7 Rounds, 1 Decade: Top Broncos Draft Picks of the 1990s

As training camp gets underway, we're taking a look at the best Denver Broncos by round in each of the past four decades.

In this installment, we'll look at the 1990s, in which the Broncos would find a few significant players who would help the Broncos win their first Super Bowl.

By 1992, the NFL draft was just seven rounds, but the Broncos did find two steals who made the list — two that are definitely in the conversation for the team's biggest draft day steal ever.

Let's look at the players who were the best in each round.

Round 1: Al Wilson, LB, 1999

The first player to make our list was drafted after the Broncos had won back-to-back Super Bowls, but he went on to become one of the best players the team drafted during the Mike Shanahan era.

Wilson played eight seasons for the Broncos, tallying 723 tackles, 21.5 sacks, five interceptions, and eight forced fumbles. He was named to five Pro Bowls and was an AP All-Pro selection twice in his career. He is a player some would say belongs in the Broncos Ring of Fame.

Round 2: Allen Aldridge, LB, 1994

The Broncos had no first-round pick in 1994 but selected Aldridge in the second round. He went on to be a solid player for the four seasons with the team, tallying 230 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Aldridge then signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent in 1998. He played another four seasons with that team and had 252 tackles and nine sacks. While his best seasons came on another team, Aldridge still had a respectable four seasons with the Broncos.

Round 3: Jason Elam, K, 1993

A third-round pick might not seem like what you use on a kicker, but some might say Elam proved to be worth that pick. He would spend 15 seasons with the Broncos and become one of the most reliable kickers the team ever had.

Elam made 80.6 percent of his field goals in his time with the Broncos, including a 63-yard field goal in 1998 that, at the time, tied the record for the longest successful field goal ever. He was named to three Pro Bowls, was part of the Broncos first two Super Bowl-winning teams, and is a member of the team's Ring of Fame.

Round 4: Olandis Gary, RB, 1999

The fourth round was a bit dry as far as significant contributors went, but Gary did have one quality season with the Broncos. That happened when he had to step into the lineup for an injured player (who we'll get to later).

As a rookie in 1999, Gary rushed for 1,159 yards on 276 carries with seven touchdowns. He then missed most of the 2000 season because of injuries, but returned to become part of the rotation the next three seasons.

Round 5: Patrick Jeffers, WR, 1996

The fifth round was another round in which you can't find much in the 1990s as far as significant contributors go. But Jeffers did spend three seasons in the NFL as a solid depth player, then got his chance to start in 1999 with the Carolina Panthers.

Jeffers spent two seasons with the Broncos and was mostly limited to special teams, but he did see a few snaps on offense and scored a touchdown in 1997. But it was his 1999 season with the Panthers when he broke out with 1,082 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he missed 2000 because of injuries and never got back to form.

Round 6: Terrell Davis, RB, 1995

We now come to one of the Broncos who head up the list of the team's all-time draft day steals. People might not have expected much from Davis after his selection, but we know the story of him making a big tackle on special teams that got him his shot with the first-team offense in the preseason.

From there, Davis went on to become one of the best Broncos ever, rushing for 7,607 yards on 1,655 carries with 60 touchdowns over seven seasons. That included his MVP season in 1998, when he surpassed 2,000 yards. He also won a Super Bowl MVP award and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

Round 7, Shannon Sharpe, TE, 1990

Here's the other player who is among the top draft day steals the Broncos have had. Drafted as a wide receiver, Sharpe took some time to make an impact, but once he did, there was no looking back.

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Sharpe first made his presence known in 1992 with his first Pro Bowl trip, then built a strong career over the next 11 seasons. He would finish his career with 10,060 receiving yards on 815 receptions with 62 touchdowns. A member of the Broncos' back-to-back Super Bowl-winning teams (and with the Baltimore Ravens in one Super Bowl win), Sharpe was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.