Ex-Packers star Donald Driver recalls 'ups and downs' of NFL Draft experience

Donald Driver was 1 of the astir fearsome wide receivers the Green Bay Packers person had successful caller memory. He went to the Pro Bowl 4 times and was connected the team’s 2010 Super Bowl run.

He had 743 catches for 10,137 yards and 61 touchdowns. The numbers helium enactment up and the accolades helium received whitethorn person travel arsenic a surprise. He was not a wide receiver who was projected to go an NFL star. In fact, the Alcorn State alum was selected successful the seventh circular of the 1999 draft. There were 24 wide receivers selected earlier him.

Driver recalled to Fox News Digital what his NFL Draft acquisition was similar arsenic others similar him await their names being called betwixt Thursday nighttime and Saturday evening.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver (Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports)

"Mine was ups and downs," Driver said. "I deliberation it was breathtaking successful the beginning, due to the fact that you cognize that you person the accidental to play astatine the highest level and this has ever been a kid’s imagination to play successful the NFL. But then, during the process, it could beryllium the astir stressful conscionable sitting determination waiting for your sanction to beryllium called.

"But I deliberation erstwhile your sanction is called, past it’s the top feeling successful the world, due to the fact that present you person this accidental to play the crippled and hopefully play it for a precise agelong clip and play it astatine a precocious level."

Out of the wide receiver draught class, lone Torry Holt had much receiving yards than Driver. Other names successful the people included David Boston (pick No. 8), Peerless Price (pick No. 53), Marty Booker (pick No. 78), Brandon Stokley (pick No. 105), Na Brown (pick No. 130), Darran Hall (pick No. 186) and Dee Miller (pick No. 196).

Driver told Fox News Digital helium thought helium was going to beryllium selected arsenic precocious arsenic the 4th round.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver celebrates with fans connected Sept. 20, 2009. (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

"I was projected to spell successful that fourth-round projection, but unfortunately, the teams that said they were going to instrumentality maine successful the 4th circular didn’t," helium said. "They took different receivers alternatively of maine and I had to beryllium determination and ticker … And erstwhile you deliberation backmost astatine it, erstwhile I deliberation backmost now, I don’t deliberation I was arsenic blessed backmost past than I americium now."

Driver was connected the aforesaid squad arsenic Antonio Freeman, Bill Schroeder, Corey Bradford, Desmond Howard, Charles Jordan and Jahine Arnold.

He lone played successful six games successful his rookie season, tallying 3 catches connected six targets for 31 yards and a touchdown. 

Driver explained however helium was capable to enactment motivated to support playing contempt not getting ample playing clip close away.

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"I deliberation everyone has a passionateness and a intent of wherefore they get into the National Football League," helium said. "My intent was that I wanted to marque definite that my household didn’t person to ever enactment again. My ma worked. She worked aggregate jobs. She worked astatine location cleaning. She was besides a information guard, and past she raised 4 different siblings positive myself, and it was conscionable difficult.

"There’s nights wherever ma didn’t person nutrient to eat, and we didn’t cognize that. We were struggling surviving successful U-Haul trucks. We saw the suffer. And for that, I wanted to marque definite that she ne'er had to spell done that symptom and suffering again, truthful I knew this was a large accidental for me, and sometimes we person to find a purpose. For me, that was my purpose, to marque definite that I could instrumentality attraction of her the remainder of my life."

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Driver played 14 years successful the NFL.

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He presently serves arsenic the main information serviceman for SURGE by BSN Sports. He’s looking to empower young girls to enactment successful sports and to assistance antheral coaches person the tools to support those girls decently motivated.

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