When most people think of “hidden gems,” they assume the ‘diamonds in the rough’ will be dug up in the later rounds of the NFL Draft. Many have been unearthed over the past few years, even for the Packers (Donald Driver, 7th round, Alcorn State, Mark Tauscher, 7th round, Wisconsin, Aaron Kampman, 5th round, Iowa). Every GM’s job is to scout players before the draft in hopes to find their own Tom Brady or Marques Colston, and many fail to do so. But ever since Packers GM Ted Thompson has arrived from Seattle, the gems appear to be more numerous in Green Bay. Thompson came into Title Town renowned for his drafting expertise, and he hasn’t disappointed. Take last year when Thompson drafted Western Michigan standout Greg Jennings in the 2nd round. Many people knew little about Jennings until he came to the Packers and had a stellar rookie campaign. This year, Thompson may have cashed in on a couple more draft picks, Nebraska running back Brandon Jackson and San Jose State receiver James Jones. Both Jackson and Jones have shown their worthiness of a starting job thusfar in camp, with help from injured Vernand Morency and Donald Driver, respectively. Jackson, who was thought by some to be the Cornhuskers 3rd best running back as a junior, racked up 835 yards despite being plagued by shoulder injuries. The 2nd-round back (upper-left), who is familar with the zone-blocking scheme, has showed off goods hands in camp, an asset that could propel him into the starting job. Jones’ selection puzzled me and a number of other fans at first. But he has shown flashes of what Jennings did last year in camp, and all indications suggest Jones will overtake the #3 WR position that is so highly coveted. Like alot of Thompson’s selections, Jones put up monster numbers in his senior season with the Spartans, catching 70 passes for 893 yards and 10 TD’s. What makes Jones (right) so intriguing is his soft hands and ability to rack up yards after the catch.