Throughout the history of the Green Bay Packers, the team has drafted 40 former University of Wisconsin Badgers. It makes sense that the lone professional football team would often dip into the lone major football program in the state, especially early on when football was an extremely regional sport.
As it currently stands, there are no former Wisconsin Badgers on the Green Bay Packers roster. You could work with www.promoguy.us to bet on whether or not the team will go with a Badger this year. With free agency and the draft coming up, we can take a look back at a few former Badgers who went on to be Packers.
5 Green Bay Packers Who Were Wisconsin Badgers
Ed Jankowski, fullback, 1937-1941
It all starts with the first. With their first pick of the 1937 NFL draft, the Packers picked Ed Jankowski out of Wisconsin. It was their second draft in franchise history and Jankowski was the franchise’s first former Badger draft pick.
Jankowski had a solid rookie year, appearing in 11 games, running the ball 61 times for 324 yards, and a pair of touchdowns. His best season came two years after in 1939 where he would rush for 278 yards and two touchdowns off of a career-high 75 carries. He earned Pro Bowl honors for the first and only time in his career in ‘39.
Jankowski went on to play two more years for a grand total of five where he rushed for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Milt Gantenbein, end/defensive end, 1931-1940
Before the NFL Draft existed, players signed where they could. Former Badger standout Milt Gantenbein was one of those players and signed with the Packers in 1931. It took him a few years to get situated, but he began to hit his stride in his third season. There, he hauled in just six passes but for 144 yards and a touchdown.
From there on, Gantenbein would continue his career as a reliable end on a Packers team that won three NFL Championships. His strength was on defense, of course, though they did not exactly keep great statistical records back then.
Gantenbein finished with 1,299 yards and eight touchdowns off of 77 receptions, an All-Pro, a Pro Bowl, and three Championships.
Randy Wright, quarterback, 1984-1988
When one thinks of Packer quarterbacks, names like Bart Starr, Brett Favre, and Aaron Rodgers are mentioned Randy Wright was a sixth-round pick out of Wisconsin in 1984 and started 32 games over five years.
Wright was a backup for the first two years of his career, starting just two games and losing both. In his third season in 1986, Wright started 16 games, throwing for 3,247 yards and 17 touchdowns while turning it over 23 times. From there, Wright started 14 games over his next two years, winning just twice, overall.
Wright finished his career with a grand total of 7,106 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 57 interceptions while completing just 53.8% of his passes.
Gary Ellerson, running back, 1985-1986
A lesser-known former Badger turned Packer is Gary Ellerson. After Ellerson amassed 1,106 yards and 14 touchdowns at UW, he did not go to the NFL. Rather, he started out in the USFL with the Memphis Showboats, alongside the future legend, Reggie White.
Ellerson elected to re-enter the NFL Draft and the Packers took a flyer on him in the seventh round in 1985. Overall, he was never the feature back. Ellerson managed a grand total of 492 yards and five touchdowns in two years in Green Bay. He was often utilized as a returner, however. As a rookie, he returned 29 kicks for 521 yards, which includes a Packers record eight in a single game in a Week 4 blowout loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
After a lackluster 1986 campaign, Ellerson was released and subsequently picked up by division rival, Detroit. After eight games, Ellerson suffered a career-ending knee injury and now works in Milwaukee as a sports personality.
Mark Tauscher, tackle, 2000-2010
Finally, the most recent successful Wisconsin-to-Green-Bay transitioner is Mark Tauscher, a right tackle. Offensive line is a thankless job on its best days, but Tasucher was a stalwart on an offensive line often tasked with protecting a gunslinging quarterback in Favre or a guy who loves to play outside of structure like Aaron Rodgers.
Considering he was a seventh-round pick in 2000, getting to play 11 seasons and starting 132 games is quite impressive. Perhaps the most impressive number regarding Tauscher is that he played 132 games but was called for holding just nine times. Additionally, in 2008, Tauscher went 469 snaps without allowing a sack.
The unfortunate thing is that offensive linemen are often forgotten because 1. They don’t score the points and/or 2. If you know an offensive lineman’s name, it’s because they screwed up. Either way, Tauscher was recognized and inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2018.
Main Image: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY
