Why the Broncos should ... pick a defensive player at No. 5

Bradley Chubb might be the first defensive player off the board -- and he might still be available if the Broncos stand pat at No. 5.

Depending on when North Carolina State edge rusher Bradley Chubb goes off the board, it is possible that the Broncos could hold on to the No. 5 pick and still have every defensive prospect available to them when they make their first-round pick on April 26.

And if the Broncos aim for defense, the odds of finding a standout player are decent, as 52.4 percent of the 84 defensive players drafted in the first seven picks of the draft since 1990 have become Pro Bowlers. The already-retired players in that group averaged 9.23 years of service time in the NFL, with…