When you think of the Green Bay Packers organization, "homegrown talent" quickly comes to mind.
But, for a franchise that preaches the draft-and-develop philosophy, the Packers still have their share of misses on early-round investments in the draft. Some of those misses include players whose early careers were ended partially due to injury, without ample time to realize their potential. But, even more of them are cases of highly-touted collegiate that simply never panned out.
Below are the top 15 such players selected by the Packers over the past decade and a half, ranked from modest misses to the biggest busts.
15. Alex Green: 2011 Round 3 - RB, Hawaii
On the heels of a Super Bowl season that was accomplished largely without starting RB Ryan Grant, the Packers looked to go cheaper at the position with a young back. Unlike others on this list, Green actually saw some regular playing time behind incumbents Grant and Brandon Jackson. But, despite the speed showcased at Hawaii, he was never overly effective as a ball carrier in Green Bay.
14. Quentin Rollins: 2015 Round 2 - CB, Miami (OH)
The Packers took a leap of faith in the second round of the 2015 draft by selecting this Miami (OH) basketball star who had played just one year of football in college. He and fellow 2015 draft pick Damarious Randall were expected to fill big shoes left by departing free agent DBs Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde. However, when injuries to Randall and Sam Shields left the Packers devoid of cornerbacks in 2016, Rollins was largely outplayed by JAGs like LaDarius Gunter and failed to become much of a difference-maker.
13. J'Mon Moore: 2018 Round 4 - WR, Missouri
Okay, the Packers spent a non-prestigious early Day 3 pick on Moore, but this guy barely even made the team as a rookie, struggling to fix issues with drops that had plagued him at Mizzou. With Jordy Nelson already gone and Randall Cobb set to become a free agent only a year later, a hit with this draft pick could have helped fill a big void in the Packers' offensive supporting cast. Instead, Moore was cut just a year later.
12. Brian Brohm: 2008 Round 2 - QB, Louisville
Who cares if the Packers already had QB1 in Aaron Rodgers entering 2008? Brohm was widely considered a first-round pick had he entered the 2007 draft, so his selection in the second round of the 2008 draft looked like the steal of the century - despite being a hedge at QB for Green Bay. At minimum, he was expected to become what Matt Flynn (his fellow 7th rounder from the same draft class) did: a reliable backup and potential trade collateral or a highly-coveted free agent down the line. He was picked up off the Packers' squad by the Bills the following season.
11. Datone Jones: 2013 Round 1 - DT, UCLA
Lots of Packers fans look at the Datone Jones selection on the same level as Justin Harrell. But, the former UCLA Bruin actually played out his rookie contract and the Packers got at least some productivity out of him. But, he clearly wasn't worth a first-round pick, serving as another example of the Packers not being able to draft a viable 3-4 defensive end.
10. Jason Spriggs: 2016 Round 2, OT - Indiana
With Bryan Bulaga consistently struggling to stay healthy, the Packers entered the 2016 draft eyeing a tackle that could be lined up opposite David Bakhtiari. By virtue of injuries to Bulaga and other players ahead of him on the depth chart, Spriggs received several starts at right tackle, but wasn't much better than street free agents like Justin McCary.
9. Pat Lee: 2008 Round 2, CB - Auburn
With Al Harris nearing the end of his NFL career and Tramon Williams not yet a proven commodity, the Packers look to pair a young cornerback with star Charles Woodson. They selected Lee with one of three second round picks in 2008, but he simply didn't deliver as a defensive back. While he offered some value as a special teamer, it wasn't nearly enough to justify a spot on the roster, let alone a second contract.
8. Josh Jones: 2017 Round 2 - North Carolina State
With long-time starter Morgan Burnett set to hit free agency in 2018, the Packers sought to get ahead of a need at safety, selecting NC State's Josh Jones in the second round of the 2017 draft. Amongst a youthful defensive backfield in 2017 and 2018, Jones failed to stand out and eventually lost the starting strong safety job to Kentrell Brice.
7. Jace Sternberger: 2019 Round 3, TE - Texas A&M
The Packers have a history of chasing tight ends in the third round, but this one just didn't work out. Just about everyone in the football world, including Jace himself, has acknowledged the big names that were still on the board when the Packers selected the former Aggie in the middle of the third round of the 2019. Off-the-field issues coupled with generally uninspiring play at tight end led to him barely making it to a third preseason in Green Bay.
