Going into the 2015 NFL preseason almost everything on offense is settled given that the Packers project to return every starter while almost everything on defense is equally unsettled given that the Packers need to replace at least one starter at both linebacker and cornerback. Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson will keep a close eye on everything throughout training camp but I am sure there will be an extra focus on the defensive side of the ball given all the personnel changes. With that in mind, here are a few of my thoughts on how
the Packers/Patriots preseason game impacted The 53:
Player that
hurt his stock most - Don Barclay: Going into the training camp, I thought Barclay was a borderline lock to make The 53 so I made him one of the nine Most Likelies*. Barclay is still rehabbing a knee injury that cost him the entire 2014 NFL season and he looked rusty in his first preseason action. Assuming that all the offensive lineman are healthy, the starters left to right project as follows: David
Bakhtiari (LT), Josh Sitton (LG), Corey Linsley (C), T.J. Lang (RG), and Bryan Bulaga (RT). For the first time in a long time, the Packers actually have some quality depth along the offensive line in Matt Rotheram (G), JC Tretter (C/G), Lane Taylor (G), Jeremy Vujnovich (T), and Josh Walker (G). It seems crazy to say this but assuming that every offensive lineman is healthy and Thompson keeps eight offensive lineman on The 53 to open the season, Barclay's spot on The 53 could be in jeopardy given the emergence of all the other young pups.
Player that helped his stock most - LaDarius Gunter: There is no doubt that Gunter turned some heads in practice given the he is the only defensive back with multiple interceptions of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in training camp and he continued his impressive play in his first preseason game action when he
picked off backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the 3rd quarter. Despite the fact that Thompson used his first two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft on defensive backs when he drafted Damarious Randall (Arizona State) and Quinten Rollins (Miami University), it still looks like Gunter is going to make The 53 as an undrafted free agent. Randall sat out against the Patriots with a groin injury but assuming all cornerbacks are healthy and the Packers leave Micah Hyde at safety, here is how the cornerback depth chart currently looks: Sam Shields, Casey Hayward, Rollins, Randall, Gunter, and Demetri Goodson.
Position
to watch - Defensive Line: Letroy Guion and Mike Daniels, two of the three presumptive starters along the defensive line sat out the Patriots game due to injury. That gave a number of backups the chance to show they belong. Here is a breakdown of the snap counts for each of the defensive lineman against the Patriots: Datone Jones (30), Mike Pennel (30), Bruce Gaston (26), Khyri Thornton (20), Josh Boyd (12), B.J. Raji (11), Christian Ringo (10), and Lavon Hooks (6). The fact that Pennel and Gaston got more snaps than Thornton is NOT a good sign for Thornton given that this training camp seems to be make-or-break for the former 3rd round pick of the 2014 NFL Draft after he spent the entire 2014 NFL season on injured reserve since there was little chance he would have made The 53 to open the 2014 NFL season. Given that Jones (suspended for Week 1) and Guion (suspended through Week 3 pending his appeal) will (most likely) be suspended to start the 2015 NFL season, there look to be five spots available along the defensive line for other guys. If I had to handicap the guys for those five spots, here is how I would hand them out as of today: Daniels, Boyd, Raji, Pennel, and Gaston. That leaves Thornton and Ringo on the outside looking in at this point but thankfully they have the rest of training camp and three more preseason games to change Thompson's mind.
Final
Note: I can't tell you how sick I am of hearing about Deflategate. If Tom Brady was more forthright, the NFL would have turned the page. Since that didn't happened, we've been forced to endure one of the most mind-numbing NFL stories in a long time. If you are a Patriots fan then you think the NFL is out to get you and that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is out to retroactively re-punish the Patriots more for Spygate since many think Goodell let the Patriots off easy given how close he is with Patriots owner Robert Kraft. If you are a fan of the other 31 NFL teams, you see a dysfunctional commissioner in Goodell that somehow botched what seemed to be a fairly straight forward process. Ultimately I assume that Brady will NOT miss any games but the fact is that no one wins given how horribly this process has been handled by everyone.
Unless the Packers make any significant roster moves before their next
preseason game on the road next Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers,
check back next Monday for my review of how the Packers/Steelers preseason
game impacts Building The 53.
Showing posts with label Datone Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Datone Jones. Show all posts
Friday, August 14, 2015
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
The 53 - Packers lose to Bears at Lambeau Field on MNF
The Green Bay Packers were favored by 11 points over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football at Lambeau Field mostly because the Bears were without their starting quarterback Jay Cutler due to a groin injury. Coming to the game the Bears were a mere 2-10 without Cutler under center since 2010, unfortunately the Packers lost their starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the game and most likely longer on a sack by defensive end Shea McClellin on their first offensive series of the game. That meant both teams were without their starting quarterbacks for essentially the entire game so fans were treated to Seneca Wallace v. Josh McCown instead of Rodgers v. Cutler.
Some quick stats on the longest rivalry in NFL history. Heading into the game the Bears lead the all-time series 92-88-6 but the Packers have won their last six meetings. including winning the NFC Championship Game in Chicago en route to winning Super Bowl XLV. This was the 11th time the teams met on Monday Night Football with each team previously winning five times.
The inactives for the Packers against the Bears were: Josh Boyd (DE, healthy scratch), Jermichael Finley (TE, spinal injury), Chris Harper (WR, healthy scratch), Clay Matthews (OLB, thumb), James Nixon (CB, healthy scratch), Nick Perry (OLB, foot), and C.J. Wilson (DE, healthy scratch). Besides losing Rodgers, the Packers also lost starting right guard T.J. Lang to a concussion so they were forced to move starting right tackle Don Barclay to right guard and backup tackle Marshall Newhouse to right tackle.
With their first home divisional loss since 2009 the Packers snapped their 10-game home winning streak, which was the 3rd longest active streak in the NFL, in their loss to the Bears in at Lambeau Field for the first time since 2007. Here are my thoughts on the game along with my updated rankings to The 53:
#1) Aaron Rodgers (QB, LR 1): I actually wanted the Packers to consider drafting McClellin in the 2012 NFL Draft when the Bears took him 19th overall. With McClellin off the board, the Packers added outside linebacker Nick Perry with the 28th pick. So far McClellin and Perry have been mild disappointments in the NFL but McClellin sure made a name for himself against the Packers. Losing your quarterback is usually a big loss but in the case of Rodgers it is even more pronounced because he has absolutely owned the Bears going 9-2 against while completing 68.1% of his passes en route to throwing for 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. It looks like Rodgers will be out at least a few weeks so they will be paying him a ton of money to rehab because according to ESPN's Darren Rovell, the Packers owe Rodgers $40 million over the next 245 days, which is $163,26.30 per day.
#7) Eddie Lacy (RB, LR 12): I wanted the Packers to draft Lacy in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft so when Lacy fell into their lap after they traded back in the second round I was almost positive that if I bought a jersey this season it was going to be a Lacy jersey. Lacy amassed the most rushing yards of any running back in October so it should come as no surprise that Lacy was named the NFL offensive rookie of the month for October. With Rodgers out, Lacy had his best performance of the season carrying the ball 22 times for 150 yards and a touchdown. I talked about unsuccessfully buying a Lacy jersey in my review of attending the Packers/Browns game. There is a good chance that I am going to the Packers/Eagles game next weekend with Sug. If I go to the game, I will 100% be wearing a Lacy jersey.
#21) Datone Jones (DL, LR 23): The Packers finally got some production out of their rookie defensive end with his first ever sack in the NFL against the Bears. What was particularly impressive about the sack by Jones is that the Packers dropped him into coverage to spy Bears quarterback Josh McCown. Thanks to good coverage by the secondary, which was a rarity against the Bears, Jones was able to spy and close on McCown to register a spy sack. The Packers were expecting more plays like that spy sack out of Jones when they drafted him in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Unfortunately that was the only sack of the game for the Packers, which shows you how much they miss the pass rush tandem of outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Nick Perry. After holding the Browns and Vikings without a 20-yard gain on offense for consecutive weeks for the first time since the mid-1990's, the Packers gave up a number of big plays to the Bears' offense. Despite being without Matthews and Perry, defensive coordinator Dom Capers still should have been able to put together a game plan to contain McCown. Unfortunately the lack of consistent pass rush meant that McCown had all day to pick apart the Packer secondary.
#24) Jamari Lattimore (LB, LR 26): With A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones the starters at middle linebacker heading into training camp, I thought Desmond Bishop and Terrell Manning would win the backup middle linebacker spots. Instead the Packers kept middle linebackers Robert Francois (currently on injured reserve) and Lattimore ahead of Bishop and Manning. So far Lattimore has shown that he deserves a spot on The 53. Lattimore registered a blocked punt and recovered an onside kick against the Bears so at the very least he gives the Packers a core special teams player. Add in that Lattimore played well at middle linebacker in the base 3-4 defense when Jones was out with a hamstring injury and I can see Lattimore being a quality starting middle linebacker in the NFL down the road. Speaking of middle linebackers, it is worth noting that last night the Packers faced a Bears defense sans Brian Urlacher for the first time since 1999.
#26) Mason Crosby (K, LR 29): Avid readers of this space know that I am often critical of Crosby and head coach Mike McCarthy. I am critical of Crosby because he has been so inconsistent the last two years. Crosby was named NFC special teams player of the month for October. Unfortunately I think that means we have some big misses coming up soon because Crosby has been almost perfect in 2013 so he will have to regress to the mean at some point. For how inconsistent Crosby was as a place kicker in 2011 and 2012, he has always struck a great onside kick, which I actually think is a repeatable skill. I am often critical of McCarthy's decision making process so let me be the first to give him credit for calling the perfect onside kick that Crosby executed it perfectly. Even if the Packers did NOT recover the onside kick, I actually still would have complimented McCarthy and Crosby because I thought they both followed the right process.
