able to turn a 2nd round pick(Portis) into a former top-10 pick(Bailey) and Tatum Bell, who was flipped for Dre Bly, could be enough to warrant a 'B'.  Then you turn Ashley Lelie, a guy that wasn't going to return to the team anyway, into a 3rd and 4th round selection and the rest is just gravy.  There was really only one total bust, Herb Haygood, and he was a 5th rounder, hardly a given.  This was easily the Broncos best draft of new century, not only for the players the Broncos selected, but for the bounty they were able to gain when moves had to be made.

Guru's Grade -- B

Up next is 2001, a year that might go down as one of the worst in Shanny's tenure.  For the second season in a row the Broncos took a DB in the first round, once again with little success.  How did the rest of the draft go?  Not much better.  Let's take a look.

1st Round -- Pick 15(15) - Willie Middlebrooks, CB (Minnesota) -- I will never understand this pick.  Ever.  People have tried to explain it to me.  I still don't get it.  Middlebrooks was an average DB and a below average school who had missed a significant amount of time because of an ankle injury to boot.  Middlebrooks has decent size, at 6-1, 200, but doesn't have great speed, nor great cover skills.  His career showed as much, with Middlebrooks fighting injury most of his rookie year.  He was active 43 of the next 48 games, playing mostly special teams.  After the 2004 season the Broncos traded Middlebrooks to the 49'ers for DE John Engleberger.  Middlebrooks saw action in only 5 games for a team that was absolutely horrible in 2005.   I think you get the point.  After the 49'ers released Middlebrooks, the Broncos re-signed him, giving him a second chance to do anything with his career.  It just wasn't to be, and Middlebrooks appears to be out of football for good, though I am sure someone will take a look at him as training camp nears.  There have been some bad picks, but at least some of the guys we have discussed previously(Marcus Nash) went on to play well somewhere.  I doubt Middlebrooks would succeed anywhere, even the AFL.  If his on-field play wasn't bad enough, Middlebrooks got into trouble off of it as well, pleading guilty to an assault charge in February 2006.  Career stats - 56 games, 33 tackles, 1 sack, ZERO interceptions.  Great value.

2nd Round -- Pick 20(51) - Paul Toviessi(Marshall) - Hmmm.  Middlebrooks was bad.  But he did see some action in the NFL.  The Broncos second pick in 2001 did not, though it wasn't all Toviessi's fault.  The Broncos were so high on Marshall DE Paul Toviessi that they moved up to draft him in the second round. However, he missed his rookie year as a result of knee problems and rehabilitation to develop his body. After the early part of workouts, when Toviessi had gained considerable weight and strength, the Broncos couldn't stop raving about him. However, his knee problems continued to occur and after his third knee scope or operation in less than a year, the Broncos decided that his knee would never be sound enough for him to be an effective NFL player and released him.   Somehow I have to question whether the Broncos did their homework on Toviessi, and whether or not a  potential injury situation was missed before the draft.  Ironically, the trade the got the Broncos the pick used to get Toviessi also included a pick used by the Buffalo Bills to draft current Broncos running back Travis Henry.  It truly is a small world.

3rd Round - Pick 25(87) - Reggie Hayward, DE(Iowa State) --The Broncos thought they had drafted  a stud on the D-line, and they were right.  It wasn't Toviessi, however, but Reggie Hayward, who has become a solid D-End for the Broncos and Jaguars.  Hayward didn't see much action in 2001 or 2002 for the Broncos and looked early to be another reach in the third round.  It turned around for Hayward in 2003, when Hayward played in all 16 games, racking up 8.5 sacks and 28 tackles..  In 2004, Hayward continued his stellar play, with career highs in tackles(43) and sacks(10.5).  The Broncos, in tight salary cap waters after the 2004 season were unable to keep Hayward, and the DE signed a lucrative deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.    His first season in Florida was steady, if not spectacular, with 8.5 sacks and 33 tackles.  Last season ended up being a tough one for Hayward when he was lost for the season because of a torn Achilles during the first game of the season versus Dallas.  Now the question will be whether or not Hayward can come back.  The Broncos get credit for this pick, but once again were not able to keep one of their own.

4th Round -- Pick 18(113) - Ben Hamilton, OL (Minnesota) -- The Broncos went back to the Golden Gophers on day 2, this time with much better success.  Hamilton was a standout center in college and the Broncos drafted him to someday take over for Tom Nalen.  Six years later, Nalen is still the center, and Hamilton has become a standout at guard.  Hamilton has played center as well, a couple years ago when Nalen was injured, but no matter where he has played Hamilton has been solid and more importantly, durable, being active for every game of his NFL career.  Hamilton is another example of the Broncos ability to get tremendous value on the offensive line late in the draft.

4th Round -- Pick 25(120) - Nick Harris, P(CAL) -- The Broncos weren't happy with incumbent Tom Rouen, and in an attempt to light a fire under the vet the Broncos decided to waste a fourth round pick on Harris, who, to his credit, has gone on to become a decent punter.   The pre-season battle between Harris and Rouen never really got off the ground, with the rookie struggling to find his form.  The Broncos released Harris during the pre-season, and Harris was quickly picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he proved is was worthy of playing in the NFL.  In 2 seasons for the Bengals, Harris averaged 40.1 yards per kick, not great, but not horrible either.  In 2003, Harris signed with the Detroit Lions, and playing in 9 games a season in-doors has only helped his production.  Harris has continued to get better, peaking last season when Harris finished 5th in net punt average(45.3)  One of those judgment calls, Harris no doubt has lived up to a 4th round pick, but I have to ding the Broncos for giving up on him so early on.

5th Round - TRADE -- The Broncos traded tw0 5th round picks, including this one, to the St. Louis Rams for safety Billy Jenkins.

6th Round -- Pick 27(190) - Kevin Kasper, WR(Iowa) --Tim Dwight started a trend in the NFL where teams draft really fast white guys from Iowa.  Of course, you do have to have some talent, and though very fast, Kasper did not have Tim Dwight's skills as a receiver or return man.  The Broncos once again had a very short leash on Kasper, and after a little more than one year, that included more injuries than catches or solid returns, Kasper was sent packing.  Since, Kasper spent a couple seasons in Arizona, one in new England, one season (2005) completely out of football, before resurfacing last season in Detroit.  Though there always seems to be a market for guys that have any return skills(see Quincy Morgan), I have a feeling the clock has run out on Kasper.

Guru's Take -- Like a CD that skips, these draft looking exactly the same year after year.  Willie Middlebrooks was a huge bust in the first round, and Paul Toviessi didn't play a down in the NFL.  Reggie Hayward and Ben Hamilton, while playing for different teams, saved this draft from being a complete failure.  Hamilton has become a stalwart on the offensive line, and Hayward, before the injury, was a very good pass rusher.  Harris has become a solid pick, but the Broncos didn't give him more than 5 minutes to prove it.  Kasper has speed, but never has become the Tim Dwight-type the Broncos were looking for.  Just remember, I grade these on a curve, with earlier picks getting more weight.  Because of that, I can go no higher than just below average.

Guru's Grade -- C-

The Broncos once again went into trade mode for the 1997 draft, choosing quality over quantity after the playoff disappointment the year prior.  at the end of the draft the Broncos had only selected 3 players, hitting pay dirt with two of them and using a draft pick to acquire another key starter.  Let's take a look.

1st Round -- Pick 28(28) -- Trevor Pryce, DT/DE(Clemson) -- An adverse side effect to being a competitive team year in and year out is the realization that you are going to draft late in Round 1 every year.  It adds a layer of pressure to getting it right, and for the most part Shanny has done a good job with these late first rounders.  In 1997 it was Trevor Pryce, who showed instantly he was going to be a force on the line for Denver's title teams.  Starting in 1998, Pryce missed 1 game in six seasons amassing 58 sacks during that time.  During that time Pryce was elected to the Pro Bowl 4 times and became a dominant force on the Denver defense.  Pryce's career was derailed in 2004 by a back injury that kept him out of all but 2 games.  Pryce returned in 2005, playing in all 16 games with mixed success and the Broncos chose not to bring him back for 2006.  Pryce signed a contract with the Baltimore Ravens and was renewed, posting his highest sack total(13.0) since 1999 and a career high in tackles(47).  Even though it would have nice to have Pryce retire as a Bronco there is no denying his impact to the team, and just how good of a pick this was.

