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(Photo: Sports Illustrated)
(Photo: Sports Illustrated)

DENVER – The Denver Broncos’ first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch is on one of this week’s Sports Illustrated covers. The May 9 cover calls him “The Successor.”

Lynch, a quarterback from the University of Memphis, was picked 26th overall after the Broncos moved up from No. 31 to take him.

He made the cover without playing a regular-season NFL game. That’s a distinction held by only one other Bronco: John Elway.

(Photo: Sports Illustrated)
(Photo: Sports Illustrated)

In August 1983, Elway made the cover after the team’s preseason win against the Seattle Seahawks.

All eyes were on Elway — the No. 1 pick overall in the NFL Draft  who helped engineer a trade to the Broncos from the Colts — as the season got underway.

The connection between the two quarterbacks was noted by Broncos writer Andrew Mason.