Which Packers’ draft choices have played the most games, Pro Bowls

Do you know which player who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the first round has played the most games in the NFL?

Do you know which player drafted by the Packers in the seventh round has been selected to the most Pro Bowls?

The NFL Draft is not an exact science. If it was, there wouldn’t be undrafted players like Kurt Warner, Tony Romo, Antonio Gates, or Joe Jacoby who went on to great careers in the NFL. Each round (and choice) is a mystery and sometimes a team misses with a first-round pick but finds a gem in the sixth or seventh round.

The Green Bay Packers are no exception. Here’s a little stat that will magnify that. First, let’s look at the Packers draft choices who have played the most NFL games. These players were drafted by the Pack but did not necessarily play their whole careers with the Green and Gold.

Here are the Packers’ draft choices in each round who played the most NFL games.

First Round: James Lofton, WR, 233, Hall of Famer (Aaron Rodgers is second with 230 games. By playing in 2023, Rodgers should pass Lofton for this spot)
Second Round: Darren Sharper, DB, 205
Third Round: Ray Nitschke, LB, 190, Hall of Famer
Fourth Round: Na’il Diggs, LB, 170
Fifth Round: Mark Brunell, QB, 193
Sixth Round: Mason Crosby, K, 258
Seventh Round: Clark Harris, LS/TE, 206
Eighth Round: Ken Bowman, C, 123
Ninth Round: Tony Canadeo, RB, 116, Hall of Famer
Tenth Round or later: Bart Starr, QB, 196, Hall of Famer (selected in the 17th Round)

Let’s look at Green Bay draft choices (by round) who were selected for the most Pro Bowls. Again, although these players were chosen in the draft by the Packers, they may not have played their whole (or any of their) careers with Green Bay.

First Round: Aaron Rodgers, QB, 10 Pro Bowls
Second Round: Forrest Gregg, Tackle, 9 Pro Bowls, Hall of Famer
Third Round: Bill Forester, LB/Bobby Dillon, DB, Hall of Famer, each with 4 Pro Bowls
Fourth Round: Josh Sitton, Tackle, 4 Pro Bowls
Fifth Round: Mark Brunell, QB, 3 Pro Bowls
Sixth Round: Ken Gray, Guard, 6 Pro Bowls
Seventh Round: Jim Ringo, Center, 10 Pro Bowls, Hall of Famer
Eighth Round: Paul Kell, Tackle, 1 Pro Bowl
Ninth Round: Deral Teteak, LB, 1 Pro Bowl
Tenth Round or later: Daryle Lamonica, QB, 5 Pro Bowls (12th Round)

Bet you saw some names that you didn’t know were drafted by the Packers: Clark Harris, a long snapper who has carved out a nice 15-year career (14 of those years with Cincinnati) after being drafted by the Pack; or how about Daryle Lamonica, a 12th-round draft pick of the Packers who went on to play in the AFL with Buffalo and Oakland.

In some cases, an NFL team may draft a player in the late rounds who has a storied career. Or there might be a draft choice who doesn’t make the team but goes on to have a great career somewhere else.

That’s the beauty of the NFL draft.