2nd Round -- Pick 28(58) -- TRADE -- The Broncos traded their 2nd Round pick to the Ravens for OL Tony Jones, and Jones immediately payed dividends helping the Broncos win two Super Bowls.  Jones was the type of veteran the Broncos needed to get over the hump, having played in numerous playoff games with the Cleveland Browns in the ealry 90's.  Jones played 4 seasons with the Broncos, earning a Pro Bowl birth in 1999.  It is hard to imagine the Broncos could have gotten better value had they kept the selection.  With the pick the Ravens selected DB Kim Herring of Penn State, who had a decent career in Baltimore and St. Louis before injuries sidelined him for good.  

3rd Round -- Pick 7(67) -- Dan Neil, OL(Texas) -- Dan Neil was another selection that worked out well for the team nearly from day 1.  The Broncos traded their own 3rd rounder, and three late round selections to the Jets in order to select Neil early in the 3rd round.  In 8 seasons with the Broncos from 1997 through 2004, Neil started in 104 of 108 games in which he appeared.  Various injuries slowed Neil down, and after Neil was released following the 2004 season the 8-year vet decided to call it a career.  Neil will always be remembered for being a member of the line that blocked for Terrell Davis during his 2000 yard season, and like his O-Line mates was a true warrior.

4th Round -- Pick 28(124) -- Cory Gilliard, S(Ball St) -- Gilliard's career, unfortunately nearly as successful as the two other picks in the draft.  After not making the team out of training camp, Gilliard was signed to the practice squad, only to be cut for good a month later.  Gilliard bounced around from New Orleans to Cincinnati where he made his NFL debut the final game of the 1997 season.  He was signed by the Patriots in 1999 after being out of football the entire 1998 season and was assigned to Frankfurt of the European league.  Gilliard's career came to an end when he was placed on the Non-Football-Injured-Reserve for the 1999 season then released. You win some and lose some in the 4th round and in this case the Broncos lost.

5th Round -- Pick 28(154) -- TRADE -- The Broncos traded this pick to the St. Louis Rams in 1996 for Wide Receiver Todd Kinchen.  Kinchen caught one pass for the Broncos in 1996 and was released, playing for the Atlanta Falcons in 1997.

6th Round and 7th Round -- TRADE -- The Broncos traded these two selections, along with their 3rd round pick, to acquire the Jets third round pick, selecting Dan Neil.

Guru's Take -- Sure, the Broncos only selected three players in 1997.  Two of them became valuable members of the team long term, and Tony Jones, acquired for a 2nd round pick became another.  Sometimes quality over quantity makes the most sense, and for Shanny and the Broncos the 1997 draft was a huge success, a stepping stone to Super Bowl greatness.

Guru Draft Grade -- A-

I continue my look back at the history of the Denver Broncos in the draft under Mike Shanahan.  Today I take a look at 1996, a year the Broncos made a surprise selection in the first round, from a school few had ever heard of and fewer could locate on a map.

Let's take a look at each pick, and how their career ended up.  At the end, I'll grade the draft and give my opinion.

1st Round -- Pick 15(15) -- John Mobley, LB(Kutztown, PA) -- The Mobley selection gave everyone a glimpse of what type of personnel guy Shanny was going to be.  Un-afraid to select anyone, from anywhere at any time, the selection of Mobley brought a collective "Who, from where?" from Broncos fans.  Shanny also started a trend of having no contact with players he was intent on drafting to avoid losing the guy he wanted.  On the field, Mobley became a solid linebacker, collecting over 100 tackles 3 different seasons, including 139 tackles in 1997 and 118 in 1998, the Broncos back-to-back title years.  Mobley was slowed by a knee injury in 1999, but remained solid until 2003, when a scary neck injury against Baltimore ended his season and his career.  Mobley has remained a fan favorite, even after his career abruptly ended.

2nd Round -- Pick 14(44) -- Tory James(Louisiana State) -- Tory James has been a solid player in the NFL, perhaps even to the surprise of Mike Shanahan.  After being drafted #44 overall in 1996, James was thrust right into the starting lineup, a produced nearly immediately.  A serious knee injury cost James the entire 1997 season, and after a 5 pick season in 1999 James left the Broncos in free agency for the hated Raiders, where he spent 3 seasons, playing in his third Super Bowl.  In 2003, James was signed by the Bengals where he has played through the 2006 season.  Overall, James averaged 4 picks a year, and turned out to be a solid pro, even if it wasn't mostly in Denver.

3rd Round -- Pick 4(65) -- Detron Smith, FB(Texas A&M) -- Detron Smith was another solid acquisition for Shanny in 1996, becoming a consistent special teams contributor, peaking in 1999 when the FB was selected to his first and only Pro Bowl.  His six year stay in Denver ended after the 2001 season, and Smith went on to play 2 seasons for the Colts before retiring after the 2003 season.  Decent, if not solid, value in round #3.

3rd Round -- Pick 17(78) -- Mark Campbell, DT(Florida) -- Shanny's roller coaster success with defensive linemen in the drafted started with Campbell, a defensive tackle that never saw the field for the Broncos.  Overall, Campbell saw action in a total of 5 games in 1997 for the Arizona Cardinals.  To say Campbell was a bust would be an understatement.

4th Round -- Pick 5(100) -- Jeff Lewis, QB(Northern Arizona) -- Lewis was Mike Shanahan's first attempt to find the heir-apparent to John Elway, and early on it looked like he could be the guy.  A mysterious injury playing basketball was the beginning of the end for Lewis in Denver, with Shanny having little patience for players that do not take their profession seriously.  Lewis missed the entire 1998 season before briefly returning to the NFL in Carolina.  It's hard to tell what could have been, but the reality is Lewis never panned out as a quarterback in the league.

4th Round -- Pick 27(122) -- Darius Johnson, DB(Oklahoma) -- Johnson was another pick that saw only flashes of action in teh NFL.  Such is to be expected when playing for a team that was in the middle of winning titles, with a plethera of veteran leadership.  Johnson was a starting safety at the end of 1999 before being released.  Johnson's football whereabouts are unknown until 2003 when he spent a season with the Chiefs.  Johnson was a solid special teams contributor for the Broncos, and was at least some factor on 2 championship teams.

5th Round -- Pick 27(159) -- Patrick Jeffers, WR(Virginia) -- Jeffers' story reads like a fairy-tale.  A walk on as a freshman at Virginia, Jeffers worked his way up the depth chart to become a solid performer for the Cavaliers, before the Broncos made him a 5th round selection.  The story wasn't as great in Denver, and Jeffers's stay was a short one.  After spending the 1998 season with the Cowboys, Jeffers greatest success came in 1999 with the Carolina Panthers, where Jeffers amassed 62 catches for 1082 yards and 12 TD's.  Injuries cost Jeffers the entire 2000 season, and after attempting a comeback in 2001, Jeffers finally called it a career in 2002.  While not a solid pick, a solid story nonetheless.

6th Round -- Pick 14(181) -- Tony Veland, DB(Nebraska) -- Veland got little more than a drink of water in the NFL, but has found some success since.  Veland played only 1 season in Denver, before spending a year in Carolina, where Veland intercepted the only pass of his career.  His last season was in Green Bay before Veland returned to the state of Nebraska, playing arena football for the Omaha Beef.  Veland is now a defensive coach for the Beef, his 4th season in that role.

7th Round -- Pick 4(213) -- Leslie Ratliffe, OT(Tennessee) -- Not much information out there regarding Ratliffe, which probably means he made the same type of impact most 7th round picks make, none.