#34) Andrew Quarless (TE, LR 35): The Packers sorely miss tight end Jermichael Finley. Case and point, the ball that Quarless bobbled but I think ultimately caught on the sideline for a first down was ruled incomplete on the field on a critical 3rd down in the first half. Don't get me wrong, Quarless should have cleanly caught the pass but even with Finley's shaky hands he makes that catch in his sleep. Leaving that aside, I still think McCarthy should have challenged the ruling on the field so despite all the praise I gave McCarthy in my recap of Crosby, that is somewhat mitigated by his decision not to challenge the ruling on Quarless's catch.
#45) Seneca Wallace (QB, LR 45): The Packers decided to sign Wallace as their backup quarterback at the end of training camp instead of keeping Vince Young or Graham Harrell because Wallace is supposed to be a veteran that can perform in a pinch. Wallace is one of only three players along with Kuhn and Pickett on The 53 that played on The 53 of another team. There is no other team in the NFL with more than 40 players that fit that bill. Unfortunately Kuhn and Pickett have had a much better tenure than Wallace so far after he went 11 for 19 throwing for 114 yards and 1 interception in place of Rodgers. Although those numbers look decent, I can;'t remember Wallace throwing a ball more than 15 yards down field against the Bears. Plus Wallace's interception came when he checked out of a run to a pass on a 3rd down play. The pass was tipped and intercepted by Bears defensive end Julius Peppers. When the Packers cut wide receiver Jeremy Ross it opened a spot on The 53. One of the ways I suggested the Packers should fill that spot on The 53 was to trade for former Packer quarterback Matt Flynn while he was still playing for the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders subsequently cut Flynn and the Packers decided not to add Flynn to The 53. Ultimately Flynn signed with the Buffalo Bills but was just released. Before we kick Wallace to the curb, let's not forget that Flynn struggled when he first filled in after Rodgers suffered a concussion on the road against the Lions in 2010. Flynn went 15 for 26 throwing for 177 yards and 1 interception in relief of Rodgers against the Lions before he played the game of his life in the 2011 NFL regular season finale against the Lions going 31 for 44 throwing for 480 yard, six touchdowns and 1 interception at Lambeau Field. Assuming Rodgers is out for an extended period of time, I would not only sign Tolzien off the practice squad in place of cornerback James Nixon but I would claim Flynn off waivers in place of tight end Jake Stoneburner to add two new quarterbacks to The 53.
#53) James Nixon (CB, LR 53): I know I've beaten the backup quarterback position to death already but one thing I did not mention is that practice squad quarterback Scott Tolzien recently got a huge raise to stay on the 8-man practice squad. I am not sure why the Packers didn't just add Tolzien to The 53 instead of keeping cornerback James Nixon on The 53. I know it is easy to say that now given the fact that the Packers lost Rodgers for the game and possibly longer but even if Rodgers was healthy is a 7th cornerback back really more valuable than a 3rd quarterback? Either way, I hope Nixon enjoyed his stay on The 53 because he is getting cut sooner rather than later.
As you can tell I would be shocked if the Packers did not make a move to The 53 to cover themselves in case Rodgers did in fact break his collarbone. I would be equally shocked if Rodgers was able to play next week against the Philadelphia Eagles at home. Either way, make sure to check back next Monday for my review of the Packers/Eagles because I plan to attend the game in-person with Sug and his family. If the Packers make any other changes to The 53 before the Packers/Eagles game I will have the full breakdown in this space. Let's hope the Packers receive some good news today on the Rodgers injury because if not, the Packers are in danger of missing the playoffs.
Some quick stats on the longest rivalry in NFL history. Heading into the game the Bears lead the all-time series 92-88-6 but the Packers have won their last six meetings. including winning the NFC Championship Game in Chicago en route to winning Super Bowl XLV. This was the 11th time the teams met on Monday Night Football with each team previously winning five times.
The inactives for the Packers against the Bears were: Josh Boyd (DE, healthy scratch), Jermichael Finley (TE, spinal injury), Chris Harper (WR, healthy scratch), Clay Matthews (OLB, thumb), James Nixon (CB, healthy scratch), Nick Perry (OLB, foot), and C.J. Wilson (DE, healthy scratch). Besides losing Rodgers, the Packers also lost starting right guard T.J. Lang to a concussion so they were forced to move starting right tackle Don Barclay to right guard and backup tackle Marshall Newhouse to right tackle.
With their first home divisional loss since 2009 the Packers snapped their 10-game home winning streak, which was the 3rd longest active streak in the NFL, in their loss to the Bears in at Lambeau Field for the first time since 2007. Here are my thoughts on the game along with my updated rankings to The 53:
| The 53 |
| 1. Aaron Rodgers (QB, LR 1) 2. Clay Matthews (OLB, LR 2) 3. Morgan Burnett (S, LR 3) 4. Jordy Nelson (WR, LR 4) 5. Josh Sitton (G, LR 5) 6. B.J. Raji (DL, LR 6) 7. Eddie Lacy (RB, LR 12) 8. James Jones (WR, LR 9) 9. T.J. Lang (G, LR 8) 10. Sam Shields (CB, LR 7) 11. David Bakhtiari (T, LR 11) 12. Evan Dietrich-Smith (C, LR 13) 13. Brad Jones (MLB, LR 15) 14. Tramon Williams (CB, LR 10) 15. Mike Daniels (DL, LR 16) 16. Jermichael Finley (TE, LR 14) 17. A.J. Hawk (MLB, LR 17) 18. Micah Hyde (CB, LR 18) 19. Casey Hayward (CB, LR 19) 20. Don Barclay (T, LR 21) 21. Datone Jones (DL, LR 23) 22. Nick Perry (OLB, LR 20) 23. Tim Masthay (P, LR 22) 24. Jamari Lattimore (LB, LR 26) 25. Davon House (CB, LR 24) 26. Mason Crosby (K, LR 29) 27. Ryan Pickett (DL, LR 25) 28. Jarrett Boykin (WR, LR 28) 29. Johnny Jolly (DL, LR 27) 30. Mike Neal (DL/OLB, LR 30) 31. Jarrett Bush (CB, LR 31) 32. James Starks (RB, LR 32) 33. M.D. Jennings (S, LR 33) 34. Andrew Quarless (TE, LR 35) 35. Marshall Newhouse (T, LR 39) 36. Brett Goode (LS, LR 34) 37. Ryan Taylor (TE, LR 43) 38. Chris Banjo (S, LR 36) 39. C.J. Wilson (DL, LR 37) 40. Andy Mulamba (LB, LR 40) 41. Jerron McMillian (S, LR 42) 42. Jonathan Franklin (RB, LR 38) 43. John Kuhn (FB, LR 41) 44. Sam Barrington (LB, LR 44) 45. Seneca Wallace (QB, LR 45) 46. Nate Palmer (LB, LR 46) 47. Myles White (WR, LR 48) 48. Brandon Bostick (TE, LR 47) 49. Lane Taylor (G, LR 49) 50. Jake Stoneburner (TE, LR 51) 51. Chris Harper (WR, LR 50) 52. Josh Boyd (DL, LR 52) 53. James Nixon (CB, LR 53) |
| Physically Unable to Perform |
| 1. Jerel Worthy (DE) 2. Derek Sherrod (T) 3. JC Tretter (T) 4. Sean Richardson (S) |
| IR, Designated for Return |
| 1. Randall Cobb (WR) |
| Injured Reserve |
| 1. Bryan Bulaga (T) 2. DuJuan Harris (RB) 3. Robert Francois (MLB) 4. Greg Van Roten (C/G) 5. Kevin Dorsey (WR) 6. Sederrik Cunningham (WR) |
| Cut |
| 1. Jeremy Ross (WR, Lions) 2. Michael Hill (RB, FA) |
#7) Eddie Lacy (RB, LR 12): I wanted the Packers to draft Lacy in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft so when Lacy fell into their lap after they traded back in the second round I was almost positive that if I bought a jersey this season it was going to be a Lacy jersey. Lacy amassed the most rushing yards of any running back in October so it should come as no surprise that Lacy was named the NFL offensive rookie of the month for October. With Rodgers out, Lacy had his best performance of the season carrying the ball 22 times for 150 yards and a touchdown. I talked about unsuccessfully buying a Lacy jersey in my review of attending the Packers/Browns game. There is a good chance that I am going to the Packers/Eagles game next weekend with Sug. If I go to the game, I will 100% be wearing a Lacy jersey.
#21) Datone Jones (DL, LR 23): The Packers finally got some production out of their rookie defensive end with his first ever sack in the NFL against the Bears. What was particularly impressive about the sack by Jones is that the Packers dropped him into coverage to spy Bears quarterback Josh McCown. Thanks to good coverage by the secondary, which was a rarity against the Bears, Jones was able to spy and close on McCown to register a spy sack. The Packers were expecting more plays like that spy sack out of Jones when they drafted him in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Unfortunately that was the only sack of the game for the Packers, which shows you how much they miss the pass rush tandem of outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Nick Perry. After holding the Browns and Vikings without a 20-yard gain on offense for consecutive weeks for the first time since the mid-1990's, the Packers gave up a number of big plays to the Bears' offense. Despite being without Matthews and Perry, defensive coordinator Dom Capers still should have been able to put together a game plan to contain McCown. Unfortunately the lack of consistent pass rush meant that McCown had all day to pick apart the Packer secondary.
