The Green Bay Packers are known around the NFL for many things. Perhaps most importantly, their 13 Champions are the most in the history of the league. More recently, they have become known for Hall of Fame quarterback play thanks to Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers spending decades leading high-scoring offenses. The history and prestige surrounding the team and being associated with it as a player or coach is second to none.
In recent decades, too, the Packers have become known for their refusal to draft wide receivers in the first round of the NFL Draft. As fans are well aware, the last time they did so was when they took Javon Walker in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
Instead, Green Bay has become adept at finding good-to-great wide receivers in the following rounds, specifically in the second. Many fan favorites and Packers Hall of Famers at the wide receiver position were found in the second round. Players like Davante Adams, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb were all second round draft picks.
This year, the Packers drafted Jayden Reed with the 50th overall pick in the NFL Draft, and he may end up having the best rookie season of any of the great second round wide receivers before him.
Jayden Reed Is Having a Stellar Year for the Green Bay Packers
The Packers have played 11 games this season, and Reed as accumulated 36 receptions for 497 yards and five touchdowns. These would be good stats for any rookie wide receiver, but they are notable in terms of what it means in Packers history. Reed is on pace to finish with 56 receptions, which would break Sterling Sharpe’s franchise rookie record for the most receptions in a season (55).
If he keeps up his pace, he will finish the year with 56 receptions, 768 yards, and eight touchdowns. If he does end up with these numbers, or better, he will have had a better rookie season than any of the second round wide receivers named previously. In fact, his season right now is better than half of the previous second round wide receivers mentioned.
Christian Watson
While Christian Watson was not mentioned previously, it makes sense to include him in here because of the fact that he was a second round pick. Furthermore, he had the best season for a rookie wide receiver in the Aaron Rodgers era.
Last year, Watson had 41 receptions for 611 yards and seven touchdowns. In addition, he had seven carries for 80 rushing yards and two more touchdowns.
The exception thing about Watson’s numbers, though, is that he achieved them in just 14 games played. Had he played a full 17-game season, they would have been even better. He had played 17 games, based on his per-game averages, he possibly would have ended with 50 receptions for 741 yards, and nine touchdowns.
Based on Reed’s current per-game production, he would have surpassed Watson’s season anyway.
Davante Adams
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Of course, it is impossible to discuss second round wide receivers in Packers history without talking about one of the three best wide receivers in franchise history. When the Packers traded Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, he was a two-time Frist-Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler.
It took a while for him to get to that level, though. In his rookie season, Adams had 38 receptions for 446 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games.
Reed has already surpassed all of those totals through 11 games.
Randall Cobb
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Over the past decade and a half, there have been few Packers players as popular with the fans as Randall Cobb. And rightly so. His production with team during his first stint with the team was among one of the most productive in team history.
As a rookie, though, Cobb was far from the caliber of receiver that he would become. That year, he had 25 receptions for 375 yards and one score. He also thrived as the team’s returner. He had 295 return yards and a touchdown to go with 941 punt return yards, which included a 108-yard touchdown return.
Strictly as a wide receiver, though, Reed has already surpassed Cobb’s rookie season.
Jordy Nelson
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Speaking of immensely popular players, Jordy Nelson had one of the most successful careers of any Packers wide receiver in recent memory. His connection with Aaron Rodgers was nothing short of special.
Again, though, it took him a few years to establish himself as one of the best pass catchers in team history. As a rookie in 2008, which was also Rodgers’ first season as a starter, he had 33 receptions for 366 yards and two touchdowns.
Also again, these are numbers that Reed has already surpassed.
Greg Jennings
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The Packers’ recent string of success with second round wide receivers started with Greg Jennings, who made two Pro Bowls with the team. Unlike Cobb, Nelson, and Adams, though, Jennings burst on the scene right away with a stellar rookie season.
That year, 2006 (when Favre was still quarterback), Jennings had 45 receptions for 632 yards and three touchdowns. He played 14 out of a possible 16 games,
Now, however, the NFL regular season is 17 games long instead of 16. So, using Jennings’ per-game averages to spread over a 17-game season, he would have theoretically ended with 55 receptions (which would have tied Sharpe’s record), 767 yards, and four touchdowns.
These numbers are very similar to what Reed is projected to finish the 2023 season with if he maintains his current pace.
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