Showing posts with label 2014 NFL Draft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 NFL Draft. Show all posts

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Building The 53 - 2014 Green Bay Packer Draft Picks

Welcome to my fifth annual review of Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson's performance in the NFL Draft (2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013).  The 2014 NFL Draft marked Thompson's tenth draft of his tenure in Green Bay.  There is no question that the best pick Thompson made during his tenure so far in Green Bay was his first in 2005 when he drafted quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the 24th pick.  Last year I said that either of Thompson's first two pick, UCLA defensive end Datone Jones or Alabama running back Eddie Lacy, had a chance to be two of the best players ever drafted by Thompson.  I was spot on with Lacy but Jones will have to improve next season to back-up my assertion on his ceiling. 

The Packers entered the 2014 NFL Draft with nine picks.  The two biggest surprises of the draft  were that Thompson did NOT make one trade across the three days of the draft, which means he used the same nine (seven standard and two compensatory) picks he owned before the start of the draft.  The other shocker was that 1/3rd of the players selected by Thompson, three total, were wide receivers.  These posts always run long so without further adu, here is my review of the nine players that Thompson drafted in the 2014 NFL Draft:

1st Round (21st overall): Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Safety
Twitter Handle: @haha_cd6
School: Alabama (SEC)
Height: 6'1-3/8"
Weight: 208 lbs
Arm Length: 32-1/4"
Hand Size: 9"
40-yard Dash: 4.58 sec
3-cone Drill: 7.16 sec
20-yard Shuttle: 4.16 sec
225-pound Bench Press:11 reps
Vertical Leap:33"
Broad Jump:119"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Dee Ford (DE, Auburn), Deone Bucannon (S, Washington), or Jimmie Ward (S, Northern Illinois)
Tweet:

Analysis: After an impressive 2012 campaign, safety Morgan Burnett struggled in 2013.  The Packers will most likely move Micah Hyde from cornerback to safety this season, which on paper gives them a formidable pair at safety in Burnett and Hyde.  At this point we have no clue whether Hyde's rookie season will translate to success this season, especially since he will be changing position.  That makes the Ha Ha pick a borderline no brainer when he was available with the 21st pick.  I am not trying to jinx Thompson's first pick this year like I did last year with Jones but I think Ha Ha has a chance to be very special despite the fact that he posted one of the lowers amount of reps on the bench press and registered one of the shortest verticals at his position at the combine.  Basically I value Ha Ha's play at Alabama much more than his measurables given that Alabama plays borderline NFL competition week in and week out in the SEC.


2nd Round (53rd overall): Davante Adams, Wide Receiver
Twitter Handle:
School: Fresno State University (Mountain West Conference)
Height: 6'0-7/8"
Weight: 212 lbs
Arm Length: 32-1/2"
Hand Size: 9"
40-yard Dash: 4.56 sec
3-cone Drill: 6.82 sec
20-yard Shuttle:4.30 sec
225-pound Bench Press: 14 reps
Vertical Leap: 39-1/2"
Broad Jump:123"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE, Iowa), Morgan Moses (OT, Virginia), Marcus Martin (OC, USC)
Tweet:

Analysis: Thompson filled the loss of wide receiver James Jones with Fresno State wide receiver Davante Adams with the 53rd pick in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.  Going into the 2014 NFL Draft the Packers were already deep at wide receiver with Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin, Chris Harper, and a smattering of young guys.  Given all those names it does NOT seem like wide receiver was a need but their top three wide receivers are due new deals before 2015 so Adams could be a nice hedge against losing Nelson, Cobb, and/or Boykin.  Adams has some pretty big shoes to fill though because so far in his tenure Thompson has gone three for four drafting wide receivers in the second round: Terrence Murphy (2005), Greg Jennings (2006), Jordy Nelson (2008), and Randall Cobb (2012).  It is almost unfair to ding Thompson on Murphy because Murphy suffered a freak, career ending injury early in his career.  Last season Adams lead the nation in receptions with 131 catches for 1,718 yards, and 24 touchdowns in 2014.  The height and weight measurables are less than spectacular given that he is only 6'0" and 208 lbs but Adams posted one of the highest vertical jumps at his position at the combine so he is clearly very athletic.


3rd Round (85th overall): Khyri Thornton, Defensive Tackle
Twitter Handle: N/A
School: Southern Mississippi University (Conference USA)
Height: 6'2-5/8"
Weight: 304 lbs
Arm Length: 32-3/8"
Hand Size: 9-3/8"
40-yard Dash: 5.03 sec
3-cone Drill: 7.83 sec
20-yard Shuttle: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 28 reps
Vertical Leap: 29"
Broad Jump: 112"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Chris Watt (OG, Notre Dame), Trai Turner (OG, LSU), or Dri Archer (RB/KR, Kent State)
Tweet:
Analysis: On the positive side of the equation, Thornton posted one of the longest broad jumps at his position at the combine.  Besides that, Thornton is somewhat of an unknown commodity to me at this point so I am a little skeptical given that Thompson used a premium pick on him.  I understand that one school of thought is that the Packers need to continue to get younger on the defensive line but if Thompson decides not to resign defensive lineman Johnny Jolly and/or Ryan Pickett to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum then all the Packers have is youth along the defensive line.  It seems much more prudent to me to sign Jolly and/or Pickett on the cheap than to use such a high pick on Thornton, only time will tell if Thompson is right or I am right.


3rd Round (98th overall): Richard Rodgers, Tight End
Twitter Handle: N/A
School: California (Pac-12)
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 257 lbs
Arm Length: 32-1/2"
Hand Size: 10-1/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.87 sec
3-cone Drill: 7.23 sec
20-yard Shuttle: 4.47 sec
225-pound Bench Press: 16 reps
Vertical Leap: 31-1/2"
Broad Jump: 116"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Crockett Gillmore (TE, Colorado State), Bryan Stork (OC, Florida State), or Maurice Alexander (S, Utah State)
Tweet:
Analysis: Unfortunately it looks like the Packers are searching for the next Jermichael Finley instead of just resigning Finley.  I understand that the Packers want to be cautious given the fact that Finley suffered a potential career ending injury against the Cleveland Browns last season but I am not sure that Rodgers is the answer.  Rodgers posted one of the lower number of reps on the bench press at his position at the combine.  Reps on the bench does not always directly correlate to blocking prowess but I am worried that Rodgers will not be able to block in the NFL, which is problematic because the Packers are in need of a versatile tight end that can not only split out wide as a receiver but also line-up next to the tackle and block on running plays.


