woodbuck27
04-27-2007, 03:15 PM
http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070422/PKR01/704220753/1948/PKRDraft
Posted April 22, 2007
Will it be a sweet 16?
A look at the best, worst selections at each position since 1992
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers own the 16th selection in the first round of next weekend's NFL draft, making it almost impossible to say who General Manager Ted Thompson will pick or even what position he will target.
With significant holes on both sides of the ball, Thompson could go in any number of directions with that pick and the rest of his selections.
With that in mind, here's a look at the Packers' best and worst picks at each position over the last 15 years, which goes back to the 1992 draft – the first by Thompson's mentor, Ron Wolf.
Quarterbacks
Best: Matt Hasselbeck (sixth round, 1998); Mark Brunell (fifth round, 1993).
The Packers developed, then traded, both. They sent Hasselbeck to Seattle to move up seven spots to No. 10 in the first round of the 2001 draft and also got a third-round pick. The problem was, they used those picks to take Jamal Reynolds and Torrance Marshall. Brunell went to Jacksonville for third- and fifth-round picks in 1995 that fetched William Henderson and Travis Jervey.
Worst: Kyle Wachholtz (seventh round, 1996); Ronnie McAda (seventh round, 1997).
Wachholtz was converted into a tight end and spent parts of two seasons on the practice squad. McAda's development was slowed by Army obligations, and he never made it.
Running backs/fullbacks
Best: Dorsey Levens (fifth round, 1994); William Henderson (third round,1995).
Levens led the team in rushing twice, including a 1,435-yard season in 1997. Henderson was the primary fullback for most of his 12 seasons.
Worst: LeShon Johnson (third round, 1994); Najeh Davenport (fourth round, 2002)
Johnson, a speedy back, never started a game and was cut after two seasons. Davenport was plagued by injuries and was cut at the end of the 2006 training camp.
Receivers/tight ends
Best: Donald Driver (seventh round, 1999) Mark Chmura (sixth round, 1992)
It took a couple of years for Driver to develop, but now he is one of the NFC's top receivers. Chmura was a key cog in the offense on the Super Bowl teams of 1996 and 1997.
Worst: Robert Ferguson (second round, 2001); Derrick Mayes (second round, 1996).
Ferguson remains on the roster but may be running out of time because he hasn't produced and often is injured. Mayes played three years but never had more than 30 catches in a season.
Offensive linemen
Best: Chad Clifton (second round, 2000); Mark Tauscher (seventh round, 2000).
Both tackles started almost immediately as rookies and remain the bookends on the line. Given that tackles are harder to find than guards, Clifton and Tauscher edged out Adam Timmerman (seventh round, 1995) and Marco Rivera (sixth round, 1996).
Worst: John Michels (first round, 1996); Bill Ferrario (fourth round, 2001).
Michels' career ended in 1999 due to a knee injury, but he was a flop before that. Ferrario spent two years as a backup guard before being released.
Defensive linemen
Best: Aaron Kampman (fifth round, 2002); Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (fifth round, 2000).
Kampman's steady progression culminated in a Pro Bowl appearance last season. KGB may be on the decline, but had 49 sacks from 2001 to 2004. Vonnie Holiday (first round, 1998) wasn't a bad pick but he wasn't a genuine star.
Worst: Jamal Reynolds (first round, 2001); Donnell Washington (third round, 2004).
Reynolds played only 18 regular-season games over three years and is one of the biggest draft busts in team history. Washington never appeared in a game and was a bigger bust than fellow third-round misses Darius Holland (1995), Jonathan Brown (1998), Steve Warren (2000) and Kenny Peterson (2003).
Linebackers
Best: Nick Barnett (first round, 2003); A.J. Hawk (first round, 2006).
Barnett might not be at a Pro Bowl level, but he's more consistent than Wayne Simmons (first round, 1993), who had one great year in 1996. Hawk looks to be a star in the making.
Worst: Torrance Marshall (third round, 2001); Anthony Hicks (fifth round, 1997).
Marshall played in 51 games from 2001 to 2004, but most of them were on special teams and he had off-field issues, including a four-game suspension for a drug violation. Hicks never played in the regular season.
Defensive backs
Best: Darren Sharper (second round, 1997); Doug Evans (sixth round, 1993).
Sharper became a Pro Bowl safety, and Evans was a big-play guy on the teams of the mid-1990s. Mike McKenzie (third round, 1999) was a productive player until he soured on the Packers and forced his way out.
Worst: Terrell Buckley (first round, 1992); Ahmad Carroll (first round, 2004).
Buckley, the fifth pick of the draft, lasted just three seasons before he was cut. Carroll, the 25th overall pick, didn't make it that long, getting the boot early in Year 3. Joey Thomas (third round, 2004) was just as bad.
Specialists
Best: Punter, Josh Bidwell (fourth round, 1999).
Only decent special-teams selection, the punter battled back from cancer to have a few productive years before leaving in free agency.
Worst: Brett Conway (third round, 1997); B.J. Sander (third round, 2004).
Conway never kicked in a regular-season game, while Sander punted for one season. Because they were first-day selections, they were worse picks than return specialists Joey Jamison (fifth round, 2000) and Cory Rodgers (fourth round, 2006), both of whom were cut in their first training camps.
