{"id":764768,"date":"2026-06-28T00:50:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T00:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/764768\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T00:50:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T00:50:21","slug":"one-position-shines-on-packers-all-time-all-undrafted-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/764768\/","title":{"rendered":"One Position Shines on Packers\u2019 All-Time All-Undrafted Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pro Football Focus picked an all-undrafted team<\/a> for the 2026 season. Keisean Nixon was the lone representative for the Green Bay Packers.<\/p>\n

That served as inspiration. What would the Packers\u2019 all-time all-undrafted team look like?<\/p>\n

Here is a full starting lineup filled by Green Bay\u2019s best undrafted players since the NFL went to a seven-round draft in 1994. The players didn\u2019t necessarily start their careers with the Packers but they either joined them immediately or had their best seasons with the team.<\/p>\n

Quarterback: Scott Tolzien<\/p>\n

Doug Pederson would have been the slam-dunk selection, but he went undrafted in 1991. So, it\u2019s slim pickings at quarterback. The only one to start a game was Scott Tolzien, who made two starts in place of injured Aaron Rodgers in 2013. He went 0-1-1 with one touchdown and five interceptions, though he did average an impressive 8.0 yards per attempt.<\/p>\n

Running Backs: Ryan Grant, John Kuhn\"Green<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant (25) run wild against Seattle in the 2007 playoffs. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Ryan Grant went undrafted in 2005 and the Packers acquired him from the Giants before the start of the 2007 season. Grant just missed 1,000 rushing yards during his debut season, then topped 1,200 yards in 2008 and 2009. In the 2007 playoffs, he set Packers postseason records with 201 rushing yards and three touchdowns vs. Seattle.<\/p>\n

John Kuhn was the Packers\u2019 beloved fullback and short-yardage specialist from 2007 through 2015. In nine seasons with the team, he accounted for 23 touchdowns and 91 first downs. With Grant injured for the Super Bowl season of 2010, Kuhn helped pick up the slack with 26 rushing first downs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tight End: Robert Tonyan<\/p>\n

Robert Tonyan signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and joined the Packers late in the season. In 2020, he caught 52 passes for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Back in the 12-round era, Paul Coffman was a true great among undrafted free agents. A rookie in 1978, he was a three-time Pro Bowler with 39 touchdowns in eight seasons with the team. He would have gotten the nod over the \u201cToolbox,\u201d Ed West.<\/p>\n

Receivers: Allen Lazard, Geronimo Allison, Jarrett Boykin\"Green<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Giants in London. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

It\u2019s interesting. Every year, the Packers have an intriguing undrafted receiver or two on the roster. This year is no exception with Florida\u2019s J. Michael Sturdivant. Ultimately, though, they make little or no impact.<\/p>\n

Allen Lazard went undrafted in 2018 and signed with the Jaguars. In five years with the Packers, he caught 169 passes for 2,236 yards and 20 touchdowns, highlighted by 60 catches for 788 yards and six scores in 2022.<\/p>\n

Jarrett Boykin went undrafted in 2012 and signed with the Jaguars. He lasted less than two weeks with them and signed with the Packers. In 2013, he caught 49 passes for 681 yards and three touchdowns. He was a one-hit wonder, though; he caught 3-of-12 targets in 13 games (three starts) in 2024 and never played again.<\/p>\n

Geronimo Allison went undrafted in 2016 and signed with the Packers. In four seasons with the team, he caught 89 passes for 1,045 yards and six touchdowns. Even setting aside that we\u2019re focusing on the seven-round era, he\u2019s probably the best undrafted receiver who started his career in Green Bay.<\/p>\n

Offensive Line: Solid Starting Five<\/p>\n

You can make a pretty decent line from Green Bay\u2019s undrafted list with left tackle Yosh Niman, left guard Lane Taylor, center Evan Dietrich-Smith, right guard Lucas Patrick and right tackle Don Barclay.<\/p>\n

Focusing only on their time in Green Bay: Nijman started 22 games in four seasons, including 13 in 2022. Taylor started 50 games in eight seasons, including 45 from 2016 through 2018. Dietrich-Smith started 25 games in four seasons, including all 16 in 2013. Patrick didn\u2019t just go undrafted. He earned his initial spot on the offseason roster as a tryout player. In five seasons, he started 34 games, including 28 in 2020 and 2021. Barclay started 24 games in four seasons, including 13 in 2013.<\/p>\n

Defensive Tackles: Cullen Jenkins, Mike Pennel\"Green<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers defensive llineman Cullen Jenkins stuffs Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber in 2010. | Mark Hoffman via Imagn Content Services, LLC<\/p>\n

