The Green Bay Packers have missed out on some star players in the NFL draft, and now it’s been revealed that Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis can be added to that list.
During a recent interview with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, former Packers director Eliot Wolf talked about the Packers being on the phone with Lewis during the 1996 NFL Draft. Instead of drafting him, the Baltimore Ravens swooped in a pick early.
During the 1996 draft, the Packers had Ray Lewis on the phone and were ready to pick him 27th. But moments before they could, the Ravens picked Lewis at No. 26. Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf was in the Packers war room that day and remembers it well.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 8, 2024
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“There was some disappointment,” Wolf recalled about that draft. “They actually had Ray [Lewis] on that phone. They were talking to Ray, and Baltimore was still on the clock…They thought Ray was one of the best players in the draft.”
The Packers haven’t had many star linebackers in modern history. Drafting Lewis would have changed a lot of that back in 1996.
Ray Lewis’ Hall of Fame Career
There aren’t many other names that come up besides Lewis when talking about the greatest linebacker in modern NFL history.
Coming out of Miami, Lewis was a back-to-back All-American for the Hurricanes. However, there were some concerns about his size at the NFL level. Those concerns had Lewis waiting until the 26th overall pick in 1996 to hear his name called.
The pick ended up becoming an all-time steal by the Ravens. He set an NFL record with 156 solo tackles in just his second season, earning second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
Lewis had an unquestionable Hall of Fame resume spending his entire career with the Ravens. He led the NFL in tackles three times, was Defensive Player of the Year twice, and won two Super Bowls. On top of that, he was a 13-time Pro Bowler and 10-time All-Pro.
Along with his single-season tackle record, Lewis also holds the career records for combined tackles and solo tackles.
Although Lewis’ career wasn’t without some controversy, his on-field play may not be topped by another linebacker for a very long time.
Other Infamous Packers Misses
For as successful as the Packers have been at drafting and developing, there have still been some big missed opportunities for the franchise.
Packers fans will be quick to remind anyone that the team took Kevin King over T.J. Watt in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Packers had the opportunity to take the Pittsburgh Steelers superstar, but traded back and took King instead.
Other recent examples include Darnell Savage over A.J. Brown, Josh Myers over Creed Humphrey, and Jace Sternberger over Terry McLaurin.
Misses like that happen all of the time, but the Packers also missed out on some blockbuster trades in recent years. The team nearly traded linebacker A.J. Hawk for former Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch during their 2010 Super Bowl season.
The Packers also almost acquired a bitter rival in former Minnesota Vikings superstar Randy Moss. After agreeing to a trade with the Oakland Raiders, the Packers were caught off guard when the New England Patriots swooped in for the star wide receiver.
Every franchise has missed opportunities like these, but Packers fans won’t love to hear that Lynch, Moss, and Lewis were all almost stars in Green Bay.
