I'm feeling a draft

We hear this every year on draft day (usually from people under fire for their choices): You can't judge a draft/draft pick until three to five years after the fact.

This is generally true but there are exceptions. Cutting a high draft pick for non-injury reasons (yes, I'm talking about production/performance, legal, and/or naughtiness issues) is a damning verdict, as is having Al Davis making selections.

What amazes me is for all the hours of programming available on the NFL Network, NBA Network, ESPNs 1-3 plus Classic and U is that there is never a program that goes back and analyzes prior drafts. Perfect lead-in to the week prior to draft week - imagine the "where are they now" features on Harold Miner and Todd Marinovich.

Some ground rules:

1: Each draft pick is unique, but the draft will be judged as a whole. Extra kudos for finding Michael Redd in the second round, but it doesn't make up for a Darko Milicic-type pick in round 1. Same way for the NFL, except with emphasis on the first three rounds.

2: Leniency will be given for a crappy talent pool (see also 5 and 6). Teams have to take someone.

3: Conversely, whiffing in a loaded draft will be treated harshly

4: Harsher criticism will be leveled for trading up to draft a mediocre player.

5: The five-and ten-slot rule is in effect: If the following five picks (NBA) or ten (NFL) didn't pan out, some (but not a lot) of leniency will be granted. What do Todd Day, Harold Miner, Malik Sealy, and Randy Woods all have in common? They were all taken waaaaayyyyy ahead of Latrell Sprewell in 1992 (Spree was 24th that year to Golden State.) They also never tried to choke P.J Carlisemo.

6: The inverse five-and-ten rule is also in effect: Extra credit given for finding a Sprewell or getting a quality player in later rounds or mediocre talent pools.

7: Injury considerations are not going to factor in UNLESS the drafted player had a history of injury in college (I'm looking at you, Sam Bowie and Justin Harrell.)

Here we go: 2005 Green Bay Packers Draft:

Rnd. 1 (#24): Aaron Rodgers. Next QB taken: Jason Campbell (WAS #25) I remember watching him fall down the draft board and being pleasantly-not-too-surprised when Pack picked him up. Favre had just begun his offseason should-I-stay-or-should-I-go routine. Why not? I thought.

Rnd 2 (#51): Nick Collins. Next DB taken: Darrent Williams (DEN #56) This pick was acquired with QB JT O'Sullivan for Mike McKenzie and a 6th round pick. Small school, lots of enthusiasm about the pick from Packer brass no doubt due to it being the salve for the Mike McKenzie contract sideshow early that season. The Pack also had to smooth some hard feelings from Leroy Butler about giving Collins his old #36 jersey (the number, not the actual jersey.) Haven't heard a peep out of Butler (which is saying something!) on that matter in recent years.

Rnd. 2 (#58): Terrence Murphy (WR) Next WR taken: Vincent Jackson (SD #61) Rule #7 comes into play here, as Murphy suffered a career ending injury in the third game of his rookie season.

Rnd. 3 (#89): Traded to Carolina for two fourth rounders (#115 Marviel Underwood, and #126, which ended up going to the Eagles in another trade-down for irrelevant personnel.) The Eagles selected Atiyyah Ellison, who never played an NFL game and may actually be a fictitious name.

This was also a hot-potato pick, going through five teams and transactions that included Gerald Warren, Trent Dilfer and Lofa Tatupu. Ten-slot check: No pro-bowlers, but several active players and starters in the mix, most notably Adam Snyder (PIT) and LeRoy Hill (SEA).

Other Packer draftees of note from 2005: LB Brady Poppinga (4th, #125) and DL Mike Montgomery (6th, #180.)

An outstanding draft in the first two rounds, with some serviceable NFL talent in later rounds. This was the year of the consecutive trade downs, a hallmark of the Ted Thompson era that really didn't net much in this case. An excellent, but not outstanding draft.