Since this is defensive back week here on the Denver Broncos web site, with the site taking a hard look at the cornerbacks and safeties eligible for the 2011 National Football League draft, I thought I would look back on the best defensive backs ever drafted by the franchise.
In my opinion, with some miscellaneous personal memories thrown in, the six best players ever drafted by Denver as defensive backs are these:
Billy Thompson, drafted in the third round in 1969. A member of the Broncos’ Ring of Fame, BT started out at cornerback before setting into his safety position. To this day, he remains the only player ever to lead the league—he led the American Football League—in punt and kickoff returns in the same season (1969). “Bronco Billy” had 61 career turnovers and is the NFL’s all-time leader in opponent fumbles returned for touchdowns, with four.
He was my wife’s favorite player for years well beyond his retirement. A team captain, he always played and led like one. Billy was a vital member of the first Super Bowl team in 1977.
Louis Wright was the Broncos’ number one draft choice in 1975 and he too is in the team’s Ring of Fame. A great cornerback who truly deserves induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, according to some voters whom I shall not name, he routinely took away an entire half of the field from the other team’s passing attack. A great cover corner, he was also a fearless hitter and a tremendous special teams player.
I remember that during the 1977 run to the Super Bowl the Broncos had just about secured a win in Kansas City, with just one more punt to the Chiefs. Unfortunately for Denver, the Chiefs’ punt return man jumped out the pack and was heading for the game-winning touchdown. But fortunately for Denver, the player chasing him was Louis Wright, a great track star at San Jose State. Wright caught him just before he scored and the Broncos had a goal line stand to preserve the win. But no Wright, no win in KC.
It was so common after a big play by the defense at Mile High Stadium that it seemed the crowd was booing. They were not booing, they were shouting, “Loooooie.” He still looks like he did then. An astonishing physique that makes it look like he can still play.
Drafted the same year as Louis Wright was Steve Foley, in the eighth round, the first pick on the draft’s second day, in 1975. He was the 199th player selected, and the Wright/Foley combo is the best Denver has ever done in one draft at the defensive backfield. Steve is the Broncos’ all-time interception leader with 44 and was named to the team’s 50-year all-star team.
I can remember talking to a member of the Broncos organization (I was a radio announcer in 1975) the morning of the second day of that year’s draft. I asked if the team was looking for anyone in the eighth round, and was told that “there is a quarterback at Tulane whom we think might be able to play a little safety.” Foley had been a college quarterback and had never played safety in his life. But he played more than “a little” for the Broncos. Plus, one of my all-time favorite guys. A complete stand up guy.
In 1981 Dan Reeves made his first number one draft choice a great safety from USC, Dennis Smith. Dennis Smith also would go on to be a Ring of Famer for the team and a key cornerstone to the defense that helped the Broncos go to three Super Bowls in the 1980’s.
Denver was the only AFC team to go to three Super Bowls that decade, and Smith was renowned for his great hits in the secondary. Boy, did he hit for keeps, and Dennis paid a price for it.
He played the game with a raw fury, like he was settling a personal grudge with someone who had trespassed on his space. I remember once that his lovely wife Andre’ told me that on Monday mornings after a game, when Dennis got out of the bed, the sheets did too. They were stuck to him in the spots where he had bled on them overnight. Some wives help their husbands get out of bed. Andre’ Smith helped to peel her husband out of bed. Then he came to work, and she washed the sheets. And then he went out and hit the same way the next week.
In 1987 the second to the last pick taken in the entire draft, selection number 334 (334!) was a skinny defensive back out of North Dakota State named Tyrone Braxton. Too short, too slow, too light, but all he ever did was make plays—big plays—for championship teams. Tyrone’s North Dakota State team won three national championships while he was playing there, and he was a key starter on the Denver defense for AFC championship teams here in 1987 and 1989, and for the back to back world championship teams in 1997 and 1998.
So his career brought him seven rings in college and pro football, a total that not very many players, if any, can claim. He was a polular player who deserved his popularity, always great with the fans and another stand up guy with the media. “Chicken” might have looked small, but appearances were never more deceiving. Tyrone Braxton was all player.
And the most recent of the great defensive backfield draftees by Denver was Steve Atwater, the smiling assassin. He was the number one draft choice out of Arkansas in 1989 and was a cornerstone at safety for the Broncos, ultimately ending his career in the Ring of Fame as well.
The great victory by the Broncos over Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII was immortalized by Pat Bowlen’s postgame comment that “This one’s for John,” and the Most Valuable Player deservedly was running back Terrell Davis, who scored three touchdowns leading the Super Bowl win in his hometown of San Diego.
