Denver Broncos: 5 best draft picks of all-time

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8/9/1982; Tom Jackson back in Broncos training camp.; (Photo By Bill Wunsch/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /

5. Tom Jackson, Linebacker (Round 4, Pick 88, 1973)

Most people probably know Tom Jackson because of his work behind a desk for ESPN as part of their NFL coverage. Before he was working for the Mothership, though, Jackson was a linebacker out of Louisville that the Broncos were wise enough to take a gamble on in the fourth round of the 1973 draft.

While Denver was hoping for a serviceable player they could rotate in on the defensive side of the ball, they got an absolute leader on one of the most legendary defenses in the history of the league: the Broncos’ Orange Crush. Though his individual statistics weren’t overwhelming, Jackson was voted to three Pro Bowls, received four All-Pro selections, and was viewed as one of the leaders in the locker room in Denver.

Jackson outplayed his draft valuation in a major way and the Broncos were smart enough to identify his talent and his intangible qualities as a leader and put him in a position where he could best succeed. Considering the Broncos won two AFC Championships behind the Jackson-led Orange Crush defense, I’d say that’s a hell of a use of a fourth-round pick.

Next: No. 4 Brandon Marshall

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