Cullen Jenkins went undrafted in 2003 and parlayed a strong season in NFL Europe into an excellent career. In seven seasons with the Packers, he started 66 games. In 2010, he was a key part of the Super Bowl champions with a career-high seven sacks. Jenkins had 29 sacks and 40 TFLs with the Packers; no other undrafted player has had more than eight sacks or 16 TFLs.<\/p>\n

For Mike Pennnel, this is more about career achievement. He signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and started five games in three seasons with the Packers but was still going strong last season in 16 games with the Bengals and Chiefs.<\/p>\n

Edge Rushers: Frank Zombo, Jayrone Elliott<\/p>\n

Frank Zombo went undrafted in 2010. Nobody could have expected he\u2019d become a key member for the Super Bowl champions. During his rookie regular season, he had four sacks in 13 games (eight starts), then added one sack and two tackles for losses in the Super Bowl. After three years in Green Bay, he played six more in Kansas City.<\/p>\n

Jayrone Elliott went undrafted in 2014. During three seasons in Green Bay, he was a part-time pass rusher (four sacks) and full-time stalwart on special teams.<\/p>\n

Linebackers: Bernardo Harris, Krys Barnes, Joe Thomas\"Green<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers linebacker Krys Barnes (51) celebrates after recovering a fumble against the Detroit Lions in 2021. | Dan Powers\/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin \/ USA TODAY NETWORK<\/p>\n

Bernardo Harris went undrafted in 1995. In seven seasons with the Packers, he played in 107 games with 79 starts. He finished with 535 tackles, including three of 100-plus and two in which he fell just short.<\/p>\n

Krys Barnes went undrafted in 2020 and didn\u2019t make Green Bay\u2019s initial roster but started Week 1, in a bit of excellent roster-building gamesmanship. He had 80 tackles as a rookie and 81 in 2021 but missed most of 2022 due to injury and signed with Arizona in 2023.<\/p>\n

Joe Thomas went undrafted in 2014 and made his Packers debut in 2015. In three seasons on the field, he played in 42 games with eight starts and had 110 tackles, eight TFLs and one interception. He played a total of eight NFL seasons.<\/p>\n

Cornerbacks: Loaded<\/p>\n

Tramon Williams went undrafted in 2006 and joined the Packers late in the season. He was the ultimate bargain-bin find. In 10 seasons with the team, Williams led Green Bay\u2019s undrafted group with 30 interceptions, 125 passes defensed and 559 tackles. He was a Pro Bowler in 2010, when he intercepted six passes.<\/p>\n

Sam Shields went undrafted in 2010. He made an incredible transition from receiver to join Charles Woodson and Williams to form an elite cornerback group for the Super Bowl team. In seven seasons with Green Bay, he wound up second in the undrafted group with 18 interceptions and 66 passes defensed. He was a Pro Bowler in 2014.<\/p>\n

Keisean Nixon went undrafted in 2019 and spent his first three seasons with the Raiders, where he started two games. In four seasons with the Packers, he\u2019s gone from All-Pro kick returner to part-time defensive back to full-time cornerback. In 2025, he started all 17 games and finished among the league leaders with 17 passes defensed.<\/p>\n

\"Green<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams (38) intercepts a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles receiver Riley Cooper. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Safeties: Atari Bigby, M.D. Jennings<\/p>\n

Atari Bigby went undrafted in 2005. He joined the Packers after stints with the Dolphins and Jets and wound up starting 33 games and intercepting 10 passes during the 2007 through 2009 seasons.<\/p>\n

M.D. Jennings went undrafted in 2011 and played in 47 of a possible 48 games during three seasons, including 26 starts in 2012 and 2013. He had only one interception; of course, he should have had a second as part of the infamous Fail Mary at Seattle.<\/p>\n

If we changed this to a true all-time team and not since the NFL draft was slashed to seven rounds, the easy picks at safety would have been Johnnie Gray (124 starts, 22 interceptions) and Mark Murphy (122 starts, 20 interceptions).<\/p>\n

Special Teams: All-Around Excellence<\/p>\n

Ryan Longwell saved the Packers\u2019 bacon after the enormous swing-and-a-miss on third-round kicker Brett Conway. In nine seasons with the Packers, he scored a franchise-record 1,054 points. Including four seasons with the Vikings, he\u2019s 23rd in NFL history in scoring.<\/p>\n

Daniel Whelan is one of the league\u2019s elite punters. Last season, he led the NFL in average and was fourth in net average, obliterating the team records in both.<\/p>\n

Rob Davis was the team\u2019s long snapper from 1996 through 2007. He played in 167 games during that span. He had six tackles in 2006; the current long snapper, Matt Orzech, has eight in six NFL seasons.<\/p>\n

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