7th Round -- Pick 17(226) -- Chris Banks, OG(Kansas) -- Banks had a bit of a better career than Ratliffe, though not by much.  After spending two season in Denver, Banks finished out his career in Atlanta.  Injuries sidetracked Banks rise in the league, as is the case with so many players in the NFL.

7th Round -- Pick 26(235) -- L.T. Levine, RB(Kansas) -- Maybe they drafted Levine because he was a good friend of Banks.  If so, it didn't help, and Levine was out of football after one training camp.

7th Round -- Pick 17(236) -- Brian Gragert, P(Wyoming) -- At least he can tell his grandchildren he was actually drafted by a NFL franchise.  Nothing much else to report.



Guru's Take -- The Broncos selected 12 different players in the 1996 NFL draft.  Three of them played significantly in the league, and one of them easily had his best years for other teams.  Mobley was the star of this draft, and he was on his way solid, if not stellar, career before the neck injury.  No one else really did a thing in the NFL, besides Jeffers' one-hit wonder season for Carolina in 1999.  Not a lot of value in this draft as a whole, and for as many players the Broncos brought in it has to be considered a disappointment that the only one to really play a role for the team long term was their 1st round pick.  Bonus points will be awarded for Tory James, since he remained a solid player in the league, but overall a lackluster draft for the Broncos.

Guru 1996 Draft Grade -- C-

We are quickly approaching the 2008 NFL Draft, the 14th draft for the Broncos under the guidance of Mike Shanahan.  With recent events, including the firing of GM Ted Sundquist, the spotlight is on Shanny as prepares for what looks to be the most important draft of his tenure.  Part of the fun of having a coach like Shanny around so long is we get the chance to look back at past successes and failures.  I will be doing that form now until the draft, starting with Shanny's first draft in 1995.

The 1995 Draft was unique for the Broncos, to say the least.  The team didn't have a pick until the 4th round, thanks in part to a trade with Atlanta for WR Mike Pritchard.  Let's take a look at each pick, and how their career ended up.  At the end, I'll grade the draft and give my opinion.

4th Round -- Pick 23(121) -- Jamie Brown, OL(FLorida A&M) -- For a late 4th round selection, Brown was able to last longer than most players in the NFL.  Brown played in 38 games in 5 seasons for three different teams in the NFL.  Three years in Denver, followed by a season in San Francisco, a one game in 1999 for Washington.  Not much more to say about Brown, whose 5 seasons in the league are alot more than many 4th rounders.

4th Round -- Pick 26(124) -- Ken Brown, LB(Virginia Tech) -- The Broncos picked another Brown, Ken Brown, 3 picks later and didn't last nearly as long in the league.  Officially, Brown played in 2 games for the Broncos in 1995 and was never heard form again.

5th Round -- Pick 12(146) -- Phil Yeboah-Kodie, LB(Penn State) -- I have never heard of this guy, and few in Denver probably have either.  Yeboah-Kodie never played a down as a Bronco, and his limited action in the league was confined to two appearances for the Colts in 1996.  Not much value for the Broncos here, either.

6th Round -- Pick 11(182) -- Fritz Fequiere, OL(Iowa) -- This guy might have the best name of anyone ever drafted by the Broncos.  Officially he never played in a game in the NFL, and after bouncing around the World League in 96, 97 and 98 Fequiere spent 2001 in the Arena League.  I guess Fritz does have one distinction when it comes to the Broncos, the fact that he was drafted the same round as the next guy on our list.

6th Round -- Pick 25(196) -- Terrell Davis, RB(Georgia) -- This is the pick that has defined the Shanahan Era in Denver to date.  Davis made a nme for himself right away with a crushing special teams tackle against the 49'ers dring the 1995 pre-season and never looked back.  Davis rushed for 1100 yards or more four straight seasons starting that rookie year, and went on to be the NFL MVP in 1998, becoming the fourth running back to rush for 2000 yards in a season.  His MVP performance in Super Bowl XXXII is one of legend and helped get John Elway that first ellusive championship.  A knee injury in 1999 sparked the beginning of the end for T.D., though he tried valiantly to come back in 2000 and 2001.  WHile T.D.'s place in the Hall of Fame is questionable, he'll always be in the Hall of Fame within each and every Broncos' fans' hearts.

7th Round -- Pick 10(218) -- Steve Russ, LB(Air Force) -- Russ, the third linebacker taken by the Broncos in the 1995 draft, spent a little more time than some of the other guys on this list.  Hanging around long enough to get into 14 games in 1997, 24 total in his 4 year career, Russ has become another afterthought in Broncos lore.

7th Round -- Pick 14(222) -- Byron Chamberlain, TE(Missouri) -- Lost among all the Terrell Davis talk was the nice little career Chamberlain notched out for himself as a 7th round pick.  While Byron was never the focal point of the offense with Shannon Sharpe around, he was still able to grab 32 balls for the Broncos in 1999, and in 2001, after leaving as a free agent for Minnesota, Chamberlain caught 57 passes for 666 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Chamberlain ended his career after the 2003 season, spent with the Redskins, and for a 7th round pick was able to enjoy a bit of success.

Guru's Take -- Do we even need to talk about any of these other guys when talking about a draft that netted the Broncos one of the greatest players in team history?  The arrival of Terrell Davis has become synonomous with the re-birth of the Broncos and the beginning of their march to two consecutive titles in the late 90's.  Include the Chamberlain pick, who was a vital part of the Broncos running game in two-tight end sets, and the 1995 draft has to be considered a huge success.  Two intrical pieces when the Broncos didn't have a pick in any of the first 3 rounds.  Even with the no-names that round out the list, it was easy to come to a determination on a grade.

Guru 1995 Draft Grade -- A

Let's take a moment and relive that first training camp in Denver for Terrell Davis, thanks to YouTube and NFL Network....

Whew!  After losing my appetite doing the past two draft reviews I am hoping for some improvement in the 2002 draft.  Looking at some of the name, I am feeling preety good about how this will all shake out.  Care to join me, taking a look back at the 2002 Denver Broncos draft?  Let's do it.

1st Round -- Pick 19(19) - Ashley Lelie, WR (Hawaii) -- We've gone through several receivers the Broncos drafted to be that down-filed threat.  Lelie was the latest, and coming out of college it appeared that it was a solid move.  The choice came down to two receivers, Lelie and Javon Walker.  The Broncos went with Lelie, mainly because of his speed.  Lelie quickly showed what made him a star at Hawaii, making several acrobatic catches his rookie season.  Playing mostly a reserve role, Lelie was still able to catch 35 passes, averaging 15 yards per grab, and two TD's.  He improved each of the next two seasons, catching  a career-high 54 passes for 1084 yards and 7 TD's.  His 20.1 yards per catch was among the league leaders.  Lelie appeared on the verge of breaking out, similar to Walker, pick one spot after Lelie in the draft by the Packers.  Something happened in 2005, however, and Lelie production digressed.  Lelie nabbed 42 passes for 770 yards but only reached the end-zone once.  The writing was on the wall.  Questions began to circulate about Lelie's effort on the practice field, and whether or not he had the toughness to be a #1 receiver in the league.  On Draft Day 2006, the Broncos traded a 2nd round pick to the Packers to get Javon Walker, with hopes that Walker would motivate and push Lelie.  It backfired, and Lelie decided to hold himself out of all team activities.  Feeling he should be handed the #1 job, Lelie pouted his way in a trade, ending up in Atlanta.  The Broncos received a 3rd round pick this year and a 4th rounder next year in the deal, but with Walker on board longterm, the Broncos have the guy they probably should have picked originally.  As for Lelie, his mediocre play continued for the Falcons, failing to be the deep threat they were looking for as well.  He was allowed to leave, and the 49'ers ended up signing Lelie to be their third WR.  In the end, Lelie may never realize hi potential, but the Broncos were able to turn a negative into a positive, making this bitter pill easier to swallow.

