Re-Mocking the Drafts/Ted Thompson

On a site I go to, www.walterfootball.com, they have mock drafts, celebrity mock drafts (all satire), backward drafts (Green Bay picks #1 instead of #32, which leads to Von Miller), and so on and so forth. One I was just looking over was the Re-Mock Drafts. In a Re-Mock, the writer looks at a past NFL draft (most recent 2006) and re-mocks the entire first round with stars that emerged from that draft if it was to be redone.

One item that stood out to me was the 2005 and 2006 first round picks. Not only the Green Bay Packers but the drafts entirely. It is made up of various players that Ted Thompson has picked in late rounds or undrafted rookies. I will list below:

2005 NFL Re-Mock Draft
#1 San Francisco 49ers: Aaron Rodgers, QB, California
Actual 2005 NFL Draft Pick: Alex Smith, QB
Difference: Same Round, 23 Picks Total

#16 New Orleans Saints: Nick Collins, FS, Bethune-Cookman
Actual 2005 NFL Draft Pick: Jammal Brown, OT
Difference: 1 Round, 35 Picks Total

Had Green Bay selecting Jason Campbell by the way

2006 NFL Re-Mock Draft

#5 Green Bay Packers: Tramon Williams, CB, Louisiana Tech
Actual 2006 NFL Draft Pick: A.J. Hawk, OLB
Difference: Tramon went undrafted

#14 Philadelphia Eagles: Greg Jennings, WR, Western Michigan
Actual 2006 NFL Draft Pick: Brodrick Bunkley, DT
Difference: 1 Round, 38 Picks Total

#31 Seattle Seahawks: AJ Hawk, OLB, Ohio State
Actual 2006 NFL Draft Pick: Kelly Jennings, CB
Difference: Alright, so not all picks weren't in his favor.

The point I am getting at, is our team is what it is because of Ted Thompson. Just look at the names added each year since being named General Manager.

2005: Aaron Rodgers, Nick Collins
-May have been a bad year, but got rid of Sherman to replace with McCarthy and got us under the cap.
2006: AJ Hawk, Daryn Colledge, Greg Jennings, Tramon Williams, Charles Woodson, Ryan Pickett, Charlie Peprah
2007: James Jones, Desmond Bishop, Mason Crosby, John Kuhn
2008: Jordy Nelson, Pat Lee, Jermichael Finley, Josh Sitton, Matt Flynn
2009: BJ Raji, Clay Matthews, TJ Lang, Brad Jones, Evan Dietrich-Smith
2010: Bryan Bulaga, Mike Neal, Morgan Burnett, Andrew Quarless, Marshall Newhouse, James Starks, CJ Wilson, Sam Shields, Frank Zombo, Charlie Peprah

I know we all hear the term, the rich get richer. We will probably hear that term when the Colts select Andrew Luck and have both him and Peyton Manning. Or when the Saints drafted Ingram and signed Sproles. But in the true sense of the meaning of the sentence, we have been getting richer. I know looking from that list, that Ted Thompson is a genius when it comes to finding talent. The year that stands out to me is the 2010 year. Everybody on that list, except Shields and Zombo, were our entire draft and they have stepped into their position and been a solid contributor. I know the book is still out on some, such as Neal and Lee, but if Ted Thompson saw something in them then they are destined to be a legit player in this league.

I look at that list and see starters and players who play back up roles that should be starters. Matt Flynn will be a starter. When Woodson or Tramon can't play, we know that we can trust Sam Shields or Jarrett Bush. When Nick Collins went down, Charlie Peprah has quietly stepped into that roll and played very well.

I would like to close with something inspiring but I can't so I will let this shirt do it for me: