Green Bay Packers Almost Had Ray Lewis in 1996 NFL Draft

It sounds like the Green Bay Packers were certainly hurt when Lewis went off the clock for the pick right before them. Seeing how his career turned out, the disappointment had to have reached another level watching his Hall of Fame career unfold for a different franchise.

Any concerns that evaluators and scouts had about Ray Lewis during the pre-draft process quickly went away. By Year 2 of his illustrious career he was cementing his status as one of the best linebackers in the NFL.

He finished his career with 13 Pro Bowls, 10 All-Pro nominations, led the NFL in tackles three times and was Defensive Player of the Year twice. Most importantly, he also helped the Ravens win two Super Bowls.

Instead of coming away with Ray Lewis, the Green Bay Packers used their first-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft on offensive tackle John Michels out of USC. Michels helped the team win the Super Bowl during his rookie season, stepping into the starting left tackle spot for an injured Ken Ruettgers.

That was the height of Michels’s NFL career and time with the Packers. He returned for the 1997 season as the starting left tackle but lasted only five games before suffering a knee injury. He missed the remainder of the season and was replaced by 1998 first-round pick Ross Verba.

Michels came back strong with an impressive training camp in 1998, but another right knee injury landed him on injured reserve. He was unable to successfully recover from that one, being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999 and lasting only a few weeks before being released and his career being ended up injury woes.