Earlier this week, we revealed the Denver Broncos All-Time Draft Steal Team on offense. It's a team that features multiple Broncos legends.
Now we go over the other side of the ball: The Broncos all-time draft steal team on defense.
Once again, you'll see some of the all-time greats in Broncos history, along with some players you may have never realized were steals to begin with.
Again, to qualify as a draft-day steal, the player must have been drafted in the fourth round or later. Also, no undrafted players were selected for this team, even though the Broncos have a stalwart history of finding stars in the undrafted ranks.
I named four defensive linemen, three linebackers and four defensive backs. For simplicity purposes, I categorized players this way, rather than distinguish between 3-4 and 4-3 defenses or who was drafted as a cornerback or safety.
Now let's go over the 11 players who made the all-draft steal defense.
Defensive Line: Rubin Carter (R5/1975), Elvis Dumervil (R4/2006), Malik Jackson (R5/2012) & John Grant (R7/1972)
First up is Carter, a member of the Orange Crush defense. A fifth-round pick in the 1975 NFL draft, Carter was one of many players who formed the strong defensive unit that got the Broncos to their first Super Bowl.
Carter spent 12 seasons with the Broncos, starting 152 games and tallying 30 sacks. His son Andre would also play in the NFL for 13 seasons, from 2001 to 2013.
Then we jump ahead to the 2006 draft, where we find Dumervil, a fourth-round pick. He didn't take long to make an impact, tallying 26 sacks in his first three seasons.
Dumervil's best season with the Broncos came in 2009 when he led the NFL with 17 sacks and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He missed 2010 because of a torn pectoral muscle, but returned to play two more seasons for the Broncos and get 20.5 sacks. He then played for the Baltimore Ravens for four seasons and one season with the San Francisco 49ers.
Then comes the Super Bowl 50 defense, where we find Jackson. A fifth-rounder in 2012, he was a depth player initially and didn't see much time on the field.
That changed in 2013 when Jackson became a bigger part of the rotation, leading up to 2015 when he started all 16 games. He had 14.5 sacks in his four seasons with Denver. Jackson also played for the three NFL teams after his Broncos departure.
Finally, we go back to the Orange Crush era for a lesser-known player. Grant was a 1972 seventh-round pick, playing seven seasons with the Broncos, and was a starter from 1974 to 1976. He had five sacks in his time with the Broncos and was part of the team that reached Super Bowl XII.
Linebackers: Karl Mecklenburg (R12/1983), Tom Jackson (R4/1973) & Danny Trevathan (R6/2012)
Every Broncos fan should know the name of the first linebacker on the team. Mecklenburg was not just a draft-day steal — he's arguably the Broncos' biggest draft-day steal among defensive players.
A 12th-round pick in 1983, Mecklenburg didn't see much action as a rookie, but worked his way into the rotation and eventually became a starter in 1985. In his 12 seasons with the Broncos, Mecklenburg had 1,118 tackles, 79 sacks, five interceptions and 16 forced fumbles. He was a three-time first-team All-Pro selection.
Joining him is Jackson, another Broncos legend. A fourth-round pick in 1973, Jackson would become who some would call the heart and soul of the Orange Crush defense.
Jackson played 14 seasons with the Broncos, starting 177 games and getting 40 sacks and 20 interceptions. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1977.
Finally, we go to the Super Bowl 50 team for the final linebacker. Trevathan was a sixth-round pick in 2012, becoming a backup as a rookie, but claiming a starting job in 2013. Although Trevathan missed much of the 2014 season because of injuries, he returned in 2015 and played at a high level.
During his time with the Broncos, Trevathan had 282 tackles and 18 pass break-ups. He then signed with the Chicago Bears in 2016 and played six seasons for them.
Defensive Backs: Steve Foley (R8/1975), Mike Harden (R5/1980), Tyrone Braxton (R12/1987) & Randy Robbins (R4/1984)
Our first steal at this position is a member of the Broncos Ring of Fame. Foley was an eighth-round pick in 1975, and would become a key member of the Orange Crush defense.
Foley played both cornerback and safety, finishing his 11-year career with 44 interceptions, though he had just one returned for a touchdown. He also recovered four fumbles, returning one for a score.
Next comes Harden, a fifth-round pick in 1980. He played cornerback for the Broncos for eight seasons, then switched to safety in his ninth season.
Harden didn't become a starter until 1983, but he made an impact with 33 interceptions in his time with the Broncos. He played for the then-Los Angeles Raiders in 1989 and 1990 before retiring.
Then we have Braxton, a 12th-round pick in 1987. He didn't see much time on the field at first, but claimed a starting job in 1989 and had six interceptions.
Braxton was with the Broncos until 1993, then spent the 1994 season with the Miami Dolphins. But he returned to the Broncos in 1995 and played four more seasons. He led the NFL with nine interceptions in 1995 and was named to the Pro Bowl.
Braxton was a fixture on the Broncos' back-to-back World Champion defenses in the late '90s, serving as Hall-of-Famer Steve Atwater's safety partner. Counting the '80s, Braxton was on four Broncos Super Bowl teams.
And then we have Robbins, a fourth-rounder in 1984. He was mostly a depth player but did start nine games in 1990.
Robbins spent eight seasons with the Broncos and had 13 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries. He played for the New England Patriots in 1992 before calling it a career.
Follow Mile High Huddle onXandFacebookand subscribeon YouTubefor daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
