QB RB WR TE OT G C NT DT 3-4 DE DE RLB OLB MLB CB S K P

Updated 4/17/10 

100 Once in a decade prospect 

95-99 Elite talent 

90-95 Solid top 10 pick 

85-90 Solid first round pick 

80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd 

75-80 Solid 2nd round pick 

70-75 Solid 3rd round pick 

65-70 3rd-4th round pick 

60-65 4th-5th round pick 

55-60 5th round pick 

50-55 6th round pick 

45-50 7th round pick 

40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp 

30-40 Career practice squader 

20-30 No NFL future 

0-20 No football future 

 

1. Mike Iupati (Idaho) 83                              

1/27/10: Unlike Ducasse, this much hyped offensive lineman has really lived up to the hype. He is destroying guys one on one and is making a huge case to be a first round pick lock, which is rare for a guard.

A massive offensive guard with the possible ability to kick out to right tackle if he needs to. He completely dominated defensive lineman one on one this season, though he didn’t have the toughest competition, and moves extremely well for his size. We’ll all get a good look at him and the hype that surrounds him at the Senior Bowl next week. He’s already drawing premature comparisons to by far the best guard of the last 20 years, Larry Allen.

2. Mike Johnson (Alabama) 78

He probably wouldn’t be a top 10 tackle without his ability to play guard, but he’s an amazing run blocker. He blocked for Glen Coffee in 2008 and Mark Ingram in 2009. He’s not a big mauling run blocker, but his technique is amazing and he should be drafted in the 2^nd or maybe 3^rd round as a right tackle or right guard.

3. John Jerry (Mississippi) 74

Is he going to have problems against the pass, sure, but he projects well as a right guard at the next level and is a really tough matchup inside at 345 pounds. His older brother, Peria, is already in the NFL, a defensive tackle with the Atlanta Falcons who was drafted in the 1^st round last year.

4. Vladimir Ducasse (Massachusetts) 73

1/27/10: This small school kid with excellent size had a lot of hype surrounding him coming into the week and he has not lived up to it. He has looked like 5 steps slower than every defensive lineman has had been guarding. He’s really having trouble with tougher competition. He’s probably only a guard at the next level rather than a right tackle as some had envisioned him. 

Another big man from a small school, Ducasse is 340 pounds of mean. He didn’t have the toughest competition, but he’ll get his chance to show himself at the Senior Bowl as well. He has the ability to play both right guard and right tackle, but it’ll be interesting to see if he projects as a right tackle longterm because he’s a step or two slower than the average right tackle. 

5. Maurkice Pouncey (Florida) 69

By far the most versatile guard on here, he has the ability to play both guard positions, and center, which he played last year. He could also play right tackle and he has great athletic upside, though he didn’t quite tap into all of that in his time at Florida.

6. Jon Asamoah (Illinois) 67

The best pure zone guard in this draft class, and he has the versatility to play both guard slots. He moves well for his size, but isn’t overpowering. He could run the fastest 40 of all guard prospects which means he could be a Raider next year.

7. Mitch Petrus (Arkansas) 65                       

2/25/10: He benched 225 pounds 45 times. That doesn’t equate to football success necessarily, but it certainly helps. 

He’s been suspended before for academic reasons, but he’s also the same monster blocker that was getting National hype as a sophomore blocking for Felix Jones and Darren McFadden. If scouts can look past his character issues and his weaknesses against the pass, he’ll be drafted in the 4^th round as a right guard.

 

8. Sergio Render (Virginia Tech) 64

A former elite guard prospect who falls back quite a bit this year after struggling a bit. He’s still worth a mid round prospect because he’s a great athlete who uses his hands well, but his leverage needs work

9. Jeff Byers (USC) 59

1/30/10: He’s undersized, but with great form he really held his own against much bigger defensive lineman. He played at center for most of the game, which is not his natural position, but he did a great overall job, which is very good because, due to his small frame, that’s likely the position he’ll have to play at the next level. 

