Geno Smith and Matt Barkley should be only so bummed that they were spurned big-name quarterbacks during the first round of the NFL draft. There's always the inspiration provided by Aaron Rodgers.

A couple hours before the second round of the draft began Friday, with Smith and Barkley among the most notable players waiting to be picked, news spread that the Green Bay Packers all-pro quarterback had just signed a five-year, $110 million contract extension. With $40 million in the first year of the deal and an average of $22 million a year, Rodgers assumes the title as highest-paid player in NFL history.

What timing.

The irony sizzles like a tight touchdown spiral. In 2005, Rodgers was a much-coveted quarterback left dangling in the green room at Radio City Music Hall as he tumbled down the draft board -- falling from the potential top pick overall to the 24th slot.

Now Rodgers is positioned in a different type of slot -- at the top.

MASSIVE DEAL: $40 million in first year

UNLIKELY CHOICE: Geno goes to Jets

"Tough situation that I was in eight years ago," Rodgers said during a news conference at Lambeau Field, "but there's a light at the end of the tunnel."

A new deal for Rodgers was expected for weeks, with talks ongoing between his agent and the club. After the Baltimore Ravens signed Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco to a six-year, $120.6 million deal in March, which averages $20.1 million per year, the floor was essentially set for Rodgers' new contract.

Flacco even mentioned that he expected his highest-paid status to be temporary, given that Rodgers -- whose previous contract, averaging $12.704 million, was set to expire after the 2014 season -- was in line for a new deal.

Nonetheless, the culmination of the contract represented something of a surprise bonus -- all the way from Green Bay -- as the NFL's much-scripted signature offseason event flowed from Draft Central in Manhattan.

Rodgers is a classic example, epitomizing that it's not so much about which draft door you pass through to enter the NFL, it comes down to what is accomplished with the opportunity.

Smith, who was picked with the seventh pick in the second round by the New York Jets (39th overall), should remember that. Same for Barkley, the Southern California standout, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o (picked 38th overall by the San Diego Chargers) and Alabama running back Eddie Lacy (taken by the Packers with the 61st pick).

The draft slots don't mean as much once you get to that first rookie minicamp -- although there's still something to be said for the higher the slot, the bigger the rookie contract, and there's a bit more roster security, for a year, anyway, for the first-rounders.

But those less-filling draft slots can sure provide some extra incentive.

Ever since his draft-day humiliation -- through the drama of replacing Brett Favre, then winning MVP honors and the Super Bowl -- Rodgers hasn't allowed himself to forget just what it felt like April 23, 2005.

On Friday, just before his news conference, Rodgers even corrected Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who had mentioned that it was eight years, two days ago when he experienced his draft day tumble.

"It was actually three," Rodgers said, referring to eight years and three days since that day. "I have a good memory."

That's why Rodgers was moved to send a shout-out tweet to Smith on Thursday night, after one top prospect after another left the green room, leaving the West Virginia quarterback to grapple with embarrassment.

Unlike Barkley and Te'o, who spent the draft in private at their family homes, Smith opted to endure the process in the public setting at draft headquarters. Rodgers tweeted, "Hang in there Geno, 'good things come to those who wait' - Paul Tagliabue."

It was a classy gesture, but shortly after Round 1 ended, Smith indicated that he didn't plan to return to Radio City Music Hall for the second day of the draft. At some point overnight, he had a change of heart -- or prodding from an adviser -- and came back to walk across the stage for his greeting from Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Rodgers knows how Smith feels. He was once that guy.

"It's been a great run," Rodgers said, "and hopefully for Geno's situation, he's going to have a similar opportunity, and obviously he'll have a lot of people to prove wrong."

The draft is always replete with messages, lessons and twists of fortune that illuminate how the human element coincides with competition and big business.

Now there's a fresh example for any of the players who didn't get drafted quite as high as they would have envisioned. They can always aim to be another Aaron Rodgers.

The draft is only a beginning.

Follow Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell.