Grade the Denver Broncos’ 2010 first round draft picks

Love the picks

After losing the players we did this off season and last, I was wondering what was going on. Losing Cutler was a surprise, but so was seeing Shanahan getting fired. I felt trading Marshall was a mistake and I wish they could have worked it out. With that said I believe there was more going on then any of us know, and thus the reason for Denver not wanting to extend his contract. With the picks today I am at least seeing my self getting excited again. We shouldn't want players here that don't want to be here, and its not like Denver went to the playoffs with them. So in that sense we haven't lost anything yet, I am willing to give our Coach a chance more then just one or two seasons. I like the guy. Lets see what tomorrow brings.

Many NFL Scouts had Tebow at a 3rd rounder. Others scouts said Tebow was a 2nd and the same amount said a 4th. Then 2 scouts said undraftable and another 2 said solid 1st round. Well we know who thought Tebow was a 1st rounder.

Tebow will not be the only one in the NFL with a crazy work ethic that will end up being cut in a few years. Just because he has character and a good work ethic doesn't mean you draft him to cheer up your locker room. But, I guess Josh bet his career on it.

Superbowl QB's are all amazing passers. Why draft a player you could have got in the 3rd? A player who WILL NOT start? I mean I am confused Josh.

* In 1990, Kiper projected quarterback Jeff George of the University of Illinois as a mid-round pick, George selected as number 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts. George's career was inconsistent and riddled with behavior-related problems. [5]

* Among his failures in 1990, Kiper thought that Heisman Trophy winner and University of Houston quarterback Andre Ware would be an excellent NFL quarterback and a great match for the Detroit Lions– Ware's tenure in the NFL was brief and inconspicuous. Ware is considered among the biggest busts in draft history.[6]

* In 1993, Kiper projected Notre Dame quarterback Rick Mirer as the 30th pick; he was selected second overall by the Seattle Seahawks.[7] Though he showed some early promise, Mirer failed to develop and was finally benched during his fourth season. He spent the remaining eight years of his career with six different teams as a journeyman backup. [8]

* In the 1995 Draft, Kiper proclaimed UCLA wide receiver JJ Stokes a “sure-thing” who was destined to be a future All-Pro. On draft day, Kiper lambasted several teams, including the New York Jets, for passing on Stokes until he was selected 10th overall by the San Francisco 49ers. Stokes spent an undistinguished 8 years in San Francisco in the shadows of Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, never making a single Pro Bowl or even surpassing 770 yards receiving.

* In the same 1995 Draft, Kiper had rated BYU Quarterback John Walsh as a first round pick. Walsh declared for the draft after his Junior season and had an abysmal NFL combine where he ran a 5.3 forty yard dash and displayed a weak arm in workouts. Nonetheless, Kiper still rated Walsh as a late 1st/early 2nd round pick on the day of the draft and said he would be a perfect fit for a “West Coast Offense” team like the San Francisco 49ers because of his accuracy on short passes. Walsh slid all the way to the 7th round where he was finally taken by the Cincinnati Bengals. He never appeared in a single game for the quarterback needy Bengals and was out of football less than a year later.

* One example of Kiper getting a player correct in the 1995 draft was when he asserted that Notre Dame defensive back Bobby Taylor, a college free safety, would make an excellent cornerback in the NFL because of his ability to match up with larger wide receivers. Kiper had Taylor rated as one of his top 10 prospects in the draft, and though Taylor wasn't drafted until the 2nd round by the Philadelphia Eagles, he went on to have a long and distinguished career just as Kiper said he would.

* In 1997, Kiper stated off the air in an interview with Chris Mortenson that Coastal Carolina offensive lineman Adam Steuer was a future Hall of Famer. Adam Steuer fell to pick 169 to the Buffalo Bills, and would go on to lead a dismal 2-year career, and was eventually cut. He is currently a High School football coach at Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Michigan.