A former elite guard prospect who would be a perfect fit for a zone blocking scheme. He only weighs 290 pounds so he won’t fit all schemes and he has a nasty history of injuries, but if he fulfills his potential, he could be the best pure left guard in this draft class. He needs to bulk up though, even to play a zone scheme.

10. Brandon Carter (Texas Tech) 58

3/15/10: This is what I like to see. Ran a poor 5.36 at his Combine, so he lost 10 pounds and then ran a 5.24. A 5.24 at 6-6 319 isn’t overly impressive, and for an offensive lineman 40 times barely matter, but I love the dedication and commitment to football.

By far the craziest guard in the draft class. If it were legal, he’d probably bite off a defensive linemen’s head. He’s a huge run blocker, but I have some concerns about how he’ll transition to a real blocking scheme in the NFL and about his pass blocking and mobility, which he really lacks.

11. Thomas Austin (Clemson) 56

A bit of an unknown who burst onto the scene as a senior this year, but he’s got good versatility and an excellent knack for the fundamentals so he could be drafted as a depth guy at worst.

12. Joe Thomas (Pittsburgh) 54

A very solid and versatile depth guy whose motor I love. He doesn’t have a ton of upside and he’s not a huge name guy, but every time I’ve seen him, he’s made NFL caliber blocks. Size is an issue though.

13. Cord Howard (Georgia) 51

An All-ACC first teamer this year as a guard after making the 2^nd team last year, Howard is a very solid all around guard, but nothing really leaps off the page when you watch him.

14. Marshall Newhouse (TCU) 49

An athletic freak with a 5.00 40 at 6-4 319, which means he’ll be on the Raiders’ radar, but I have some concerns about his leverage and technique. Level of competition was also a concern for him.

15. Matt Stephens (Richmond) 45

One of Division I-AA’s best offensive linemen, never missed a start and opened up a ton of holes for Richmond’s elite running game. Level of competition is obviously an issue, but this guy was one of the best at what he did for the last 4 years and deserves a shot at the next level. 

16. Reggie Stephens (Iowa State) 44

17. Shelley Smith (Colorado State) 43

18. Shawn Lauvao (Arizona State) 42

19. Andrew Lewis (Oklahoma State) 41

 

Deal for Carolina: This is the first move this offseason that’s legitimately surprised me. This one came out of left field completely. Olsen may have only caught 41 passes for 404 yards and 5 touchdowns last year, but Mike Martz has never had success with tight ends. He didn’t have any success with Vernon Davis either. Olsen is a former first round pick who is only 26. He caught 60 passes for 612 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2009. He’s well worth a 3^rd rounder for a Panthers team that was set to trot out Jeremy Shockey as their week 1 starting tight end before this deal.

Grade: A

Deal for Chicago: Did they sell him cheap? Yes. However, Mike Martz has no idea what to do with tight ends, just like he has no idea what to do with big receivers and possession receivers. A future 3^rd rounder is worth more to them than Olsen was, especially since he’s in the last year of his deal and he wasn’t worth enough to the Bears for them to give him a long term extension like Carolina did.

Grade: B

 

 

