With the NFL draft coming up in less than a week, we are taking a look back at one of the best late draft picks in Packers history, Donald Driver.
You always hear about draft day steals, gems you find late in the draft.
Of course, when ever you hear about draft day steals, you hear about players like Tom Brady.
Brady lasted until the 199th pick of the 6th round of the 2000 NFL draft.
He then went on to be a 7-time Super Bowl Champion.
But for the Packers, Donald Driver is what Brady is to the Patriots.
A player who wasn’t even supposed to play as long as he did.
Someone who, to most , was an afterthought to make the team in 1999.
Background
In 1999 the Packers were headed into a new era.
The team coming off a 11-5 season, just lost their head coach of 8 years.
The needs for the Packers coming into the 1999 NFL draft were on defense.
With the first two picks, the Packer drafted two corners, Antuan Edwards and Fred Vinson.
The last thing on the Packers mind was drafting a Wide Receiver.
In fact the Packers didn’t even draft a Receiver in the 1999 NFL draft until the 6th round.
The Packers drafted Dee Miller out of Ohio State.
It wasn’t until the 213th pick of the 7th round that the Packers decided with their last pick to pick Driver.
Humble beginnings for Donald Driver
For Donald Driver, it was a humble begining for the rookie receiver.
Driver wasn’t even given a receiver number.
Instead of the well known number 80 he wore, he received number 13.
While some might think 13 is an unlucky number, Driver took it as a chance to make an NFL team.
With a stellar Preseason Driver beat out fellow draft pick Dee Miller to earn a spot on the roster.
The Rest is history
Donald Driver started out as a reserve receiver for the Packers.
He didn’t see any field action until week 9 of his rookie season.
It wasn’t until week 13 he got his first NFL catch.
In that same game he got his first NFL touchdown.
Through his first three seasons Driver only had 37 catches.
But he developed into the go to receiver for the Packers.
Over his career he had 743 catches and 10,137 yards, along with three Pro Bowl selections.
Driver also posted seven seasons with 70-plus catches and 1,000-plus yards, breaking Sterling Sharpe’s franchise mark for receptions and James Lofton’s for receiving yardage
More importantly to Driver, he was able to call himself a Super Bowl Champion in 2010.
Conclusion
Donald Driver retired in 2013 after 14 seasons.
What Driver started in Green Bay has been nothing short of astounding.
Since then the Packers have been able to find Wide Receivers in later rounds.
But Driver was more than a pro on the field, but off the field as well.
He always flashed his smile that could light up a room.
His annual charity softball game has helped out so many families in Wisconsin.
Driver is a prime example that patience is key, and that sometimes it pays off.
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Hau Khuong has been a Packers fan since 1996. He currently works as a video editor in Green Bay and writes for PackersTalk.com and you can follow him on twitter at @HauKhuongSports.
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