LUCKY SEVEN

Jerry Gilbert
In the seventh round of the 2010 National Football League Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected C J Wilson Defensive End East Carolina. Wilson promptly informed anyone who would listen that other teams had made a mistake by not picking him earlier. More recently he has assured reporters that he will work hard to make the team. If history has any influence, this young man will be on the final roster this season.

History tells us that seventh round draft choices not only make the team in Green Bay, but they also become important contributors. The Packer with the most experience is Donald Driver. Driver was a seventh round after thought back in 1999. Playing for a team that over the years has boasted multiple Hall of Fame receivers, the pass receiving numbers put up by Donald Driver compare with the best, and his career is not finished. Donald Driver today is the outstanding seventh round draft choice still on the team.

However, Mark Tauscher, selected in the seventh round in 2000 is not far behind. Tauscher was selected in the same draft in which Chad Clifton was taken in round 2. This is fairly common. The Packers take a player in a position of need high in the draft, and then make an insurance pick in a late round. This year it happened twice. C.J Wilson provides insurance if defensive end Mike Neal does not work out. Marshall Newhouse is a potential left tackle should there be a problem with first round choice Brian Bulaga.

Tauscher was scheduled to sit behind Earl Dotson for a season or two. As things turned out, Dotson was injured, Tauscher stepped up, and with the exception of his injury last season, he has been a fixture at right tackle protecting both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. It is no coincidence that sacks per game dropped as soon as Tauscher was ready to play. He should be a serious candidate for the Packer Hall of Fame when he retires.

Selected in the seventh round in 2004, Scott Wells has started at center for Green Bay since 2006 after Mike Flanagan left as a free agent. Wells has always been down graded for his size, but the former wrestler knows leverage. He gets under his opponents and handles them. Tauscher may have a longer tenure, but Wells was the most consistent offensive lineman in 2009.

Matt Flynn is the second string quarterback in Green Bay. He was added to the team in the seventh round in 2008. Flynn was the security selection in case second round selection Brian Brohm did not work out. It was a very good seventh round selection. Brohm is gone, and the confidence that the coaching staff has in Flynn is shown by the fact that there was no third string quarterback last season. Hopefully Flynn will get most of his playing time in the preseason.

The other major contributor from the seventh round is the selection from last year, outside linebacker Brad Jones. Similar to Tauscher, Jones was scheduled to sit and learn, but when Aaron Kampman was injured, Jones claimed the job and kept it. We will see this season if he joins the other seventh round choices who have been multi-year starters.

One seventh round draftee remains. Wide receiver Brett Swain was the pick in the last round in .2008. Swain has not cracked the regular rotation, but as a combination receiver and kick returner, he has a chance to step up this season. A roster spot is his to lose, because Green Bay did not select a wide receiver in the past two NFL drafts.

Jones and Swain are two more examples of late round picks who were probably insurance picks. Swain was drafted as a wide receiver in the same year as Jordy Nelson. Jones was selected behind linebacker Clay Mathews. As happened with Mark Tauscher, the insurance selection has found a way to contribute on his own. Jones and Swain made the roster, and Jones has already become a contributor.

Seventh round selections Donald Driver and Scott Wells are the only members of their draft classes who still play for Green Bay. If as many expect, Chad Clifton retires after this season, Mark Tauscher might join this noteworthy group.

There is one honorary member of the seventh round club William Whitticker, a no talent offensive guard from Michigan State made the squad as a seventh rounder in 2005. Under no talent General Manager Mike Sherman, Whitticker was the best player they had at right guard and became an instant starter. He was out of the league in 2006.

It is not totally accurate to describe as lucky the seventh round draft choices still playing in Green Bay. The veterans in the group worked hard and overcame long odds to be where they are today. Nevertheless, if Green Bay general managers could be half as successful in every other round of the draft as they have been in round 7, there might be at least one more Super Bowl trophy on display at Lambeau Field.