But Atwater was a devastating force all day long, both in the secondary and rushing passer for a Denver defense that bent some but would not break. Atwater might have had the best performance ever by a safety in a Super Bowl game to that point, and it was a key to Denver’s win.
So that group of six includes four Ring of Fame members, and Foley and Braxton.
We’ll see if anyone comes out of this year’s draft to challenge for membership in that club.
You never know.
Tags: Billy Thompson, Dennis Smith, Louis Wright, Steve Atwater, Steve Foley, Tyrone Braxton
ahem… I got two… The Orange and Blue Tebow jerseys…
LMAO…. Sorry…
Well, you know I still got the Cutler hiccup in my closet…
If we trade Tebow, I vow to never, ever, everrrrr buy another Broncos jersey again…. what a waste of money it will be for all those people who made Tebows the number one selling jersey….
Just another fine example of the NFL fleecing its fans!
Yeah, McD, 4-12, no cba, and trading Tebow would really top things off!
broncosfreak30,
Let’s just say I HOPE and PRAY you are RIGHT about Ayers!!! We are going to need some really good book-END’s in the 4-3!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!
I bet you Fox feels like he’s got them, even so I know you want Bowers…
That’s funny!!! LMAO
I wonder how many people tried to get “MARSHALL” off there old #15 Jersey’s??? And I wonder how many people burned there Cutler #6 jerseys???
LOL
I only get jersey’s of guys that seem to stick or already have played GREAT for Denver for years:
#27 ATWATER
#84 SHARPE
to name a few!!!
My money is on Dareus, with an outside shot to Fairley or Miller.
OC is smarter than me, he burned his Cutler jersey.
I think the #24 Bailey would be a SAFE BET too!!! LOL
And 92.
I just wish both the Players and Owners could figure things out in a hurry, because as a FAN I have already lost a bunch of respect for these guys on both sides of the issue!!!
This is hurting the NFL everyday that leave it like this = everyday that the GREED of MONEY detracts from the SPORT itself!!! Football is too GREAT a SPORT to COMPLETALLY be lost to GREED, but it just SUCKS to not have this stuff sorted out by now!!!
AS A FAN I’M NOT HAPPY!!!
I had like 7 or 8 Cutler jerseys between me, my wife, two kids and a dog… haha, I really thought he was going to be the next Elway…hahahahahahahaha!!!
My Wife now has the Baily #24 and my son has the Doom #92.
I’m an armchair QB guru… I guess I’ll just wear my old #7… Elway should wear an Orange tie with the #7 on it or a #7 pin on his suit jacket or something…
It’s not like anyone on the team is using that old number seven or anything..lol
ILMSDB!
As for the Bronco`s wanting to take a look at Locker, I won`t even go there. We no the truth to who`s our QB. Not an issue.
I have noticed that they have not been as open since the search for the head coach. And if they trade Tebow then we will definitely know that he front office is not listening to their fans anymore. I would be really upset to see Tebow winning games for another team.
Mikey my Bronco friend, we have other things to be anxious about, such as who is going to be our 2nd overall pick. It sure isn`t a QB. It`s just smoke-screens bro. Do you really think for even a second that the Bronco`s are going to draft a QB. We have much larger holes to fill. For instance DT, LB, S, and TE. NO WORRIES BRO!
We won`t even use a draft pick at all in any rounds at the QB position. Not the 2nd or 3rd rounds especially.
Well guys,I’ll start off by agreeing with Bay about Ayers,I’ve seen him play in College,and KNOW for a fact he CAN be dominant at DE,so no worries at DE,with Doom and Ayers.Vickerson along with Dareus/Fairley would be my #2 pick.BTW I have the Orange Tebow jersey,but it’s still in plastic with the tags on it,lol.but I would be SHOCKED if we draft a QB.
DAREUS/FAIRLEY=FRONT 7 IN 2011 !!!!!!!!
Interesting development. Locker in the lockout. Wonder if his Locker will be Tebows old one. I vote for the Locker between Quinn 1 and Quinn 2. I’d love to be locked in the war room.
You can be sure whatever development this is, the Triumverate will keep it under lock & key.
GO ORTON
2Ps = D in 11
Oh yeah,whoever posted Rudolph is the only TE in the draft worth drafting,and that Stocker isn’t worth drafting,I disagree we need a TE,Graham was cut right???,unless Quinn develops overnight we definitely need a pass catching and blocking TE,Stocker can do both!!!!!!!!