#24) Jamari Lattimore (LB, LR 26): With A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones the starters at middle linebacker heading into training camp, I thought Desmond Bishop and Terrell Manning would win the backup middle linebacker spots. Instead the Packers kept middle linebackers Robert Francois (currently on injured reserve) and Lattimore ahead of Bishop and Manning. So far Lattimore has shown that he deserves a spot on The 53. Lattimore registered a blocked punt and recovered an onside kick against the Bears so at the very least he gives the Packers a core special teams player. Add in that Lattimore played well at middle linebacker in the base 3-4 defense when Jones was out with a hamstring injury and I can see Lattimore being a quality starting middle linebacker in the NFL down the road. Speaking of middle linebackers, it is worth noting that last night the Packers faced a Bears defense sans Brian Urlacher for the first time since 1999.
#26) Mason Crosby (K, LR 29): Avid readers of this space know that I am often critical of Crosby and head coach Mike McCarthy. I am critical of Crosby because he has been so inconsistent the last two years. Crosby was named NFC special teams player of the month for October. Unfortunately I think that means we have some big misses coming up soon because Crosby has been almost perfect in 2013 so he will have to regress to the mean at some point. For how inconsistent Crosby was as a place kicker in 2011 and 2012, he has always struck a great onside kick, which I actually think is a repeatable skill. I am often critical of McCarthy's decision making process so let me be the first to give him credit for calling the perfect onside kick that Crosby executed it perfectly. Even if the Packers did NOT recover the onside kick, I actually still would have complimented McCarthy and Crosby because I thought they both followed the right process.
#34) Andrew Quarless (TE, LR 35): The Packers sorely miss tight end Jermichael Finley. Case and point, the ball that Quarless bobbled but I think ultimately caught on the sideline for a first down was ruled incomplete on the field on a critical 3rd down in the first half. Don't get me wrong, Quarless should have cleanly caught the pass but even with Finley's shaky hands he makes that catch in his sleep. Leaving that aside, I still think McCarthy should have challenged the ruling on the field so despite all the praise I gave McCarthy in my recap of Crosby, that is somewhat mitigated by his decision not to challenge the ruling on Quarless's catch.
#45) Seneca Wallace (QB, LR 45): The Packers decided to sign Wallace as their backup quarterback at the end of training camp instead of keeping Vince Young or Graham Harrell because Wallace is supposed to be a veteran that can perform in a pinch. Wallace is one of only three players along with Kuhn and Pickett on The 53 that played on The 53 of another team. There is no other team in the NFL with more than 40 players that fit that bill. Unfortunately Kuhn and Pickett have had a much better tenure than Wallace so far after he went 11 for 19 throwing for 114 yards and 1 interception in place of Rodgers. Although those numbers look decent, I can;'t remember Wallace throwing a ball more than 15 yards down field against the Bears. Plus Wallace's interception came when he checked out of a run to a pass on a 3rd down play. The pass was tipped and intercepted by Bears defensive end Julius Peppers. When the Packers cut wide receiver Jeremy Ross it opened a spot on The 53. One of the ways I suggested the Packers should fill that spot on The 53 was to trade for former Packer quarterback Matt Flynn while he was still playing for the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders subsequently cut Flynn and the Packers decided not to add Flynn to The 53. Ultimately Flynn signed with the Buffalo Bills but was just released. Before we kick Wallace to the curb, let's not forget that Flynn struggled when he first filled in after Rodgers suffered a concussion on the road against the Lions in 2010. Flynn went 15 for 26 throwing for 177 yards and 1 interception in relief of Rodgers against the Lions before he played the game of his life in the 2011 NFL regular season finale against the Lions going 31 for 44 throwing for 480 yard, six touchdowns and 1 interception at Lambeau Field. Assuming Rodgers is out for an extended period of time, I would not only sign Tolzien off the practice squad in place of cornerback James Nixon but I would claim Flynn off waivers in place of tight end Jake Stoneburner to add two new quarterbacks to The 53.
#53) James Nixon (CB, LR 53): I know I've beaten the backup quarterback position to death already but one thing I did not mention is that practice squad quarterback Scott Tolzien recently got a huge raise to stay on the 8-man practice squad. I am not sure why the Packers didn't just add Tolzien to The 53 instead of keeping cornerback James Nixon on The 53. I know it is easy to say that now given the fact that the Packers lost Rodgers for the game and possibly longer but even if Rodgers was healthy is a 7th cornerback back really more valuable than a 3rd quarterback? Either way, I hope Nixon enjoyed his stay on The 53 because he is getting cut sooner rather than later.