4th Round (121st overall): Carl Bradford, Linebacker
Twitter Handle: N/A
School: Arizona State (Pac-12)
Height: 6'0-3/4"
Weight: 250 lbs
Arm Length: 30-1/4"
Hand Size: 9-3/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.76 sec
3-cone Drill: 7.25 sec
20-yard Shuttle: 4.3 sec
225-pound Bench Press: 23 reps
Vertical Leap: 37-1/2"
Broad Jump: 122"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Khairi Fortt (OLB, California), Tre Boston (S, UNC), or Brock Vereen (S, Minnesota)
Tweet:

Analysis: I actually think Bradford has a better chance to make The 53 as a middle linebacker than an outside linebacker but much like waiting a year to move Hyde from cornerback to safety, I am sure the Packers will toy with Bradford outside unsuccessfully for one year and then move him inside, if he is still around.  I say "if he is still around" because Bradford posted one of the slowest 3-cone drill times at his position at the combine.  That worries me because whether Bradford ends up inside or outside, his ability to change direction with speed is lacking so he will not be able to make up for mental errors with his speed.


5th Round (161st overall): Corey Linsley, Center
Twitter Handle: @Linsley71
School: Ohio State (Big "Ten")
Height: 6'2-3/4"
Weight: 301 lbs
Arm Length: 32"
Hand Size: 9-3/4"
40-yard Dash: 5.25 sec
3-cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Shuttle: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 36 reps
Vertical Leap: 27"
Broad Jump: N/A
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Ed Reynolds (S, Stanford), Vinnie Sunnseri (S, Alabama), or Jimmy Staten (DT, Middle Tennessee State)
Tweet:
Analysis: Despite participating in very few drills at the combine, Linsley performed well in the drills that he completed.  In fact, Linsley posted one of the highest amount of reps on the bench press at his position, which is huge (no pun intended) for the Packers because lately they've had finesse centers (Saturday and EDS) as opposed to maulers.  Although it looks like the center position is JC Tretter's to lose, don't count out Linsley.


5th Round (176th overall): Jared Abbrederis, Wide Receiver
Twitter Handle: @abbrecadabra
School: University of Wisconsin (Big "Ten")
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 195 lbs
Arm Length: 31-1/4
Hand Size: 9-1/2"
40-yard Dash: 4.5 sec
3-cone Drill: 6.8 sec
20-yard Shuttle:4.08 sec
225-pound Bench Press: 4 reps
Vertical Leap: 30-1/2"
Broad Jump: 117"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Jeoffrey Pagan (DE, Alabama), Jon Halapio (OG, Florida), or Jordan Zumwalt (OLB, UCLA)
Tweet:
Analysis: Selfishly, it is nice to see Thompson add a Badger despite the fact that Abbrederis posted the least amount of reps on the bench press at his position at the combine.  Thankfully wide receiver is one of the only positions where a low number of reps on the bench press is not too detrimental.  Look for Abbrederis to fight for the 5th receiver spot on offense and the starting punt returner spot on special teams.


6th Round (197th overall): Demetri Goodson,
Twitter Handle: N/A
School: Baylor (Big "12")
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 194 lbs
Arm Length: 31-5/8"
Hand Size: 9-1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.52 sec
3-cone Drill: 6.80 sec
20-yard Shuttle: 4.34 sec
225-pound Bench Press: 11 reps
Vertical Leap: 37"
Broad Jump: 123"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Andrew Jackson (ILB, Western Kentucky), Luke Bowanko (OC, Virginia), or Jemea Thomas (S, Georgia Tech)
Tweet:
Analysis: The Packers have a ton of young, talented cornerbacks fighting for six cornerback spots.  Thus given that Goodson is merely a 6th round pick, his spot on The 53 is far from guaranteed. Thankfully Goodson posted one of the best 3-cone drill times, which bodes well for his agility given how much cornerbacks have to change direction and sprint to catch-up with receivers.


7th Round (236th overall): Jeff Janis, Wide Reciever
Twitter Handle: @jrjanis
School: Division II - Saginaw Valley State University (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
Height: 6'2-7/8"
Weight: 219 lbs
Arm Length: 32-3/8"
Hand Size: 9"
40-yard Dash: 4.42 sec
3-cone Drill: 6.64 sec
20-yard Shuttle: 3.98 sec
225-pound Bench Press: 20 reps
Vertical Leap:37-1/2"
Broad Jump: 123"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks:Will Smith (ILB, Texas Tech), C.B. Bryant (S, Ohio State), or Michael Sam (DE, Missouri)
Tweet:
Analysis: A combine freak that posted great numbers in virtually every drill for his position helped catapulted Janis into a virtual lock to get drafted.  In fact I am sort of shocked he lasted this long given his physical abilities.  The only real knock on him is that he did it against lesser competition in Division II but given how well he tested at the combine, the Packers better find a spot for Janis on The 53 because I am not sure he will make it through waivers to sign him to the practice squad.

I am less excited about the 2014 NFL Draft than I was about the 2012 or 2013 NFL Drafts for the Packers.  There are more question marks than answers from the 2012 NFL Draft for the Packers while it looks like the 2013 NFL Draft will be one of the best of the last decade.  That is a long way of saying that the predictions in this post should be taken with a grain of salt but given that the Packers follow the draft-and-develop model, hopefully this draft is more like 2013 than like 2012.
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Friday, May 9, 2014

Building The 53 - 2014 NFL Draft Day 1 Packers Review


It was a very entertaining first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Just like last year, there were five draft day trades and no running backs were drafted.  The two biggest surprises of the first round were the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings moving all over to net each team a potential franchise quarterback and an impact player on defense.

 The Browns started the 2014 NFL Draft with the 4th and 26th picks in the first round.  The Browns traded back from 4th to 9th with the Buffalo Bills adding two extra draft picks (2015 1st and 4th round picks).  The Browns then traded back up from 9th to 8th with the Vikings giving up the 154th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft presumably to take a quarterback. Ultimately the Browns drafted Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert with the 8th pick while the Vikings took UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr with the 9th pick.  I am much higher on Gilbert than Barr.

 Later the Browns traded the 26th (from Indianapolis Colts for the underwhelming running back Trent Richardson that they took with the 3rd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft) and the 83rd picks in the 2014 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 22nd pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.  Hopefully 3rd times a charm with the 22nd pick because the Browns previously drafted Brady Quinn (2007) and Brandon Weeden (2009) with that same pick in previous drafts.

 Just when we thought the first round was going to end in a whimper with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks taking another edge rusher, the Vikings gave the Seattle Seahawks the 40th and 108th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft for 32nd pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.  The 32nd pick is especially valuable because it is the last pick of the first night of the draft.  The Vikings used that pick to draft Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

 The Vikings/Seahawks swap could be the most interesting trade in the 2014 NFL Draft because the Houston Texans own the 33rd pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, which is the first pick in the second round.  Given that the Seahawks already have a franchise quarterback, they were not going to take Bridgewater so the Texans thought they could stand put and still grab Bridgewater until the Vikings swooped in to get their first true franchise quarterback since Fran Tarkenton left town the second time.

