Iowa football: Where each former first round draft pick is now
By Andrew Wade
Bryan Bulaga
Bryan Bulaga was selected by the Green Bay Packers 23rd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft after leaving the Iowa football program with a year left of eligibility. Prior to his departure, Bulaga gave Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa football team 2.5 seasons of outstanding starting guard and tackle play and received the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year Award in 2010. The two-time All-Big Ten tackle finished his career with Iowa’s Orange Bowl victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Since entering the NFL, Bulaga’s career has been solid, yet unspectacular. When healthy, he has served as the right tackle protector for Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Staying healthy, however, has been the difficult part. The Barrington, Illinois native has appeared in all 16 contests just twice eight year career.
His on-field play hasn’t warranted any national attention in the forms of awards, but he service has been above average. According to Pro Football Focus, Bulaga has never graded out worse than 61.4, which happened last year in just five starts. Meanwhile, in four seasons, he has graded out above the 70 mark, including this year. For context, Pro Football Focus’s grading scale has 50 as the average mark with scores above that obviously meaning a better performance.
Bulaga has lived a pretty quiet life off the field, but he is turning 30 this offseason meaning the end of his career is likely just around the corner.