Two years after he co-founded the Packers with Curly Lambeau, George Calhoun began writing a piece called The Dope Sheet, which served as the official press release and game program from 1921-24.
*Honoring Calhoun, the first publicity director, the Packers are running this weekly feature as their release, which is being made available to fans exclusively on Packers.com. This is an abbreviated version of the 2014 NFL Draft Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by **clicking here**. *
Here are some highlights from the 2014 NFL Draft Dope Sheet:
GREEN BAY ENTERS THE DRAFT WITH NINE SELECTIONS
- This weekend, the Green Bay Packers will welcome another rookie class to their roster through the NFL Draft, held May 8-10 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
- Armed with seven of their own selections – plus two compensatory picks – the Packers will have plenty of opportunities to add more talent and depth to their roster. All picks are eligible to be traded except for the compensatory choices.
- Green Bay enters the draft with four selections in the top 100, its first time doing so since 2009. The Packers have a pick in every round, including two selections in both the third and fifth rounds.
- For the third straight year, the event will begin in prime time on Thursday night, with Round 1 on May 8 beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT.
- Rounds 2-3 also will be held in prime time, beginning on Friday, May 9, at 6 p.m. CT. Rounds 4-7 will complete the draft on Saturday, May 10, starting at 11 a.m. CT.
- The time allotted in between picks will remain the same. Teams will have 10 minutes in between selections in the first round and seven minutes between each choice for Round 2. Each subsequent round will allow up to five minutes in between picks. A look at where Green Bay currently stands in the draft order:
Round, Round # (Overall #)
1, 21 (21)
2, 21 (53)
3, 21 (85)
3, 34 (98 (comp.))
4, 21 (121)
5, 21 (161)
5, 36 (176 (comp.))
6, 21 (197)
7, 21 (236)
THOMPSON LEADS PACKERS INTO ANOTHER DRAFT
- GM Ted Thompsonenters his 10th draft with the Packers, and he has long viewed the draft as the most important aspect of player acquisition.
- Thompson entered his first draft with Green Bay in 2005 armed with seven picks. Through draft-day trades, he wound up with 11 selections, highlighted by a pair of Pro Bowlers in QBAaron Rodgers (first round) and S Nick Collins(second). * *
- In 2006, Thompson began draft day with seven selections, this time turning those seven picks into 12. The class included another pair of Pro Bowlers in LBA.J. Hawk *(first) and WRGreg Jennings *(second).
- In 2007, Thompson again used draft-day trades to acquire more selections and increase the competition for roster spots. That class included significant contributors such as WRJames Jones(third) and LB* Desmond Bishopand KMason Crosby*(consecutive picks in the sixth round).
- That strategy was also implemented in 2008, as Thompson turned eight choices into 10 draft picks (nine players and a future pick). Selections such as WRJordy Nelson(second), TEJermichael Finley(third) and Pro Bowl GJosh Sitton(fourth) made a significant impact.
- In 2009, the Packers entered the draft with nine selections but made one of the most dramatic moves over the course of the weekend when they traded back into the first round. After selecting DTB.J. Rajiwith the No. 9 pick, Thompson moved back into the first round to select LBClay Matthewsat No. 26.* *Though the Packers surrendered a second-round pick and two third-round choices to New England for the opportunity to draft Matthews plus a fifth-round pick, the Southern California linebacker has proven to be well worth it, becoming the first Packer to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons (2009-12).
- In 2010, Green Bay selected TBryan Bulagain the first round at No. 23, who started 33 games from 2010-12. Thompson moved up in the third round to select SMorgan Burnett(No. 71 overall), who has started 45 contests over the past three seasons.
- In 2011, the Packers selected another tackle in the first round,Derek Sherrod, at No. 32. Seven of the 10 players in the 2011 draft class went on to appear in a game for Green Bay in their first season, highlighted by WR*Randall Cobb *(second round), who was named to the All-Rookie Team by Pro Football Weekly/PFWA as a kickoff returner.
- The Packers entered the 2012 NFL Draft with 12 picks and traded up three times, highlighted by a second-round selection obtained from New England in exchange for the Packers' third-round choice and their fifth-round pick. Green Bay used the second-round pick to select CBCasey Hayward, who led all NFL rookies with six INTs in 2012 and became the first Packers CB to be named to the All-Rookie Team by Pro Football Weekly/PFWA since the team was first selected in 1974.
- Last year, Thompson entered the draft with eight choices and turned that into 11 picks through draft-day trades, highlighted by RBEddie Lacy(second), who was named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year by The Associated Press, and T*David Bakhtiari *(fourth), who became the first Green Bay rookie to start every game at LT since the league went to a 16-game slate in 1978.
