The Broncos needed a running back in the 2009 draft and used a first-round pick to get one, Knowshon Moreno, with the 12th overall pick. He did not, however, develop into the franchise back they were hoping for.
Which is more the norm than the exception.
Moreno was one of 14 running backs selected in the first round from 2008 to 2012. The Georgia product had just one 1,000-yard rushing season in five years in Denver before injuries led to his retirement. While not a bust, Moreno hardly provided first-round draft value. Nor did Felix Jones in Dallas (2008), Donald Brown in Indianapolis (2009), Jahvid Best in Detroit (2010), Trent Richardson in Cleveland (2012), and the list goes on.