 The other trade in the first round was the Arizona Cardinals trading the 20th pick to the New Orleans Saints for the 27th and 91st picks in the 2014 NFL Draft.  Given that the Saints gave a huge contract (six-year, $56 million contract with $28 million guaranteed) to safety Jarius Byrd earlier this off-season, at that point I knew the Green Bay Packers actually had a chance to nab my (realistic) draft crush Alabama safety Ha-Ha Clinton Dix with the 21st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Here were my thoughts on Ha Ha in mid-January when I gave my first look at the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft for the Packers:

"Right now it looks like Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Calvin Pryor, or bust given the lack of quality safeties in the 2014 NFL Draft.  Ha Ha is a 21-year old junior from Alabama that at 6'1" and 208 lbs is not the biggest hitter but has the skills to start at safety as a rookie in the NFL in 2014.  Ha Ha reminds me a lot of Eric Reid, a standout rookie for the San Francisco 49ers.  Pryor has essentially the same build as Ha Ha but playing at Louisville as opposed to Alabama didn't prove he can do it on a big stage like Ha Ha did the last three years.  This feels a little bit like the the 2007 NFL Draft when the Packers desperately needed a running back so every mock draft had them taking Marshawn Lynch with the 16th pick.  Ultimately Lynch went 12th to the Buffalo Bills and the Packers took defensive lineman Justin Harrell, oh dang.  I obviously favor Ha Ha over Pryor at this point but we are still very early in the process so that might change by the 2014 NFL Draft.  Clearly Ha Ha or Pryor would fill a huge need for the Packers, which is why I would be shocked if the Packers actually drafted either unless they traded up in the first round." (Source) 

Ultimately Pryor went 18th to the New York Jets. As the Packers got closer to picking in the first round, I sent out a ton of Ha Ha related tweets.  Speaking of tweets, Ha Ha got himself in some hot water with this tweet just before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft that put a smile on Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders' face.  Thankfully Packers general manager Ted Thompson choose Ha Ha.  In case you are wondering whether I liked the Ha Ha pick, here are two of the tweets that I sent:
I gave LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Packers yesterday in my 2014 First Round NFL Mock Draft because Ha Ha and Pryor were off the board.  Beckham went 12th overall to the New York Giants.  In my description of Beckham, I actually talked more about safeties than Beckham:

 "The Packers clearly need a safety but with Clinton-Dix and Pryor off the board, taking Deone Bucannon (S, Washington), Jimmie Ward (S, Northern Illinois), Terrence Brooks (S, FSU), or Lamarcus Joyner (S, FSU) feels like a reach this early in the draft despite the fact that the Packers desperately need a safety opposite Morgan Burnett.  I guess I favor Bucannon's larger frame but still am leery to pull the trigger on him, which is why I took the best player available even thought wide receiver is not really a need for the Packers.  My guess is that Beckham goes much earlier but at 21, I couldn't pass up such a dynamic pass catcher.  Plus, this feels a little Jordy Nelson-esque, which obviously turned out great for the Packers." (source)

For those, including me, that said the safety position is being devalued we were clearly wrong based on what happened at the end of the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.  With the 27th pick the Cardinals drafted Washington State safety Deone Bucannon.  Don't lose sight of the fact that if the Cardinals stayed at 20, they could have taken Ha Ha.  Instead the Cardinals got Bucannon and the 91st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.  Clearly I like Ha Ha more than Bucannon but we will have to see what the Cardinals get with the 91st pick before determining whether the Packers or Cardinals made out better.  Just three picks after the Cardinals picked Bucannon, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward despite the fact that they traded up in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft to take LSU safety Eric Reid. Only time will tell but I favor Ha Ha over Pryor, Bucannon, and Ward.

With the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft in the books, there are a number of talented players available: Marqise Lee (WR, USC), Stephon Tuitt (DE, Notre Dame), Cyrus Kouandjio (OT, Alabama), Louis Nix III (DT, Notre Dame), Kony Ealy (DE, Missouri), and Ra'Shede Hageman (DT, Minnesota) just to name a few that were projected to go in the first round.  As a result, it will make the second and third round of the 2014 NFL Draft this evening very interesting.  Make sure to check back for my Packer draft thoughts on Twitter in real time tonight and tomorrow.  Finally make sure to check back in this space on Sunday morning for my extended thoughts on entire draft.
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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Building The 53 - 2014 First Round NFL Mock Draft

Welcome to my 5th annual NFL Mock Draft.  I tried to do the traditional "guess what other reams will do" in my first NFL Mock Draft in 2010 but that is futile since I have no real inside information besides ESPN Insider so for the fourth year in a row (2011, 2012, & 2013) I decided to serve as every team's general manager for their pick (or picks) in the first round.

This year, there are wildly different thoughts on whether any of the quarterbacks should go in the Top 10.  Given that most teams picking in the Top 10 have some quarterback need, I actually think it is worth taking a quarterback early because the new rookie salary cap allows you to get cheap assets even in the Top 5.

I am sure there will be a number of trades in the first round, especially towards the end if all the quarterbacks are still available, but I am not going to make any trades because those are too hard to predict too.  Without further ado, here is what I would do if I was in charge of each team when they pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft along with some Twitter length thoughts about each pick:

#1) Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney (DE, South Carolina) - There is outside chance that Clowney will be the defensive version of JaMarcus Russell but there is an even better chance of him being the next coming of Reggie White so the upside is worth the minimal downside risk.

#2) St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins): Greg Robinson (OT, Auburn) - Even as a rookie Robinson projects to be one of the most athletic tackles in the NFL so he could somehow be a steal with the second pick.

#3) Jacksonville Jaguars: Johnny Manziel (QB, Texas A&M) - The Jaguars have a ton of needs on both sides of the ball but their unending pursuit of a franchise quarterback could finally come to rest with Manziel.  Worst case, at least Manziel will bring interest to a fan base for a few years.  Remember this is the same franchise that is the same fan base that wanted Tebow, they are clearly yearning for a real NFL quarterback.

#4) Cleveland Browns: Teddy Bridgewater (QB, Louisville) - Despite having quarterback Brian Hoyer in the fold, let's not forget he is  but coming off a serious kneed injury.  The Browns recently signed quarterbacks Tyler Thigpen and Vince Young too but neither is at long-term answer at quarterback.  Although Hoyer (when healthy) is a serviceable option, much like the Jaguars taking Manziel, the Browns taking Bridgewater will excite the fan base.

#5) Oakland Raiders: Jake Matthews (OT, Texas A&M) - Former Packers front office member Reggie McKenzie was quoted as saying "You draft for the future, not today".  I couldn't agree more with McKenzie.  Although their are some sexier players still available, taking Matthews will allow the Raiders to have their left tackle position settled for the next decade, which is something they desperately need.

#6) Atlanta Falcons: Kahlil Mack (OLB, Buffalo) - There were rumors that the Falcons wanted to trade up to get a pass rusher so staying put and still getting the best pass rusher not named Clowney looks like a steal.

#7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sammy Watkins (WR, Clemson) - Thanks to Matt Millen, teams are scared to draft wide receivers too high but I am actually fine with Watkins going as high as third.  If the Bucs can somehow sit at seven and still get Watkins, it will go a long way towards making quarterback Josh McCown or Mike Glennon successful next season.

