Every Broncos fan is well aware that the NFL Draft is on the horizon and that the Broncos have one of the most dominant records in pro football over the last 40 years.

I am well aware that the last three seasons are not to our standards, but there is no question about the overall record of the franchise.

And now, the draft is a major component of building a team, along with free agency, and the occasional trade.

But back in the day, building was done through the draft almost exclusively, as there was no free agency in pro football.

The Broncos did not have a winning season from their inception in 1960 through 1972, a span of 13 long, losing seasons.

The AFL-NFL merger led to a common draft, so general manager and head coach Lou Saban was able to at least set a foundation in place in the late 1960s, but it was the arrival of John Ralston in that same role that turned the roster around.

Ralston was the general manager and head coach from 1972-76, and since there was no free agency at that time, it meant that players pretty much stayed with a team unless they were cut or, in just a few cases, traded — or until they retired. So if you had success in the draft, repeatedly, you could build a contending team, even a championship team.

And that was what John Ralston did.

There were 17 rounds in the draft during the five seasons of the Ralston regime, and he truly built the roster that would lay the foundation for greatness for the Denver Broncos.