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Jul 072010
 
Unga should be picked in next week's supplemental draft

Unga should be picked in next week's supplemental draft

The NFL will hold its supplemental draft on July 15 and the most intriguing prospect is Harvey Unga. At 6-0, 242, the former BYU star is a bruising running back with soft hands. As of today, there’s no guarantee that Unga will even be selected, but that could change if he performs well at his Pro Day on Thursday. Should the Utah native run under 4.7, he could go as high as the fourth or fifth round. Unga is eligible for the supplemental draft because he voluntarily withdrew from BYU in April after breaking the school’s strict honor code. According to reports, the 22-year-old was having premarital sex with his girlfriend of three years. This violated the “live a chaste and virtuous life” tenet.

There’s a difference of opinion as to what position Unga will play at the next level, but he would probably project to fullback in Green Bay (I know what you’re thinking – “another freakin’ fullback” – but this guy would be a significant upgrade over both John Kuhn and Korey Hall). That said, it’s unlikely Ted Thompson will pull the trigger next Thursday. Giving up a future draft pick is not something the cautious GM tends to do – even though his mentor, Ron Wolf, hit the jackpot by selecting guard Mike Wahle in the second round of the 1998 supplemental draft.

The only other player with the potential to get selected is former Illinois defensive tackle Josh Price-Brent, a massive (6-2, 320) defensive lineman who recorded 29 tackles and forced three fumbles in 2009. Unlike Unga, this young man got kicked out of school the old-fashioned way – by drinking and not studying. Price-Brent spent 30 days in jail for driving under the influence on a suspended license in February of 2009 and then couldn’t raise his grades high enough at Parkland College to be readmitted to Illinois.

Apr 252010
 

TALENTED TIGHT END

The Packers entered the draft with four major needs, and it’s safe to say that Ted Thompson filled two of them by drafting tackle Bryan Bulaga and safety Morgan Burnett. And while a number of cornerbacks and outside linebackers figure to be signed as undrafted free agents in the next few days, it’s fair to say that those two positions are every bit as troublesome now as they were three months ago. We wrote on Saturday about how much faith the organization has in Brad Jones, Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood, and after pretty much standing pat at corner and outside linebacker, they had better be right.

The following is a brief analysis of the last two days from the perspective of a former scout:

DE Mike Neal (Purdue): “He has great natural talent, but he’s very inconsistent – and not just from week to week. He’s inconsistent from series to series. I liked him more as a 3-4 end than I did as a 4-3 tackle. I think he’ll do well in Green Bay under an excellent position coach [Mike Trgovac] and as part of a strong rotation.”

S Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech): “He had 14 picks in college, but he also gave up a lot of big plays by gambling too much in coverage. He can be overaggressive mirroring the quarterback, especially outside the pocket, and abandon his responsibilities. That has to stop in the NFL, and I think it will. He’s a bright kid and he’ll be coached in Green Bay by one of the best in the business [Darren Perry]. It would be a mild surprise if he doesn’t replace Atari Bigby at some point next season.”

TE Andrew Quarless (Penn State): “I wasn’t surprised that Thompson drafted a tight end, but I was surprised at which tight end he drafted. Mike McCarthy loves tight ends and Quarless is much more talented than Donald Lee and Spencer Havner. But the kid had all kinds of trouble off-the-field at Penn State and you have to wonder how he’ll react to the freedom and the money that the NFL affords a young person.”

OL Marshall Newhouse (TCU): “He won’t help right away, but unlike some other mid-round offensive lineman taken by the Packers in recent years, this young man has a lot of potential. He has good size and quick feet. Give him a year or two to work on his body and learn the pro game and he might be a pretty nice player down the road.”

RB James Starks (Buffalo): “He might’ve been drafted on Friday had he not missed his senior season with a shoulder injury. Similar size-wise to Ryan Grant, but he’s a little niftier as a runner and much better as a receiver. He couldn’t stay on the field in college and his height and upright running style will make durability a major issue at the next level. If he can stay healthy, he’ll wind up being a steal.”

DE C.J. Wilson (East Carolina): “He doesn’t have the physical skills of Neal, but he was a better football player in college. He’s stout against the run and not a bad pass rusher. I know he was picked five rounds lower than Neal, but I don’t think there’s that big of a difference between the two players.”

