Using career AV (approximate value) I looked at the “best” defender in every draft this century to see where they were taken. This was done to answer the question of whether or not the Broncos could use the 12th pick to get the “best” defender in the draft (by AV).
With apologies to Von Miller (who is still behind JJ Watt, but should pass him this season), the table below lists the best defender in every draft this century and when they were picked.
| Year | Defensive Player | Career AV | Draft Spot |
| 2023 | Will Anderson | 10 | 3 |
| 2022 | Sauce Gardner | 26 | 4 |
| 2021 | Micah Parsons | 50 | 12 |
| 2020 | Patrick Queen | 39 | 28 |
| 2019 | Nick Bosa | 50 | 2 |
| 2018 | Fred Warner | 70 | 70 |
| 2017 | TJ Watt | 80 | 30 |
| 2016 | Chris Jones | 77 | 37 |
| 2015 | Marcus Peters | 64 | 18 |
| 2014 | Aaron Donald | 124 | 13 |
| 2013 | Tyrann Mathieu | 63 | 69 |
| 2012 | Bobby Wagner | 121 | 47 |
| 2011 | JJ Watt | 110 | 11 |
| 2010 | Ndamukong Suh | 100 | 2 |
| 2009 | Clay Matthews | 77 | 26 |
| 2008 | Calais Campbell | 109 | 50 |
| 2007 | Patrick Willis and Darrelle Revis | 93 - tied | 11 and 14 |
| 2006 | Haloti Ngata | 100 | 12 |
| 2005 | DeMarcus Ware | 100 | 11 |
| 2004 | Jared Allen | 101 | 126 |
| 2003 | Terrell Suggs | 110 | 10 |
| 2002 | Julius Peppers | 130 | 2 |
| 2001 | Justin Smith | 101 | 4 |
| 2000 | Brian Urlacher | 119 | 9 |
Of course there are plenty of years when the best defender is taken very early like Will Anderson, Sauce Gardner, Nick Bosa or Ndamukong Suh.