:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45964722/usa-today-7400429.0.jpg)
The NFL has announced the compensatory draft picks that have been awarded for the 2015 NFL Draft, and Green Bay Packers fans should be pleased, even if they are not surprised.
Projections indicated that the Packers were in line to pick up three picks in this year's draft - two sixth-round selections (for the losses of center Evan Dietrich-Smith and wide receiver James Jones in free agency a year ago) and a seventh-round pick for offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse.
Instead, the Packers got just the two sixth-rounders (as the news is brought to us by the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Wes Hodkiewicz), bringing their total number of selections up to nine - the 30th pick in each round of the draft, plus the compensatory selections. Newhouse was deemed to be not eligible in the compensatory pick equation for some reason - and though defensive end C.J. Wilson was, his contract and playing time made him lower than #32 on the comp pick board, meaning he was not worth a pick either.
Ted Thompson has made numerous excellent selections with compensatory picks in the past. Big names include James Jones, guard Josh Sitton, and defensive lineman Mike Daniels, but Ted has drafted several other contributors: tight end Richard Rodgers (2014), Newhouse (2010), linebacker Desmond Bishop (2007), and kicker Mason Crosby (2007) are among them.
Keep in mind that compensatory picks cannot be traded. We'll have the full draft order in short order once the full list of compensatory picks is announced.
Here is the full list of Packers' draft picks for 2015:
- Round 1, pick #30
- Round 2, pick #30
- Round 3, pick #30
- Round 4, pick #30
- Round 5, pick #30
- Round 6, pick #30
- Compensatory pick: Round 6 (#210 overall)
- Compensatory pick: Round 6 (#212 overall)
- Round 7, pick #30