Aaron Rodgers 2005 NFL Draft revisited: Why 49ers passed on Cal QB with No. 1 overall pick

Jets star quarterback Aaron Rodgers is set to make his highly anticipated return from injury in Week 1 against the 49ers.

Rodgers missed his entire first season in a New York uniform after tearing his Achilles on the first drive of the year. He worked all season to try and return for a playoff push but with the Jets out of the AFC wild-card picture, the franchise elected to play it safe with the 40-year-old and wait until 2024.

When Rodgers makes his real Jets debut in his home state of California on "Monday Night Football," you might be reminded that San Francisco actually passed on the future Hall of Famer with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Why did the 49ers ignore Rodgers with the top pick? The Sporting News takes a closer look below.

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Why did 49ers pass on Aaron Rodgers in 2005 NFL Draft?

The 49ers had the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and selected a quarterback, but it wasn't Rodgers.

Instead, San Francisco landed on Utah star Alex Smith, who was coming off a stronger college season than Rodgers.

Smith was a bona fide NFL prospect, listed at 6-4, 213 lbs. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist and the reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, throwing for 2,952 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. He also had a mobility factor like Rodgers, rushing for 631 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Smith's scouting reports raved about his throwing accuracy, dual-threat playmaking, and leadership. "He will rarely make a bad decision on the field," one breakdown wrote. Smith only threw eight interceptions in 587 career pass attempts in college.

Rodgers has always been known for his effortless arm strength and big-play ability, but he wasn't viewed as safe bet like Smith. Even being a northern California kid, the 49ers hardly considered Rodgers and had their sights set on Smith, per an oral history of the 2005 NFL Draft from NFL.com's Gil Brandt.

In a QB-needy draft, Rodgers somehow slid all the way to pick No. 24 to the Packers — a team that didn't need help at the position with starter Brett Favre locked into the QB1 spot.

The rest is history now, but Rodgers called his shot on the night of the draft.

"How disappointed are you that you will not be a 49er?" CBS Bay Area reporter Dennis O'Donnell asked a young Rodgers.

"Not as disappointed as the 49ers will be that they didn't draft me," the eager 21-year-old said.

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2005 NFL Draft order

Here is how every pick in the 2005 NFL Draft shook out before Rodgers was selected at No. 24.

Aaron Rodgers college stats

Rodgers wasn't the decorated college quarterback you may have thought based on how his NFL career panned out.

He was a two-year starter at Cal before leaving for the NFL Draft after his junior season. He threw for over 2,500 yards each season as a starter but only cracked the 20-touchdown threshold once.

You can find his college stats below.