4. Steve Atwater
Pick: 1st Round (20th Overall) Experience: 11 years (10 with Broncos)
Career Stats: 1,180 total tackles; 5 sacks; 24 interceptions; 6 forced fumbles; 1 touchdown
Honors: 8-time Pro Bowler; 2-time AP 1st-Team All Pro; 1-time AP 1st-Team All Pro
In my eyes, Steve Atwater is one of the five greatest safeties in NFL history, and I don’t care what the Hall of Fame committee says.
This is a guy who redefined the safety position and paved the way for the greats we’ve seen over the last decade, including guys like Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu. He made the Pro Bowl for seven straight seasons, and helped lead the Denver defense in two straight Super Bowl runs.
When I think of the Broncos’ all-time greats, Atwater is always near the top of my list, and the only reason he’s not higher on this list is because he’s a first rounder; he was supposed to be great.
