Breaking Down Denver's Draft History Since 2000

The Denver Broncos hold the second overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, and they would like to trade down. There are several teams that have expressed a desire to trade up to the number two spot, San Francisco and Arizona among them, and the Broncos hold all the cards.

With so many holes on defense, Denver needs more high round picks (to be able to draft more top-tier talent), so trading down would be ideal. However, unless a new rookie wage scale is agreed on before the draft, trading down would become highly unlikely.

“If it stays like it’s been there’s no way anybody’s trading,” said Head Coach John Fox last month.

If the NFL's proposed rookie compensation system goes through, and the Carolina Panthers select Auburn quarterback Cam Newton first overall, Denver would be in perfect position to choose between LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson and Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.

Or, as previously noted above, the Broncos could trade down and accumulate more picks and possibly find Dareus still on the board a few selections later, which would be ideal for Denver. That's the 'if's' and 'or's', here's the history:

In 1936, the Boston Redskins selected Riley Smith, a running back out of Alabama, second overall in the first ever NFL Draft. Over the last ten drafts, seven offensive players and three defensive players have been drafted second overall.

Since 2000, Denver has drafted ninety players out of fifty-seven different colleges in thirty states. In that same time span, the team has drafted seventeen defensive backs, five linebackers*, seven defensive tackles and eight defensive ends. *Linebacker Spencer Larsen would go on to play fullback.

On offense, the Broncos have drafted fifteen wide receivers, seventeen offensive linemen, ten running backs, three tight ends, six quarterbacks and two special teamers (one punter and one kicker), since the 2000 NFL Draft.

If you're doing the math, that totals thirty-seven defensive players , fifty-one offensive players and two special teamers drafted by Denver over the past eleven drafts. Clearly, the team has been offense minded in recent years.

The team has drafted more players from the state of Florida - with ten - than any other state. With that being the case, it makes sense that the five players drafted out of the University of Florida represent the most selected from one school by the team since 2000. Denver has drafted seven players from Texas-based schools during that same time period, the second most players drafted from one state by the team.

Behind UF's five players, Minnesota and Notre Dame are each represented by four players the Broncos have selected since 2000, followed by Oklahoma State and Miami (FL) who have had three players selected by Denver.

When the Denver Broncos drafted Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in 2010, it marked the first time in franchise history that the team had selected a former Heisman Trophy winner. Denver has not held a draft pick this high since 1991, when the team drafted linebacker Mike Croel fourth overall out of Nebraska. If they choose to not trade down, this will be the first time the Broncos have ever selected second overall in a draft.

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