Defensive End 

Indiana

6-3 261

40 time: 5.08

Draft board overall prospect rank: NR

Draft board defensive end rank: NR

Overall rating: 42*

            7/23/09: Greg Middleton is an interesting prospect. He had an amazing 16 sacks in 2007, showing that he has the capability to do great things, but he followed that with 4 sacks last year. He has great strength, both upper and lower body strength, but isn’t a great run stopper. He runs a very pedestrian 40, even for his large size, but has a great history of getting to the quarterback. He projects as a left end in the NFL because he’s not a good enough of a run blocker to play up front in a 3-4 or inside in a 4-3 and he’s not a quick enough pass rusher to play right end in a 4-3 or rush linebacker in a 3-4. When right, he has the ability to run over and overpower offensive linemen to get to the quarterback, but he has shown that he isn’t always right. The upside is there for him to be a force on a 4 man defensive line, taking on two blockers, but he’s very inconsistent. I would still take a risk on him, as a flier, based on what he has done in the past, in the 3^rd or 4^th round range, but he has the potential to do a whole lot of nothing as an NFL player, as he may prove to be too big and slow to be a legitimate pass rusher. He carries a lot of extra weight, isn’t as tall as you’d like a defensive end to be, and he’s not very gifted athletically. You here it all the time about NBA prospects and NFL players, they gave great length. Scouts are always going on and on about prospects’ length, “great length” might be one of the most overused phrases on NBA and NFL draft days, but Middleton is a guy who simply does not have great length for his height and that hurts him as a pass rusher. If he has another good season, with 8+ sacks, he could shoot up into day 1, as he would have proved to scouts that he is a big time pass rusher and that 2007 was not a fluke. Even if he does not prove this season that 2007 was a fluke, I’d still use a 4^th rounder on him, because, while it may have been a fluke, it was a pretty damn good fluke. I currently do not have him ranked on my top 100 prospects big board, but that could change as the season goes on. In fact, I am currently debating moving him up, giving him a 3^rd round grade, and putting him in the next edition of my top 100 prospects.

NFL Comparison: Poor man’s Dewayne White 

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here

 

Outside Linebacker/Middle Linebacker

Michigan State

6-0 242

Draft Board Overall Prospect Rank: #25

Draft Board Overall Outside Linebacker Rank: #3

Rating: 84 (Late 1st)

40 time: 4.69

2/20/11: Greg Jones can really play any 4-3 linebacker position, as well as the middle linebacker position in a 3-4. He did a great job of putting on the necessary 10 pounds this season, as evidenced by his Senior Bowl weigh in. His height and arm length suggest his frame is probably maxed out, but he doesn’t need to put on anymore weight. His height is a weakness, but only a small one. He’s always around the ball, a rangy play maker who deserves to go in the first round.

He has a whopping 386 tackles in the last 3 years as a middle linebacker for Michigan State. He also, interestingly enough, had 16 sacks in 4 years, a very impressive amount for a 4-3 linebacker. I don’t know how that translates to the NFL, but it certainly isn’t a bad thing. He is an experienced 4 year starter, something I really like to see, and he comes from a big name program in a big name conference. Starting for that long is very impressive. He didn’t redshirt either. He took over as a starter at age 18. Very, very impressive.

He has the chase speed to move outside, but could obviously stay inside with his added bulk and he could also fit a 3-4. He’s not the most physical player, but he does have good bulk and a good motor and he can plug holes as a middle linebacker well. I’m intrigued to see what his 40 time is at the Combine, to see if he’s still athletic with his added bulk, because sometimes you don’t know.

NFL Comparison: Jerod Mayo

 

 

 

Defensive End 

Mississippi

6-4 277

40 time: 4.79

Draft board overall prospect rank: #76

Draft board defensive end rank: #8

Overall rating: 74*

3/23/10: I think he saved his stock and may have put himself back into day two consideration at his Pro Day. He lost about 8 pounds (now at 277) and ran 4.79, .8 seconds faster. He’s still talented and some teams may take this improvement and the lost weight as a sign of improvement. I still have my doubts, but this helps.

3/1/10: First Hardy came to the combine at about 20 pounds heavier than expected and he did not carry that weight well running a 4.87 40. He also put up 21 reps of 225 pounds. He already has the injury prone label and if enough teams give him the lazy label, he won’t go before the 3^rd round.

2/27/10: He looked out of shape weighing in at 281 pounds, 20 more than expected. The injuries issues were already there in large part. The last thing he needed was concerns about his work ethic and character.

1/21/10: If he can put injuries behind him, he could be a very good player at the next level. He has 24 sacks over the last 3 years despite injuries and had 5.5 this year in 8 games and he has the skills to be a top ten pick, but he always seems to hurt something. He’ll probably be a 2^nd round pick which could actually be good for him, teach him not to be complacent as so many defensive lineman who sign big deals become.

Update (11/2/09): When healthy he’s an elite pass rusher, however, he is always hurt in one way or another.