* In 1998 Kiper said that Washington State Quarterback Ryan Leaf's “attitude” (which had rubbed teammates and coaches the wrong way in college) would be an asset in the NFL and give him a mental advantage over Peyton Manning. Kiper also said that Leaf had the better natural physical tools and would be a great quarterback, though he still rated Manning as the more polished and better overall prospect. Leaf was chosen second overall by the San Diego Chargers immediately after Manning. Leaf's career soon imploded, largely because of a confrontational attitude and poor practice habits that alienated teammates, coaches, and fans. He is now regarded as not only the worst bust in NFL draft history, but also possibly the biggest bust in all of professional sports.[9] His story is viewed as a cautionary tale of what can happen when a team attempts to build around a player with raw talent but questionable attitude.

* In 1999, Kiper said that Oregon quarterback Akili Smith would be a great NFL player and would finally provide the Cincinnati Bengals with the passer they'd lacked since Boomer Esiason. Smith was selected ahead of Daunte Culpepper, Torry Holt, Edgerrin James, Champ Bailey, and Jevon Kearse, but he spent less than four abysmal seasons in Cincinnati, starting only 17 games. He has since struggled in several brief stops in the NFL, NFL Europe, and the CFL. It's notable that Kiper rated Smith higher than Donovan McNabb and Culpepper, despite the facts that Smith only had 11 starts at the college level and had performed poorly on the Wonderlic aptitude tests administered at the NFL Combine, both of which are traditionally seen as important indicators of a quarterback's readiness for the NFL. Smith's career was marred by inconsistency and failure to grasp the complexities of the Bengals' playbook, issues which appear to have been foreshadowed by his lack of experience and low scores.

* One of Kiper's most well known mistakes was when he stated that USC wide receiver Mike Williams would be the best player in his 2005 draft class, despite not having played football in over a year after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA. When ESPN analyst Merril Hoge disagreed, Kiper uttered the now infamous line, “I'll see you at his Hall of Fame induction.” Williams has been a remarkable disappointment, battling weight problems, playing very little and showing no signs of improvement with any of the three teams he's played for. Williams was unsigned after three years in the NFL as of 2008.

I like the guy, but I just sayin… If Denver felt that strong about Tebow, and other teams were targeting him.. They had to pull the trigger when they did to make sure they got there guy. At least we now have a QB that has potential to be great.. He will be fun to watch.

i feel bad for d. thomas. talk about being the forgotten guy in all this!

he's a stud, and deserved to be taken where he was. he has a chance to contribute in a major way early, which i think he will!

you guys are lucky to have a gutsy coach…..glad that Tebow is with a good team and a coach who really wants him. always liked the Broncos but will root harder now with Timmy, all the way from NJ.

Its not the stop watch time that bothers me. Its that fact that Tebow is running QB. How many running QBs in the league have been sucessful in college and transferred it over to the NFL? The only one that I can think of is McNabb. I just think the chance of him performing well in the NFL are slim. That is too much of a risk for a 1st round. Being a Broncos fan, I hope everything works out and that I am wrong, but right now, I am really worried that Josh McDaniels has no clues as to what he is doing. What happens if he is gone in a couple of years? He has gotten rid of a lot of good players and set us back several years.

Here is to hoping I am wrong!

Take it for what it is worth; I am a Browns fam living in Ohio so I know what it means to love your team no matter what. Even when the owner makes bone head moves by picking bad GM and coaches. This draft makes no sense! Why pay Orton all this money, trade for Quinn, and draft a guy you could have gotten in the 2nd round. I know that everyone thought the Bills were going to jump up and take Tebow in the 1st round. Who cares! Take the best player available. I am not saying that Denver can not recover, I just don't think you have a coach that makes a whole lot of sense. Why pay all that mony if you are going to draft a QB in the 1st round?

It's not like we went to the playoffs with the players he traded away!!