#8) Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Mosley (MLB, Alabama) - I see Mosley going at least 10 picks later because middle linebacker has such low positional value but let's not forget that some thought the Carolina Panthers taking Luke Kuechly 9th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft was a reach for the same reason...look how well that turned out.  I get that Kuehley is more of a sure thing than Mosley given Mosely's injury history but that doesn't scare me enough to pass on Mosley.

#9) Buffalo Bills: Taylor Lewan (OT, Michigan) - Following the 2013 NFL Draft it looked like Matthews and Lewan were going to be the top two tackles in the 2014 NFL Draft.  Lewan had some off-the-field incidents that hurt his draft stock but there is no denying his talent.

#10) Detroit Lions: Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State) - NFL teams can never have too many cornerbacks given how slanted the rules are in favor of the offense, especially teams playing in the NFC North so Dennard makes a ton of sense for a team with secondary issues.

#11) Tennessee Titans: Blake Bortles (QB, UCF) - Although quarterback Jake Locker has shown flashes, he is clearly not a long-term solution.  Although I am not a huge Bortles fan, I still think it is worth rolling the dice given that they could have him on the cheap for five seasons that to the new rookie contracts.

#12) New York Giants: Aaron Donald (DT, Pittsburgh) - The NFL Draft being a few weeks later hurt some players like the quarterbacks already discuss since it gave scouts a few more weeks to pull apart their game tape or grill them during one of their many private workouts while it helped others like Donald since it gave those same scouts a chance to watch more tape on some lesser known commodities. The Giants could replace the loss of Linval Joseph to the Vikings with a very similar player in Donald.

#13) St. Louis Rams: Mike Evans (WR, Texas A&M) - The chances of Evans getting out of the Top 10 are low but the Rams would be absolutely ecstatic to land him without having to trade up to give quarterback Sam Bradford a huge target to compliment slot receiver Tavon Austin.

#14) Chicago Bears: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S, Alabama) - Much like Mosley, I secretly hope that Clinton-Dix is available when the Packers are on the board but think chances are slim.  If the Bears have any reservations about drafting Clinton-Dix, all they need to do is think back to how 2013 finished.

#15) Pittsburgh Steelers: Zack Martin (OT, Notre Dame) - At some point the Steelers have to get a legitimate left tackle to protect quarterback Ben Rothlisberger's blind side.  The upside on Martin is lower than the other tackles taken so far in this mock draft but the floor on Martin is fairly high too, which makes this a nice pick for the Steelers.

#16) Dallas Cowboys: Calvin Pryor (S, Louisville) - The Cowboys have a ton of needs to fill so although safety might not be at the top of the list, getting a thumper like Pryor is too enticing to pass on at this point.

#17) Baltimore Ravens: Ryan Shazier (LB, Ohio State) - The most versatile of the high-end linebackers in the entire draft makes Shazier a perfect fit for the Racens since they like to move linebackers to different spots in their 3-4 defense.

#18) New York Jets: Eric Ebron (TE, UNC) - There is no way Ebron should last this long, especially given the significant drop-off at tight end after him so the Jets should hand in their card the minute the Ravens pick if Ebron is still available.

#19) Miami Dolphins: Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State) - Shocking that it took 19 picks to have the second cornerback drafted.  Part of that is due to depth at the position but there is still no way that the Dolphins can pass on Gilbert.

#20) Arizona Cardinals: Morgan Moses (OT, Virginia) - There is very mixed opinion on Moses, obviously I am higher on the guy than others.

#21) Green Bay Packers: Oddell Beckham Jr. (WR, LSU) - The Packers clearly need a safety but with Clinton-Dix and Pryor off the board, taking Deone Bucannon (S, Washington), Jimmie Ward (S, Northern Illinois), Terrence Brooks (S, FSU), or Lamarcus Joyner (S, FSU) feels like a reach this early in the draft despite the fact that the Packers desperately need a safety opposite Morgan Burnett.  I guess I favor Bucannon's larger frame but still am leery to pull the trigger on him, which is why I took the best player available even thought wide receiver is not really a need for the Packers.  My guess is that Beckham goes much earlier but at 21, I couldn't pass up such a dynamic pass catcher.  Plus, this feels a little Jordy Nelson-esque, which obviously turned out great for the Packers.

#22) Philadelphia Eagles: Marquis Lee (WR, USC) - Another year in college sure hurt Lee's draft stock given that he looked like a lock for the Top 10 following the 2013 NFL Draft.  Hopefully 2013 was an aberration not the start of a trend line.

#23) Kansas City Chiefs: Cody Latimer (WR, Indiana) - Really hard to tell whether Latimer will create enough separation in the NFL to be effective but his big frame makes him awful enticing.

#24) Cincinnati Bengals: Kyle Fuller (CB, Virginia Tech) - As I've said many times in this space, I have a soft spot in my heart for Virgina Tech since that is where Sister-in-Law Cheese is going to get her Ph.D in less than a week.  Father-in-Law Cheese is a Bengal fan by birth but Packer fan by marriage so this pick is a match made in heaven.

#25) San Diego Chargers: Ra'Shede Hageman (DT, Minnesota) - I got to see Hageman play against the Cornhuskers last season and came away impressed by how much of an impact he had on the game.  Unfortunately it is hard to tell whether Hageman has the motor to play every down that way in the NFL though, which make him a somewhat risky pick in the first round.

#26) Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis Colts): Jason Verrett (CB, VCU) - There is a chance that Bridgewater is still on the board here but I reached for him with the 4th pick so I decided to get a quality cornerback to play opposite Joe Hayden with the pick the Browns got from the Colts for Trent Richardson, the underwhelming 3rd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

#27) New Orleans Saints: Timmy Jernigan (DT, FSU) - Following the national championship game it looked like Jernigan was a sure fire Top 10 pick but some off the field stuff hurt his cause.  If the Saints can get Jernigan to focus, they might get the steal of the first round.

#28) Carolina Panthers: Brandin Cooks (WR, Oregon State) - Given their lack of talent at wide receiver, I might be able to some playing time at wide receiver for the Panthers.  Despite Cooks being diminutive like myself, he automatically becomes the best wide receiver on their roster.

#29) New England Patriots: Stephon Tuitt (DT, Notre Dame) - The Patriots love to plug versatile defensive lineman into their scheme, which makes a guy like Tuitt a perfect fit.

#30) San Francisco 49ers: Anthony Barr (OLB, UCLA) - Some scouts think Barr is too soft to contribute at the next level.  If there is any team that will get the best out of Barr, it is the 49ers.

#31) Denver Broncos: Louis Nix III (DT, Notre Dame) - I love Irish Chocolate's (food) space eating ability.  I know that seems like a cheap shot but I actually think true nose tackles in 3-4 defenses are becoming devalued too much since they setup highlight reel plays instead of making highlight reel plays.  If the Broncos take Nix, I see outside linebackers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware having huge seasons next year.

#32) Seattle Seahawks: Kony Ealy (DE, Missouri) - There are very few weaknesses on the Super Bowl Champ's roster.  The key to them winning the Super Bowl last season was their ability to consistently getting after the quarterback so the rich get richer by adding another versatile pass rusher.