            7/30/09: Greg Hardy is a talented physical pass rusher. He doesn’t have the best timed speed, but he gets a good push off the line and is a great bull rusher. He’s very aggressive and is hard to keep out of the backfield. He has put up good production in college with 21 sacks in 27 career college games. He’s an above average run stopper for a defensive end with his good upper and lower body strength. His run stopping ability allow him to move inside on a 4 man line on passing downs. He has the potential to be a top 5 pick, but there are a few issues with him. He’s very injury prone and has missed 8 games in 3 seasons with injuries. He doesn’t have the best motor and can take plays off which is a huge red flag. He’s a streaky player who can be a star for a few games, but then disappear for another few. He has off field issues and was suspended for 2 games during his sophomore season. He only fits in a 4-3 because his lack of speed and his ineptness in pass coverage make him a liability as a 3-4 rush linebacker and he doesn’t have the size to play up front on a 3 man line. Of course, all of that was true of Robert Ayers last season and Josh McDaniels still drafted him to play in a 3-4 so anything could happen with Hardy. He’s currently a fringe 1^st round prospect, but if he can play 100% this season and proof his foot injury is a thing of a past, he could shoot up into the top 10. He’s got good hands for his position and has played tight end at times, but he struggle with the fundamentals of pass coverage so I doubt he can guard tight ends as a 3-4 rush linebacker. If he can improve in this area, he could fit in a 3-4 which would help his draft stock. He plays a position that is always in great need and that will help him. 

NFL Comparison: Antawn Odom

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here

By Paul Smythe 

The Miami Dolphins traded WR Greg Camarillo to the Minnesota Vikings for CB Benny Sapp.

You may not know this, but Greg Camarillo was my favorite player on the Miami Dolphins offense. What I liked about him so much was the fact that he was so consistent and we could always count on him to play well. Even when the Dolphins weren’t that great, Camarillo still did well.

That is why I am very, very disappointed that Miami traded him away. What really gets me, though, is that they traded him away for a cornerback.

The Miami Dolphins already have a lot of young, talented CBs. We don’t need any more. Camarillo made a difference in the games. He caught some pretty important passes last season, and you know he will be able to do it again.

Too bad he won’t be doing it for the Dolphins.

This is probably the biggest mistake the Dolphins have made since last season. Jason Taylor was good, but we didn’t really need him too badly. Camarillo is a consistent player that can do whatever is required of him.

I don’t understand why we would trade him for a player that we don’t really need right now.

I understand that we have Brandon Marshall now. He will be a huge help to the passing offense and he reduces the amount we need Camarillo, but he still doesn’t eliminate the fact that we need Camarillo.

It is very possible that he could be the next Wes Welker. Welker was traded to the Patriots from Miami a few years ago, and then he flourished into a great receiver. I almost don’t want Camarillo to do well because it would mean the Dolphins made a bad move, but I would rather he does because he was my favorite Dolphins offensive player.

Good luck to Camarillo, and I will be rooting for him. He is a great player, and it is a shame to see him go.

http://www.dolphinshout.com

 

Debate the Packers’ offseason possibilities in The Football Fan Forum 

2010 Preview:

Here is my sleeper team of the year. The Green Bay Packers. The Packers were a mere 11-5 last year, but a lot of that had to do with their offensive line struggles in the first 8 games of the season. Through those 8 games, Aaron Rodgers took 37 sacks and they went 4-4. Actually, for a quarterback under pressure as much as he was, it was amazing that he led them to a .500 record. On average, he was sacked once every 7.1 attempts over those 8 games. Over a complete season, that would have ranked dead last in the NFL, with the next closest team being the lowly Bills at 9.6 attempts per sack.

However, in the next 8 games, he only took 14 sacks and the team went 7-1, with that one loss coming by 1 point to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In those 8 games, they gave up a sack on average every 20.8 attempts, which would have ranked 8^th in the league last year. Those last 8 games were no fluke. Those happened to be the only 8 games that offensive tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher played in. Clifton and Tauscher are both back this year and they drafted Bryan Bulaga in the first round as insurance in case one of those two goes down again. Bulaga could also start at guard this year, giving them another offensive line upgrade, if they choose to make him a guard and get him some experience, before moving him to tackle long term, whenever need be.