2nd Round -- Pick 19(51) - Clinton Portis(Miami, FL) - The Broncos have made some bad picks in rounds 2 and 3, but in 2002 they hit a home run big time with Portis, whose draft stock plummeted due to concerns about size and attitude.  There might not be anything more dangerous than a very talented football player with a chip, and Portis definitely played like he had something to prove.  In only 31 games with the Broncos, Portis rushed for 3099 yards and 29 TDs, more than anyone ever.  After the 2003 season, Portis started to squawk about his contract.  Sure, he was underpaid, but to redo a deal with two seasons remaining would be set a bad precedent.  The Broncos once again sent out trade feelers, and received interest from a familiar spot.  Washington had some contract issues of it's own with star DB Champ Bailey.  The match seemed perfect.  The Broncos traded Portis to Washington for Bailey and a 2nd round draft pick, one the Broncos used to draft Tatum Bell.  Since getting to Washington Portis has yet to be able to reach the lofty success he did in Denver.  In 3 injury plagued seasons, Portis has rushed for 3354 yards and 23 TDs.  Still young at 25, Portis needs to have a big rebound season in 2007 or risk becoming a cap casualty next season.

3rd Round - Pick 31(96) - Dorsett Davis, DT(Mississippi State) --The Broncos had high hopes when they selected Dorsett Davis out of Mississippi State.  He was big and athletic and the Broncos figured he was going to fit right in to the defensive line scheme.  As is typical, Davis sat out his rookie season, learning the intricacies of playing in the NFL.  The experience seemed to do him well, with Davis seeing action in 14 games in 2003.  Coming into the '04 season, Davis seemed primed and ready to take that next step.  It looked like he was cementing a starting spot during training camp in 2004 when a finger injury left Davis with a tough decision.  He could have surgery on the finger, ending his season, or he could play and risk losing the finger altogether.  Davis chose surgery and the IR.  The Broncos brought Davis back in 2005, but released him before training camp started.  After visists with Minnesota and Miami, Davis spent most of 2005 and early 2006 with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL.. Currently, Davis is free agent, looking for a team to give him another chance.

4th Round -- Pick 33(131) - Sam Brandon, S (UNLV) --Brandon seemed to be on his way in the Denver defense until a knee injury in 2006 curtailed his career.  Brandon is rehabbing, trying to get back to his pre-injury form, and for the Broncos, who desperately need help in the secondary, the sight of Brandon in '07 will be a welcome one.   Early on it became apparent that the Broncos had found something in the safety from UNLV.  Brandon saw special teams action in all 32 games his first two seasons, finding a spot in the nickel package in 2003.  Brandon's combination of size and speed made him the perfect player to lineup against slot receivers, and better yet, the super-Tight Ends the Brocnos face every season in Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates.  He was so successful, the defense became know as the "Big-Nickel" and the Broncos used it extensively over the next 3 seasons.  Injuries have always been the bug-a-boo for Brandon, but nothing as serious as the knee injury Brandon suffered against the Steelers last season.  Without Brandon the Broncos struggled mightily, with Gonzalez, Gates and others having big-time success through the air.  Off the field, Brandon has had some trouble keeping out of trouble, and will need to stay clean or risk being suspended in the new era of player conduct.

5th Round -- Pick 9(144) - Herb Haygood , P(Michigan State) -- Ok, we knew there would be one crapper and Haygood was it.  Haygood saw action in 3 games as a Bronco his rookie year before being released before being signed to the practice squad in 2003.  The Broncos released Haygood for good in 2004, and he was picked up by the Chiefs, most likely in hopes that Haygood could give some insight to the Broncos offense.  After a season in Europe and on the Chiefs inactive roster, Haygood once again found himself out of work.  Haygood has kept himself busy teaching other high-schoolers how not to become NFL receivers as well as play in the Continental Indoor Football League for the Kalamazoo Xplosion, though, similar to his NFL days it appears he has yet to catch a pass.

6th Round - Pick 19(191) - Jeb Putzier, TE(Boise State) -- Just like the downfield receiver the Broncos kept wasting picks on, the Broncos have made numerous choices in hopes of finding a replacement for Shannon Sharpe.  In part because they couldn't do it, Sharper returned to the Broncos in 2002, and the Broncos chose Jeb Putzier to be ready when Sharpe called it quits.  Like so many before him, Putzier had wide receiver experience, but could never block enough to keep Mike Shanahan happy.   Putzier didn't see much action during his first two seasons in Denver, but in 2004 exploded for 36 catches, 572 yards and 2 TDs.  Putzier was a liability in the run game, and struggled to find consistent playing time.  Let's face it, if you know the TE on the field can't run block, chances are the play in going to be a pass.  In what I consider to be an odd move to this day, the Jets signed Putzier to a RFA contract before the 2005 season, and the Broncos promptly matched.  It appeared that Putz might be in Denver to stay.  Putzier put up similar numbers in 2005, but his total inability to block made it impossible for the Broncos to keep him and he was released in a cap move last spring.  Jeb ended up in Houston with old friend Gary Kubiak, but found bad teams lead to bad times, and Putz had his worst season, catching only 13 passes.

7th Round -- Pick 17(228) - Chris Young, CB(Georgia Tech) -- Chris Young looked like a player early on, flying around on special teams, making plays.  But life for a 7th round pick in the NFL is hard, and after 3 seasons and seven total tackles, Young was released in 2005.

7th Round - Pick 20(231) - Monsanto Pope, DT(Virginia) -- Pope has actually turned out to be a great value, for a guy picked 231st overall.   Early on, Pope too advantage of Dorsett Davis' injury woes to get significant playing time on the d-line.  As a rookie, Pope registered 18 tackles and 4 sacks in 14 games.  Pope went on the play in every game in 2003 and 2004, though he never was able to find the magic sack touch.  After a disappointing 2005, Pope was signed by the New York Jets, though his stay was short.  Pope quit the team during the first week of training camp last July, citing personal reasons.

Guru's Take -- As bad as some of the past few drafts have been it would be easy to over-compensate and give this draft an unfair grade.  But let's look at what the Broncos were able to do in 2002.  Not every pick was a great one, but for the most part the Broncos were able to take bad situations and turn them into huge positives.  Just the fact that the Broncos were able to turn a 2nd round pick(Portis) into a former top-10 pick(Bailey) and Tatum Bell, who was flipped for Dre Bly, could be enough to warrant an A.  Then you turn Ashley Lelie, a guy that wasn't going to return to the team anyway, into a 3rd and 4th round selection and the rest is just gravy.  There was really only one total bust, Herb Haygood, and he was a 5th rounder, hardly a given.  This was easily the Broncos best draft of new century, not only for the players the Broncos selected, but for the bounty they were able to gain when moves had to be made.

Guru's Grade -- A

If I am going to finish this thing I have got to get a move on.  Expect to see 2 per day this week so we can get through it all.  Up next is 2001, a year that might go down as one of the worst in Shanny's tenure.  For the second season in a row the Broncos took a DB in the first round, once again with little success.  How did the rest of the draft go?  Not much better.  Let's take a look.

1st Round -- Pick 15(15) - Willie Middlebrooks, CB (Minnesota) -- I will never understand this pick.  Ever.  People have tried to explain it to me.  I still don't get it.  Middlebrooks was an average DB and a below average school who had missed a significant amount of time because of an ankle injury to boot.  Middlebrooks has decent size, at 6-1, 200, but doesn't have great speed, nor great cover skills.  His career showed as much, with Middlebrooks fighting injury most of his rookie year.  He was active 43 of the next 48 games, playing mostly special teams.  After the 2004 season the Broncos traded Middlebrooks to the 49'ers for DE John Engleberger.  Middlebrooks saw action in only 5 games for a team that was absolutely horrible in 2005.   I think you get the point.  After the 49'ers released Middlebrooks, the Broncos re-signed him, giving him a second chance to do anything with his career.  It just wasn't to be, and Middlebrooks appears to be out of football for good, though I am sure someone will take a look at him as training camp nears.  There have been some bad picks, but at least some of the guys we have discussed previously(Marcus Nash) went on to play well somewhere.  I doubt Middlebrooks would succeed anywhere, even the AFL.  If his on-field play wasn't bad enough, Middlebrooks got into trouble off of it as well, pleading guilty to an assault charge in February 2006.  Career stats - 56 games, 33 tackles, 1 sack, ZERO interceptions.  Great value.

