Ex-Packers star Donald Driver recalls 'ups and downs' of NFL Draft experience
He had 743 catches for 10,137 yards and 61 touchdowns. The numbers he put up and the accolades he received may have come as a surprise. He was not a wide receiver who was projected to become an NFL star. In fact, the Alcorn State alum was selected in the seventh round of the 1999 draft. There were 24 wide receivers selected before him.
Driver recalled to Fox News Digital what his NFL Draft experience was like as others like him await their names being called between Thursday night and Saturday evening.
"Mine was ups and downs," Driver said. "I think it was exciting in the beginning, because you know that you have the opportunity to play at the highest level and this has always been a kid's dream to play in the NFL. But then, during the process, it could be the most stressful just sitting there waiting for your name to be called.
"But I think once your name is called, then it's the greatest feeling in the world, because now you have this opportunity to play the game and hopefully play it for a very long time and play it at a high level."
Out of the wide receiver draft class, only Torry Holt had more receiving yards than Driver. Other names in the class 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 he thought he was going to be selected as high as the fourth round.
"I was projected to go in that fourth-round projection, but unfortunately, the teams that said they were going to take me in the fourth round didn't," he said. "They took other receivers instead of me and I had to sit there and watch … And when you think back at it, when I think back now, I don't think I was as happy back then than I am now."
Driver was on the same team as Antonio Freeman, Bill Schroeder, Corey Bradford, Desmond Howard, Charles Jordan and Jahine Arnold.
He only played in six games in his rookie season, tallying three catches on six targets for 31 yards and a touchdown.
Driver explained how he was able to stay motivated to keep playing despite not getting ample playing time right away.
"I think everyone has a passion and a purpose of why they get into the National Football League," he said. "My purpose was that I wanted to make sure that my family didn't have to ever work again. My mom worked. She worked multiple jobs. She worked at house cleaning. She was also a security guard, and then she raised four other siblings plus myself, and it was just difficult.
"There's nights where mom didn't have food to eat, and we didn't know that. We were struggling living in U-Haul trucks. We saw the suffer. And for that, I wanted to make sure that she never had to go through that pain and suffering again, so I knew this was a great opportunity for me, and sometimes we have to find a purpose. For me, that was my purpose, to make sure that I could take care of her the rest of my life."
Driver played 14 years in the NFL.
He currently serves as the chief motivation officer for SURGE by BSN Sports. He's looking to empower young girls to stay in sports and to help male coaches have the tools to keep those girls properly motivated.
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