Ranking Ted Thompson's Second Round Picks
First round picks are the most valuable, but don’t sleep on a solid second rounder. Ted Thompson has made a killing plucking gems out of the draft’s second round. Here’s our attempt to rank Thompson’s second round picks so far.
Tier 1 - 31 Teams Regret Not Taking Them In the First Round
- Jordy Nelson - 2008
- Greg Jennings - 2006
- Nick Collins - 2005
If people knew then what they knew now, each of these players would have been first round picks, and they all would have gone in the top fifteen. Nick Collins may have been a top five pick. Thompson committed absolute larceny getting these players in the second round, and the Jennings pick is doubly sweet because it came on a pick from Denver received in exchange for Javon Walker.
Tier 2 - Thompson’s Annual Very Good Contributor
- Davante Adams - 2014
- Eddie Lacy - 2013
- Casey Hayward - 2012
- Randall Cobb - 2011
None of these players are quite as consistent as the ones in the tier above, but each has supplied their own moments of brilliance as well. Though Lacy and Hayward have moved on, both Adams and Cobb figure to be regular contributors for years to come.
Tier 3 - Better Than You Remember
- Mike Neal - 2010
- Brandon Jackson - 2007
- Darryn Colledge - 2006
Each of these players left Green Bay without much fanfare but offered significant contributions in their own ways. Jackson carried the load at running back for much of the Packers’ 2010 Super Bowl run, while Colledge started at left guard in the Super Bowl itself.
Neal, meanwhile, remains one of the most versatile picks of the Thompson era. He was a 294 pound defensive tackle when the Packers picked him, but finished his career as a svelte linebacker. He was never spectacular, but he was valuable.
Tier 4 - Jury’s Still Out
- Jason Spriggs - 2016
- Quinten Rollins - 2015
It’s too early to rule on either of these picks. Both have shown flashes of talent coupled with serious concerns. It’s too early to say.
Tier 5 - Assorted Busts
- Jerel Worthy - 2012
- Brian Brohm - 2008
- Pat Lee - 2008
- Terrence Murphy - 2005
Each of these players was a bust in Green Bay, to be sure. The exact reason, though, varies from player to player. Worthy never translated his quick twitch snap jumping to the professional ranks, Brohm should have come out a year earlier, Lee never matched his physical gifts to his play, and Murphy’s career ended due to an unfortunate injury.