Oh, I’m with BFE and Baylin. Ayers did exactly what was asked of him in the 3-4. I’ll go as far to say Dumervil doesn’t get 17 sacks without him. His primary role was to engage blockers and force the runner back to the middle. The guy has a motor (and a temper- remember the body slam penalty). With Fox and Allen, Ayers back in his natural position, hes poised for a breakout year. If there is one of course.
2Ps = D in 11
Locker, Stocker and 2 smoking barrels!!!!
Rudolph or Stocker. If we do get Stocker my guess is the 3rd round at #67 with our pick. He`ll be gone by the 5th round which we do not have.
I`ll take Stocker but not Locker, are they off their Rocker. HaHa!! I made a rhyme. Just for kicks.
We are in dire need of a catching TE, so either one is fine with me.
BFE, Stocker reminds me of Jason Witten. Same body type with great hands.
all of you are forgetting that Ryan Harris might be a free agent under the new cba (if we ever get one) right now he is a RFA but that might change and i don’t believe the broncos will retain him unles he is a RFA.
so we must look for a new RT in FA or the draft (first three rounds)
you guys interested in drafting TE
In a draft diary, Portland State tight end Julius Thomas said he will have a private workout with the Denver Broncos.
Thomas is one of the more interesting mid-to-late round prospects. The former college basketball standout is opening eyes. And his stock is said to be rising. He is 6-5, 250 pounds and is very athletic.
Even though he played just one year of college football, Thomas has looked good in drills and he looks like he is a player with a ton of upside. He had a strong performance at the NFL combine.
He is getting on the radar of many teams and the Broncos are interested enough to take a private look. I’m interested in seeing if Thomas pans out. Teams have been trying to create the next Antonio Gates for more than five years.
might be available in the 6 round
Strand,I said the same exact thing about comparing Stocker to Witten,both were Tennessee boys.I think he would b worth a 3rd round pick after we go Defense with the first 3 picks.DT,S,ILB.
1.Fairley/Dareus DT
2.Raheem Moore S
2.Jones/Houston ILB
3.Stocker TE
BFE…
Moore and Wilson are both projected to go top 1st early 2nd. If it was up to me I’d get Wilson over Moore just because we need more front 7 help and were going to need a good strong MLB for our defense, but that’s just me!!!
I think we will go 1 of 3 options:
Peterson
Paea/Wilson
Austin
Nevis/DL
Fairley/Dareus
Wilson/Jones/Paea
Austin/Nevis
Stocker
Miller
Paea
Austin/Nevis
Stocker/TE
Pretty much, I believe we will get at least 2 dominant Defensive linemen and 1 dominant LB!!!
Screw Locker! Tebow better be the guy next season or I will lose ALL faith in this organization! I believe there are two positions on this team that we have no need to fill! QB and WR…if we WASTE a pick on Locker IDK what I’ll do….Hopefully it’s a smoke screen to try and have other teams trade up for our pick to get him!…AHHH!
Tebow 11′
Doesn’t matter who gets drafted. They’re all gonna be the nest generation of greedy crybabies.
Just for the record im for rudolph over stocker…that man is fantastic. BFE just love stocker cuz he isa vol
lol
royalbroncofan1, thx for the article from DP on Paea. Hadnt seen it and like you know i believe our first two picks should be P and P. If we could make it happen u know ill be excited. big fan
mexbronco, thx for the info on Julius Thomas. I would like rudolph but we cant afford to spend a high pick on him. If the broncos like this guy and we can get him in the later rounds. im all for it. Maybe he can be our antonio gates. A man can dream cant he? lol
2P’s = D in 2011. Later Days, TRB out..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQP28rPdhd8
I was bored, i love this vid!!! Wow talk about a whole team that loves their QB… offense and defense… they definitely had eachothers backs. i didnt see that the first 13 games!!!!!!
Yes, thanks mex for the valuable private workout info.
Remember three days ago I was wondering what the new blogs would be about? Well I guess nothing, LOL.
This blog has lasted since March 9th, 8 days ago, a new world record!
This from the DP about Julius Thomas:
A scouting contingent from the Broncos will travel to Portland, Ore., today in hopes of finding the next Antonio Gates.
Julius Thomas is a 6-foot-5, 248-pound tight end prospect who spent most of his college career at Portland State playing basketball. Gates has been the San Diego Chargers’ primary receiving threat from the tight end position since 2004, his second NFL season. He played power forward for the Kent State basketball team.
Thomas was a four-year letterman for the Portland State basketball team as a power forward before playing football as a walk-on senior. Thomas had 29 catches for 453 yards last year. Most NFL scouts project him to go in the middle or late rounds of the April 28-30 draft. The Broncos don’t have a pick in the fourth or fifth round, so they may consider Thomas with one of their two sixth-round picks.