I think it’s safe to say, this offensive line will be a lot closer to that 8^th ranked offensive line they were in the 2^nd half, rather than the dead last ranked offensive line they were in the 1^st half, even if injuries do strike again. I go into more detail about how almost all good teams have good offensive lines here, but for a summary of that article, I’ll say this. The top 13 teams in terms of attempts per sack last year all had 8 or more wins. 6 of the bottom 8 teams in terms of attempts per sack last year all had 7 or fewer wins, the two exceptions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers, who, I already said, actually helps prove my argument by how much better they were in the 2^nd half last year than the 1^st. Also, our two Super Bowl teams in 2009, Colts and Saints, ranked 1^stand 4^th respectively in terms of attempts per sack. Good teams protect their quarterback, in some way.

Almost every Packer skill player on offensive got better statistically in the 2^nd half. Aaron Rodgers got better. Ryan Grant got better. Greg Jennings got better. Jermichael Finley got better. The only one who didn’t was Donald Driver, a veteran receiver who wore down as the year went on. Also to blame for Driver’s decrease in production, Rodgers, with more time in the pocket, went for his deep threat Jennings more often than his possession guy, Donald Driver.

Now, spread that 7-1 over 16 games and you get 14-2. Am I going to predict the Packers to win 14 games? No, that’s a little bit crazy. Could they win 14 games? It’s possible, but I think 12 or 13 is more reasonable for this team. After all, they won 11 last year. Their closest division rival, Minnesota, figures to be worse this year based on Brett Favre’s age. I’m not sure he can repeat his amazing 2009 at age 41 (more on that later). I think they’ll split the season series with Minnesota and ride a 12 or 13 win season into the playoffs and if the Saints show some Super Bowl hangover, the Packers are the favorite in the NFC this year, in my mind.

Projection: 13-3 1st in NFC North

Power Ranking: 2 

Last season: 11-5

Draft:

#23 OT Bryan Bulaga (Iowa)

The Packers know how to draft. Bulaga was regarded by some as a top 10 pick prospect and he fills the Packers’ biggest need. This year, if Chad Clifton or Mark Tauscher go down with injury, Aaron Rodgers won’t die. The Packers were 7-1 (7-2 including playoffs) after Clifton and Tauscher came back and Bulaga provides an extremely good backup plan. Both Clifton and Tauscher are also on the wrong side of 30 and could be done soon.

Grade: A

#56 3-4 DE Mike Neal (Purdue)

Doesn’t fill an obvious need, but then again the Packers didn’t have too many obvious needs after the offensive line, because they always draft best available. Neal is a solid value here and a solid player. It’s safe to say, if the Packers continue to draft best available every year, they won’t have a lot of needs in the future and they can continue to draft BPA for years.

Grade: B

#71 S Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech)

Packers taking BPA again, now if Atari Bigby gets hurt again, they won’t struggle to contain the big play and, unlike most teams who traded up, I can actually see the need to move up in this situation. Burnett would be a borderline 1^st rounder most years, but this just happens to be an extremely strong safety class.

Grade: A

#154 TE Andrew Quarless (Penn State)

Again, a solid value, in fact, a pretty great value, but the Packers didn’t exactly need another tight end, though Quarless gives them more options offensively, and tight end doesn’t have a ton of positional value like Neal at the end position does. Plus, Quarless has a bad rep and a bad attitude so he might hurt them more than he helps.

Grade: B-

#169 G Marshall Newhouse (TCU)

The Packers needed multiple upgrades on the offensive line. Their guards weren’t too great either and Newhouse possibly has some left tackle upside, considering his measurables, though I have my doubts. Still, this is a decent value, fills a need, and has the potential to be so much more.

Grade: B+

#193 RB James Starks (Buffalo)

The Packers badly needed an upgrade at their backup running back position and Starks is a great value here. He’s also a solid 3^rd down back with his good hands and he have an instant Tim Hightower type impact as a rookie.

