Denver moved down from No. 10 to No. 15 and added the 45th…
Denver moved down from No. 10 to No. 15 and added the 45th pick, turning the return into cornerback Deltha O’Neal and safety Kenoy Kennedy. O’Neal played 132 NFL games and intercepted 34 passes, while Kennedy played 115. Baltimore used No. 10 on Travis Taylor, who produced 4,017 receiving yards in his career. The extra starter makes Denver the clear winner.
Denver Broncos Received
- pick 2000 1st round pick (15th overall, Deltha O'Neal)
- pick 2000 2nd round pick (45th overall, Kenoy Kennedy)
Baltimore Ravens Received
- pick 2000 1st round pick (10th overall, Travis Taylor)
Trade Analysis
Why Denver Chose to Move Down
Denver held the 10th selection but found value in sliding five spots rather than making a single premium pick. Baltimore sent No. 15 and No. 45 to move up. The Broncos used those selections on Deltha O’Neal and Kenoy Kennedy, giving themselves two young defensive backs from one first-round slot. That structure mattered because both players became multi-year NFL contributors, allowing Denver to spread the return across two positions instead of betting everything on one prospect.
What Baltimore Got From Travis Taylor
Baltimore selected Florida wide receiver Travis Taylor at No. 10. He entered the league with top-tier draft status and immediately joined a team that won the Super Bowl, but his individual career settled below the expectations attached to that selection. Taylor finished with 312 receptions, 4,017 yards and 22 touchdowns across 101 games. He was useful for several seasons, yet he never produced the sustained star-level receiving value that would have justified the extra second-round pick.
How Denver Created the Separation
O’Neal became the strongest single return for Denver, playing 132 games and recording 34 interceptions over his career. Kennedy added 115 games of his own and developed into a durable starting safety. Not every season of those careers came in Denver, but the Broncos converted one top-10 asset into two players who established substantial NFL résumés. That volume and flexibility comfortably exceeded what Baltimore received from Taylor alone.
Final Verdict
Denver Broncos Win. Denver earns an A because moving down five spots produced two legitimate long-term defensive contributors. Baltimore receives a D+ because Taylor had a respectable career but did not deliver enough high-end production to offset both the 10th pick and the added second-rounder. The Ravens won the championship that season, but the trade itself aged decisively in Denver’s favor.