WHAT TWO SIXTH-ROUND PICKS ON EARTH ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT???
We have a sixth and a seventh that I know of.
BTW, that was from usually reliable Klis, must of had a brain fart or I’m againg much quicker than first thought, LOL.
aging
About upcoming pro days left, Legwold has some interesting players who might or might not be on our radar:
The next two days include some players of interest for the Broncos given their roster needs and because they have four premium picks in the top 70.
Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure, who performed well at the combine, is the kind of big back Broncos coach John Fox likes. Leshoure had just one big year for the Illini — a 1,697-yard season last fall that included 330 yards rushing against Northwestern. He came out after his junior season.
The most-watched player at Illinois, however, figures to be defensive tackle Corey Liuget, a disruptive, upfield interior player NFL defenses covet. He needs to improve his quickness. He’s down to 298 pounds after being as heavy as 320 pounds early in his career.
“I feel like I’ve got a good chance to go within the first two rounds,” Liuget said. He added: “I also feel like I’m one of the better pass rushers in the draft at my position, but I know it doesn’t matter what I say; I have to prove it. But for a team like (the Broncos), I think I could help.”
That’s true, but to have a shot at Liuget, the Broncos would need to move down in the first round or move back in the first round after making their pick at second overall. He is expected to be chosen midway through the first round.
The Broncos have also scouted some guards heavily in this draft, including Baylor’s Danny Watkins. Penn State guard Stefan Wisniewski will get a long look as well, because he is likely a candidate as the No. 2 guard on the board, after Watkins.
This is Pat Kirwan’s view of our QQ:
Trading Orton would mean the Broncos are ready to go with Tim Tebow. I doubt that’s the case, so getting Orton out of Denver would not be easy. Orton completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 3,653 yards with 20 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. He was sacked 34 times, however.
Considering Tebow was a first-round pick last year, it’s unlikely the new regime would go QB again in the first round. That won’t keep teams from studying Orton and eventually calling Denver about his availability when the labor issues end.
Maybe Denver goes for a Hasselbeck or Bulger in free agency and then puts Orton on the block. Orton beat Seattle and Tennessee last year, throwing for 300-plus yards and two touchdowns in each game. Both of those teams could be shopping for a QB this offseason. A third-round pick in 2011 and a fifth-round choice in 2012 might get it done if he becomes available.
Talking about maybe Bulger coming in to replace ultra expensive Orton until Tebow is ready (if that’s what the triumvirate is thinking, which now with the Locker private workout is not so clear), this is from the Baltimore Sun:
Ravens quarterback Marc Bulger will become a free agent whenever players are allowed to become free agents again. The former Pro Bowler should attract interest from teams who need a steady stop-gap starter under center until a young quarterback is ready to toss aside the clipboard and take the reins.
Well, I do pretty well in down times to give you guys something to argue about! LOL.
And of course all this idiocy trade talk is just in case there is ever a new cba, LOL.
Bay, Do you ever argue with yourself? lol
This is so disappointing, why are they even considering Locker on the draft(if you have private workouts, that means real interest)?
As OC mentioned, this is a slap on the face to TT, at least feels like that…
Why is it that there’s always have to be some sort of controversy? Let’s commit to something for once and for all God dammit!!
I am starting to feel very frustrated already with all these BS!
Tebow DO deserves a chance to prove his value, I don’t want to imagine if they trade him or something! I would be so pissed I don’t know what would I do with all my bronco stuff… Reading at all the Locker crap there is a, slight the least, chance they might consider trading TT.
I hope they are just considering Locker a possible good raw talent that would worth the risk taking on a LATE round and might be a better back-up than Brady Quinn, with similar salary… This sounds way better to me!
Cutler was someone I had my total faith in, we(McDuffus) traded him away, now Tebow? C’mon, get your stuff together Denver… I hope I am speculating big time and that I’m really wrong about all this!
I think Coach McD had such a different vision and direction of taking our team that he “ruined” a pretty good team we had in place. I also don’t doubt that in a year or two we would have been back at .500 with the guy, but his way of doing things was soooo different from Coach Shanahan that he destroyed a team I felt was on the verge of something big. And all of that went down the drain as he traded our best talent to other teams and went his own way.
I like to think that Coach Fox will take us yet another direction, but I hope he at least recognizes the TRUE talent on our current team and can save some if not all of it moving forward.
That being said, do you think he will keep Tebow and/or Orton??? Do you think he will build on what McD was doing or go in a completally different direction???
Wow A. Peterson just lost my vote…. “playing in the NFL is Modern-day slavery” what a dum dum.