Ex-Hokie has the talent to earn a spot on the 53-man roster
General manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy seem to make room for a few undrafted free agents every year, so the odds are pretty good that at least one of the 14 rookies signed on Saturday night will still be around when the final 53-man roster is set in early September. The most intriguing player from that group might be offensive lineman Jaymes Brooks, who started 42 games at right guard for Virginia Tech.
The Packers are set on the interior of the offensive line with starters T.J. Lang, Jeff Saturday and Josh Sitton, but the depth behind them is questionable. Evan Dietrich-Smith did a decent job filling in for Sitton late last season, but he’s a very limited athlete who figures to get exposed the more he has to play. Second-year man Ray Dominguez has size and athletic ability, but he’s still learning how to play inside after lining up at tackle in college. And while Sampson Genus flashed some potential on the practice squad, he’s barely six-feet tall. That leaves the door wide open for someone to emerge and win a job in training camp. It just might be Brooks.
A lack of size and inconsistent play are the two biggest knocks against Brooks. He’s not terribly undersized (6’2, 298), but general managers prefer bigger players on the interior of the offensive line. The top 10 guards and centers selected in this weekend’s draft were on average two inches taller and 25 pounds heavier than Brooks. But that’s not what kept him from being drafted. What kept him from being drafted were his uneven performances as a senior. I watched a handful of Virginia Tech games last season and I rarely saw the same player twice. That’s because his technique tends to get sloppy at times, and when it does, he can’t compensate for his short arms (32) and average strength.
In an effort to improve his strength, Brooks spent the months prior to his pro day working at the TEST Football Academy in Florida. According to the Daily press, “he went through a training regimen that helped him improve his flexibility and lower body explosiveness… characteristics that could benefit at either guard or center.” That brings up another thing to like about Brooks – his versatility. He played center in the Players All-Star Classic. “I had about 30 plays in the actual game at center,” the second team All-ACC selection told the Daily Press. “I played pretty well.”
While Brooks was obviously disappointed about not being drafted, there was never any doubt that he’d get an opportunity to play in the NFL. Denver, Minnesota, Washington, Jacksonville, Houston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and yes, the Packers spoke to him in the past few weeks. He received over a dozen offers on Saturday night, but chose to sign with Green Bay. The lack of proven depth at center and guard and Thompson’s well-deserved rep for giving undrafted free agents a legitimate opportunity in training camp were probably the reasons he made that decision.
It’s interesting that UDFA outnumber drafted players by more than a 2 to 1 margin.
Not really.
Smith has been in GB all winter and spring. Very dedicated and he’s the #1 back-up at LG and center. Dominguez is also improving. I see Brooks as more of a PS guy, though he could give Dominguez a run for his money. He’s not playing guard at that size, where GB prefers heavier linemen. All the starters go at least 315. Look for Brooks to be developed at C in 2012 and maybe compete in 2013.
The rosters are bigger this year so there are a lot more UFAs that teams have picked up. It looks like 1.5 times the draft class is average. The centter position is the most vulnerable for the Packers. I belive that the tackle slots are set and have able guys available. IF and that’s a big if Lang starts working out as a center….he could be All Pro for many years and open up a slot. I think Dominguez will be the guy to take that slot. Small if….. Lang stays at guard, Brooks could be the long term replacement for Saturday.
Last year, I thought Dominguez stood out as an NFL body, with NFL agility. I would not be surprised if he was the guy that makes the biggest jump from year 1 to year 2, as he gets used to playing inside with a full offseason. Of course, even if he does, that would almost certainly leave him as a backup.