6. Josh Jackson: 2018 Round 2, CB - Iowa
In Brian Gutekunst's first season as Packers GM, he opted to double up on the cornerback position with his first two draft picks. The Packers took a chance on a player who had a lone spectacular season at Iowa, but nothing more in terms of proven track record.
Jackson's inconsistencies as a rookie were the first sign of what the Packers experienced with Quentin Rollins only a few years prior. Once seen as a potential replacement for Kevin King and long-term running mate with 2018 first-rounder Jaire Alexander, Jackson was instead traded to the Giants during the 2021 preseason in exchange for similar failed experiment in Isaac Yiadom.
5. Amari Rodgers: 2021 Round 3, WR - Clemson
Some might say Amari's spot on this list is too high. But, there is no recency bias here: he failed mightily at every spot the Packers tried him. Adding to the pain is the lofty expectations that both fans and the Packers' front office (who paid an extra third rounder to move up for him) had for the former Clemson star.
Most saw visions of another Randall Cobb. Instead, Rodgers proved to severely lack explosiveness as a gadget guy on offense and demonstrated next to no reliability as a return specialist. The Packers forced playing time when it wasn't deserved in 2022 and it cost them at least one game, which may have been the difference in a playoff berth down the stretch. The org opted to move on from Rodgers mid-season, something they almost never do.
4. Khyri Thornton: 2014 Round 3 - DT, Southern Mississippi
Having switched to a 3-4 defensive scheme in 2009, the Packers were still trying to add true, 5-technique defensive linemen to the roster a year or two later. Despite having hit on late-rounder Mike Daniels in 2012, they had missed on Jerel Worthy in that same draft class and were still waiting on 2013 first round pick Datone Jones to show results.
2014 third-rounder Thornton fell closer to Worthy, generating some hype in training camp, but failing to play a single regular season snap with the Packers. Released the following September, his time in Green Bay was one of the quickest amongst players selected by the Packers on Day 1 or 2 of the draft.
3. Justin Harrell: 2007 Round 1 - DT - Tennessee
With offensive stars Ahman Green and Javon Walker no longer in Green Bay, fans were pounding the gavel for a big-name weapon leading up to the 2007 draft. With visions of Dwayne Bowe or Greg Olsen, they instead heard Harrell's name called with the 16th overall pick.
Unjustified outrage followed but, just two short seasons later, it proved to be warranted. Battling constant injuries over his first few seasons, Harrell struggled to consistently land playing time. When he did, he provided few meaningful contributions to the defenses of Bob Sanders and Dom Capers.
2. Jerel Worthy: 2012 Round 2, DT - Michigan State
Worthy got a ton of buzz leading up to the 2012 draft - and most Packers fans were both psyched and surprised to hear his name called by the Packers, an organization that has often balked at high-profile prospects in favor of lesser-known gems. With total conviction on his potential, Green Bay shelled out an extra pick to move up for the former Spartan.
But, in two short seasons with Green Bay, Worthy was highly ineffective, which resulted in being traded to the Patriots in August 2014. For an organization that desperately needed to add talent on the defensive front seven after going one-and-done in the 2011 postseason, this was a major swing and miss.
1. Derek Sherrod: 2011 Round 1, OT - Mississippi State
What better way to build on a Super Bowl ring than landing the prototypical left tackle with the 32nd overall pick of the next draft? The late Ted Thompson had visions of pairing Sherrod with the Packers' first-round tackle from the draft prior, Bryan Bulaga.
However, Sherrod's performance on the playing time never lived up to his highly-touted physical package. A broken leg in Kansas City surely was a bad break for the prospect, but Sherrod hadn't shown much promise even before the injury. It forced the Packers to roll with stopgap tackles Marshall Newhouse and Don Barclay for the next several seasons and continue their search for a franchise left tackle until landing David Bakhtiari in 2013.
Just missing the list: Carl Bradford (2014 R4, LB), Jerron McMillian (2012 R4, S), Oren Burks (2018 R3, LB), Damarious Randall (2015 R1, DB)
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