Speak Up! Bailey, Mobley, Wilson among best No. 1 picks.(Sports) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

Byline: Sam Adams, Rocky Mountain News

Yahoo Sports released a list of 'Best No. 1 Picks All-Time' in the NFL. Charles Robinson presented a list of the top first-round picks, from one to 32, since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, who was picked No. 1 overall by the Baltimore Colts in 1983, was selected as the best No. 1 pick overall. Fellow Hall of Famers Lawrence Taylor (1981) and Barry Sanders (1989) were picked as the best No. 2 and No. 3 overall selections. Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey was selected as the best seventh pick overall (1999 by the Washington Redskins).

Former Broncos linebacker Al Wilson made the list as the best pick at No. 31. Receiver Jerry Rice, who announced his retirement as a member of the Broncos in 2005, is the best pick at No. 16.

Former Broncos linebacker John Mobley was tabbed the best pick at No. 15. No disrespect, but Mobley wasn't the best 15th pick overall in Broncos history - how about Dennis Smith at No. 15 in 1981? Smith went to six Pro Bowls and played in three Super Bowls during his 14-year career. Mobley played on the Broncos' back-to-back Super Bowl winning teams but never was elected to a Pro Bowl. . . .

Former Major League Baseball player/manager Dusty Baker is the celebrity guest for Volunteer of America's benefit Legends Golf Tournament, Aug. 9 at Sanctuary Golf Course. Call Denise Robert (pronounced Ro-bear) at 303-368-5208 for registration information . . . . Former Denver-area hoopsters-turned-comedians Jon Laster (Denver East High and Colorado State) and Shedrick Garrett (Montbello High and Northern Colorado) will be on stage for a night of laughs at the Holiday Inn-DIA on Saturday (15500 E. 40th Ave.). Call 303-918-0915 or 303-503-9408 for more information. . . . If the Rockies played with a 'we don't want to get swept' mentality every game - see Wednesday's 11-5 win over the New York Mets - the haters in town might back off.

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Dennis Smith