OVERVIEW: “I’m surprised that Thompson didn’t draft an outside linebacker and a cornerback, but it looks like he really committed to taking the best available player. I guess a GM can do that when he’s coming off an 11-win season and when he has faith in his coaches. We’ll see. If Green Bay still can’t rush the passer or cover receivers next January, then it’ll be fair to criticize this draft. Until then, I kind of like what the Packers did. They added two big bodies early, a playmaker in the middle and a number of talented prospects late.”

Apr 232010
 

Packer Update will host its first-ever live chat tonight at 11 (CDT). We’ll be discussing health care and the president’s upcoming White House to Main Street Tour (just kidding). The topic, of course, will be the Packers and the NFL draft. We’ve been asked many times about hosting chats and we’re going to finally give it a try. We hope you join us tonight with plenty of questions and comments. If things go well, we’ll try to do more of these in the future. Click here to join the fun.


Apr 222010
 
images

I used to hate it when some “old person” would tell me how much better things were when they were young. Movies were better back then. So was music. And, of course, there was no comparison when it came to sports. I would just roll my eyes and swear to myself that I would never become one of those geezers when I grew up. Well, I’m all grown up now, and you know what, I’m going to say something today that I swore I’d never say – the NFL draft was better when I was young.

Instead of a prime time event broken up over three days, the draft used to begin on a Tuesday morning and it didn’t end until every single pick was made (or until one of the GMs keeled over from exhaustion – whichever came first). It was survival of the fittest, and it was great.

Instead of squeezing in an occasional pick between a million promos and commercials, ESPN used to actually cover the draft. Imagine that. Back then, you didn’t have to worry about missing your favorite team’s selection because yet another Subway ad was being forced down your throat.

Instead of plastering my television with so many graphics that I don’t know whether I’m watching the NFL draft on ESPN or “Hardball” on MSNBC, how about letting me know what’s happening by actually telling me what’s happening. Do I really need a constant reminder on Saturday of which player the Packers took on Thursday? And do I need a continuous graphic telling me which poor slobs from the Best Available Players board are still undrafted?

Instead of Chris Berman trying to impress the viewing audience by mentioning ad nauseam his numerous sycophant-like relationships around the NFL, the man now more a caricature than a broadcaster used to actually talk serious football with his colleagues. No ridiculous nicknames. No fawning over the Andy Reids and Bill Polians of the NFL. Just nuts and bolts draft conversation. Boy, I miss that.

Instead of Mel Kiper tempering his comments in an effort to maintain his relationships around the league, the man with the coiffed hair actually used to criticize picks, and more importantly, he criticized the people who made them. His frankness often led to uncomfortable moments. Who can ever forget then-Indianapolis Colts president Bill Tobin eviscerating Kiper in 1994? It was classic TV. Nowadays, Mel spends most of his time sparring with fellow draft “expert” Todd McShay. It’s hardly the same.

Instead of pretty much glossing over rounds two through seven in lieu of giving its 48 correspondents a chance to earn their salaries by conducting numerous mind-numbing interviews, wouldn’t it be nice to hear a cogent analysis of each pick? How many times do we need to hear a head coach or a general manager tell us how surprised they were that a certain player fell or just how good of a kid they’ve added to their roster?

Instead of listening to semi-literate former NFL stars give their opinions on players they’ve probably never actually seen play, how about hiring more people who actually know what they’re talking about? CNN’s Paul Zimmerman used to sit at the adult table when the draft first started, and he was great. He never played in the league and he certainly wasn’t pretty to look at, but he spoke articulately and he actually knew his stuff. Now we get the likes of Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin – if they’re not charged with a crime at the time.

OK, I know some of you are thinking that I’m just some middle-aged guy who doesn’t have NFL Network. Well I am and I don’t, but that’s beside the point. Television has turned the NFL draft from a die hard football fan’s dream into just another prime time show. The difference is that prime time shows are often filled with interesting characters whose primary job it to enhance and advance the story. ESPN’s characters are seldom interesting and they more often than not either distract from the story or even obscure it.

I’m going to end this column rant now. It’s time for me to remove my bifocals, have a glass of warm milk and take a nap. After all, the draft is tonight and I can’t wait.

(I wrote this column last April. My cable company added NFL Network between then and now, so I won’t have to watch ESPN’s coverage. This post is for all the fans who aren’t so lucky.)

Apr 202010
 

DO-IT-ALL BACK

We have no idea which players the Packers will choose over the course of the next three days, and anyone who tells you differently is lying. Ted Thompson is as tight-lipped as any general manager in the league and his staff is every bit as secretive. Therefore, nothing he does should surprise anyone. In fact, we’d only be surprised if he actually picks one of the eight players in our mock draft. So for whatever it’s worth, here’s our annual exercise in futility:

ROUND 1: RB Ryan Mathews/Fresno State – Green Bay has much bigger immediate needs, but Mathews may prove to be too tempting to pass up. His running style fits the system used by the Packers and he’s one of those rare backs who can stay on the field for all three downs. Do we think Mathews will be the pick at 23? Probably not, but with Thompson running the show, nothing would truly surprise us.

ROUND 2: OLB Eric Norwood/South Carolina – He’s better rushing the passer than defending the run. That’s OK since Brad Jones held up well at the point of attack last season. Playing Jones on early downs and using Norwood in obvious passing situations would make a lot of sense.

ROUND 3: CB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah/ Indiana (PA.) – He’s a tremendous size/speed prospect who would be able to help as a returner immediately. He’s a little raw, but Thompson has had some success drafting athletic defensive backs from smaller schools (i.e. Nick Collins).

ROUND 4: OL Selvish Capers/West Virginia – He’s an athletic former tight end and we all know how much Thompson likes those type of offensive linemen. Capers will need to spend a lot of time in the weight room before he’s ready to take on the Jared Allens of the world, but with Clifton back, he should be able to sit and learn for at least one season.

ROUND 5: DB Myron Rolle/Florida State – It wouldn’t be a surpise to see Thompson take a safety much earlier, but if he passes on the likes of Nate Allen and Taylor Mays, there should still be some solid prospects left in the middle rounds. Rolle has the size and college pedigree that appeals to Thompson – plus he would work well with Collins.

ROUND 5: DL Brandon Deaderick/Alabama – He projects nicely to defensive end in a 3-4. He has good functional strength and he doesn’t mind doing the dirty work. He’s not as quick as Jarius Wynn when it comes to rushing the passer, but his size makes him far more stout against the run.

ROUND 6: QB Jevan Snead/Mississippi – Mike McCarthy loves a challenge and none would be greater than resurrecting Snead. He looked like a potential first-round pick in 2008, but last season was a disaster. He never appeared comfortable behind a shaky offensive line and that led to one poor decision after another. Nevertheless, Snead has more than enough talent to justify being selected at this point in the draft.

ROUND 7: P Zoltan Mesko/Michigan – He punted effectively in cold weather for four seasons at Michigan, and unlike Derrick Frost and Jeremy Kapinos, he has better-than-average leg strength. He improved every year at Michigan. Mesko will be a 24-year-old rookie, but that’s really not an issue for a player at his position.

DON’T SAY BYE TO 4-3 JUST YET

 Posted by at 12:04 am  Comments Off
Apr 282009
 

Images-4Coach Mike McCarthy hired Dom Capers to bring the 3-4 to Green Bay, but that doesn’t mean the 4-3 is history. In fact, after what happened over the weekend, expect to see a lot more of the traditional defense in 2009. “McCarthy will talk about the 3-4 ad neauseam between now and the start of the regular season, but when push comes to shove, I think you’ll see quite a bit of the 4-3,” said a former scout. “That would allow Aaron Kampman to keep his hand on the ground more often. It would also allow both Ryan Pickett and B.J. Raji to be on the field at the same time. That’s the beauty of what GM Ted Thompson did on Saturday. He selected two players who can function in either scheme.”


Here are the scout’s comments on the second and final day of the draft:


“T.J. Lang is already the best right tackle on Green Bay’s roster. I’m not saying that he’ll definitely be the starter when the season opens in September, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Jamone Meredith could also compete for that job, but I think he’ll wind up on the other side. Along with Josh Sitton, the Packers have added some pretty good offensive line prospects in the middle rounds of the past two drafts.”


“We talked about the Packers needing a more physical fullback in last week’s
position-by-position analysis. Well, now they have that player. There’s no question Quinn Johnson will be a dominating lead blocker at the next level. Whether he’ll be a good fit in Mike McCarthy’s offense remains to be seen.”


“Thompson hit just about every need this team had going into the weekend. The Packers added two defensive linemen, two offensive linemen, two outside linebackers and a fullback. If a GM was ever going to draft for need, this was the year to do it. After the top 50 guys, you could bunch the next 100 together and get similar value in the fifth round that another team got in the third. I have a feeling that’s why Thompson was willing to give up both of his 3s to move up.”


“Only a fool would grade a draft now, but I certainly like what Thompson did over the weekend. It wouldn’t surprise me to see six or seven of these kids make the final roster, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see three or four earn starting jobs. Raji and Matthews will be given every opportunity to start, and Johnson, Lang and Meredith all play positions where there’s likely to be plenty of competition in training camp. From top to bottom, I like this draft better than last year’s.”

Copyright 2009. Do not repost.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

 Posted by at 1:16 am  Comments Off
Apr 262009
 

Images-3 You can’t be a dominant 3-4 defense without a quality nose tackle and two playmaking outside linebackers. And while nobody knows for certain if Aaron Kampman can make the transition from end or if B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews have what it takes to excel at the next level, the odds of the Packers fielding a solid defense under first-year coordinator Dom Capers sure look a lot better today than they did going into the weekend. “What a difference a day makes,” said a former scout. “All of a sudden, that front seven looks pretty darn impressive. “Give Capers players as talented as Kampman, Raji, Matthews, Cullen Jenkins, Ryan Pickett, Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Al Harris, Charles Woodson and Nick Collins and I guarantee you that he’ll figure out a way to put a very good product on the football field.”


After Saturday, the only real hole on defense would appear to be at the end position opposite Jenkins. But GM Ted Thompson really likes Johnny Jolly and still has faith in Justin Harrell. Plus, Capers has given his endorsement to Alfred Malone. “They’ll be OK,” said the scout. “One of those guys should be able to get the job done. Besides, you can’t have a star at every position. But if Jenkins and Barnett come back healthy and Raji and Matthews are as good as advertised, few teams will have more talent in the front seven than Green Bay.”


While things are definitely looking up for the defense in 2009, fans may want to temper their enthusiasm – at least a little. “It’s going to take some time for the veterans to get comfortable in the 3-4 and it’s certainly going to take some time for Raji and Matthews to get comfortable in the NFL,” he said. “The defense might not look all that pretty in September and October, but I have a feeling that fans are going to be very excited about what they see in November and December.”


Here are a few other thoughts from the scout on day one of the draft:


-“I’m not surprised that Thompson passed on Michael Crabtree at 9. He was probably the best player on their board, but Mike McCarthy really likes the mix of guys he has at wide receiver. They’re very hard-working and unselfish. Crabtree already has some diva in him. Who knows what he’ll be like once he gets the big money. He has unbelievable talent, but I just never saw him winding up in Green Bay.”


-”I think Malcolm Jenkins will be an outstanding pro, but I certainly understand the decision to pick Raji at 9. In a 3-4, the nose tackle position is incredibly important. Just look at Pittsburgh and New England. Those defenses wouldn’t be nearly as dominant without Casey Hampton and Vince Wilfork in the middle. If he can keep his weight under control, Raji could have a similar impact with the Packers.”


“I love Matthews. I had him rated ahead of Brian Cushing, who went 15th to Houston. The kid didn’t start at USC until his senior season, so his best football should be ahead of him. He’s in the low 240s now, but he has the frame to get bigger. He obviously didn’t have as good of a college career as A.J. Hawk, but he might wind up being the better pro. A perfect fit for what Dom Capers wants to do.”


“I was very surprised that Thompson gave up so much to get Matthews. A two and two threes is a lot to move up 15 spots, but he got the player he wanted and that’s always the most important thing. Green Bay still has six picks left and there should be some pretty good players available on Sunday. Will they be able to find an offensive tackle who can help right away? If they can’t, then who’s going to play right tackle? Maybe Mark Tauscher is back in the mix.”

Copyright 2009. Do not repost.

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS SELECT…

 Posted by at 12:02 am  Comments Off
Apr 252009
 

Images-2 We have absolutely no idea whom the Packers will choose in the first round. And anyone who tells you differently is flat-out lying. Ted Thompson is as tight-lipped as any general manager in the league and his staff is almost as secretive. So even though we spent the past few days analyzing eight players who figure to be strong possibilities at No. 9, it wouldn’t surprise us if the eventual choice doesn’t even come from that group. So instead of blindly guessing as to whom Thompson will select, we asked a former scout – with over 20 years of experience in the NFL – for his expert opinion. Here’s what he would do if he were running the Packers:


“I’m old school, so I grade players on what they did on the field in the fall and not on how they looked in shorts in the spring. Back in January, my top 10 players were Michael Crabtree, Andre Smith, Matthew Stafford, Eugene Monroe, Jason Smith, Malcolm Jenkins, Aaron Curry, Brian Orakpo, Mark Sanchez and B.J. Raji – in that order. Crabtree’s foot surgery dropped him a bit, but I still think these are the 10 best prospects in the draft. I know that Tyson Jackson, Robert Ayers and Michael Oher have been flying up the board in the last two or three few months, but as far as I know, none of those guys has made a tackle or blocked a pass rusher in that time.


I don’t expect Stafford, Monroe, Jason Smith, Sanchez or Curry to be there at 9, and I don’t think the Packers would take Crabtree. That leaves Andre Smith as a possibility and Malcolm Jenkins, Brian Orakpo and B.J. Raji as probabilities. I know Smith has had a very tough few months, but that wouldn’t keep me from selecting him. He’s simply too talented to pass up. At best, he’ll be a Pro Bowl tackle. At worst, he’ll be a Pro Bowl guard. If Smith is gone, the choice between Jenkins, Orakpo and Raji would be a very difficult one. I’d remove Orakpo from the mix because he’s a projection to outside linebacker and there’s simply better depth at that position than there is at either defensive back or nose tackle. That leaves two.

Images-1 THE PICK: The temptation would be to select Raji. Quality nose tackles are very hard to find, and with Ryan Pickett pushing 30 and in the final year of his contract, there’s a real need there. But I’ve always believed in taking the best player available, and in this scenario, the best player available wouldn’t be Raji. Jenkins played at an extremely high level from the moment he stepped onto the Ohio State campus in 2006. A slower than expected 40 time at the Combine seems to have made too many people forget just how terrific of a football player this young man is. I think he can be a Pro Bowl cornerback at the next level, but if I’m wrong, then he’ll be a Pro Bowl safety. Either way, the Green Bay Packers will get their money’s worth from Jenkins.” And in today’s economy, there’s definitely something to be said for that.

Copyright 2009. Do not repost.

ANALYZING THE PACKERS' ROSTER

 Posted by at 12:16 am  Comments Off
Apr 242009
 

ImagesThe NFL Draft is less than 48 hours away. The Packers have nine selections – including two picks in the third and sixth rounds. While GM Ted Thompson will almost certainly choose the best player available at No. 9, he’ll be looking to fill needs after that. So what are the team’s greatest needs? We asked a former scout to assess Green Bay’s roster. The following is his position-by-position analysis:


QUARTERBACKS
: “I wouldn’t mind seeing the Packers add a proven veteran, but there’s no need to draft somebody. They took a pair of quarterbacks a year ago – including Brian Brohm in the second round.”


RUNNING BACKS
: “Knowshon Moreno would be an upgrade from Ryan Grant, but the Packers have bigger needs to deal with early in the draft. They could use a third-down back with breakaway ability. I like Brandon Jackson, but he’s not much of a threat out of the backfield.”


FULLBACKS
: “Mike McCarthy wants to use more power in the running game, so adding a bruising fullback would make sense. Korey Hall has the heart, but not the size. John Kuhn weighs 250, but doesn’t play that big. Using a pick in the middle rounds is a possibility.”


TIGHT ENDS
: “Other the Brandon Pettigrew, Jermichael Finley has as much potential as any of the players in this year’s draft. The Packers should be able to do better than No. 3 tight end Tory Humphrey, so selecting a big, physical blocker on the second day would make sense.”


WIDE RECEIVERS
: “The Packers are extremely deep at this position, but Thompson loves to draft wide receivers. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him roll the dice on a developmental prospect in the later rounds.”


TACKLES
: “In my opinion, this is the team’s biggest need. There’s no guarantee that Chad Clifton can hold up for another season and there’s not a legitimate right tackle on the roster. Ron Wolf once said that you can’t protect your starting quarterback with a bunch of stumblebums. If Thompson agrees with his mentor, he’ll come out of the draft with at least one quality prospect at this vital position.”


GUARDS
: “There may not be a star among the guards, but Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz are pretty solid. If Spitz moves to center, Josh Sitton should be ready to take over at right guard. Allen Barbre is too young and too talented to dismiss and Duke Preston could slide over from center if necessary. I don’t see much of a need here.”


CENTERS
: “Even if they trade or release Scott Wells, the depth at this position is still OK. Preston started 11 games for Buffalo in ’08 and Brennen Carvalho, who spent last season on the practice squad, has ability.”


DEFENSIVE ENDS
: “Cullen Jenkins should be OK on one side, but you can’t depend on either Johnny Jolly (drug trial) or Justin Harrell (injuries). There aren’t many quality prospects at this position, so if the Packers don’t take Tyson Jackson in the first round, they’ll have trouble augmenting this group via the draft. Free agent Kevin Carter (Tampa Bay) is still available and could be a possibility after this weekend.”


NOSE TACKLES
: “Ryan Pickett should be able to hold down this position in 2009, but he’s coming off a down season due to injuries. The Packers desperately need another body, but as is the case at end, there’s not much talent available after the top guy (B.J. Raji).”


OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
: “This is a huge need. You can’t be a dominant 3-4 defense without two quality outside linebackers, and right now, the Packers don’t have one that they can count on. They need to add somebody early in the draft and then keep their fingers crossed that Aaron Kampman can make the difficult transition from end. Journeymen like Brady Poppinga and Brandon Chillar aren’t the answer.”


INSIDE LINEBACKERS
: “If healthy, Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk should be a solid tandem. I’m also anxious to see what Desmond Bishop and Danny Lansanah can do in this defense. Considering that Chillar can also line up inside, there’s not a big need at this position.”


CORNERBACKS
: “Al Harris and Charles Woodson are aging, so drafting another corner is certainly a possibility. The possibility would be lessened if Pat Lee showed more as a rookie last summer. I like Tramon Williams, but I’m still not sure if he’s a starter on a good team.”


SAFETIES
: “The Packers like Atari Bigby more than I do. Other than Nick Collins, I’m not excited about any of the other players at this position. Anthony Smith has talent and knows the defense, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable with him as a starter. They could use help here.”


SPECIALISTS
: “Mason Crosby missed a few big kicks last season, but he’s going to be a good kicker for a long time. Durant Brooks has more ability than any punter in this year’s draft. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him put it together and have a long and successful career in the NFL.”

Copyright 2009. Do not repost.

PREVIEW: AND THEN THERE WERE 8

 Posted by at 5:18 pm  Comments Off
Apr 222009
 

Images-3 The draft is three days away and we still have no clue (surprise, surprise) as to what GM Ted Thompson is thinking at No. 9. Assuming that Green Bay has no shot at outside linebacker Aaron Curry and offensive tackles Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe and Andre Smith, and no real interest in quarterbacks and wide receivers, we’ve narrowed the list of possible first round picks to eight. We asked a former scout to give us a thumbnail sketch of each of these players. Here are his comments:


Images-2 DE/OLB BRIAN ORAKPO (Texas)


“He’s going to be a very good pass rusher in the NFL, but I’m just not sure if he can play in a 3-4. While he has excellent straight-line speed, he’s a little stiff – something that could be a problem in coverage. A lack of fluidity could also be an issue with Aaron Kampman. Do the Packers really want two outside linebackers who may not be all that effective dropping into zones? To me, Orakpo is an ideal 4-3 end. He’s big enough to hold his own against the run and explosive enough to manufacture consistent pressure off the edge. He would’ve been a perfect fit for the defense Bob Sanders ran last season. Probably not so much anymore.”


Biggest question
– Can his stay healthy? He battled quite a few nagging injuries in college, and then tweaked his hamstring at the Combine.

Images-3 DT B.J. RAJI (Boston College)


“The Packers should know this player as well, if not better, than any team in the league. One of Mike McCarthy’s closest friends in football is Jeff Jagodzinski, who just happened to coach Raji at Boston College. If Jags’ opinion of the player is positive, then it’s hard to imagine Ted Thompson passing on him at 9. Raji is the type of nose tackle that every 3-4 team covets. He’s difficult to move and has very good short-area quickness. Green Bay could probably get by with Ryan Pickett for another season, but he’s pushing 30 and in the last year of his contract.”


