Johnathan Franklin
Photo/UCLA
Packers GM Ted Thompson spent day two of the draft moving down to accumulate picks. Day three, they used some of those picks to move up for a 3rd fourth round selection.
The Packers sent a 5th round pick (#146) and a 6th round pick (#173) to the Denver Broncos to grab pick #125 in the 4th round. With that selection, the Packers took UCLA RB Jonathan Franklin. He is the second running back the Packers selected in this draft (Eddie Lacy) and its the fourth offensive player out of their five picks.
Franklin has seen action in all four years at UCLA. As a red-shirt freshman in 2009, he started the teams first 8-games playing in all 13 leading the team in rushing yards with 566-yards. In 2010, Franklin was the schools offensive MVP and received 2nd team all-conference honors. Franklin racked up over 1100-yards with 8-scores as a Sophomore. In 2011, Franklin played in all 14-games but his production dropped a bit. He put up 976-yards and 5-scores.
2012 put Franklin on the map. He racked up 1,734-yards on the ground, a school record, while adding 323-reciving yards. His 2,062 all-purpose yards set also set a school record. Franklin’s efforts made him a Doak Walker Award (Nations best running back) finalist and a Maxwell Award (Collegiate Player of the Year) semifinalist.
He leaves UCLA as the schools all-time leading rusher (4,403) and career leader in all-purpose yards (4,936). His rushing total was also the 5th highest in Pac-12 history.
The Packers still have 6-more selections before the draft ends.