Grantland on the Bronco's 2009/2010 drafts

[Skyy God]

Since this is pile on Denver day....

McDaniels' first draft, though, is quickly becoming a legendarily bad production. He spent the 18th pick on pass-rusher Robert Ayers, who started only for one season at Tennessee and had just nine sacks in his four-year college career. Ayers has been a washout as a pro, but at least he's still in town! McDaniels dealt a first-round pick to move up and acquire Alphonso Smith with the 37th pick, but after Smith struggled during his rookie season, the Broncos dealt him to Detroit for practice-squad tight end Dan Gronkowski. The team shipped Gronkowski out of town on Saturday and sent safety Darcel McBath, the 48th pick in that year's draft, along with him. That's five first- and second-round picks and one terrible pass-rusher to show for it.

It's not much prettier on the offensive side of the ball. The Broncos used the 12th pick in that year's draft on halfback Knowshon Moreno, who they're convinced isn't a full-time running back after two years of middling production. After spending the offseason staring longingly at DeAngelo Williams, they settled for Willis McGahee. The final second-round pick from that year's draft was blocking tight end Richard Quinn, whom the team also cut this offseason. The jury's still out on their two 2010 first-rounders, but wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has a torn Achilles and will miss the first half of the 2011 season, while Tim Tebow is currently third on the depth chart at quarterback and falling. Utility lineman Zane Beadles, the team's lone second-rounder, might be the best draft pick McDaniels made. That's not high praise, either.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...eview-part-iii