As you can tell I would be shocked if the Packers did not make a move to The 53 to cover themselves in case Rodgers did in fact break his collarbone. I would be equally shocked if Rodgers was able to play next week against the Philadelphia Eagles at home. Either way, make sure to check back next Monday for my review of the Packers/Eagles because I plan to attend the game in-person with Sug and his family. If the Packers make any other changes to The 53 before the Packers/Eagles game I will have the full breakdown in this space. Let's hope the Packers receive some good news today on the Rodgers injury because if not, the Packers are in danger of missing the playoffs.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Building The 53 - 2013 Green Bay Packer Draft Picks
Welcome to my fourth annual review of the Green Bay Packers draft (2010, 2011, and 2012). The 2013 NFL Draft was Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson's ninth draft of his tenure in Green Bay. The best pick Thompson made during his tenure so far in Green Bay was his first in 2005, when he drafted Aaron Rodgers 24th overall. There have been a number of other great picks along the way as well, too many to name in fact. Based on my early review, either of Thompson's first two picks in this draft have a chance to be two of the best players he ever drafted for the Packers.
It is apparent that Thompson prefers quantity over quality since he is much more apt to trade back than trade up sans the 2012 NFL Draft. Whether Thompson is your college buddy that regularly trools for 6's instead of dime pieces, the fact that Thompson regularly lands dime pieces irrespective of the round that he is picking, is why the Packers have been so competitive during his nine-year tenure. Oh that and it helps to have a consistently awesome wingman.
The Packers entered the 2013 NFL Draft with eight picks. They traded down three times (no shocker there) amassing four more picks, but then traded up once after that so they ultimately drafted 11 players. Here are my thoughts on the 11 new members of the Green Bay Packers:
1st Round (26th Overall): Datone Jones, Defensive End
School: UCLA (Pac-12)
Height: 6'3⅞"
Weight: 283 lbs
Arm Length: 32 5/8"
Hand Size: 10"
40-yard Dash: 4.8 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 7.32 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.32 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 29 reps
Vertical Leap: 31.5"
Broad Jump: 112"
Wonderlic: 20 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina), Matt Elam (S, Florida), and Johnathan Cyprien (S, Florida International)
Tweet:
2nd Round (61st Overall): Eddie Lacy, Running Back
School: Alabama (SEC)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 231 lbs
Arm Length: 31"
Hand Size: 9 3/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.53 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Leap: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
Wonderlic: 17 out of 50
Other Possible Picks:Christine Michael (RB, Texas A&M), Tyrann Mathieu (DB, LSU), and John Jenkins (DT, Georgia)
Tweet:
4th Round (109th Overall): David Bakhtiari, Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard
School: Colorado (Pac-12)
Height: 6'4¼"
Weight: 299 lbs
Arm Length: 34"
Hand Size: 9 3/8"
40-yard Dash: 5.15 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 7.70 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.74 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 28 reps
Vertical Leap: 25.5"
Broad Jump: 101"
Wonderlic: 25 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Shamarko Thomas (S, Syracuse), Barett Jones (C, Alabama), and Khaled Holmes (C, USC)
Tweet:
4th Round (122nd Overall): J.C. Tretter, Offensive Guard/Center
School: Cornell (Ivy League)
Height: 6'3⅝"
Weight: 307 lbs
Arm Length: 33 1/4"
Hand Size: 10 1/8"
40-yard Dash: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 29 reps
Vertical Leap: 29.5"
Broad Jump: 109"
Wonderlic: 33 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: The Packers picked at 125th overall as well so that leaves only two players selected between Tretter and their next pick so see below for other possible picks
Tweet:
4th Round (125th Overall): Johnathan Franklin, Running Back
School: UCLA (Pac-12)
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 205 lbs
Arm Length: 30"
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.55 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 6.89 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.32 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 18 reps
Vertical Leap: 31.5"
Broad Jump: 115"
Wonderlic: 21 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Quinton Patton (WR, Louisiana Tech), Earl Wolf (S, N.C. State), and Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama)
Tweet:
5th Round (159th Overall): Micah Hyde, Cornerback/Safety
School: Iowa (Big "Ten")
Height: 5'11¾"
Weight: 197 lbs
Arm Length: 31 3/8""
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.55 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 6.78 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.20 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 12 reps
Vertical Leap: 33"
Broad Jump: 121"
Wonderlic: 21 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: The Packers picked at 167th overall as well so that leaves only seven players selected between Tretter and their next pick so see below for other possible picks.