Posted April 22, 2007
Will it be a sweet 16?
A look at the best, worst selections at each position since 1992
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers own the 16th selection in the first round of next weekend's NFL draft, making it almost impossible to say who General Manager Ted Thompson will pick or even what position he will target.
With significant holes on both sides of the ball, Thompson could go in any number of directions with that pick and the rest of his selections.
With that in mind, here's a look at the Packers' best and worst picks at each position over the last 15 years, which goes back to the 1992 draft – the first by Thompson's mentor, Ron Wolf.
Quarterbacks
Best: Matt Hasselbeck (sixth round, 1998); Mark Brunell (fifth round, 1993).
The Packers developed, then traded, both. They sent Hasselbeck to Seattle to move up seven spots to No. 10 in the first round of the 2001 draft and also got a third-round pick. The problem was, they used those picks to take Jamal Reynolds and Torrance Marshall. Brunell went to Jacksonville for third- and fifth-round picks in 1995 that fetched William Henderson and Travis Jervey.
Worst: Kyle Wachholtz (seventh round, 1996); Ronnie McAda (seventh round, 1997).
Wachholtz was converted into a tight end and spent parts of two seasons on the practice squad. McAda's development was slowed by Army obligations, and he never made it.
Running backs/fullbacks
Best: Dorsey Levens (fifth round, 1994); William Henderson (third round,1995).
Levens led the team in rushing twice, including a 1,435-yard season in 1997. Henderson was the primary fullback for most of his 12 seasons.
Worst: LeShon Johnson (third round, 1994); Najeh Davenport (fourth round, 2002)
Johnson, a speedy back, never started a game and was cut after two seasons. Davenport was plagued by injuries and was cut at the end of the 2006 training camp.
Receivers/tight ends
Best: Donald Driver (seventh round, 1999) Mark Chmura (sixth round, 1992)
It took a couple of years for Driver to develop, but now he is one of the NFC's top receivers. Chmura was a key cog in the offense on the Super Bowl teams of 1996 and 1997.
Worst: Robert Ferguson (second round, 2001); Derrick Mayes (second round, 1996).
Ferguson remains on the roster but may be running out of time because he hasn't produced and often is injured. Mayes played three years but never had more than 30 catches in a season.
Offensive linemen
Best: Chad Clifton (second round, 2000); Mark Tauscher (seventh round, 2000).
Both tackles started almost immediately as rookies and remain the bookends on the line. Given that tackles are harder to find than guards, Clifton and Tauscher edged out Adam Timmerman (seventh round, 1995) and Marco Rivera (sixth round, 1996).
Worst: John Michels (first round, 1996); Bill Ferrario (fourth round, 2001).
Michels' career ended in 1999 due to a knee injury, but he was a flop before that. Ferrario spent two years as a backup guard before being released.
Defensive linemen
Best: Aaron Kampman (fifth round, 2002); Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (fifth round, 2000).
Kampman's steady progression culminated in a Pro Bowl appearance last season. KGB may be on the decline, but had 49 sacks from 2001 to 2004. Vonnie Holiday (first round, 1998) wasn't a bad pick but he wasn't a genuine star.
Worst: Jamal Reynolds (first round, 2001); Donnell Washington (third round, 2004).
Reynolds played only 18 regular-season games over three years and is one of the biggest draft busts in team history. Washington never appeared in a game and was a bigger bust than fellow third-round misses Darius Holland (1995), Jonathan Brown (1998), Steve Warren (2000) and Kenny Peterson (2003).
Linebackers
Best: Nick Barnett (first round, 2003); A.J. Hawk (first round, 2006).
Barnett might not be at a Pro Bowl level, but he's more consistent than Wayne Simmons (first round, 1993), who had one great year in 1996. Hawk looks to be a star in the making.
Worst: Torrance Marshall (third round, 2001); Anthony Hicks (fifth round, 1997).
Marshall played in 51 games from 2001 to 2004, but most of them were on special teams and he had off-field issues, including a four-game suspension for a drug violation. Hicks never played in the regular season.
Defensive backs
Best: Darren Sharper (second round, 1997); Doug Evans (sixth round, 1993).
Sharper became a Pro Bowl safety, and Evans was a big-play guy on the teams of the mid-1990s. Mike McKenzie (third round, 1999) was a productive player until he soured on the Packers and forced his way out.
Worst: Terrell Buckley (first round, 1992); Ahmad Carroll (first round, 2004).
Buckley, the fifth pick of the draft, lasted just three seasons before he was cut. Carroll, the 25th overall pick, didn't make it that long, getting the boot early in Year 3. Joey Thomas (third round, 2004) was just as bad.
Specialists
Best: Punter, Josh Bidwell (fourth round, 1999).
Only decent special-teams selection, the punter battled back from cancer to have a few productive years before leaving in free agency.
Worst: Brett Conway (third round, 1997); B.J. Sander (third round, 2004).
Conway never kicked in a regular-season game, while Sander punted for one season. Because they were first-day selections, they were worse picks than return specialists Joey Jamison (fifth round, 2000) and Cory Rodgers (fourth round, 2006), both of whom were cut in their first training camps.