Today is the start of two weeks of daily Green Bay Packers coverage leading up to the April 26 beginning of the NFL draft.
April 12: Five best first-rounders in the past 25 years
April 13: Five worst first-rounders in the past 25 years
April 14: Quarterbacks position preview
April 15: Running backs/fullbacks position preview
April 16: Offensive tackles position preview
April 17: Guards/centers position preview
April 18: Tight ends position preview
April 19: Wide receivers position preview
April 20: Defensive linemen position preview
April 21: Linebackers position preview
April 22: Cornerbacks position preview
April 23: Safeties position preview
April 24: Ted Thompson's draft strategy
April 25: Forecasting the first-round pick
There have not been many terrific first-round picks by the Green Bay Packers over the past 25 years, but the ones who have worked out well have played major roles in the team's success.
The hiring of general manager Ted Thompson in 2005 was followed by many notable positive selections in the first round and some major misses as well. But without one of those positives – the man who tops this list with ease -- the Packers would likely not have been Super Bowl champions in 2011.
It's those types of picks that can make or break a franchise, and Thompson has had three major scores – two in the same year – in his seven drafts.
A look at the best of the best in the past quarter-century:
1. AARON RODGERS, QB, 2005, 24th overall
On the draft board: Rodgers was not expected to be available so late in the first round. As he waited in the green room and his disappointment turned to embarrassment with all eyes on his free-fall down the draft board, the Packers suddenly had Brett Favre's eventual replacement waiting for them at No. 24. Initially, drafting a quarterback for a team that had Favre (who ended up playing six more seasons in the NFL) was an interesting choice. But the value Rodgers added by falling so far was too great to pass up for Thompson in his first draft. The danger in drafting Rodgers was that it started the clock on the end of Favre's career and didn't give the then-franchise QB what could have been a first-rounder working alongside him on offense.
As a rookie: Rodgers completed 9 of 16 passes for 65 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception. He also had two fumbles as he played backup to the ironman Favre.
From there: Rodgers has proven to be a franchise-changing quarterback since taking over the starting job from Favre in 2008. More important than his statistics – he has the best career passer rating of any quarterback in NFL history – he has gone 41-21 as a starter, 35-11 the past three seasons. Only a Super Bowl victory would put Favre's legend in the past for Packers fans, and Rodgers produced one in his third season as a starter. Then, last season, he won his first NFL MVP award. On this list, there's Rodgers and then everyone else.
2. STERLING SHARPE, WR, 1988, seventh overall
On the draft board: Michael Irvin was selected four picks later, but other than that, Sharpe was a great draft choice for the Packers. He came out of South Carolina as the school's all-time leader in receptions and yards, having had his jersey retired before he even finished his college career. Those achievements – and a desperate need for a playmaker on a stagnant offense -- made it easy for Green Bay to have interest in Sharpe with the No. 7 pick.
As a rookie: Sharpe made an impact immediately. He started all 16 games and had 55 catches for 791 yards and one touchdown. Though those numbers were all career-lows, Sharpe was proving to be a physical target who would be as strong after the catch as he was in getting open.
From there: In 1989, Don Majkowski to Sharpe became one of the NFL's best quarterback-receiver combinations. Even after injuries ruined Majkowski's career, Sharpe was dominant. His own seven-year career was cut short by a neck injury at age 29, but Sharpe led the NFL in receptions three times and in touchdowns twice. The five-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro selection was at his best in 1992 and '93, when he caught 108 and 112 passes in Favre's first two seasons as a starter. He caught a career-high 18 touchdown passes in 1994, his last season. To this day, Packers fans are left to wonder how much more powerful their 1996 and ‘97 Super Bowl teams would have been with Sharpe still catching passes from Favre.
3. CLAY MATTHEWS, LB, 2009, 26th overall
On the draft board: Having already used their first-round choice earlier in the day on defensive tackle B.J. Raji, the Packers traded with the New England Patriots to get the No. 26 pick and draft Matthews. The former walk-on at USC was one of three Trojans linebackers drafted in the first 38 picks after putting in just one season as a starter in college.
As a rookie: How does 10 sacks and a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie sound? Matthews was a dominating force right from the get-go and added 37 solo tackles, three fumbles recovered and one forced fumble to his resume.
From there: In only his second season, Matthews fell just short of winning the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award. He finished with 13.5 sacks in 2010 and helped anchor a championship-winning Packers defense. Though his sack numbers declined in 2011, Green Bay's front office is attempting to build around Matthews to get the Packers' defense back to where it was. He has been a Pro Bowl selection in three straight seasons.
4. B.J. RAJI, DT, 2009, 9TH OVERALL
On the draft board: The Packers wanted the massive (6-foot-2, 337 pound) Raji to help anchor new defensive coordinator Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme. Known mostly as a run stopper after recording only nine total sacks in college, Raji was initially thought of as a defensive end in Capers' 3-4.
As a rookie: Raji's Packers' career started with a contract holdout that lasted until mid-August. Ankle injuries then limited him to 14 games in which he had one sack and 19 solo tackles. It was a relatively unspectacular start to his career.
From there: After being switched to nose tackle in 2010, Raji began to shine. He has been healthy and started in every game since his rookie year and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2011 despite his numbers declining from the season before. It was in 2010 that Raji recorded 6.5 sacks on a Packers defense that was second-best in the NFL in that category. Still only 25 years old, Raji has the talent to be a big contributor to Green Bay's defense for many years to come.
5. BUBBA FRANKS, TE, 2000, 14th OVERALL
On the draft board: Franks was coming off of a very good college career at the University of Miami, setting the school's record for single-season touchdowns by a tight end with 12. The Packers were looking for a pass-catching tight end to pair with Favre, and Franks was one of only two tight ends drafted in the first round that year.
As a rookie: Franks finished fourth on the team in reception yards with 363 as a rookie and set a career high with 10.7 yards per catch.
From there: Franks' rookie numbers turned out to be approximately what he would produce in his first five seasons with the Packers, when he was a sure-handed target and one of the NFL's best tight ends. The one area in which he raised his game after his rookie season was as a red-zone target. He had just one TD reception as a rookie but racked up 27 in the next four years. As a result, he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Franks remained the team's starting tight end through 2006 before being relegated to a backup role in 2007. After leaving Green Bay, he spent the final year of his career, 2008, with the New York Jets.
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