- Today's roster has Thompson's fingerprints all over it. Of his 87 draft selections in Green Bay (2005-2013), a league-high 33 remain on the current roster, with 23 of 36 selections from 2010-13 still on the team.
DRAFT HEADQUARTERS AT PACKERS.COM
- For Packers fans, the team's official website is the best source for up-to-the-minute information on draft weekend and the only place to see live press conferences from Lambeau Field in their entirety, in addition to an exclusive sneak peek into the Packers' Draft Room.
- In a special weekend feature, Packers.com will provide biographical information on each Packers pick as it happens, with additional coverage by the Packers.com writers.
- Packers.com is the only place to see press conferences in their entirety, featuring General Manager Ted Thompson, Head Coach Mike McCarthy, Packers' assistant coaches and members of the personnel and scouting staff. All press conferences on the site will be carried live and also posted for later viewing.
- Packers.com also is pleased to provide an exclusive peek into the Packers' Draft Room with the 2014 Draft Cam. This unique, behind-the-scenes camera will provide updated images every minute during the draft.
- Fans can watch the draft unfold as it happens on NFL.com, which will stream NFL Network's live telecast and have instant pick-by-pick analysis from the NFL.com team, as well as an up-to-the-minute draft tracker for all seven rounds.
- Follow the Packers on Twitter (@packers) and become a fan on Facebook for live updates from Lambeau Field throughout the three days of the 2014 NFL Draft.
- Watch exclusive behind-the-scenes videos with insight from Packers.com's writers.
WHO HAS BEEN THERE AT NO. 21?
- With its 8-7-1 record and a loss in an NFC Wild Card game, Green Bay will have the No. 21 selection in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
- So when was the last time the Packers chose at No. 21? It was 1973, when Green Bay selected WR Barry Smith out of Florida State in the first round.
- Here is a look at the players selected at No. 21 in the first round over the past 10 drafts (2004-13):
Year - Team, Player
2013 – Cincinnati, TE Tyler Eifert
2012 - New England, DE Chandler Jones
2011 – Cleveland, DT Phil Taylor
2010 – Cincinnati, TE Jermaine Gresham
2009 – Cleveland, C Alex Mack
2008 – Atlanta, T Sam Baker
2007 – Jacksonville, S Reggie Nelson
2006 - New England, RB Laurence Maroney
2005 – Jacksonville, WR Matt Jones
2004 - New England, DT Vince Wilfork
- While first-round choices certainly can be the cornerstone of a franchise, as Thompson has shown with Pro Bowl selections Aaron Rodgers(2005), A.J. Hawk (2006), Clay Matthews(2009) and DT B.J. Raji (2009), second-round selections can prove to be just as valuable. That's where Thompson drafted WR Jordy Nelson (2008), who ranked No. 6 in the NFL with 30 TD catches from 2011-13, WR Randall Cobb(2011), who set a franchise record in 2012 for the most combined net yards in a season, CB Casey Hayward (2012), who became the first CB in franchise history (since 1967) to be named to the All-Rookie Team by Pro Football Weekly/PFWA, and RBEddie Lacy (2013), who set a franchise rookie record with 1,178 rushing yards on his way to being named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by The Associated Press and earning a Pro Bowl selection.
- With 22 starters and a 53-man roster, selections in the third round often turn into significant contributors for a team. WR James Jones (2007), TE Jermichael Finley (2008) and S Morgan Burnett (2010) were all third-round choices under Thompson. Green Bay heads into the draft with two third-round selections, its own choice (No. 85) as well as a compensatory selection (No. 98).
- In addition to their own fifth-round pick (No. 161), the Packers also have a compensatory selection in that round (No. 176). G Josh Sitton(2008/fourth round), CB Davon House (2011/fourth), DT Mike Daniels (2012/fourth) and DE Josh Boyd(2013/fifth) were all compensatory selections by the Packers.
- The Packers have also received several contributions from their fourth-round picks, highlighted by Daniels (2012) and three starters on the offensive line in Sitton (2008), G T.J. Lang (2009) and T David Bakhtiari(2013).
- Green Bay has received contributions from several late-round picks during Thompson's tenure, including DT Johnny Jolly (2006/sixth round), LB Desmond Bishop (2007/sixth round), K Mason Crosby (2007/sixth), QB Matt Flynn (2008/seventh), LB Brad Jones (2009/seventh), RB James Starks (2010/sixth), DE C.J. Wilson (2010/seventh), LBD.J. Smith (2011/sixth) and TE Ryan Taylor(2011/seventh).
- This is an abbreviated version of the 2014 NFL Draft Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by **clicking here**. *