Tweet:
5th Round (167th Overall): Josh Boyd, Defensive Tackle
School: Mississippi (SEC)
Height: 6'2⅝"
Weight: 310 lbs
Arm Length: 32"
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 5.05 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 32 reps
Vertical Leap: 28"
Broad Jump: 104"
Wonderlic: 14 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Ricky Wagner (OT, Wisconsin), Joshua Evans (S. Florida), and Nick Moody (OLB, Florida State)
Tweet:
6th Round (193rd Overall): Nathan Palmer, Outside Linebacker
School: Illinois State (Missouri Valley)
Height: 6'1¾"
Weight: 233 lbs
Arm Length: 33 1/2"
Hand Size: 9 5/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.72 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Leap: 35.5"
Broad Jump: 125"
Wonderlic: 15 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Kapron Lewis-Moore (DE, Notre Dame), Michael Williams (TE, Alabama), and Joe Kruger (DE, Utah)
Tweet:
7th Round (216th Overall): Charles Johnson, Wide Receiver
School: Grand Valley State (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 215 lbs
Arm Length: 30 1/2"
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.40 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 14 reps
Vertical Leap: 40"
Broad Jump: 132"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Jordan Poyer (CB, Oregon State), Ryan Seymour (OG, Vanderbilt), and Nicholas Williams (DT, Samford)
Tweet:
7th Round (224th Overall): Kevin Dorsey, Wide Receiver
School: Maryland (Big "Ten" ACC)
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 207 lbs
Arm Length: 33 3/4"
Hand Size: 9 5/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.47 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 17 reps
Vertical Leap: 38"
Broad Jump: 130"
Wonderlic: 22 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Eric Herman (OG, Chadron State), Everett Dawkins (DT, FSU), and Ty Powell (OLB, Harding)
Tweet:
7th Round (232 Overall): Sam Barrington, Linebacker
School: South Florida (Big East)
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 235 lbs
Arm Length: 32 1/4"
Hand Size: 10 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.73 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 22 reps
Vertical Leap: 37"
Broad Jump: 122"
Wonderlic: 23 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Zeke Motta (S, Notre Dame), Mike Taylor (LB, Wisconsin), and Jordan Rodgers (QB, Vanderbilt)
Tweet:
Congrats to the 11 players drafted by the Packers, take a day to celebrate and get ready to work because available roster spots are scare. Check back on Wednesday because I am going to take my first guess at what the opening day 53-man roster will look like for the 2013 Green Bay Packers.
It is apparent that Thompson prefers quantity over quality since he is much more apt to trade back than trade up sans the 2012 NFL Draft. Whether Thompson is your college buddy that regularly trools for 6's instead of dime pieces, the fact that Thompson regularly lands dime pieces irrespective of the round that he is picking, is why the Packers have been so competitive during his nine-year tenure. Oh that and it helps to have a consistently awesome wingman.
The Packers entered the 2013 NFL Draft with eight picks. They traded down three times (no shocker there) amassing four more picks, but then traded up once after that so they ultimately drafted 11 players. Here are my thoughts on the 11 new members of the Green Bay Packers:
1st Round (26th Overall): Datone Jones, Defensive End
School: UCLA (Pac-12)
Height: 6'3⅞"
Weight: 283 lbs
Arm Length: 32 5/8"
Hand Size: 10"
40-yard Dash: 4.8 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 7.32 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.32 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 29 reps
Vertical Leap: 31.5"
Broad Jump: 112"
Wonderlic: 20 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina), Matt Elam (S, Florida), and Johnathan Cyprien (S, Florida International)
Tweet:
Nice work Ted Thompson drafting Datone Jones.With Shariff Floyd off the board, looks like the #Packers got Cullen Jenkins 2.0.Analysis: If the Packers wanted to "get more physical" as a team then they started off the draft the right way taking Jones with the 26th pick. In 2009 the Packers hit a home run at 26 when they drafted Claymaker. I am not saying that Jones is in that class but I could see him being 75% of Claymaker, which would make this draft a success on its own. The Packers thought they were getting a player like Jones last year when they drafted Jerel Worthy in the second round but Worthy never made the impact the Packers hoped and now he is rehabbing a torn ligament in his knee so he is a long shot to even play in 2013. With no real 3-4 defensive on the roster besides C.J. Wilson, my guess is that Jones starts Week 1 in San Francisco.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 26, 2013
2nd Round (61st Overall): Eddie Lacy, Running Back
School: Alabama (SEC)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 231 lbs
Arm Length: 31"
Hand Size: 9 3/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.53 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Leap: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
Wonderlic: 17 out of 50
Other Possible Picks:Christine Michael (RB, Texas A&M), Tyrann Mathieu (DB, LSU), and John Jenkins (DT, Georgia)
Tweet:
Happy to welcome @lil_eazy_ana_42 to #Packers, will be interesting to see how he compares to @m_ball28 b/c #Packers could have had either.Analysis: It felt like Lacy was going to the Packers in the first round, so to get him in the second round feels like an asbsolute steal. All the injuries are definitely a concern but if healthy, Lacy gives the Packers an every down back they desperately need. One last thing on Lacy, he was the last player selected that was invited to attend the draft. That is the second time in three years the Packers have taken that player. In 2011 the Packers drafted Randall Cobb at the end of the second round, which has worked out pretty well so far, so let's hope that trend continues for the Packers with Lacy.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