Grade: A

#230 3-4 DE CJ Wilson (East Carolina)

Packers fans probably won’t like the team taking two defensive linemen in one draft, but Wilson should have been drafted 3 rounds earlier and they really didn’t have too many other needs to fill here. They needed a cornerback, but it’s much better to take a 4^th round prospect at 3-4 DE than a 7^th round prospect at CB.

Grade: A

Overall:

This was a typical Packers’ draft and they got a lot of talent. They didn’t have a ton of needs coming in, but they addressed almost all of them, with the exception being cornerback, but that’s a position than can be addressed next year. It wasn’t a pressing need. I would have liked to have seen them take another rush linebacker to compete with Brad Jones, but that’s just being picky.

Grade: A

Key undrafted free agents:

3-4 DE John Russell (Wake Forest)

S Robert Vaughn (Connecticut)

Offseason needs: 

Offensive Tackle:

Aaron Rodgers was sacked 37 times in his first 8 games and consequently went 4-4 and had two sprained feet. Chad Clifton came back from injury week 9 and Mark Tauscher was resigned out of retirement and their pass protection got a lot better and the Packers went to 7-1 over that stretch, but they worsened again in their playoff loss due to fatigue. Both Clifton and Tauscher are well over 30 and won’t hold up much longer. I even have my doubts about their ability to hold up an entire season and they have no depth behind either of them. They need to focus on offensive tackle in the first round. If Bryan Bulaga is there at 23, they shouldn’t hesitate in taking him and even if he isn’t, they should still consider Charles Brown there because this offensive tackle class gets thin fast and Brown would fit their scheme well.

Drafted Bryan Bulaga (#23) 

Cornerback:

Charles Woodson just won Defensive Player of the Year, but he’s well over 30 as well and, though he could prove him wrong, I have doubts about the amount of time he can play at this level in the future. Al Harris is pretty much done as a player and Tramon Williams was average at best in his absence last year. They need some more depth at this position for the future.

Running Back:

Ryan Grant won’t do anything wrong, but he won’t be much that wows you either. He doesn’t have a ton of long gains and the Packers could use a 3^rd down back behind him. Both CJ Spiller and Dexter McCluster will be considered in rounds 1 and 2 respectively if either is available because they can add that extra playmaker to their offense as a change of pace back and a 3^rd down back, and they can also help in the return game. The Packers were so bad at returning kicks last year they had to move Ahman Green to kick returner.

Drafted James Starks (#193) 

Offensive Guard:

More than one offensive line upgrade could be had. Their interior blocking wasn’t bad, but could have been better and knowing the Packers tendency to draft best available, they could draft a talented guard in rounds 2-4.

Drafted Marshall Newhouse (#169) 

Rush Linebacker

Clay Matthews had a good rookie season, but Aaron Kampman struggled when the Packers switched to a 3-4 and he’s a free agent so he probably won’t be back. Brad Jones looked decent towards the end of last year, but even if he does keep his starter’s job, something I have doubts about, they need depth at the position.

3-4 Defensive End

They are pretty thin at this position behind the starters. If Johnny Jolly isn’t resigned, they would be a lot thinner, but even if he is, depth is necessary.

Drafted Mike Neal (#56), Drafted CJ Wilson (#230) 

Safety:

Atari Bigby is good, but keeps getting hurt so they need some depth behind him at the strong safety position.

Drafted Morgan Burnett (#71) 

 

Free agents: 

RB DeShawn Wynn (exclusive rights)

RB Ahman Green

FB John Kuhn (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million

TE Spencer Havner (restricted)- resigned

OT Mark Tauscher- resigned 2 years

OT Chad Clifton- resigned 3 years 20 million

G Jason Spitz (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million

G Daryn Colledge (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million

NT Ryan Pickett- franchised 

3-4 DE Johnny Jolly (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.5 million

3-4 Michael Montgomery  

#2 RLB Aaron Kampman- signed with Jaguars 4 years 26 million

Only 3.5 sacks this year, but this was because he didn’t fit the Packers’ new 3-4 scheme. He is still an amazing defensive end in a 4-3 scheme with 43.5 sacks from 2005-2008. Even in this thin market, Kampman could be very cheap for what he can do for a team.