I was going to write a three-part preview (offense, defense, and special teams) of the 2014 NFL Draft for Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson but work intervened so my half-written preview died on the cutting room floor.  Absent a trade, Thompson is on the clock with the 21st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft this evening.  Make sure to check for my thoughts on Twitter tonight and my in-depth thoughts in this space tomorrow morning, assuming work comports.
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Thursday, April 24, 2014

The 53 - First Look at 2014 Regular Season Schedule for the Green Bay Packers

Besides their usual home and away with their NFC North divisional foes (Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings), next season the Green Bay Packers host the New England Patriots, the New York Jets, the Carolina Panthers, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons in non-divisional games while they face the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints on the road.  The date date and time of when the Packers actually play all of those games was announced last night:

Week 1: @ the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, September 4th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 2: vs. the New York Jets on Sunday, September 14th @ 3:25 p.m.
Week 3: @ the Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 21st @ noon
Week 4: @ the Chicago Bears on Sunday, September 28th @ noon
Week 5: vs. the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, October 2nd @ 7:25 p.m.
Week 6: @ the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, October 12th @ noon
Week 7: vs. the Carolina Carolina on Sunday, October 19th @ noon
Week 8: @ the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 26th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: vs. the Chicago Chicago Bears on November 9th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 11: vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, November 16th @ noon
Week 12: @ the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 23rd @ noon
Week 13: vs. the New England Patriots on Sunday, November 30th @ 3:25 p.m.
Week 14: vs. the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, December 8th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 15: @ the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, December 14th @ noon
Week 16: @ the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, December 21st @ noon
Week 17: vs. the Detroit Lions on Sunday, December 28th on noon
The three most interesting games on the slate to me when you factor in just the time of the year of the game, where the game is being played, and the current rosters for the other team are:

 #3) Week 16 @ the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, December 21st @ noon: For years Cheesehead Chick and I've talked about spending Christmas at Mama Cheese and Papa Cheese's vacation home in Punta Gorda, FL.  This year seems like the perfect year to do it, especially if we take Christmas week off so we can make the short two hour drive north to score easy tickets to see the Packers play in the sun in late December and then spend the rest of the week relaxing poolside, hopefully enjoying the fruits of another Packer victory.  There is no doubt that Week 8 @ the Saints and Week 13 hosting the Patriots look like better games right now but there is always one team that struggles the previous year but wins at least six more games the following year.  The Bucs were 4-12 last year but they cleaned house after last season and brought in Lovie Smith as their new head coach, Jason Licht as their new general manager, and Josh McCown as their new starting quarterback.  I am not sold on McCown despite how well he played in relief of Jay Cutler at quarterback for the Chicago Bears the last few years, mostly because filling in for the injured starter is much different than being the starter from day one. Factoring in all the changes for the Bucs, I could see them turn the corner quickly to become a borderline playoff team next season.  Leaving the glorious possibility of spending Christmas in warm weather in Florida aside, I could actually see this game determining whether the Packers or Bucs are playoff bound in 2014.

#2) Week 12 @ the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 23rd @ noon: The Vikings are finally building a new stadium to replace The Humpty after they knocked it down following the 2013 season.  Mother nature tried to get rid of The Humpty in 2011 but the Vikings kept playing there for two more years.  Without a new permanent home till (at least) 2015, the Vikings are playing at TCF Bank Stadium, the home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers.  Last year Gaber, Nick, Sug, and I sent out The Humpty in style.  The day before, Nick and I got a preview of coming attractions when we saw the Minnesota Golden Gophers beat the Nebraska Cornhusters at TCF Bank Stadium.  Let's not forget, TCF Bank Stadium is where Brett Favre's consecutive games started streak ended at 297 when he took a hard hit on the astro turf at the hands of Buffalo Bills linebacker Arthur Moats.  Despite opening in 2009, the Vikings are still investing money in the field and running beer lines throughout the stadium to make the stadium as modern as possible.  Hopefully Gaber, Nick, Sug, and I can get the band back together to see the Packers beat the Vikings outside at TCF Bank Stadium in 2014, where games should be played in the Midwest.

#1) Week 1 @ the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, September 4th @ 7:30 p.m: This is clearly the easy one to pick for a number of reasons.  Not only is this the first game of the entire 2014 NFL regular season because the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year, but this also marks the first visit to Seattle for the Packers since they got hosed in the "Fail Mary" game on MNF of Week 3 of the 2012 season.  The replacement refs botched the call at the end of the "Fail Mary" game so bad in front of a national audience that it actually ended the NFL ref's strike.  The front offices of both teams are intertwined given that current Packer's general manager Ted Thompson used to be a prominent member of the Seahawk's front office while the current Seahawk's general manager John Schnieder worked under Thompson in Green Bay.  One game does not make a season but my expectations are low for this game unless Thompson has a stellar performance in the 2014 NFL Draft so if the Packers could somehow beat the Seahawks on the road, it could go a long way towards making 2014 a special season for the Packers.

I will have a much more detailed breakdown of how I think all of the games will play out once I know how The 53 is most likely going to look following the 2014 NFL Draft.  Speaking of which, make sure to check back over the next few week as I start to roll out my in-depth look at draft for Thompson.
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Saturday, March 15, 2014

Building The 53 - The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly 1.0

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson rarely makes headlines in free agency but on the brink of free agency Thompson did exactly that when he signed cornerback Sam Shields to a four-year, $39 million contract with $12.5 million guaranteed.  The fact that Thompson made headlines even before the start of free agency might have been a harbinger of things to come because so far Thompson has been very active in free agency by his standards.  Less than a week into free agency, here are my initial thoughts.

The Good
A few days ago I gave Thompson a blueprint for how to re-build the defense via free agency. Although Thompson did not sign the specific players I highlighted, he did follow four of my five pieces of advice: did not sign an expensive safety, signed a cost-effective outside linebacker in Mike Neal, signed a cost-effective defensive lineman in B.J. Raji, and signed an expensive pass rusher in Julius Peppers.  The only piece of advice that Thompson has ignored whole cloth is failing to sign Charles Woodson, which is still a possibly given that he is still free agent.  There is no doubt that Woodson would be a welcomed addition even considering all the moves made by Thompson so far this off-season.
 
Let's start with the Neal deal.  Thompson gave Neal a two-year, $8 million contract with $2.5 million guaranteed.  I thought a three-year, $7.5 million deal with $2.5 million guaranteed seemed fair so the deal Neal signed is slightly more expensive than I would have liked but still a reasonable, cost-effective move nonetheless.  After switching from defensive line to outside linebacker last season, Neal showed the ability to rush the passer but struggled to drop into coverage.  It will be interesting to see if the Packers keep Neal at outside linebacker given the addition of Peppers and the presence of Nick Perry on The 53.

Let's move on to Raji.  In the middle of last season the Packers reportedly offered Raji a long-term deal worth $8 million a year.  In less than six months things have changed dramatically for Raji given that he settled for a one-year, $4 million "prove-it" deal with the Packers.  Although Raji was less than impressive last season, some of that had to do with the lack of big plays the players around Raji produced so he has to be excited about the Peppers signing.