2nd Round -- Pick 20(51) - Paul Toviessi(Marshall) - Hmmm.  Middlebrooks was bad.  But he did see some action in the NFL.  The Broncos second pick in 2001 did not, though it wasn't all Toviessi's fault.  The Broncos were so high on Marshall DE Paul Toviessi that they moved up to draft him in the second round. However, he missed his rookie year as a result of knee problems and rehabilitation to develop his body. After the early part of workouts, when Toviessi had gained considerable weight and strength, the Broncos couldn't stop raving about him. However, his knee problems continued to occur and after his third knee scope or operation in less than a year, the Broncos decided that his knee would never be sound enough for him to be an effective NFL player and released him.   Somehow I have to question whether the Broncos did their homework on Toviessi, and whether or not a  potential injury situation was missed before the draft.  Ironically, the trade the got the Broncos the pick used to get Toviessi also included a pick used by the Buffalo Bills to draft current Broncos running back Travis Henry.  It truly is a small world.

3rd Round - Pick 25(87) - Reggie Hayward, DE(Iowa State) --The Broncos thought they had drafted  a stud on the D-line, and they were right.  It wasn't Toviessi, however, but Reggie Hayward, who has become a solid D-End for the Broncos and Jaguars.  Hayward didn't see much action in 2001 or 2002 for the Broncos and looked early to be another reach in the third round.  It turned around for Hayward in 2003, when Hayward played in all 16 games, racking up 8.5 sacks and 28 tackles..  In 2004, Hayward continued his stellar play, with career highs in tackles(43) and sacks(10.5).  The Broncos, in tight salary cap waters after the 2004 season were unable to keep Hayward, and the DE signed a lucrative deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.    His first season in Florida was steady, if not spectacular, with 8.5 sacks and 33 tackles.  Last season ended up being a tough one for Hayward when he was lost for the season because of a torn Achilles during the first game of the season versus Dallas.  Now the question will be whether or not Hayward can come back.  The Broncos get credit for this pick, but once again were not able to keep one of their own.

4th Round -- Pick 18(113) - Ben Hamilton, OL (Minnesota) -- The Broncos went back to the Golden Gophers on day 2, this time with much better success.  Hamilton was a standout center in college and the Broncos drafted him to someday take over for Tom Nalen.  Six years later, Nalen is still the center, and Hamilton has become a standout at guard.  Hamilton has played center as well, a couple years ago when Nalen was injured, but no matter where he has played Hamilton has been solid and more importantly, durable, being active for every game of his NFL career.  Hamilton is another example of the Broncos ability to get tremendous value on the offensive line late in the draft.

4th Round -- Pick 25(120) - Nick Harris, P(CAL) -- The Broncos weren't happy with incumbent Tom Rouen, and in an attempt to light a fire under the vet the Broncos decided to waste a fourth round pick on Harris, who, to his credit, has gone on to become a decent punter.   The pre-season battle between Harris and Rouen never really got off the ground, with the rookie struggling to find his form.  The Broncos released Harris during the pre-season, and Harris was quickly picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he proved is was worthy of playing in the NFL.  In 2 seasons for the Bengals, Harris averaged 40.1 yards per kick, not great, but not horrible either.  In 2003, Harris signed with the Detroit Lions, and playing in 9 games a season in-doors has only helped his production.  Harris has continued to get better, peaking last season when Harris finished 5th in net punt average(45.3)  One of those judgment calls, Harris no doubt has lived up to a 4th round pick, but I have to ding the Broncos for giving up on him so early on.

5th Round - TRADE -- The Broncos traded tw0 5th round picks, including this one, to the St. Louis Rams for safety Billy Jenkins.

6th Round -- Pick 27(190) - Kevin Kasper, WR(Iowa) --Tim Dwight started a trend in the NFL where teams draft really fast white guys from Iowa.  Of course, you do have to have some talent, and though very fast, Kasper did not have Tim Dwight's skills as a receiver or return man.  The Broncos once again had a very short leash on Kasper, and after a little more than one year, that included more injuries than catches or solid returns, Kasper was sent packing.  Since, Kasper spent a couple seasons in Arizona, one in new England, one season (2005) completely out of football, before resurfacing last season in Detroit.  Though there always seems to be a market for guys that have any return skills(see Quincy Morgan), I have a feeling the clock has run out on Kasper.

Guru's Take -- Like a CD that skips, these draft looking exactly the same year after year.  Willie Middlebrooks was a huge bust in the first round, and Paul Toviessi didn't play a down in the NFL.  Reggie Hayward and Ben Hamilton, while playing for different teams, saved this draft from being a complete failure.  Hamilton has become a stalwart on the offensive line, and Hayward, before the injury, was a very good pass rusher.  Harris has become a solid pick, but the Broncos didn't give him more than 5 minutes to prove it.  Kasper has speed, but never has become the Tim Dwight-type the Broncos were looking for.  Just remember, I grade these on a curve, with earlier picks getting more weight.  Because of that, I can go no higher than just below average.

Guru's Grade -- C-

Onward, to the 2000 draft.  The Broncos were coming off their worst season in over a decade, still grappling with the daunting task of replacing John Elway, dealing with the unknown of Terrell Davis' knee injury from the season before.  The team was definitely in a state of transition, and it was becoming imperative that Mike Shanahan starts coming up huge in the draft.  Did he hit a homerun in 2000?  Let's take a look.

1st Round -- Pick 15(15) - Deltha O'Neal, CB (CAL) -- The Broncos had the #9 pikc in the draft, but chose to trade down, swapping the pick with Baltimore, getting the #15 pick as well as the Raven's 2nd round pick.  At 15, the Broncos went defense, selecting Deltha O'Neal.  The  O'Neal selection is one a bit tough to gauge.    There were times O'Neal looked like he was going to be a stud.  A shut-down corner and electric return guy that was going to be a force in the NFL for a long time.  At other times, he looked lost, fumbling returns, and giving up big play after big play.  In the end, those latter times became much more frequent than the good ones, and O'Neal became another first rounder to find himself out the door.  O'Neal's career in Denver can be split in 2 parts.  The `good' years were his first two in Denver .  As a rookie, O'Neal returned kicks and punts as well as anyone, even returning a kickoff for a touchdown.  While not seeing much action on defense his special team's contributions made him a valuable member of the roster.  In 2001, O'Neal became a starter a corner and immediately began to look like a star.  O'Neal picked off nine passes,  and had 16 passes defended.  Not only was his defense solid, but he continued his strong special teams play by returning a punt for a TD.   Things started to unravel in 2002 for O'Neal.  The corner started fumbling the ball on punts, and giving up huge plays on defense.  While O'Neal was able to score two TD's on interception returns, his pick total was cut in half.  The writing was on the wall.  In 2003, his final season in Denver, O'Neal could barely get onto the field.  It all came to a head on a Monday Night against the Patriots, when O'Neal, who had been benched by Shanny was pressed into action only to fumble a punt as well as give up the game winning TD on a blown coverage.  It was at that point Shanny decided to move O'Neal to receiver, an ill-conceived move that O'Neal was less than excited about.  It became obvious to everyone involved that O'Neal's time in Denver was limited at best.  O'Neal became a former Bronco a few days before the 2004 draft when he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.  With the Bengals, O'Neal's career has followed a similar path. After a solid 2005 campaign that saw O'Neal pick off a career-high 10 passes.  2006 was a polar opposite, with O'Neal reverting back to his old, bad habits.  It appears after seven seasons in the NFL that is all O'Neal will be, making him an under-achiever for a top-15 pick.

