Denver Broncos' three best value draft picks of the last decade

Each year when the NFL draft arrives, all of the focus is on what teams will do with their first-round pick. However, the best teams find impact players in the later rounds. 

The Denver Broncos have had some rough draft classes across the last decade, missing the playoffs in all but one of those seasons... last season. It seems like the team is back on the right track, but some solid players have been found in the later rounds during some of those tough seasons as well. 

Here, we will review the last 10 drafts and discuss some of the Broncos' best value picks. A "value pick" will be considered one that was made between rounds 4 and 7. 

Denver Broncos' best value draft picks since 2015

Josey Jewell, LB, Iowa: 4th round, 2018

Josey Jewell was never a game-changing defensive player for the Broncos, but he remained solid throughout his six-year tenure with the team. 

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Jewell made 58 starts at inside linebacker for the Broncos, racking up 453 tackles, nine sacks, seven fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He signed with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season, but was a productive player for the Broncos during his time there. 

Justin Strnad, LB, Wake Forest: 5th round, 2020

Justin Strnad played alongside Jewell for several years but he has been mostly a special teams guy for the team. Last season, following a season-ending injury suffered by Alex Singleton, Strnad stepped up and played his best ball for the team yet. 

He started in eight games and had 73 tackles and three sacks for the team. Those numbers helped him earn a new one-year deal with the team this offseason. 

Jonathon Cooper, OLB, Ohio State: 7th round, 2021

Jonathon Cooper has gone from the No. 239 overall pick in the 2021 draft to one of the best young pass-rushers in the NFL. 

Coming off a 10.5-sack season, Cooper is a starter for the Broncos and already has 23.5 sacks in just 48 career games. The Broncos have an emerging defensive unit, capable of being one of the best in the NFL, and Cooper is a key piece of that group. 

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