According to initial reports Peppers signed a three-year, $30 million contract with $7.5 million guaranteed that pays him $8.5 million next season.  The Packers rarely sign free agents that played for other NFL teams, let along 34-year old free agents that played for a divisional rival.  The reason that the Packers signed Peppers is that he is a versatile pass rusher that can lineup at outside linebacker or defensive end in a 3-4 or as an inside pass rush in the nickel.  I've long been a fan of Peppers, which is why I advised Thompson to add Peppers back in 2009.
 
Three years, $30 million feels like a lot of money for a player in his mid-30's but let's compare that to the deal that DeMarcus Ware just signed.  Ware is a very similar player in terms of versatility and production that is just two years younger than Peppers.  Ware recently signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Denver Broncos but $23 million of that deal is guaranteed.  If the Peppers experiment fails next season the Packers can cut Peppers with very little salary cap ramifications while the Broncos are married to Ware through 2016.  Although I like Ware slightly more than Peppers as a player at this point, when you factor in the structure of each of their contracts, I am a much bigger fan of the Peppers deal.

With Raji and Peppers in the fold, the Packers now have a ton of quality depth along the defensive line to go along with Josh Boyd, Mike Daniels, Datone Jones, and Jerel Worthy. The Packers still have the option of resigning defensive lineman Johnny Jolly and Ryan Pickett but I would be surprised if the Packers signed either player unless they accept a cheap, one-year deal.

The Bad
Besides Jolly and Pickett, the Packers still have tons of free agents that were on The 53 last season that have not signed a contract with an NFL team for 2014.  I am not going to give another detailed breakdown of what Thompson should do since I already did that for the RFA's and UFA's in early January that I updated a week ago.  The one specific piece of advice that I will mention for Thompson is that I still think it is worth signing tight end Jermichael Finley or wide receiver James Jones to a long-term deal.  Besides that, Thompson should let other teams sign the remaining free agents to big money deals.  Once those deals are done, hopefully that will allow Thompson to sign the rest of the players to cheaper, short-term contracts.

The Ugly 
The Packers had 19 players on The 53 last season that were set to become restricted or unrestricted free agents this off-season.  Once Thompson resigned Shields, I thought resigning center Evan Dietrich-Smith became the highest priority.  Earlier this off-season I advised Thompson to sign EDS to a four-year, $16 million deal with $8 million.   Ultimately EDS signed a four-year, $14.25 million deal and $7.25 million guaranteed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers so the Bucs and I clearly value EDS more than Thompson.  This marks the second year in a row that the Packers needlessly lost a free agent to the Bucs.  Last year the Packers lost tight end Tom Crabtree, which I thought was a huge loss at the time.  Unfortunately I think losing EDS is even worse than losing Crabtree.

I know center is not the sexiest position in football but the Packers struggled to replace center Scott Wells after he signed a big free agent deal in 2012 with the St. Louis Rams.  The Packers replaced Wells with Jeff Saturday, which was a huge downgrade till EDS unseated Saturday. Now the Packers have to start over again at center, which tells me they learned nothing from the Wells/Saturday debacle.  The 2014 NFL Draft doesn't look to have an immediate starter at center, which means the Packers will most likely have to fill that void via free agency or in-house.  The one silver lining is that the Packers look settled at tackle (David Bakhtiari at left tackle & Bryan Bulaga at right tackle) and guard (Josh Sitton at left guard and T.J. Lang at right guard) so they can focus on center.

If the Packers look to free agency the only top-end option left is former New Orleans Saints center Brian De La Puente.  I may be in the minority but I favor EDS over De La Puente so I am not sure it is worth breaking the bank for De La Puente.  That means Thompson will most likely have to fill the void a center in-house.  At this point it looks like a two-person battle between J.C. Tretter and Don Barclay.  Tretter tore ligaments in his ankle and fractured his fibula during an off-season workout on May 20, 2013 but thankfully recovered enough to make The 53 at the end of last season.  Barclay is sort of a wild card because he played well at right tackle last season in place of Bryan Bulaga.  When EDS was injured the Packers moved Lang to center, Barclay to right guard and inserted Marshall Newhouse at right tackle.  Barclay had mixed results at right guard, which makes me question how well he could do at center but some of that could be chalked up to how much Newhouse struggled at tackle.  Until the Packers inevitably suffer another injury along the offensive line that leaves Barclay without a job unless he can move to center so Barclay oddly looks like the front runner at center at this point despite never playing the position.

With the Peppers deal out of the way, I presume Thompson will lay low for the next week.  If Thompson makes any significant moves though, make sure to check back for full coverage in this space.
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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Building The 53 - First Look at the 2014 NFL Draft

Four months from today I will post my review of the 2014 NFL Draft for the Green Bay Packers. Odds are that Packers general manager Ted Thompson will add at least 10 new players in the 2014 NFL Draft given that he currently has seven draft picks even before being awarded any compensatory draft picks.  Plus we know that Thompson loves to trade down to acquire more draft picks so that could mean as many as 15 new players along with a number of undrafted rookie free agents fighting for spots on The 2013 to open 2014.

Advice for Ted Thompson
How to Handle Players on 8-Man Practice Squad
How to Handle Players on Injured Reserve
How to Handle 2014 RFA's on The 53
How to Handle 2014 UFA's on The 53
Potential Salary Cap Casualties on The 53
First Look at the 2014 NFL Draft
Locks for The 53 for 2014
Lot's of things can change in the next four months, especially for players currently projected to go later in the draft or undrafted.  In case you missed it, I ranked the Top 25 NFL prospects that currently play for the Wisconsin Badgers irrespective of the year they will be eligible for the draft.  There is no question that the biggest positional needs (greatest to least) for the Packers are safety, tight end, linebacker, defensive line, offensive line, kicker, fullback, cornerback, wide receiver, running back, punter, and quarterback.  Given the Packers' current positional needs, there is a chance that Thompson actually drafts a Badger over the next few years.

Following their loss to the San Francisco 49ers, assuming Thompson doesn't trade up or down, the Packers are currently scheduled to draft 21st in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.  We know that Thompson likes to draft the best player available but given that safety, tight end, linebacker, and defensive line are the biggest needs so I am going to focus on how Thompson could address those needs with the 21st pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Right now it looks like Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Calvin Pryor, or bust given the lack of quality safeties in the 2014 NFL Draft.  Ha Ha is a 21-year old junior from Alabama that at 6'1" and 208 lbs is not the biggest hitter but has the skills to start at safety as a rookie in the NFL in 2014.  Ha Ha reminds me a lot of Eric Reid, a standout rookie for the San Francisco 49ers.  Pryor has essentially the same build as Ha Ha but playing at Louisville as opposed to Alabama didn't prove he can do it on a big stage like Ha Ha did the last three years.  This feels a little bit like the the 2007 NFL Draft when the Packers desperately needed a running back so every mock draft had them taking Marshawn Lynch with the 16th pick.  Ultimately Lynch went 12th to the Buffalo Bills and the Packers took defensive lineman Justin Harrell, oh dang.  I obviously favor Ha Ha over Pryor at this point but we are still very early in the process so that might change by the 2014 NFL Draft.  Clearly Ha Ha or Pryor would fill a huge need for the Packers, which is why I would be shocked if the Packers actually drafted either unless they traded up in the first round.