2nd Round -- Pick 9(40) - Ian Gold(Michigan) - Seen as a bit of a reach at the time, the Broncos took the former Wolverine early in the second round.  Small by comparison, Gold fit in perfectly with what the Broncos wanted in a linebacker.  Small, but fast and able to go sideline to sideline in pursuit.   Gold wasn't a starter his first two seasons, stuck behind incumbent Bill Romanowski,  but became a special teams standout on both punt and kick coverage.   In 2002, his third year in the league, Gold got the chance he was waiting for, and made the most of it.  Gold immediately became a team leader on defense, posting his career high in tackles at 100.  His 6.5 sacks that season are also a career high.  His 2003 season got off to an even better start, with Gold on pace for another 100-tackle season before his year ended as a result of a knee injury covering a punt.  Unsure about his recovery, the Broncos chose not to resign Gold, allowing him to sign a contact with Tampa Bay.  His stay in Tampa was short, but Gold was solid enough for Mike Shanahan to make a move to re-sign him after the Bucs released the 5-year vet.  Since returning for the 2005 season Gold has continued his solid play.  Gold started strong in 2006 before fading drastically as the year went on and 2007 figures to be a pivotal season in Gold's career.  

2nd Round - Pick 14(45) - Kenoy Kennedy, S(Arkansas) -- The Broncos used the extra pick acquired from the Baltimore Ravens to select Kennedy, who many thought would be the next Steve Atwater.  Like Atwater, Kennedy was a hard-hitting safety from Arkansas.  While Kennedy enjoyed a bit of success, he turned out to be another early pick that no longer makes his NFL home in Denver.  Kennedy broke into the starting lineup his 2nd season and for the better part of the next 4 seasons was a solid defender for the Broncos.  What became apparent rather quickly was Kennedy's limitations in pass coverage, making him a liability at times against some of the better quarterbacks in the league.  Where Kennedy was like Atwater was in his style of play, a ruthless hitter who made people pay in the secondary.  A better run-stopper than pass defender, Kennedy enjoyed some good seasons in Denver, with 2004 his best, statistically.  Kennedy used his strong season to get a big free agent contract form the Detroit Lions heading into the 20005 season.  His first in Detroit was his best, with Kenedy playing in all 16 games.  His 2006 season was marred by injury, but overall Kennedy is a nice player, though his one could expect more from the 45th overall pick.

3rd Round -- Pick 8(70) -- Chris Cole, WR(Texas A&M) -- Well, you knew there had to be a first day stinker and here it was.  Cole was another attempt by Shanny to find a slot receiver that could stretch the field.  One of the fastest players in the league, Shanny thought Cole could be that guy.  Unfortunately, Cole had no receiver skills and after playing in 35 total games, for 3 teams, catching 12 passes, his career was over in 2005.  To his credit, Cole was a pretty good return guy, but not nearly good enough to stick in the NFL.  Cole was a bust, no other way to describe it.

4th Round -- Pick 7(101) - Jerry Johnson,  DT(Florida St.) -- What I do know is the Broncos drafted the former Seminole with the 7th pick of the fourth round.   It appears he saw action, or was at least active, for 9 games in the 2001 season, meaning he was probably a practice squad player in 2000.  After that, not much else.  Like many Broncos mid-round picks it appears Johnson faded into the draft-bust abyss.

4th Round -- Pick 18(112) - Cooper Carlisle, OL(Florida) -- As bad as the previous two picks were, Shanny once again showed he can get value for the offensive line later in the draft.  Carlisle became another in a long line of late-round picks that played significant time on the Broncos O-Line.  To his credit, Carlisle waited his turn to get a chance to prove himself.  Carlisle didn't make one start his first three years in the league, and was only a spot starter in '03 and '04.  The team finally called his number in 2005 and Carlisle responded starting every game the past two seasons.  Carlisle was by no means a star on the line but provide the stable, solid play necessary.  After last season Carlisle was allowed to test the free-agent waters, eventually signing a deal with the Oakland Raiders.

5th Round -- Pick 25(154) - Muneer Moore, (Richmond) -- Here is what I know....Muneer Moore looked like a promising prospect when drafted In 2000.  He broke his ankle during a preseason game, missing his entire rookie campaign.  He once again seemed promising in 2001, but once again ended up injured.  He continued to try and keep his dream alive, even signing with the New York Jets in 2004.  His playing career, now over, turned into an opportunity to work for the NFLPA as a Player Marketing Manager.

6th Round -- Pick 23(189) - Mike Anderson, RB(Utah) -- Another solid trend in the Shanny era was his ability to find running backs deep in day 2, and the Broncos pulled it off again, drafting former Marine Mike Anderson.   Anderson got his chance to shine almost immediately, with Terrell Davis and Olandis Gary still unable to compete.  Anderson took advantage, winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award by rushing for nearly 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns.  Anderson proved his team loyalty by switching positions to FB for the 2001 season, where he continued to stand out and be productive.  Opportunities dwindles in 2002 and 2003, with Clinton Portis seeing most of the carries.  After Portis was traded to Washington in 2004, Anderson appeared to be the man once again before a groin energy ended his season before it really began.  Anderson came back strong in 2005, and as the featured  back Anderson once again eclipsed 1000 yards.  After being released in a salary cap move, Anderson signed with the Baltimore Ravens, though sadly he was little used by Brian Billick.  Anderson will always be one of my favorite Broncos, mostly because of his unselfish, team-first attitude.  Obviously a solid pick for the Broncos.

7th Round -- Pick 8(214) - Jarious Jackson, QB(Notre Dame) -- This pick always baffled me, because Jackson was never a guy I saw as a good fit in Denver.  After a few years of trying to prove me wrong the experiment was thankfully over.  Jackson saw little action during his 4 seasons in Denver, playing in one, unmemorable game in Green Bay against the Packers.  After a short stint playing in the secondary on defense the Broncos thankfully released Jackson in 2004.  Jarious went on to Detroit, where he spent the 2004 season on the Lions practice squad.  In 2005, Jackson went north of the border, signing with the B.C. Lions of the CFL.  Not good enough to start over a guy named Buck Pierce, Jackson continues to live his dream, and it can only be a matter of time for he ends up in the arena league.

7th Round -- Pick 40(246) - Leroy Fields, WR(Jackson State) -- Total unknown, as many guys drafted at 246 are 7 years later.

Guru's Take -- This is where this stuff becomes objective.  Do we reward a draft class if several of those players become serviceable NFL players, even IF it isn't with the Broncos?  Do we judge a draft simply on how it specifically affects the team that selected them?  I do a bit of both, because the salary cap system doesn't allow teams to keep everyone.  That said, even though several of these selections turned out to be decent players, the draft was a disappointment overall, with exactly one of these guys still playing for Denver, and he was shown the door once before.   In many of the situations on Day 1 it appeared the Broncos were reaching, and in the end only Gold has deserved the pick that was used to select him.  It gets a higher grade than some of the others, but only because some of these guys actually stayed in the league.

Guru's Grade -- C

In the 5th edition of my look back at each Broncos draft lead by Mike Shanahan and company I look at the final draft of the 20th century, and the second in a row for the Broncos following a World Championship.  It would be the first since 1982, however, that John Elway was not a part of the draft, or part of the Broncos, and the first time it really sunk in with me that #7 wouldn't be taking snaps on Sunday afternoons.

Let's take a look back at the 1999 draft, and how the Broncos fared to start the post-Elway era in Denver.

