Best Available/Need/Project

[Dos Rios]

Based on Shanahan's draft history, I was thinking the 15th pick puts the team in a different drafting territory than either the 22nd or 29th picks. First round picks seem to break down according to a combination of the position played and the location in the draft:

Best Available Player (DJ Williams Memorial Pick)
Near the top half of the draft, I think the Broncos are most likely to grab the best player, regardless of position. The #15 pick is more likely than a later pick to come out of the blue and duplicate a position of strength. Depending on who falls, maybe Huff, Jimmy Williams, one of the QBs, or even a LB?

Need (Ashley Lelie/Willie Middlebrooks Memorial Pick)
Results have been mixed, and sometimes it's a reach. The #22 pick is more likely to be at a position that screams help: WR, DT or DE. Need picks have been at the positions where the Broncos have the worst drafting record, like WR and CB. I don't like the idea of grabbing a 1st round WR in a weak year for WRs, but it worked out decently with Lelie.

Project (Trevor Pryce/George Foster/Deltha O'Neal Memorial Pick)
To me, the above three picks were all about seeing a tremendous athlete who wasn't a polished player at the time of the draft. More likely in the late first round. Decent success rate, although these have been the guys who don't necessarily have the love of football or desire. Kiwi most fits this mold to me this year.

Some other Bronco categories:

Later Round Positions (Terrell Davis/Tom Nalen/Shannon Sharpe Memorial Pick)
Although it's possible, I just don't see a RB, OL or TE going to the Broncos in the first round, given their confidence level in finding players at these positions later in the draft.

Bargaining Chip Players (Terry Pierce Memorial Pick)
Hopefully this was a one-time event, where the team blew a 2nd rounder merely to gain leverage in contract negotiations with a current player.

Bet the Farm Pick (John Elway Memorial Pick)
Packaging the 15th and 22nd for a shot at Reggie Bush/Mario Williams?

[Jason in LA]

I say take the best player on the board, unless it's a LB. Too many people think the draft will fill the holes for this coming year. The Broncos could pick DEs with both of those picks, or trade both of those picks to move up and take the best DE, and they'd still have a hole at DE for this year. Most draft picks do not fill a need as a rookie.

Here is one article, from another thread, that backs up my point.

http://www.orangemane.com/BB/showthread.php?t=39661

Most high draft picks do not have an impact year 1. So I have no problem with the Broncos picking a player, or two, who they know aren't going to start this year, or even see the field.

[watermock]

We need a DE, but you still go by BPA. What did I say last week? I smelt a fuse. 15 is a good spot to hold at. someone will fall to us there. At 15 we don't break the bank Three QB, Bush and Vernon Davis and Super Mario will be off the board along with Fergy.

All worth picking, but not robbing what is left of our draft. We haven't killed our draft, we enhanced it. No reason to kill it till draft day.

[long beach bronco]

Signing two first rounders will take alot of money, i want to package both picks for #6 and take VD.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Originally Posted by long beach bronco

Signing two first rounders will take alot of money.

Sic 'em Herc.

[Dos Rios]

Originally Posted by watermock

We need a DE, but you still go by BPA. What did I say last week? I smelt a fuse. 15 is a good spot to hold at. someone will fall to us there. At 15 we don't break the bank Three QB, Bush and Vernon Davis and Super Mario will be off the board along with Fergy.

I completely agree on BPA at 15, although I worry about a reach for Chad Jackson or Santonio Holmes. Only a handful of players each year are career starters, get one of those and worry about where he fits in later.

Related question: at what position do the Broncs draft 3-4 players in this draft (like CB last year, and DE in years past), hoping to hit on one?