Biggest question
– Is any nose tackle worth a top 10 pick? Two of the best – Casey Hampton and Vince Wilfork – went much later in round one.

Images DE/OLB AARON MAYBIN (Penn St.)


“He might have the highest ceiling of all the hybrid rushers, but two things concern me. First, he started for only one year at Penn State, and second, he gained over 20 pounds between the end of last season and the Combine in February. And while he carried the weight better at his pro day, I’m still not sure if he’s ever going to be comfortable at 250. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him back down in the 230s by the middle of two-a-days. Maybin has the talent to be an impact player in the NFL, but there are too many unknowns to consider him at 9.”


Biggest question
– Can he be as effective with the extra weight? He showed a tremendous burst at Penn St., but that was 25 pounds ago.

Images-1 OT MICHAEL OHER (Mississippi)


“He’s too talented to dismiss at 9, but he’s too inconsistent to be a no-brainer that high in the draft. On his best days, Oher is a more dominant player than either Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe. But there are too many other times when he looks more like a mid-round prospect. He should probably go in the late teens or early 20s, but the lack of talent at the top of the draft and the number of teams that need a tackle will push him up – maybe all the way into the top 10. Any team that picks him that high will be rolling the dice. I don’t see much middle ground with Oher. I think he’ll either be a perennial All-Pro or be out of the league in five years.”


Biggest question
– Does he want to be great? Oher took too many plays/series off at Mississippi and appeared almost disinterested at times.

Images-5 DE TYSON JACKSON (Louisiana St.)


“I know people question whether Jackson is worth the No. 9 pick, but 3-4 ends who can stuff the run and also provide a little something in the pass rush are few and far between. That’s why [ex-Cowboy] Chris Canty got $17 million guaranteed from the Giants last month. And Jackson should be a better pro. He didn’t play very well as a junior, and that bothers me. It’s inexcusable for a player with his talent not to be one of the best players on the field every Saturday. Is he worth the No. 9 pick? In most drafts, I’d say no. But in this draft, I don’t see it as much of a reach.”


Biggest question
– Can he rush the QB? He only recorded eight sacks in the past two seasons, a surprisingly low number for a player with his skill set.

Images-4 DB MALCOLM JENKINS (Ohio St.)


“This kid is the anti-Mike Mamula. He was terrific on the field for three seasons, but struggled a bit in shorts at the Combine. He’s bigger and faster than Al Harris, and that guy has done pretty well for himself in the NFL. I’ve read mock drafts that have Jenkins going between 18 and 24. Are you kidding me? He has more than enough skills to be an elite cornerback in the NFL if used properly. I think a team would be insane to play Jenkins at safety early in his career. Any scouts who don’t think he can play cornerback need to toss their Combine notes in the garbage and just watch his 43 starts at Ohio State.”


Biggest question
– Does he run well enough to play cornerback at the next level? He was timed at 4.53 and 4.58 at the Combine in February.

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DE/OLB ROBERT AYERS (Tennessee)

“Ted doesn’t care what other people think, but would he really draft another kid from Tennessee so soon after taking Justin Harrell? Ayers didn’t do much as a sophomore and junior, but his senior season was very good. He also put up excellent numbers at the Combine in February. He’s bigger than Everette Brown, Aaron Maybin and Brian Orakpo and more explosive than Tyson Jackson. To me, he’s not really a pure 4-3 defensive end or a pure 3-4 outside linebacker. I see him simply as an impressive athlete and an ascending football player who would be a significant asset to any team that employs a creative defensive coordinator. And with Dom Capers now in Green Bay, that includes the Packers.”

Biggest question – Can he help you right away? He’s raw and needs to get stronger. A team might have to wait to get a return on its investment.

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DE/OLB EVERETTE BROWN (Florida St.)

“If picking another Volunteer in the first round would upset Packers fans, I can only imagine how they’d react to taking another undersized pass rusher from Florida State in the top 10. But I don’t think that Brown will be a bust in the pros. Unlike Jamal Reynolds, he comes into the league with a pair of healthy knees, a flexible body and a wide variety of pass rush moves. He’s probably too small to play end in a 4-3, so if he’s going to be starter in the NFL, it will have to be at outside linebacker in a 3-4.”

Biggest question – Can he drop off the line into coverage? He was very rarely asked to do that at Florida State. If he can’t, then any team that picks him will be stuck with an awfully one-dimensional player.

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