Despite a 2-0 record, despite reaching two Super Bowls in the last three seasons, despite a Lombardi Trophy, the Denver Broncos seem to have a hard time gaining much respect across the NFL.
The Broncos, even with Trevor Siemian, have proven that they’re nothing but a contender. Still, as recently as this month, pundits across the league had the Oakland Raiders as their favorite to win the AFC West — good luck with that.
But the under appreciation isn’t anything new for these Denver Broncos players. In fact, they’ve been underrated since before they even reached the NFL, before the even reached the NCAA.
USA Today went back and looked at each team and found out which player on every roster was the highest-rated recruit coming out of high school. The biggest takeaway?
The Denver Broncos, A.K.A. the reigning Super Bowl champions, are the only team in the NFL without a five-star recruit on their roster.
“The Broncos are the only NFL team who does not have a 5-star on their roster. That makes Miller, who was a 4-star and No. 6 linebacker prospect, their highest ranked recruit. Miller was the team’s 1st Round pick in 2011 and is now one of the league’s best defenders. Star wide receiver Demariyus Thomas, was a 3-star recruit before turning into a 1st Round draft choice at Georgia Tech.”
It’s no wonder this team acts as if they have so much to prove; they do.
