The Broncos have mastered a crucial skill that ensures they'll be good for a long time

While the Denver Broncos boast a roster with several big-name players, not all of them came into the league with critical acclaim.

Players like Peyton Manning, Von Miller, and Demaryius Thomas were all first-round draft picks, but a brief search through the Broncos roster reveals they've successfully mined talent from late and even outside of the draft.

According to Sports Illustrated's Peter King, this is something Broncos GM John Elway made a priority upon gaining personnel control of the team, and it's ensured the Broncos will stay good for a long time.

King spoke to Elway about the Broncos' team-building philosophies, and Elway named some rules that have helped the Broncos be so successful.

"We cherish the bottom of the draft," Elways said. "We cannot afford to miss a draft, because we want to be good for a long time here, and teams that are good for a long time do not miss drafts."

Elway also said, "We don't draft All-Pros. We develop All-Pros. ... Speed kills. But not 40 speed. Play speed. A guy's 40 speed might be 4.8, but look at his instincts and how he reacts to plays - that might get his true speed down to 4.6."

Perhaps the most important rule is this: "My priority is getting guys with desire and a real heart for football."

Elway specifically pointed to cornerback Chris Harris, whom the Broncos signed after the 2011 draft. Harris went undrafted, but came to camp and immediately impressed.

"Chris Harris Jr., came in here undrafted," Elway said. "He comes in, and right away he's first in line in every drill. His character, his football traits, turned out to be so strong."

Harris told King he appreciated the opportunity:

"They just told me to come in here and compete and I'd have a chance. They were right. I was the 11th cornerback out of 11 on the depth chart. That's one of the things I've liked about being here-it doesn't matter who you are. They bring in a ton of undrafted guys, late-round guys. If you're the best, [Elway] will keep you."

Harris isn't the only late gem the Broncos have found. Running back C.J. Anderson, who finished with 720 rushing yards and five touchdowns, was also undrafted and has made a big impact in his two seasons with Denver.

Danny Trevathan, a sixth-round pick in 2012, was second on the team in tackles. Malik Jackson, a fifth-round pick in 2012, was third in sacks this season.

The Broncos have also proven adept at finding and taking players other teams don't want. As King notes, linebacker Brandon Marshall, who led the team in tackles this year, was cut three times by the Jaguars and is now an important cog in Denver's defense. They lured Aqib Talib, a player who was frequently in off-field trouble with the Buccaneers, from the Patriots with a giant six-year, $57 million deal. They nabbed Emmanuel Sanders with a three-year, $15 million deal, taking a receiver the Steelers didn't value and turning him into one of their top weapons.

While nailing the top of the draft and signing big-name players in free agency will always be crucial, the Broncos can maintain their success by continuing to bottom-feed and find gems late in the draft and after the draft. This is what the best teams in all professional sports do, and the Broncos have proven to be one of the best at it.