Rick Stratton
04/21/09
The "Ted Thompson is the worst GM in the NFL" crowd usually cites Ted's drafting abilities (or lack there of) as their number one gripe. We here at the PackerBackerBlog decided to take a look at Ted's four Packer drafts and compare them to a premier team in the NFL. Most folks, if asked, would suggest the New England Patriots as the premier NFL franchise.
So let's compare the Pack to the Pats. We've also included Mel Kiper's grades for shits and giggles.
2008 NFL Draft:
Kiper on the Packers: B-
Kiper Patroits grade: C+
| PACKERS | PATRIOTS | ||
| Jordy Nelson | starter | Jerod Mayo | starter |
| Brian Brohm | backup QB | Terrence Wheatley | regular player |
| Patrick Lee | starter | Shawn Crable | did not play |
| Jermichael Finley | regular player | Kevin O'Connell | regular player |
| Jeremy Thompson | starter | Jonathan Wilhite | starter |
| Josh Sitton | starter | Matt Slater | regular player |
| Breno Giacomini | one game | Bo Ruud | did not play |
| Matt Flynn | backup QB | ||
| Brett Swain | did not play |
2007 NFL Draft:
Kiper on Pack: C+
Kiper on Pats: B
| PACKERS | PATRIOTS | ||
| Justin Harrell | regular player | Brandon Meriweather | starter |
| Brandon Jackson | starter | Kareem Brown | Did not play in 08 |
| James Jones | starter | Clint Oldenburg | Did not play in 08 |
| Aaron Rouse | starter | Justin Rogers | regular player, DAL |
| Allen Barbre | regular player | Mike Richardson | regular player |
| David Clowney | regular player NYJ | Justise Hairston | did not play |
| Korey Hall | starter | Corey Hilliard | regular player, IND |
| Desmond Bishop | regular player | Oscar Lua | did not play |
| Mason Crosby | starter | Mike Elgin | did not play |
| DeShawn Wynn | regular player | ||
| Clark Harris | regular player HOU |
2006 NFL Draft:
Kiper on Pack: B
Kiper on Pats: B
| PACKERS | PATRIOTS | ||
| AJ Hawk | Starter | Laurence Maroney | starter |
| Daryn Colledge | Starter | Chad Jackson | regular player |
| Greg Jennings | Starter | David Thomas | starter |
| Abdul Hodge | Regular player | Garrett Mills | regular player |
| Jason Spitz | Starter | Stephen Gostokowski | starter |
| Cory Rodgers | Did not play | Ryan O'Callaghan | did not play |
| Will Blackmon | Starter | Jeremy Mincey | regular player, JAC |
| Ingle Martin | Starter | Dan Stevenson | did not play |
| Tony Moll | Starter | Le Kevin Smith | regular player |
| Johnny Jolly | Starter | Willie Andrews | did not play |
| Tyrone Culver | regular player MIA | ||
| Dave Tollefson | regular player NYG |
2005 NFL Draft:
Kiper on Pack: C
Kiper on Pats: C
| PACKERS | PATRIOTS | ||
| Aaron Rodgers | starter | Logan Mankins | starter |
| Nick Collins | starter | Ellis Hobbs | starter |
| Terrence Murphy | did not play | Nick Kaczur | starter |
| Marviel Underwood | did not play | James Sanders | starter |
| Brady Poppinga | starter | Ryan Claridge | did not play |
| Junius Coston | did not play | Matt Cassel | starter |
| Mike Hawkins | did not play | Andy Stokes | did not play |
| Mike Montgomery | starter | ||
| Craig Bragg | did not play | ||
| Kurt Campbell | did not play | ||
| Will Whitticker | did not play |
Summary:
Thompson clearly likes picks. He selected 41 players in 4 years versus the Pats 33.
Starters: Thompson clearly has the lead with starting players. 22 of his 41 selections started a game in 2008. Pats had just 11.
Regular players: Both teams have yielded 10 regular players.
Did not play in 2008: The Pack had just 9 picks that did not play in 2008 versus 12 for the Pats.
On one hand Thompson's 2005 draft was a debacle: 7 of his 11 are out of the league. But that also draft yielded Rodgers, Collins and Poppinga - all leaders of the 2008 Packers. Meanwhile the Pats 2005 draft yielded 5 starters. (And Kiper gave both teams a C.)
Thompson's 2006 draft was incredible: Hawk, Colledge, Jennings, Blackmon, Martin, Johnny Jolly? Meanwhile the Pats in 2007 had just one starter and two regular players.
Our analysis? You can't hate Thompson for his drafting ability.
PS Want a good laugh? Read through the Kiper and his protege Todd McShay's notes from previous drafts. Someone needs to do a long look at how inaccurate these guys are at predicting NFL stardom.)