CB Will Blackmon (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million

CB Tramon Williams (restricted)- resigned 1 year 3.1 million

S Atari Bigby (restricted)- tendered (2nd)

S Nick Collins (restricted)- resigned 4 years 27 million

S Derrick Martin (restricted)- resigned 2 years 

P Jeremy Kapinos (exclusive rights) 

# refers to unrestricted free agent rank

Offseason moves:

Packers re-sign S Atari Bigby 

Packers re-sign CB Tramon Williams 

Packers re-sign 3-4 DE Johnny Jolly

Packers sign QB Graham Harrell

Packers re-sign G Daryn Colledge 

Packers sign S Charlie Peprah 

Packers re-sign FB John Kuhn

Packers re-sign G Jason Spitz

Packers re-sign TE Spencer Havner

Packers re-sign CB Will Blackmon

Packers re-sign OT Mark Tauscher

Packers re-sign S Nick Collins

Packers re-sign OT Chad Clifton

Packers cut 3-4 DE Michael Montgomery

Packers tender CB Tramon Williams

Packers tender 3-4 DE Johnny Jolly

Packers tender C Jason Spitz

Packers tender G Daryn Colledge

Packers tender S Atari Bigby

Packers tender TE Spencer Havner

Packers tender FB John Kuhn

Packers tender CB Will Blackmon

Packers franchise NT Ryan Pickett

Packers re-sign S Derrick Martin 

 

 

32. OT Derek Sherrod B

I had a 2^nd round grade on Derek Sherrod, but the 32^nd pick is almost the 2^nd round, so that doesn’t hurt this grade too much. There were better players available, but with Sherrod and Bulaga, they have their bookend tackles for the future. Aaron Rodgers is happy.

64. WR Randall Cobb B

Believe it or not, wide receiver was actually a need. Donald Driver is getting up there in age and James Jones could be a free agent depending on the new CBA rules. Wide receiver depth is a huge part of the reason why they won the Super Bowl. They need to keep it that way. Cobb also helps on special teams, something that they actually struggled with en route to a Super Bowl victory. I had Cobb as a late 3^rd round prospect though.

96. RB Alex Green D

Running back was a need, given James Starks’ and Ryan Grant’s injury problems, and they needed a pass catching back like Alex Green, with Brandon Jackson set to leave as a free agent. However, I have Alex Green as a reach by about 3 rounds.

131. CB Davon House A

Charles Woodson won’t last forever and their cornerback depth was pretty depleted thanks to injuries in the Super Bowl victory. The Packers don’t have a lot of needs and can afford to take a luxury pick like Davon House, a great value here.

141. TE DJ Williams A

Another value pick. The Packers are at the point where they have so much talent, as a result of scouting well and drafting BPA with every pick, that they have so few needs and can continue to take BPA. They couldn’t do much over the middle with Jermichael Finley injured last year and Williams can be used in two tight end sets. He’s undersized, but a great player and a great value. Mike McCarthy will find a use for him.

179. G Caleb Schlauderaff C+

Guard was a need, but I have Schlauderaff as a reach at this point in the draft.

186. MLB DJ Smith D

Middle linebacker depth might have been the one thing they didn’t need and DJ Smith is a reach at this point. He can play special teams though.

197. RLB Ricky Elmore A

I had a 3^rd round grade on Elmore and rush linebacker was one of their biggest needs. This is a fantastic pick.

218. TE Ryan Taylor D

Two tight ends? I don’t really understand this. Taylor was a reach as well, but they didn’t have a ton of other needs and he can play special teams.

233. 3-4 DE Lawrence Guy A

I had a 3^rd round grade on Guy and defensive end was one of their biggest needs. This is a fantastic pick.

Overall:

This draft left me disappointed, but that’s just because I’m used to giving them an A almost every year. Both Derek Sherrod and Patrick Cobb will help their offense, but I think they could have done better things with those picks. Alex Green in the 3^rd round was a flat out reach. I know he was ranked tops on their board because that’s how they operate, but he wasn’t even close to there on my board and since I’m the one grading this, that’s what matters. Neither DJ Smith nor Ryan Taylor made much sense and I wish they would have addressed rush linebacker or defensive end earlier, but with steals like Ricky Elmore and Lawrence Guy late, you can’t really blame them. I think both of those guys are future starters. I also like the selections of Davon House and DJ Williams. There was a mix of good and bad in this draft, but I do think they helped their football team out in the long term. This team is going to be a perennial contender.

