4 players Packers should regret not drafting in recent years
The NFL Draft isn’t a science. It isn’t easy to project which college players will succeed at the NFL level. For the most part, the Green Bay Packers have a good track record in the draft.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It’s easy to sit here after the event and find areas the Packers could’ve improved their draft classes.
But that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Every team passes up on future stars. It’s unavoidable. But it still hurts when a player your team didn’t draft goes on to play well elsewhere.
Over the past five years, the Packers should regret not drafting these four players.
Creed Humphrey (2021)
What makes this more painful is that Creed Humphrey was selected just one pick after Green Bay. To make it worse, the Packers also selected a center, Josh Myers.
Myers has been fine as the Packers’ starting center the past two seasons, but he still has a long way to go.
Josh Myers might be the most overrated player on the Packers roster. If I'm Green Bay there's no way I'm going into the offseason thinking that he has one of the starting spots locked up on the OL. Consistently inconsistent. Huge offseason for him, he needs to be MUCH better.
— Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) January 9, 2023
Humphrey, meanwhile, would’ve been the perfect replacement for Corey Linsley.
After being named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2021, Humphrey backed it up with Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors this season.
According to ESPN, Humphrey led all centers in pass block win rate, and ranked second in run block win rate, this season.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (2021)
The Packers drafted a receiver in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, they just took the wrong one.
Amari Rodgers never found a regular role on offense, and after struggling on special teams, was released in his second season.
Meanwhile, Amon-Ra St. Brown, picked in the fourth round, has been outstanding for the Detroit Lions, catching 196 passes for 2,073 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first two seasons.
Tee Higgins (2020)
Jordan Love could become the next great Packers quarterback when he finally gets an opportunity. In that case, picking him was the right call.
However, Green Bay fell just short of the Super Bowl in both the 2020 and ’21 seasons. A wide receiver like Tee Higgins could’ve made a huge difference.
Higgins has caught 327 passes for 3,028 yards and 19 touchdowns in three seasons, helping the Cincinnati Bengals reach the Super Bowl a year ago.
Terry McLaurin (2019)
Just one pick after the Packers took tight end Jace Sternberger, the Washington Commanders selected wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
For comparison, Sternberger was released by the Packers early in his third season. He has since been on three different teams and is currently a free agent.
McLaurin, meanwhile, is a Pro Bowl wide receiver, has three straight 1,000-yard seasons, and landed a three-year, $70 million extension last summer.
Oh, how things could’ve been different.