The Packers could use a versatile linebacker in the mold of Brandon Chillar.  I know that seems like a weird comparison considering Chillar only had a couple good years in Green Bay but with how much trouble the Packers have covering running backs or tight ends with linebackers and considering all the nickel the Packers play on defense, a hybrid inside/outside linebacker is exactly what the Packers need.  I see Anthony Barr, Khalil Mack, and C.J. Mosley all going in the Top 10.  A couple of guys that project to be a rich man's Chillar are Ryan Shazier (JR, Ohio State, 6'2", 225 lbs, and 21-years old) and Vic Beasley (JR, Clemson, 6'2", 235 lbs, and 21-year old).  Shazier already declared for the draft while Beasley is still undecided.  Assuming both declare for the draft, I favor Shazier slightly over Beasley despite sharing a birthday with Beasley.

Given that the Packers have four players set to become free agents along the defensive line, despite having a bunch of quality young guys, the Packers still might draft a defensive lineman in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Since the Packers drafted defensive end Datone Jones in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, I would be shocked if they took another defensive end so I will focus on defensive tackles.  I see Timmy Jernigan going in the Top 10.  That leaves Louis Nix III (SR, Notre Dame, 6'3", 340 lbs, 22-years old) and Ra'Shede Hageman (SR, Minnesota, 6'6", 307 lbs, 23-years old) as options.  As long as the Packers can keep Nix motivated, I see him as a long term solution as a space eater along the defensive line in place of B.J. Raji or Ryan Pickett.  I got to see Hageman play in-person earlier this year.  Although I like Hageman's versatility to play any spot along the defensive line, I have some reservations about him being 24-years old before the start of the 2014 NFL season.  Despite Hageman's versatility, I would favor Nix ahead of Hageman.

Moving to the offensive side of the ball, even if Jermichael Finley returns to the Packers next year, you can never have too many athletic tight ends because NFL defenses continue to struggle with containing those types of players.  Add in that teams are splitting tight ends out as wide receivers and having multiple athletic tight ends is almost become a necessity as opposed to a luxury.  It looks like Eric Ebron will go in the Top 15.  That leaves Austin Seferian-Jenkins (JR, Washington, 6'6", 266 lbs, 21-years old) and Jace Amaro (JR, Texas Tech, 6'5", 255 lbs, 21-years old) as options for the Packers.  I see Seferian-Jenkins as a more athletic version of Andrew Quarless with the off-the-field issues being an unfortunate common thread between Seferian-Jenkins and Quarless.  Despite the off-the-field issues, Seferian-Jenkins's athleticism makes him slightly more appetizing than Amaro.

Assuming all the players I just discussed in-depth are available when the Packers are on the clock with the 21st pick in the 2014 NFL Draft I would obviously thank my lucky starts and draft Ha Ha without thinking twice.  If Ha Ha is off the board, here is the order (most to least) that I like the rest: Seferian-Jenkins, Shazier, Nix, Beasley, Pryor, Amaro, and Hageman.  Make sure to check back tomorrow for the final of my seven-part series of off-season advice for Thompson where I give the guys that are currently under contract for at least 2014 that if healthy should be locks for The 53 in 2014.
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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Building The 53 - Top 25 Wisconsin Badger NFL Prospects from 2014 Capital One Bowl

The 19th ranked Wisconsin Badgers played the 8th ranked South Carolina Gamecocks for the first time in the 2014 Capital One Bowl.  This marks the second time in three years that the Gamecocks played in the Capitol One Bowl, two years ago they beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers 30-13.  The last time the Badgers appeared in the Capitol One Bowl was 2006 when then first-year Badger head coach Bret Bielema beat the Arkansas Razorbacks 17-14.  Bielema left Wisconsin to become the head coach at Arkansas between the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game and the 2013 Rose Bowl.

Unfortunately the Badgers continued their struggles in bowl games losing their fourth in a row. The Badgers lost three consecutive Rose Bowls: 21-19 to TCU in 2011, 45-38 to Oregon in 2012, and 20-14 to Stanford in 2013.  Following their 34-24 loss to the Gamecocks in the 2014 Capital One Bowl that means the last time the Badgers won a bowl game was the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl 20-14 over Miami.

The Gamecocks have a number of players that will play in the NFL.  The headliner of that group is junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney that declared for the 2014 NFL Draft right after the Capital One Bowl since he will most likely be the top pick. Other Gamecocks that impressed me were quarterback Connor Shaw, running back Mike Davis, defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles, and linebacker Skai Moore.

There are a number of other outlets where you can get the full recap of the 2014 Capitol One Bowl but I am much more interested in what Badgers from the 2014 Capital One Bowl will succeed in the NFL.  A college player must have been out of high school for three years in order to be eligible for the NFL Draft.  That means if a player red-shirts, he could technically enter the NFL Draft as a red-shirt ("RS") sophomore.  Any underclassmen (RS Sophomore, Junior, or RS Junior) must declare for the 2014 NFL Draft by January 15, 2014.  Here are the Top 25 NFL prospects current on the Badgers' roster:

#25) Young Non-Starting Offensive Lineman:  Seven Badger offensive lineman were taken in the NFL Draft the last three years, which is the most of any school in the country so there is a good chance that one of the following young Badger offensive lineman will be playing in the NFL in three or four years: Ray Ball (SO, G, 6'7" & 321 lbs), Hayden Biegel (FR, T, 6'6" & 281 lbs), Ben Hemer (FR, OL, 6'4" & 275 lbs), Walker Williams (FR, T, 6'7" & 322 lbs), or one of the handful of other big uglies not currently listed on the depth chart.

 #24) Kenzel Doe (KR/WR, JR): Every year there is a slightly built but speedy return guy that makes a splash in the NFL.  Doe had a big return in the 2014 Capitol One Bowl to bring the Badgers within three points.  Those are the kind of game-changing plays that could catapult Doe from an undrafted rookie free agent in the 2015 NFL Draft to a spot on the practice squad or even The 53 of an NFL team in 2015.

#23) Vince Biegel (OLB, RS FR): If Biegel can improve his pass rushing moves, look for him to climb this rankings quickly and turn into a nice prospect for the 2017 NFL Draft.

#22) Pat Muldoon (DE, RS SR): This season Muldoon was named All-Big Ten honorable mention but I am not sure that is enough to get him selected in the 2014 NFL Draft.

#21) Ethan Hemer (DE/OLB, SR): Went from walk-on to finally earning a scholarship a year ago.  At 6'6" and 285 lbs, it will be interesting to see if Hemer can go through a Mike Neal-esque transition from defensive line to outside linebacker in the NFL.  Much like Muldoon, I expect Hemer to go undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft.