Grade: B

 

 

Wide Receiver

Notre Dame

5-10 195

40 time: 4.36

Draft board overall prospect rank: #31

Draft board overall wide receiver: #3

Overall rating: 82*

2/28/10: He’s got more speed than I thought. I was expecting 4.4-4.45 and he ran 4.36 on a day where some receivers have been running slower than expected. I still have concerns about his ability to be a #1 option at 5-10, but this kind of speed helps.      

2/26/10: We knew Tate was on the short side, but he barely measured at 5-10 at his weigh in. There aren’t a lot of #1 options that are that short. He’ll still be a good player and he’s the second most NFL ready player in this draft class after Damian Williams, but he has future #2 written all over him and not future #1.

1/17/10: His production 151 catches for 2576 yards and 25 scores over the last two years, in a pro style offense is amazing, but he may be maxed out athletically and he doesn’t have a great upside. His 40 time is poor for his size and he may have trouble finding a niche as a wide receiver at the next level. A lot of his statistical prowess can be attributed to having Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, but he should still be a fine #2 wide receiver at the next level because he has very reliable hands and runs good routes for someone his age.

            Over the past two years, Golden Tate has quietly become one of the most dominant wide receivers in college football with 2576 yards and 25 touchdowns in the past two years for Notre Dame. However, he’s not the most dominant guy physically. He’s under 6 feet and under 200 pounds, but he is a very tough guy for his size and runs in the open field with a lot of power. His lack of great breakaway speed will hurt him and believe it or not he’s actually more of a power runner in the open field. A mid-low 4.4 at his size is not great, but he is fast. The only issue could be that there are a lot of cornerbacks in the NFL bigger, stronger, and faster than him. He may have some trouble getting out of the jam at the line of scrimmage as some other small receivers do. However, his lack of a great speed/size combination doesn’t make him a poor athlete. He is a two sport athlete and has been drafted in the MLB draft in the late rounds, but decided to pursue football. He’s already declared early for the 2010 NFL Draft, along with teammate Jimmy Clausen, so its clear that his focus is on football and why wouldn’t it be if he has a shot to go in the first round. Though he doesn’t outrun a ton of guys in the open field, he has good moves and agility and has actually seen some success in running plays, with 25 rushes for 188 yards this season which means he could be a guy used on end arounds or at wildcat in the NFL. Though production alone shouldn’t get you drafted in the first round, his production is very good in a pro style offense, though he hasn’t seen great competition. However, this season, he had 1496 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air and only 3 games in which he had less than 100 yards. Notre Dame did play some big games this season, Michigan (115 yards, 2 scores), Washington (244 yards, 1 score), USC (117 yards, 2 scores), Stanford (201 yards, 3 scores), and as you can see, Tate stepped up big time in those games. He makes a lot of nice athletic acrobatic catches and catches the ball at the right point to limit the effect of his lack of elite size, but he has dropped a few easy ones this year and had a couple of small mental lapses. His lack of size makes him a poor run blocker. His route running is still very raw, which is surprising for someone who has played in a pro style offense, but he has experience in a West Coast offense at Notre Dame and assuming he mastering the fundamentals routes of the West Coast with some time in the pros, a West Coast offense is the best fit for him. Its unclear whether he’ll fit in as a possession receiver or a deep threat in the NFL so right now he looks like a bit of a tweener and that could be bad if he struggles to find a niche in the NFL. This guy looks like the type of guy that is going to have his best season in his 3^rd season, rather than in his 1^st or 2^nd because he’ll take some time to develop into a legitimate NFL wide receiver, but he should be a solid #2 or possibly even #1 guy in the NFL.

NFL Comparison: Laveranues Coles

*= For a breakdown of what this means, click here