The Broncos are scheduled to have the 15th overall pick in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft. What has been the hit/miss rate from the No. 15 spot? Here are five of each since 2000:
Five hits
1. Mike Pouncey, C, Miami (2011): A year after his twin brother, Maurkice, was the 16th overall pick by Pittsburgh to play center, the Dolphins drafted Mike. In nine years, seven for Miami and the last two for the Chargers, Mike Pouncey has started all 114 of his team’s games and been named to four Pro Bowls.
2. Albert Haynesworth, DT, Tennessee (2002): Before Haynesworth was a free-agent bust in Washington and flamed out in short stints with New England and Tampa Bay, he played seven years for the Titans. In 90 games, he had 24 sacks and 272 tackles. In 2007-08, he was named All-Pro, which coincided with the final two years of his contract.
3. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, N.Y. Giants (2010): In eight years for the Giants, Pierre-Paul had 58 1/2 sacks in 111 games and was named to two Pro Bowls. He was on the Giants’ Super Bowl team as a rookie. His best years were 2011 (16 1/2 sacks) and 2014 (12 1/2 sacks). Pierre-Paul has played the last two seasons for Tampa Bay.
4. Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Pittsburgh (2007): Timmons was a consistently productive player for Pittsburgh even though he was named to only one Pro Bowl. He appeared in 158 games (126 starts) for the Steelers, posting totals of 983 tackles and 35 1/2 sacks. Timmons completed his career in 2017 with Miami.
5. Derrick Johnson, OLB, Kansas City (2005): Not much of a pass rusher (27 1/2 sacks in 182 games for the Chiefs), but Johnson had 1,154 tackles (five 100-tackle seasons) and had 14 interceptions and 22 forced fumbles. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection.
Five misses
1. Jerome McDougle, DE, Philadelphia (2003): McDougle’s career could never get out of the blocks. He played in eight, 11 and 14 games during his three years with Philadelphia (three sacks). As a rookie, he had ankle, knee and hip injuries. In 2004, he was diagnosed with an irregular heart beat and later sprained his knee. He missed all of 2005 after being shot during an armed robbery at his house. In 2006, he fractured two ribs in training camp. And in 2007, he sustained a season-ending triceps tear in the preseason.
2. Tye Hill, CB, St. Louis (2006): The Rams moved down four spots in a trade with the Broncos (which drafted quarterback Jay Cutler) and Hill had a promising start. He started 10 games and had three interceptions in 2006. He finished with 40 games played and 121 tackles.
3. Corey Coleman, WR, Cleveland (2016): Injuries contributed to Coleman appearing in only 19 games for the Browns over two years, catching 56 passes. He sustained a broken hand in 2016-17, missing a combined 17 games. Now a journeyman, Coleman has been with Buffalo, New England and the New York Giants.
4. Michael Clayton, WR, Tampa Bay (2004): Based on his rookie year, Clayton was not a bust. Clayton had 80 catches for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns in ’04. He would never again eclipse 38 catches, 484 yards or one touchdown. He earned a second contract from the Buccaneers but was cut one year into a five-year deal.
5. Rod Gardner, WR, Washington (2001): Not a bust, but not a real hit, either. Gardner had 71 catches for 1,006 yards and eight touchdowns as a second-year player, but not much after that. He played for Carolina, Green Bay and Kansas City after playing out his Redskins rookie deal.