#20) Derek Landisch (LB, JR): Despite being a middle-of-the-road recruit, Landisch was named Rookie of the Year in 2011.  Landisch's slight build at 6'0" and 230 lbs means he will really have to show well next season to get selected in the 2015 NFL Draft.

#19) Dan Voltz (C, RS FR): Came to Wisconsin as a tackle/guard but has seen action at center so far for the Badgers.  There is a chance that Voltz could swing to one of the guard positions but given that he is only 6'3", I would be shocked if he got a chance at tackle.  Needs to focus on one position to improve and give scours tape to judge whether he looks like a real NFL prospect.

#18) Dallas Lewallen (C, RS JR): Next season is going to be big for Lewallen because injuries really made it hard to tell whether he can play on Sundays.

#17) Kyle Costigan (RG, RS JR): Switched from defensive line to offensive line before the 2012 season.  The transition has gone better than I expected.  Hopefully with another year under his belt next season he will show enough to get drafted towards the end of the 2015 NFL Draft.

#16) Bart Houston (QB, FR):  The former De La Salle High School player had shoulder surgery on December 1, 2012 and only played in two games this season for the Badgers.  At 6'4" and 214 lbs, Houston projects as an athletic spinner with a good chance to start at quarterback for the Badgers in 2015.

#15) Derek Watt (FB, SO): The cliche description of Watt is to talk about his older brother J.J. but let's focus on Derek.  With all the spread offenses run in college and the NFL, the fullback position is continuing to be marginalized.  That means guys like Watt need to be one of the three or four best at the position along with showing that he can be a contributor on special teams in the NFL if he wants to play on Sunday.  I see Watt as a late round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

#14) Joel Stave (QB, RS SO): I really only ranked Stave this high because he plays quarterback.  Stave commits way too many turnovers, which is unacceptable given that the Badgers have arguably the most productive two-headed running back monster in college football.  With 19 games under his belt, the Badgers expect more from Stave.

#13) Beau Allen (DT, SR): I am shocked how many big-time Minnesota recruits in basketball and football decide to go to Wisconsin over Minnesota.  Allen is the next in a long line of natives of Minnesota that chose to become a Badgers over settling for being a Gopher.  It feels like Allen has been at Wisconsin for a million years given that he has played all four years.  Not sure whether Allen will get drafted in the 2014 NFL Draft but at 6'3" and 325 lbs he looks like a big enough space eater to play in the NFL.

#12) Dezmen Southward (S, RS SR): I was tempted to move Southward much higher on this list given that he is 6'2 and 210 lbs but he did not make enough plays on the field to warrant a higher ranking.  The safety position is weak in the 2014 NFL Draft after Alabama safety Ha'Sean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix.  If Southward tests well at the NFL Combine and Wisconsin's Pro Day, I could see him creeping up the draft board to possibly be a late round draftee in the 2014 NFL Draft.

#11) Tanner McEvoy (QB/S, RS SO): Let me set the stage.  McEvoy red-shirted for the Gamecocks in 2011 before transferring to Arizona Western College where he excelled at quarterback.  The Badgers played McEvoy at safety even though they are going to give him a chance to win the starting quarterback job next season.  Sure McEvoy might be able to spin the ball but at 6'6" and 223 lbs, given the proliferation of all the tall tight ends and wide receivers in the NFL, I would rather see McEvoy stick at safety since there are very few safeties even 6'2" in the NFL let alone 6'6".

#10) Tyler Marz (LT, RS SO): The NFL is looking for the next Joe Thomas as opposed to Gabe Carimi to come out of Wisconsin.  Meritz clearly had the body to be Thomas but those are pretty big shoes to fill given that Thomas is the best offensive lineman in program history.

#9) Corey Clement (FR, RB): Usually the Badgers have a nice stable of running backs but last year was their high watermark in program history with Montee Ball, James White, and Melvin Gordon because there is a chance that all three of those guys will get meaningful carries in the NFL by 2015.  With Ball getting drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, everyone moved up one spot in the pecking order with White replacing Ball, Gordon replacing White, and Clement replacing Gordon.  In limited action this season Clement looks like the next coming of Melvin Gordon.  How healthy Clement stays will determine whether he turns into a bona fide NFL prospect by the 2016 NFL Draft.

 #8) Michael Caputo (S, RS SO): One of the surest tacklers on the team gives the Badgers a real thumper at safety.  Caputo needs to put on some more muscle because I am still not sure he is strong enough to play on Sundays yet but given that he has the ball skills, two years in the weight room could turn him into a mid-round draft pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

#7) James White (RB, SR): After an impressive freshman season, White has been under the radar as he was overshadowed by Montee Ball the last couple years and Melvin Gordon this year.  Given White's shiftiness and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, I see him as a poor man's Darren Sproles in the NFL.  I see White as a late round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft that could be a one of the steals of the draft.

#6) Rob Havenstein (RT, RS JR): At 6'8" and 327 lbs, Havenstein is almost has too big of a frame for the NFL but if Havenstein can perform well while staying healthy, look for him to be a mid-round prospect in the 2015 NFL Draft.

#5) Ryan Groy (LG, SR):  Although guard looks like his best position, Groy can play any position along the offensive line so I see him being the eighth Badger offensive lineman drafted in the last four years.

#4) Sojourn Shelton (CB, FR): Although Shelton is only 5'9" & 172 pounds, he has been the most consistent defensive back on the team while leading the Badgers in interceptions.  Shelton is a pretty good tackler as well despite his slight frame.  If Shelton continues on his current trajectory, he might even sneak into the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. 

 #3) Jared Abbrederis (WR, RS SR): Walk-on turned NFL draftee projects as a poor man's Jordy Nelson in the NFL.  I see Abbrederis as a mid-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft unless he can put up impressive numbers at the NFL combine and his pro day to improve his draft stock.

#2) Chris Borland (LB, SR): The first Badger defender named an All American since defensive end Erasmus James in 2004 is probably the best defensive player in program history.  Given all the injuries that Borland overcame in college, there is no question that he has the mental fortitude to play in the NFL.  Borland plays middle linebacker though so at 5'11" and 246 lbs we are probably looking at the defensive Russell Wilson, which means Borland will drop a little too far in the 2014 NFL Draft and three years from now the other 31 NFL teams will ask their scouting department why they didn't advise taking Borland earlier in the 2014 NFL Draft.  After watching Borland's entire career, trust me, whatever NFL team drafts him will not regret that decision.  My guess is that Borland goes in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

#1) Melvin Gordon (RB, RS SO): Although Gordon is eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft, he recently announced that he is going to return to return for his junior season.  No disrespect to Ron Dayne or Montee Ball but even before the season there was talk that Gordon could be the best running back in Badger history.   If Gordon declared for the draft I would rate him as a late first or early second round pick.  Hopefully Gordon will put together a Heisman worthy season next year for the Badgers to make a push for the Top 10 in the 2015 NFL Draft.

If you enjoyed my extended thoughts on the best NFL prospects for the Badgers, make sure to check back as we get closer to the 2014 NFL Draft for even more draft coverage.
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