Sports

The Green Bay Packers' 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years

By HC Green Lindys Sports

Updated June 8, 2026 1:22 PM

Drafting is an inexact science. Even the best of the best miss for any number of reasons-injuries, poor scheme fit, off-the-field issues, lack of development, and so on. With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, things should be quiet on the personnel side until training camps open in July.

With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time to go back over the last 10 drafts to identify picks which didn't pan out for each of the 32 clubs. Before we begin, let's set the ground rules: We're starting with the 2016 draft, so no players from the 2026 draft are eligible.

Now that we've established the parameters, here are the Green Bay Packers' five worst draft picks of the past decade:

Dishonorable Mentions

TE Josiah Deguara (94th Overall, 2020)
S Josh Jones (61st Overall, 2017)
CB Eric Stokes (29th Overall, 2021)
TE Luke Musgrave (42nd Overall, 2023)
RB Marshawn Lloyd (88th Overall, 2024)

arena photography — Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK

5) CB Kevin King, 33rd Overall (2017)

On balance, King was a better selection than some of the dishonorable mentions, but there are extenuating circumstances at play. First, King was a disaster in the NFC Championship Game loss to Tampa Bay, getting beaten deep for a touchdown just before halftime and then committing pass interference that effectively ended the game. Second, the Packers traded down to take King, bypassing the opportunity to select Wisconsin's own T.J. Watt in their original slot.

4) OL Jason Spriggs, 48th Overall (2016)

If there's one position the Packers have excelled at in terms of draft and development, it's offensive line. Spriggs was a notable exception. Green Bay parted with its No. 57 and two Day 3 picks to move up nine spots and grab Spriggs, who lacked the strength to deal with NFL defensive linemen when he was drafted. Then, when he bulked up, he lost the requisite quickness. Spriggs started just 10 games in the NFL and was out of the league by 2022.

3) WR Amari Rodgers, 85th Overall (2021)

Getting Aaron Rodgers some help was an annual cliche, and when the Packers selected Amari Rodgers in the third round, it sparked an incalculable number of "Rodgers to Rodgers" quips. Amari would last just 26 games in Green Bay. He was released after his seventh fumble with the club, which was just one fewer than the number of receptions he had. Making this pick even worse, Nico Collins was the next receiver taken, and Amon-Ra St. Brown was chosen in the following round.

2) TE Jace Sternberger, 75th Overall (2019)

Green Bay looks to have finally struck gold at tight end with Tucker Kraft, but the team burned a lot of draft capital at the position over the years. Sternberger was the worst of the lot. He appeared in a mere 18 games for the Packers and was cut after serving a two-game suspension for substance abuse in 2021. The very next selection after Sternberger: Terry McLaurin.

1) CB Josh Jackson, 45th Overall (2018)

With a secondary in need of an overhaul, the Packers drafted Jaire Alexander in the first round in 2018, then picked Jackson in Round 2. The Iowa product was a Pro Football Focus darling, posting the nation's highest player grade for a collegiate cornerback. It didn't translate. Jackson started 10 games as a rookie but tumbled down the depth chart after that. Green Bay flipped him for Isaac Yiadom before the 2021 season. Ironically, a different Josh Jackson was the No. 4 pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, and he was a bust as well.

This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 1:10 PM.