1st Round -- Pick 31(31) -- Al Wilson, LB(Tennessee) -- If Terrell Davis was the best pick made by Mike Shanahan to date, Wilson would have to qualify a close second.  Wilson was drafted with the final pick of the first round and immediately became the vocal and emotional leader of the defense.  Wilson played in all 16 games during his rookie campaign, and overall has played in 125 of 128 total team games since 1999.  Wilson became a 5 time pro bowler, impressive in its own right during a time with Ray Lewis, another AFC Linebacker getting all the publicity.  Wilson eclipsed the century mark in tackles 3 different seasons, and tacked on 25 sacks in his eight year career in Denver.  Wilson may have endeared himself for ever to Broncos fans for two specific hits he registered, one against Tyrone Wheatley in 2004, and the other against Deion Branch of the Patriots in 2005.  Wilson wasn't the biggest or most gifted athlete on the field, but he sure did play like it.  A defensive captain the past 6 years, Wilson was injured during a game against Seattle.  After being carried off the field with an apparent neck/back injury, Wilson returned to play the next week, before missing the season finale against the 49'ers.  His career as a Bronco came to an end on April 13, 2006, when he held a press conference thanking the fans and media for their support after the Broncos informed Wilson he would be released.  His future is still in doubt, with the severity of his neck injury still in question.  At this time Wilson has yet to receive medical clearance to play football and there is a chance he never will.  No matter what, Al Wilson will be a fan favorite for Bronco Nation.

2nd Round -- Pick 27(58) -- Montae Reagor(Texas Tech) --Prior to the draft, the Broncos traded young offensive lineman Jamie Brown to the San Francisco 49'ers for the 27th pick in the 2nd round.  With it, the Broncos decided on Monte Reagor.  Reagor was a standout at Texas Tech, and the Broncos needed some bulk on the d-line, with Neil Smith and others cast off after the Super Bowl.  Reagor played well in spurts, but his problem was staying on the field.  In his four seasons in Denver, Reagor played in 45 of 64 games, and never seemed to be able to stay healthy in long stretches.  While playing 15 games for the Broncos in 2002 Reagor only netted 19 tackles.  After the 2002 season the Broncos allowed Reagor to find a new home, and did he ever.  Reagor signed with the Indianapolis Colts prior to the 2003 season and proved to everyone that he was simply a late bloomer.  Over the next three seasons Reagor played in 42/48 games posting career highs in virtually every stat, including a career high 5.5 sacks in 2005.  The 2006 season started strong for the Colts and Reagor until Week 6, when while driving to the RCA Dome to play the Redskins Reagor was seriously injured in a car accident.  So concerned were the Colts about the possibility that he wouldn't play again they decided to release him after the season.  Reagor signed a contract with the Eagles and will try to get back on the football field in 2007.

2nd Round -- Pick 30(61) -- Lennie Friedman, OL(Duke) -- Friedman seemed the perfect match for the Broncos zone blocking scheme, and for a while became a valuable contributor with the Broncos.  During his 4 seasons with the Broncos, Friedman started 22 games, including 14 in 2001.  His play was in-consistent at best, however, and like Reagor was allowed to leave after the 2002 season.  Friedman went on to the Redskins, where he continued to shift in and out of the starting lineup.  In 2005, Friedman officially entered journeyman status, signing with the Chicago Bears.  After not seeing any action in 2005, the Bears traded Lennie to the Cleveland Browns during training camp last year.  Friedman started two games for the depleted Browns in 2006, and recently was re-signed for the 2007 season.  Nothing more than a career back-up, Lennie has stayed in the league by simply playing anytime, anywhere.

3rd Round -- Pick 6(67) -- Chris Watson, CB(Eastern Illinois) -- The Broncos made another trade, this time sending QB Jeff Lewis to Carolina for this pick, as well as a 4th rounder in 2000.  The Broncos used this pick on Watson, a relatively unknown prospect out of Eastern Illinois.  Watson quickly made an impression, and by the end of the 1999 season was returning punts, even scoring on a punt return during the '99 season.  Watson made the All-Rookie team that season as a kick-returner, but there was something  Shanny didn't like.  In August of 2000, the Broncos traded Wilson to Buffalo as part of a package of draft picks, with one, ironically enough, being used by the Bills to select RB Travis Henry, now a member of the Broncos.  Watson went on to play 3 seasons in Buffalo, before heading to Detroit where injuries curtailed his career.   Watson retired after being released by the Green Bay Packers in 2004.

3rd Round -- Pick 32(93) -- Travis McGriff, WR(Florida) -- The Gators have never been known for their receivers, but that didn't stop the Broncos from taking McGriff in the third round.  McGriff became another third round bust for Denver, catching 5 passes for one TD.  All was not lost for McGriff, however.  After spending the 2002 season in Atlanta, doing nothing, McGriff followed the footsteps of Marcus Nash into the Arena League, becoming a solid receiver for Orlando and Nashville.  That career came to an end after the 2005 season.

4th Round -- Pick 32(127) -- Olandis Gary, RB(Georgia) -- The Broncos tried to catch Georgia lightning in a bottle for the second time in selecting little known Gary from Georgia.  It didn't take long for it to appear the Broncos were writing a sweet sequel to the Terrell Davis story when Gary filled in for the injured Davis, rushing for 1159 yards in only 12 games that rookie year.  With Davis still struggling the next season, Gary was primed and ready to become a star when disaster struck.  On the 14th carry of the season, Week 1 in St' Louis, Gary broke his leg and missed the year.  Though he attempted to return to form in 2001 and 2002 he was never really able to recapture the explosiveness that made him so effective.  Buffalo signed Gary after the 2002 season, then promptly traded him to Detroit.  It was there that Gary would end his career, rushing for only 384 yards in 2003.  Gary was placed on injured reserve then released in September 2004.

5th Round -- Pick 25(158) -- David Bowens, DE(Western Illinois) -- If you draft someone from Eastern Illinois you have to draft a player from Western Ill. as well, and that's exactly what the Broncos did, selcting Bowens.  Truth be told, Bowens had carved out a nice career for himself and remains a servicable player to this day.  After playing in 15 games for the Broncos his rookie season the team seemed to sour on him, trading him to the Packers for a 2007 7th Round selection.  After one decent year in Green Bay, Bowens was signed by the Dolphins were, playing opposite Jason Taylor, he enjoyed his greatest success, culminating in a 7-sack, 46 tackle season in 2004.  Bowens plans on playing in 2007, recently signing a contract with the New York Jets.

5th Round -- Pick 34(137) -- Darwin Brown, CB(Texas Tech) -- Unfortunately, there just isn't much out there about Brown, which probably means he didn't make the team out of training camp.  Anyone who would like to add something about Darwin Brown, feel free to do so.

6th Round -- Pick 10(179) -- Desmond Clark, TE(Wake Forest) -- The Broncos traded a 5th round pick to Washington for a 6th and 7th round selection, the first being Desmond Clark.  Early on it looked like Clark was going to be the heir apparent to Shannon Sharpe in the Broncos offense.  Like Sharpe, Clark was once a wide receiver in college, and possessed great hands.  Unlike Sharpe, Clark didn't take well to Shanny's request that you have to block as well, and in Shanny's world, do what you're told or be gone, and after 2001, a season in which Clark caught 51 passes, with 6 TDs, Clark was not re-signed.  Injuries followed Clark to Miami, and after a dismal 2002 season he was signed by the Chicago Bears.  In Chicago, Clark has been a steady player, averaging 34 catches and 3 TD per season.

6th Round -- Pick 35(204) -- Chad Plummer, QB(Cincinnati) -- The Broncos selected a QB in the 6th round, though his stay in Denver didn't last very long.  Plummer was an option QB at the University of Cincinnati, and the idea was to turn him into a receiver.  It didn't work.  After being released by the Broncos in training camp, Plummer spent the next two seasons in Indy and Cincinnati before calling it quits.

7th Round -- Pick 12(218) -- Billy Miller, TE(USC) -- Miller came out as another of those tweener types, too big to be a WR, a bit too soft to be a true TE.  Miller showed flashes of brilliance during his career, most notably after his time in Denver when he was signed by the expansion Houston Texans.  Miller actually caught the first touchdown in Texans history during a pre-season game against the Cowboys.  Miller's production gradually went down, leading to his release after the 2004 season.  Miller was out of football in 2005, returning to the NFL in 2006 with the New Orleans Saints.  In limited action, Miller caught 14 passes for 192 yards in New Orleans.

