Sometimes great players slip in the NFL Draft. Aaron Rodgers did not fall anywhere near as far as Tom Brady, but the QB wasn’t thrilled the San Francisco 49ers passed on him and he lasted until the 24th pick in 2005. So, how did the players chosen before Rodgers do in their careers?
23. Raiders: Fabian Washington
Fabian Washington came to the Raiders from Nebraska. The DB split six seasons between Oakland and Baltimore. He had six picks in 58 career starts.
22. Ravens: Mark Clayton
Mark Clayton — not the one from the Dan Marino Dolphins — played college ball at Oklahoma and was in the NFL for seven seasons. He had 260 receptions, 14 going for TDs.
21. Jaguars: Matt Jones
Matt Jones came into the league from Arkansas with a monster reputation. Jones was an unstoppable athlete at Arkansas during his years as the Razorbacks quarterback, shredding defenses with his strong arm and big plays running the ball. His NFL Combine performance was outstanding. He posted a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash. The thought was the Jaguars had gotten a future great. He played four seasons, making 166 catches with 15 ending in touchdowns. He had 768 receiving yards in 2008, despite missing the final four games due to suspension for a cocaine bust in the prior offseason. Jacksonville cut ties with Jones shortly before the 2009 season, due to his second arrest and another violation of the NFL substance abuse policy, this time for violating the terms of his parole due to his prior charge.
20. Cowboys: Marcus Spears
Marcus Spears can be seen regularly on ESPN. The former LSU defensive lineman spent eight of his nine seasons as a Cowboy and had 10 sacks in the NFL.
19. Rams: Alex Barron
Alex Barron spent five seasons in the NFL with the Rams and one with Dallas, making 75 starts.
18. Vikings: Erasmus James
Erasmus James made 12 starts in four NFL seasons, three with the Vikings and one with Washington. He was out of the game by the end of the 2008 season.
17. Bengals: David Pollack
David Pollack is another member of the first-round class of 2005 who has found a home at ESPN. Pollack suffered a broken sixth cervical vertebrae on a first quarter tackle on Browns running back Reuben Droughns in 2006, which eventually proved to be career-ending.
16. Texans: Travis Johnson
Travis Johnson came to the Texans from Florida State. His 38 career starts were with Houston. He finished up with two seasons in San Diego, playing in 22 games as a backup lineman.
15. Chiefs: Derrick Johnson
Derrick Johnson was a strong selection by the Chiefs. He spent 13 years with Kansas City and had 27.5 sacks and 14 picks. Johnson finished his career in Oakland, playing six games in 2018. He was a four-time Pro Bowler.
14. Panthers: Thomas Davis
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Thomas Davis came to the Panthers from Georgia. He overcame multiple ACL injuries to become one of the top linebackers in the NFL. He has 29 sacks and 13 picks and is a leader. The 2019 season was his first outside Carolina, seeing Davis play for the Chargers. He is a three-time Pro Bowler.
13. Saints: Jammal Brown
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Jammal Brown played college ball at Oklahoma. He was a Saint for four campaigns and with Washington for three after missing 2009 due to injury. Brown started 84 of the 85 games he played.
12. Chargers: Shawne Merriman
Shawne Merriman was “Lights Out” at Maryland and had 45.5 sacks in an NFL career that saw him play for the Chargers and Bills. Merriman’s outgoing personality has turned into a frequent guest on television and he has numerous business ventures.
11. Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware was a nightmare for offensive linemen. He played 12 seasons, nine with Dallas and three with Denver, compiling 138.5 career sacks. He was a member of the Super Bowl 50 champion Broncos and a nine-time Pro Bowler.
10. Lions: Mike Williams
Mike Williams was superb at USC. An elite receiver who looked like he would be an NFL great. Along with Maurice Clarett, he made what turned out to be an ill-advised challenge to the draft-eligibility rule after his sophomore season. He did not pan out for the Lions. Williams reunited with college coach Pete Carroll in Seattle and had a redemption run, of sorts.
9. Redskins: Carlos Rogers
Carlos Rogers played for three teams over 10 seasons. He had 17 interceptions in his NFL career following college ball at Auburn.
8. Cardinals: Antrel Rolle
Antrel Rolle was prepared for the NFL well by playing college ball at Miami. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and member of the Super Bowl XLVI Bowl champion New York Giants. A strong factor in the secondary.
7. Vikings: Troy Williamson
Troy Williamson played three seasons with Minnesota and two with Jacksonville. He made 87 catches overall, four for TDs.
6. Titans: Adam Jones
Adam Jones winds up being one of the more controversial players of his generation. After college ball at West Virginia, he came to the Titans. Jones had numerous brushes with the law in a career that saw him play for four teams. His talent on the field was considerable. However, his contributions were often offset by an incredible ability to be the center of controversy.
5. Buccaneers: Cadillac Williams
Cadillac Williams was one of two Auburn running backs to go in the Top 5. He rushed for 4,000 yards and 21 TDs in a seven-year career.
4. Bears: Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson played for three teams and rushed for more than 6,000 yards over eight seasons. He lost his life at the age of 36 in a motorcycle accident in 2019.
3. Browns: Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards played for the Browns first and then three other teams. The Michigan Man wound up with 359 catches for more than 5,522 yards.
2. Dolphins: Ronnie Brown
Ronnie Brown had a single 1,000-yard season in a career that extended through 2014. He played for four teams and rushed for nearly 5,400 yards.
1. 49ers: Alex Smith
Alex Smith went to the Niners from Utah. Many considere him a “game manager,” however he won frequently. He played for Kansas City and Washington, suffering a horrific leg injury in 2018. He has proven to be a dual and has a record of 94-66-1 as a starter.
24. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers waited on draft day and then waited until Brett Favre left Green Bay three years later. He has had a career that has a reservation in Canton five years after it is done. Rodgers is 113-60-1 as a starter, with 46,946 passing yards and 364 touchdowns. In Sunday’s NFC Championship, he gets to face one of the teams that passed him in the draft. And that burned because Rodgers’ roots are from Northern California.
