Ranking the Five Most Painful Draft Misses in Recent Broncos History
The NFL Draft is as much about who a team passes on as who it selects. Even the best front offices have misses that linger for years, especially when a future star was still sitting on the board.
For the Denver Broncos, several draft decisions over the last decade have aged particularly poorly. Whether it was overlooking a future MVP, bypassing an All-Pro offensive linemen, or missing on a franchise-changing weapon, these are the five most painful draft misses in recent Broncos history:
5. Creed Humphrey (Passed on in 2021)
Denver entered the 2021 NFL Draft with uncertainty at the center position, but chose to trade up in the second round for running back Javonte Williams. Just 28 picks later, Creed Humphrey went to the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 63 overall pick.
Williams showed promise early, rushing for 903 yards as a rookie in 2021, but injuries prevented him from becoming the long-term answer the Broncos had hoped for. He did not fully realize his potential until joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, where he finally delivered the kind of breakout season many expected.
Meanwhile, Humphrey quickly became one of the best centers in football. He has already earned four Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro selections while anchoring the middle of the Chiefs’ offensive line. Denver eventually selected star guard Quinn Meinerz in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but pairing him alongside Humphrey could have given the Broncos arguably the league’s best interior offensive line.
4. George Kittle (Passed on in 2017)
Denver selected tight end Jake Butt in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, hoping he could overcome injury concerns and become a long-term answer at the position. Just one pick later, the San Francisco 49ers drafted George Kittle.
Kittle has since become one of the most complete tight ends in NFL history. He combines elite receiving production with dominant blocking ability, has earned seven Pro Bowl nods, and has routinely served as one of the focal points of the 49ers’ offense.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have spent years cycling through short-term options at tight end without finding a true difference-maker. Kittle likely would have become a favorite target for multiple quarterbacks in Denver over the years, and his all-around skill set could have made life significantly easier on the Broncos’ offense.
3. Dak Prescott (Passed on in 2016)
Denver entered the 2016 NFL Draft desperate for a long-term answer at quarterback following Peyton Manning’s retirement. Instead of waiting for Dak Prescott on Day 2, the Broncos traded up in the first round for Paxton Lynch.
Prescott lasted until the fourth round, where the Cowboys selected him with the No. 135 overall pick. Since then, Prescott won NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2016, has made four Pro Bowls, thrown for over 30,000 yards, and established himself as one of the most productive quarterbacks of his era.
The pain here goes beyond Prescott simply becoming a good player. Denver spent years wandering through quarterback purgatory after Manning’s retirement, cycling through Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater, Russell Wilson, and others. Prescott could have stabilized the position for a decade.
2. Justin Jefferson (Passed on in 2020)
The Broncos had a chance to draft Justin Jefferson in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but instead selected wide receiver Jerry Jeudy at No. 15 overall. Jefferson went seven picks later to the Minnesota Vikings.
While Jeudy was a productive player, Jefferson turned into one of the best wideouts in football almost immediately. He has already surpassed 8,000 career receiving yards, earned four Pro Bowl selections, won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award in 2022, and routinely looks uncoverable.
Jefferson’s combination of route-running, ball skills, and explosiveness would have transformed Denver’s offense. Pairing him with Courtland Sutton could have given the Broncos one of the most dangerous wide receiver tandems in the NFL. Instead, Denver has watched Jefferson become a franchise cornerstone somewhere else.
1. Josh Allen (Passed on in 2018)
No recent draft miss looms larger than Josh Allen. The Broncos entered the 2018 NFL Draft with a glaring need at quarterback, but passed on Allen with the fifth overall pick in favor of Bradley Chubb to bolster their pass rush, despite already having one of the league’s premier pass rushers in Von Miller. Chubb developed into a solid player and made a Pro Bowl with Denver in 2020, but Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, became one of the most dominant quarterbacks in football.
Since entering the league, Allen has developed into a perennial MVP candidate, leading the Buffalo Bills to five AFC East division titles and two appearances in the AFC Championship Game while emerging as one of the NFL’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks. His size, arm strength, mobility, and playmaking ability would have changed the trajectory of the Broncos franchise.
Instead, Denver spent years searching for answers under center while Allen evolved into exactly the kind of franchise quarterback the organization desperately needed. Chubb was a good player when healthy, but Allen could have changed everything. The Broncos would not find their next franchise quarterback until drafting Bo Nix in 2024, missing the playoffs year after year in the meantime.
