Packer Central

Aaron Jones Shows ‘Every Pick Counts’

The Green Bay Packers will close the 2023 NFL Draft with nine draft picks. Every pick counts, a fact personified by Packers star Aaron Jones.

Bill Huber

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GREEN BAY – Aaron Jones wasn’t a first-round pick in 2017. He wasn’t even the first running back drafted by the Green Bay Packers.

In fact, Jones was a fifth-round pick and the 182nd overall selection. He was the 19th running back off the board.

As cliche as it is, every pick counts. Jones is the personification of that phrase, which is why the NFL featured Jones, Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby, Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco and last year’s Mr. Irrelevant, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in the video “Every Pick Counts.”

Whether it’s the No. 1 overall pick of the draft to the “Irrelevant” Purdy to a fifth-round star like Jones, every draft pick has a chance to change the trajectory of a franchise. In the video, Jones and Co. shared exactly what scouts had put in their reports and why they were so much better than expected.

Jones recalled the experience with fondness.

“All the love. It was long, but it was fun,” he said. “I remember being surrounded by a lot of family and getting to celebrate and see my dream come true together. It filled me with joy seeing my parents that happy, especially after all the hard work and dedication they put in for me. It paid off for both of us.”

In six seasons, Jones has rushed for 5,284 yards and caught 242 passes. In the running back class, Jones ranks third in rushing yards, fourth in receptions and tied for second in total touchdowns.

Among all running backs in NFL history with at least 600 rushing attempts, Jones ranks sixth with 5.1 yards per carry.

The long wait to hear his name called is but a distant memory now for one of the best running backs in the NFL.

“It was an amazing and joyful experience but it was a long day at the same time, hearing guys' names get called,” Jones said. “But I was surrounded by so much love and support, and I got to see my dream come true hearing my name called. My parents saw their child’s dream come true. Being drafted was not only the result of my hard work, but the hard work, sacrifices and dedication they put in, as well. It was just a great day overall, representing my school and city.”

If every pick counts, the Packers have nine opportunities during the third and final day of the 2023 NFL Draft. Green Bay owns one pick in the fourth round, two in the fifth, two more in the sixth and four in the seventh.

More Green Bay Packers News

Third-round pick: Tucker Kraft

Second-round pick: Jayden Reed

Jayden Reed: Scouting opinions

Second-round pick: Luke Musgrave

Luke Musgrave: Scouting opinions

Updated list of Packers draft picks

First-round grades for Lukas Van Ness

First-round pick: Lukas Van Ness

Lukas Van Ness: ‘Nice Young Kid’ to ‘Hercules’

Lukas Van Ness: Deeper dive

Lukas Van Ness: Scouting opinions

What we think we know about 2023 NFL Draft

The Packers can’t adequately fill all their holes

Pick 13 vs. Pick 15: Two picks, a huge difference

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.

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