Kerry is not a true fan he has never said anything positive about the Broncos. He has to be a closet Raider fan coming onto a Bronco blog just to piss people off.

thomas wasnt a paul johnson recruit, he decided not to transfer when he came. look at the upside of it- he can block down field better than most wr's. he did a heck of a job after he caught the ball too. most of his catches were against close press coverage, or in traffic. it's not as horrible pick as you make it out to be.

wont argue about tebow though.

They are only paying Orton like 2.5 million this year or something close to that. So not to much invested on Orton.

I think outside of Oklahoma and Nebraska they call it the triple option. For the kid to put up the numbers he did in that offense is pretty amazing. Golden Tate is the only receiver I would have considered over him, but with his size, Thomas is a good pick. Pouncey was the guy I wanted and I knew Pittsburgh was going to take him if he was there at 18 and they did. We'll find out about Tebow, he is a player that is easy to root for and McD obviously sees something in him he can work with. Tonight will end up being the key to this draft I think, last year we screwed the pooch in this portion of the draft, hopefully not again. Character does matter, a lot. That said, talent matters more. I think the first rounders have a good bit of both.

Trent Dilfer?

Another NJ guy – nice. Good point, McD definitely likes to make a buzz and I don't mind it. Exciting picks.

It's not so much that people think McD is all-knowing, but that pretty much anyone in their right mind knows that, when it comes to a crap-shoot like the NFL draft, it's better to put their faith in a professional who knows more about football than you or me, than people like you who pretend to think they have a better handle on the team. Believe me, nobody is buying it. If you're not a homer then please find another team and take all the rest of you cry baby whiners with you please.

Roshon – What about an ILB bro? Andra Davis cut for who? I was completely blown away when McClain was grabbed by the Raiders at #8 – never saw that coming, but then McD says they didn't have McClain rated to be worth the #11? Weird. Can Sergio Kindle move to the inside, he's got the size. Sean Lee, Daryl Washington, Donald Butler? Gotta figure that Kindle and Lee will be gone by #45 but if one of these guys is available at #45 that's got to be the pick.

But can I just throw in one name that has gone virtually unmentioned? With the #45 pick, the Denver Broncos select – Brandon Spikes – ILB

After Pouncey, JD Walton from Baylor is rated as the 2nd best center and then the grades really dropoff. Give me Spikes at #45, a decent center at #80 unless someone amazing drops (like Mays – no way though), and then the best possible CB/S or OL at #87.

I have really tried to like McD. I have been fair on this site and not spent time referring to him as McAdjective….. but every time I get close he pulls a dumbass move like the trade for Tebow, or the trade for Smith or his Ego takes precedent and he trades a pro-bowler for a backup 'who is a really great guy'. There was no reason to make this move for a guy who will be gone as soon as McD is fired. And please let that be soon, because I am done with him.

And for those who say I am not a fan. FU! Kerry said it best.. 'McD could have drafted a monkey playing the banjo and most of you would proclaim it was an “amazing draft” talk about total homerism. ' This is my team, not his. Dissent is patriotic, so pull your heads out of McD's rear and look at the reality before you…&*(@#$^#$ @#^$( *@#$(* (* #$&(*&

Ok, sorry guys… had to plug in a new keyboard. Thanks for letting me vent. Feel much better now.

Love Bay Bay. He is Marshall – the Tude. Good job by McD to move down, acquire picks and still get this guy. Orton?Quinn/Stater will need a big target and this guy fits the bill perfectly and will take attention off Royal.

Hoping we move up for Kindle or take Toby in the 2nd. If Cody is there, that would be tempting.

I hear ya brother! Boo McJackass off the field. Never thought I see the day where the Broncos would be the joke of the league. I'm sick of Tebow already….now we have to hear about this “college player” for the next year….aaarrrrggggg!!!!

Yeah, I actually think ILB is their biggest need and would have loved McClain at #11.

But i think there is a big drop off after him at the position. I would have said Sean Lee or Kindle but think they will be off the board within the first few picks tonight.

I like Spikes too, but not at #45. If Denver trades down 10-15 spots and he's there, he should be the pick.

That's why I said I would love to see them trade w/Cleveland and gather a few more picks.

Look for LB's like Eric Norwood, Ricky Sapp, Roddrick Muckelroy, and C Matt Tennant in 3rd and 4th round.

If they keep their picks, here's how I would like to see it go

#45 Sean Lee
#80 Aaron Hernandez
#87 Matt Tennant
#137 Major Wright
#183 Kavell Connor

but don't think Lee will make it and this is how i think it pans out…
#45 Taylor Mays
#80 Eric Norwood
#87 Dennis Pitta
#137 Jamar Chaney
#183 Eric Olsen

I'm really surprised that the majority of Broncos fans like the Tebow pick. What a waste of a first round draft pick! I am a Chargers fan and I'm not too happy with what we did either. Matthews is going to be good but A.J. Smith gave up too much to get him. Now the Chargers don't have a second round pick and we need a good nosetackle. That being said, watching Denver pick Tebow in the first round made me feel a little better about the Chargers draft. McDaniels is gutting the team's offense. Sheffler to the Lions for a fifth rounder. What the F? Sheffler killed the Chargers last year and was a hell of a weapon. Brandon Marshall is a top 5 receiver in this league and Jay Cutler will be a Pro Bowl quarterback if he ever gets anyone to throw to in Chicago. If I was a Bronco fan, I would be pissed right now. The players he's bringing in may be great guys with great work ethics but can they produce as football players like the supposed problem players McDaniels got rid of? I don't think so.

Marshall and Sheffler are great players, but they were obviously (and unfortunately) not working in McD's system. That means change had to happen, and if that means the addition of a great new WR with loads of potential and Tim Tebow, who can develop under the tutelage of McD and Kyle Orton into an incredibly diverse player, than so be it.

There's still plenty of time for Denver (1 2nd round, 2 3rd round picks) to rebuild the offense (and pick up a ILB too hopefully).

And worry not, there's still nose tackles out there if Sand Diego plays their cards right.

People get the wrong idea of Tebow, usually from his “aw shucks,” “God bless” post-game interviews. They also hear how often he runs and conclude he doesn't pass. He threw for nearly 10,000 yards during his Florida career.

So let's compare Tebow and Clausen on their passing games.

Clausen hit 68% of his passes last year, Tebow hit 70%.

Tebow had a rating of 164 and Clausen 161. (Tebow's career rating was 176)

Clausen threw 28 TD's and 4 Int's last year (he had SEVENTEEN Int's the year before).

In Tebow's sophomore and junior years he was 32 to 6 and 30 to 4 respectively.

Last year he was 21 to 5 (he also added 14 rushing TD's and 910 rushing yards)

The fact is that Florida's offense was completely depleted in 2009 and the offensive line gave up 29 sacks (compared to 13 and 15 the 2 years before). The receiving corps was mediocre at best.

Bottome line: Tebow can pass. He was 31 of 35 for 482 yards in the Sugar Bowl last year… against the Big East champion.

Like I said, don't be fooled by Tebow's “aw shucks” attitude off the field. When he's on the field he wants to knock your block off. Think Russel Crowe in Gladiator, or Mel Gibson in Braveheart. He is totally fearless.

For the last 4 years defenses have sworn they were gonna take Tebow down. They never did, and after the game they all sing Tebow's praises. These were SEC defenses… the same guys you see in the NFL and being drafted right now.

And he fumbled incredibly rarely, at one point holding the current NCAA record for most runs in a row without a fumble last year.

Keep the faith guy, because you're in for a big treat! Half of the state of Florida has just become Bronco fans, and the entire South-East of the USA understands this pick completely! I was lucky enough to be in Denver for Elways' career and truely believe that McD is the answer for Denver.