Iconic NFL Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one of the best in business right now. The 4 time NFL MVP signed a 4-year $200 million deal with the Green Bay Packers to extend his 17-year tenure at the franchise. He was the second quarterback to be selected in the 2005 NFL Draft and entered as one of the top prospects. Here is a look back at the player’s NFL Draft.
Aaron Rodgers Draft: Year, Date, Round and Pick Number
| Draft Year | Round | Pick Number | NFL Team | Position | College | Conference (College) |
| 2005 | 1 | 24 | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback | University of California, Berkeley | Pac-10 (Now Pac-12) |
Rodgers initially joined Butte College and joined the University of California in his second year of college. He entered the 2005 NFL Draft by foregoing his senior year at Berkeley.
Grading Aaron Rodgers’ NFL Draft
Aaron Rodgers is one of the most influential NFL players and his NFL Draft grade is an ‘A’. He spent his two initial seasons as a backup to Brett Favre but he took over seamlessly upon the departure of Favre. Most scouts rated Rodgers as a potential starting quarterback and he stayed true to the predictions. Rodgers has since made it to 10 Pro-Bowls and even led the Packers to a Super Bowl win in 2010.
Aaron Rodgers Draft photo: How old was Aaron Rodgers when he went to the NFL?
Aaron Rodgers was 21 when he got drafted by the Green Bay Packers. Many teams passed on the opportunity to draft Rodgers and the Packers drafted him as a replacement to the ageing Brett Favre. Rodgers threw 24 touchdown passes in his last season at Berkeley and threw a total of 5469 yards as a starter for the college team.
Aaron Rodgers’ Draft Bio and Profile
NFL scouts analyse players who enter each NFL Draft to determine their potential. Their college performances and NFL Combine statistics are analysed to help teams decide whether a player can be good for them or not. Aaron Rodgers’ draft report has been summarised so that you can get a glimpse of what scouts had to say about the quarterback.
| Aaron Rodgers | Quarterback, University of California. 6 ft. 2 inches, 223 pounds |
| Summary | A late bloomer who enrolled into junior college (Butte) before joining the University of California. Took over as the starter from the fifth game and completed 61.6 percent of passes. Had problems with ball security in early games but emerged as a strong quarterback. The most complete quarterback in the 2005 class. Shows great leadership skills and coaches speak highly of his work ethic. |
| Positives | He possesses outstanding arm strength. Ability to make necessary throws in the NFL. Has the ability to fit the ball in tight spots and has great fundamentals and mechanics. He can lay the ball between linebackers and safeties in coverage with the ability to throw accurate deep passes. A poised player in the pockets with a great vision of the field. |
| Negatives | Not the ideal size for a quarterback. Does not possess the threat to take off and run on a consistent basis. His stats might be good only as a result of the quarterback friendly playing system of coach Tedford. Durability is a concern due to knee surgery in 2004. Needs work to adjust to elaborate defensive schemes in the NFL. |
| NFL Combine Note | 40 Yard Dash: 4.71 seconds, 20 Yard Split: 2.75 seconds, 10 Yard Split: 1.65 seconds, Wonderlic: 35 (0-50), Three-Cone Drill: 7.39 seconds, Vertical Leap: 34.5 inches, Broad Jump: 9 feet 2 inches & 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.32 seconds |
How many quarterbacks were chosen before Aaron Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers was expected to be selected within the first five picks in the First Round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Although he was the second quarterback to be selected in the draft, he slipped to pick number 24 in the Draft. Alex Smith was the only quarterback selected before Rodgers and there were 22 other picks in between them.
- Alex Smith
Smith was the first pick of the 2005 NFL Draft. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers, a team Rodgers was hoping to join for his NFL start. Smith attended the University of Utah and led them to victory in the 2003 Liberty Bowl and 2005 Fiesta Bowl. Smith was selected over Rodgers as then 49ers coach Mike Nolan believed that he could not co-exist with the attitude of Aaron Rodgers.
Who was the #1 Pick In The NFL When Aaron Rodgers Got Drafted?
The number 1 pick of the 2005 NFL Draft was quarterback Alex Smith. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and stayed with them for 7 seasons. He also went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders. He retired in 2020 after being named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in the same season. He had an impressive NFL career which was cut short by a life-threatening injury in 2018. He had a lengthy rehabilitation process for 2 years and it was feared that his leg would need to be amputated. He was released by Washington in 2020 and he is currently an NFL analyst. His return from injury is cited as the greatest ever in the history of the NFL.
Who was Packers QB before Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers filled the shoes of legendary quarterback Brett Favre. Favre was drafted in 1991 by the Falcons but he is known as a Packers legend (playing for them between 1992 and 2007). He led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory and has been rated NFL MVP thrice. Favre holds the record for the longest touchdown pass (99 yards) and has the most number of consecutive starts in the NFL history (297). He remains the only player to win three consecutive MVP awards. He finished his career with 10169 passing yards, 508 touchdown passes and a passer rating of 86.
Who was the quarterback before Aaron Rodgers at California?
Kyle Boller was the quarterback for the California Golden Bears before Aaron Rodgers transferred there in 2003. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2003 NFL Draft and formally finished his career with the Oakland Raiders (now known as the Las Vegas Raiders) in 2011. He was the starter for California for three and a half seasons and holds the college record as being the third highest in all-time career passing.
