5-year analysis: Grading the Green Bay Packers 2015 draft

The Green Bay Packers’ 2015 draft was not a banner achievement for the organization.

Of the eight players selected by Green Bay in the draft, only two are currently on an NFL roster and none remain with the Packers.

In fairness to the Packers, all eight of their 2015 picks played at least one season with the team. It was not a great class by any stretch, but some of the names will be familiar

All grades are based on production and draft status.

Damarious Randall, DB, Arizona State (1st round, No. 30 overall)

Green Bay used its lone first-round pick on Randall, who was drafted as a hybrid cornerback-safety at the end of the round. Randall contributed right away, starting nine games for Green Bay as a rookie at cornerback with 14 passes defended, 58 tackles and three interceptions (one for a touchdown). He went on to start 21 combined games from 2016-17 with seven interceptions in that period and nine passes defended each season. Randall made some plays in his time with the Packers but in the end, didn’t fit in with Mike Pettine’s defense and was traded to Cleveland in the DeShone Kizer deal in 2018.

Grade 5 years later: B-

Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (Ohio) (2nd round, No. 62)

Rollins made some contributions at cornerback in his rookie season, playing in 14 games and starting four. He intercepted two passes (one for a touchdown), made 31 tackles, had one sack and six passes defended. In 2016, Rollins got the most action of his career as the team’s starting nickelback, with 41 tackles, eight passes defended and one interception in 10 starts. Rollins was passed in the depth chart in 2017 and got much less playing time before getting cut in 2018. Rollins had some moments with Green Bay, but far too few, not living up to his draft status.

Grade 5 years later: D

Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford (3rd round, No. 94)

Montgomery likely left a bad impression for many Packers fans after he fumbled on a kickoff return that he took out of his own end zone in Green Bay’s 29-27 Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in 2018. He was promptly traded to the Baltimore Ravens two days after the game. However, Montgomery did have some success in his time with the Packers. He was drafted as a receiver but eventually emerged as a running back in Green Bay (while still continuing to wear No. 88). His best season with the team came in 2016 when he had 457 rushing yards and three touchdowns and 348 receiving yards. Montgomery draws mixed reactions from Packer fans, but his versatility helped the team in 2016 and 2017.

Grade 5 years later: B-

Jake Ryan, LB, Michigan (4th round, No. 129)

Considering Jake Ryan was a fourth-round pick that became a two-year starter for the Packers, it is hard to be too critical of the selection even though Ryan was not an elite playmaker and is currently a free agent. After limited playing time his rookie season, Ryan was a starting linebacker for the Packers in 2016 and recorded 82 tackles and three passes defended. In 2017 he had 81 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. He missed the 2018 season with a torn ACL and played in two games in 2019 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who declined his option this offseason.

Grade 5 years later: C+

Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA (5th round, No. 147)

Along with Randall, Hundley is the only member of the Packers 2015 draft class that is currently on an NFL roster. He was a backup quarterback in Green Bay and got his only significant playing time in 2017 when Aaron Rodgers was injured. Hundley started nine games that season and went 3-6, completing 60.8% of his passes for 1,836 yards with nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a sixth-round pick just before the 2018 season. Hundley has been with Arizona since 2019.

Grade 5 years later: C

Aaron Ripkowski, FB, Oklahoma (6th round, No. 206)

They say fullbacks are a dying breed in the NFL, but the aptly-named Ripkowski managed to play three seasons with the Packers, a team whose fanbase celebrates the position. Ripkowski did not do much in 2015 as he backed up John Kuhn, but in 2016 he took over as the lead fullback and rushed for 150 yards with two scores and also had nine catches for 46 yards and a touchdown, along with his normal blocking duties. After recording 52 yards from scrimmage in 2017, Ripkowski was cut in 2018. Ripkowski was a sixth-round fullback that lasted three NFL seasons, a case can be made that he was Green Bay’s best value pick in the 2015 class.

Grade 5 years later: B-

Christian Ringo, DE, Louisiana-Lafayette (6th round, No. 210)

Ringo was put on the Packers’ practice squad in 2015 then re-signed for the 2016 season. He played eight games that season and had two tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble. He was released by Green Bay right before the 2017 season.

Grade 5 years later: D

Kennard Backman, TE, Alabama-Birmingham (6th round, No. 213)

While Backman was drafted as a tight end, he did not see much time with the Packers’ offense in 2015. He played seven games that season and contributed on special teams. He was waived by Green Bay in 2016.

Grade 5 years later: D