7th Round -- Pick 32(238) -- Justin Swift, TE(Kansas State) -- Swift became the third straight TE selected by Shanahan in the 1999 draft, and like the other two, didn't last very long in the blue and orange.  Swift's only real action came with the San Francisco 49'ers where he caught 22 passes for 137 yards and a TD in three seasons in NoCal.  He ended his career in 2003 with the Detroit Lions.

Guru's Take -- The 1999 draft is a hard one to judge.  There are some players there, guys that have stood the test of time, just not with Denver.  Obviously, Al Wilson is a stud and the star of the class.  Montae Reagor went on to become a solid player, as did David Bowens.  Who knows what could have happened if Olandis Gary stayed healthy.  In the end, it is the late first day picks that make or break a draft.  As has become all too familiar, the Broncos swung and missed with both of their third round selections, Chris Watson and Travis McGriff.  Those are the picks that drain the depth of a franchise, and weaken the special teams (ahem!).  Coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins, the Broncos went back-to-back in draft stinkers.

Guru's Grade -- C-

For the frst time in team history the Broncos prepared for the 1998 NFL Draft as the defending Super Bowl Champions.  That means alot of low round draft picks, and alot of busts and fliers.  The 1998 draft is a perfect example, and one most Bronco fans would probably like to forget.

Let's take a look at each pick, and how their career ended up.  At the end, I'll grade the draft and give my opinion.

1st Round -- Pick 30(30) -- Marcus Nash, WR(Tennessee) -- Marcus Nash was a tough prospect to guage coming out of Tennessee.  Nash was thought to have a lot of potential, would disappear for games at a time while a Volunteer.  When drafted with the last pick of the first round, Nash was expected to be the deep, down-field threat to team with Rod Smith, Ed McCaffrey and Shannon Sharpe.  It was another example of Shanny taking a flier on a guy with a lot of questions, but tremendous upside.  Unfortunitely, it didn't work out for Nash, who caught all of 4 passes in his career with the Broncos.  After being traded to the Miami Dolphins in 1999, Nash signed with the Ravens for the 2000 season, earning his 2nd Super Bowl ring.  Nash was completely out of football for 2 seasons, before joining the Arena Football League in 2003.  Nash found renewed success indoors, going on to star in the AFL, and being called the "Jerry Rice of the Arena League".  In 4+ seasons in the AFL for three teams Nash has caught 515 passes, compiling over 6000 yards and 147 TDs.  He was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2004.  Add Nash to the list of players that went on to succeed after Denver, and his 2 Super Bowl rings is ultra impressive for a guy that played in 7 career games.

2nd Round -- Pick 31(61) -- Eric Brown, S(Mississippi St.) -- Brown was brought on board to eventually replace Steve Atwater and Tyronne Braxton in the aging Denver secondary.  While showing flashes during his tenure with teh Broncos, Brown would also have to be condsidered a draft-day disappointment.  Brown played four seasons with the Broncos, starting off and on during the 2000 and 2001 seasons.  After 2001, the Bronocos decided to let Brown leave in free-agency, replacing him with Kenoy Kennedy.  Brown went on to sign with the expansion Houston Texans, where he started at safety form 2002-2004.  Brown was not resigned after the 2004 season, and ended up with the Washington Redskins in 2005, though he did not make the team.  Known as a physical safety, Brown couldn't seem to stay healthy and always seemed to be dinged up.  Brown ended his career with 465 total tackles and 9 career INT's.

3rd Round -- Pick 30(91) -- Brian Griese, QB(Michigan) -- Brian Griese was going to be the guy.  The one to replace the Legend.  He had the brains.  He has the arm.  He had the bloodlines, the son of a Hall of Fame quarterback.  It seemed he had it all.  Except for the most important thing, a love and passion for the game of football.  It started well enough for Griese, who took over the controls of the Broncos during the pre-season of 1999.  In a year muddled with injuries, along with the hangover of two titles, Griese fared pretty well, throwing for over 3000 yards and 15 TD's.  It got even better in 2000 when Griese completed 64% of his passes, throwing 19 TD's and only 4 picks in 10 games.  It earned Griese a huge extension from the Broncos, and was also the beginning of the end.  Injuries became the norm, as well as an alienation in the locker room.  Questions about his heart and dedication started to fly.  Quarterbacks in the NFL can overcome alot.  One thing they cannot overcome is a lack of repect from their teammates in the locker room.  It took time, but slowly Griese's performance, combined with outspoken teammates questioning Griese, who was the polar opposite of John Elway in the huddle, were enough to take him down.  Griese was released after the 2002 season, making way for Jake Plummer.  Since, Griese has played for 3 more teams, each with mixed success.  It seemed Griese had found a home in Tampa Bay with Jon Gruden in 2004-2005, but a knee injury ended his '05 season, and led once again to his release.  He currently is the backup to Rex Grossman in Chicago.

4th Round -- Pick 30(122) -- Curtis Alexander, RB(Alabama) -- A complete zero would do well to describe Alexander's career in Denver.  Aleaxander didn't make the squad out of training camp, spending the 1999 season on teh practice squad.  He went on to spend time in every league possible.  He spent 2000 with the Dolphins, 2001 with the Buffalo Bills and in the XFL, before heading to Canada in 2002.  Alexander also spent time in NFL Europe, playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy.  Not a good pick, in any scenario.

5th Round -- Pick 30(152) -- Chris Howard, RB(Michigan) -- Unlike Alexander, Howard actually saw action in real NFL games, just not for the Broncos.  After not making the team out of training camp, Brown was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, spending parts of 3 seasons with the Jags.  His career totals in 22 games -- 41 carries for 123 yards.

6th Round -- TRADE -- The Broncos traded this pick during the 1996 draft to the Jets as part of the deal to get the Jets 3rd round pick, which the Broncos used to select Dan Neil

7th Round -- Pick 11(200) -- Trey Teague, OL(Tennessee) -- The Broncos traded a 7th round pick in 1999 to Philly for the right to draft Teague, who easily became the best pick for the Broncos in 1998, and that's not a good thing.  Teague slowly worked his way up the depth chart before getting his big break in 2001, starting all 16 games for the Broncos.  Wisely, Teague turned that success into a big free-agent contract from the Buffalo Bills, where playing center, Teague started 60 out of 64 games for the Bills.  His contract wasn't renewed after the 2005 season, and Teague spent 2006 with the Jets, seeing no action while being inactive every week.  He was released on February 21st and looks to be at the end of 10-year career, decent by any standards, especially for a 7th rouond selection.

7th Round -- Pick 30(219) -- Nate Wayne, LB(Mississippi) -- Some will say Wayne was the best pick of the draft for the Broncos, unfortunitely Shanny didn't give Wayne a chance to show it.  After only two seasons in Denver, Wayne was traded to Green Bay during the 2000 draft for a 4th round pick that became Ben Hamilton.  The trade worked out well for the Packers as well, with Wayne becoming a team leader on defense.  Injuries have hampered Wayne the past couple of seasons, with Philadelphia and Detroit, but Wayne recently signed a contract with New Orleans for the 2007 season.  If you want to keep up with Wayne, you can do so via his website.

Guru's Take -- It is undoubtedly a challenge to draft players late in every round.  You need to really count on your scounting and talent evaluators to get get it right.  It is somewhat amazing to me how successful the Broncos have remained despite let-downs in drafts, such as 1998.  Of the seven players selected, only 2 plaeyed at least 4 seasons with the Broncos, and not one spent what would be considered their best season in Denver.  Teams trying to win Super Bowls tend not to have time to wait on player development, but 0 for 7 is not a good average, no matter what the expectation.

Guru's Grade -- D