4th Round (109th Overall): David Bakhtiari, Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard
School: Colorado (Pac-12)
Height: 6'4¼"
Weight: 299 lbs
Arm Length: 34"
Hand Size: 9 3/8"
40-yard Dash: 5.15 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 7.70 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.74 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 28 reps
Vertical Leap: 25.5"
Broad Jump: 101"
Wonderlic: 25 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Shamarko Thomas (S, Syracuse), Barett Jones (C, Alabama), and Khaled Holmes (C, USC)
Tweet:
Bummed that #Packers just missed out on Brian Schwenke, instead they get yet another tweener OT/OG in David Bakhtiari.Analysis: The Packers got the 109th pick as a part of trading back with the Dolphins on Day 2 but let's not lose sight of the fact that the Dolphins owned the 104th and 106th picks as well, thus everyone that went 104 through 109 could have been a Packer if the Thompson held a harder line when negotiating with the Dolphins. Here are the guys that went 104-109: Jelani Jenkins (OLB, Florida), Duke Williams (S, Nevada), Dion Sims (TE, Michigan State), Brian Schwenke (C, California), and Edmund Kugbila (G, Valdosta State). I am super salty that the Packers did not hold the line on getting either 104 or 106 because Brian Schwenke went 107th overall and I think he is a perfect up tempo center that can be a starting center in the NFL as soon as next season. The Packers ultimately took Bakhtiari so now they have 25 tweener tackles/guards on the roster. Despite not having left tackle height, Bakhtiari has long enough arms to play left tackle. Worst case scenario I could see the Packers using Bakhtiari as a 6th offensive lineman when they try to run the ball.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
4th Round (122nd Overall): J.C. Tretter, Offensive Guard/Center
School: Cornell (Ivy League)
Height: 6'3⅝"
Weight: 307 lbs
Arm Length: 33 1/4"
Hand Size: 10 1/8"
40-yard Dash: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 29 reps
Vertical Leap: 29.5"
Broad Jump: 109"
Wonderlic: 33 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: The Packers picked at 125th overall as well so that leaves only two players selected between Tretter and their next pick so see below for other possible picks
Tweet:
#Packers take their second tweener guard/tackle of the 4th round in J.C. Tretter.Don't get passing on Jesse Williams at that point.Analysis: For the second pick in a row the Packers selected an offensive lineman, this time they got the Lane Johnson of the Ivy League. Much like Bakhtiari, it looks like Tretter is a tweener tackle/guard. Hopefully the Packers can work with Tretter to improve his skills as an interior offensive lineman to push Greg Van Roten for the primary interior backup. In more pressing news, between the two picks the Packers made in the 4th round I read a report that said the Packers are "willing to trade trade Desmond Bishop", which makes no sense to me.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
4th Round (125th Overall): Johnathan Franklin, Running Back
School: UCLA (Pac-12)
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 205 lbs
Arm Length: 30"
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.55 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 6.89 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.32 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 18 reps
Vertical Leap: 31.5"
Broad Jump: 115"
Wonderlic: 21 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Quinton Patton (WR, Louisiana Tech), Earl Wolf (S, N.C. State), and Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama)
Tweet:
Welcome to the #Packers Johnathan Franklin, don't get trading back up to take another RB though, all of sudden tons of depth at RB & OT/OG.Analysis: In the eight previous draft in Thompson's tenure in Green Bay he selected four running backs (Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn, James Starks, and Alex Green) so when the Packers traded back up in the draft giving up the 146th and 173rd picks to get the 125th pick, the last position I thought they would draft was running back since Thompson already took one in the second round. As it turns out I was wrong and Thompson actually trade up to draft a second running back. Based on the tape I've seen, Franklin looks like he can break a run fora long gain every time he touches the ball. Off the field Franklin wants to be the mayor of Los Angeles after he is done playing football so may be he has a little Robert Smith in him. After adding Lacy and Franklin in the draft, all of a sudden the Packers have five legitimate NFL running backs on the roster but that is probably one too many so it makes senses that James Starks is on the chopping block because right after the Packers selected Franklin a report surfaced that said the Packers are "willing to trade James Starks". DuJuan Harris ended the season as the starting running back for the Packers. With all due respect to Harris, even though he played well at the end of last season, his diminutive body type makes him a long shot to survive as an every down back in the NFL. Going into the draft the Packers did not have a single every down back on their roster. After drafting Lacy and Franklin, the Packers now have two legitimate every down backs on the roster for the first time since Ahman Green left town.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
5th Round (159th Overall): Micah Hyde, Cornerback/Safety
School: Iowa (Big "Ten")
Height: 5'11¾"
Weight: 197 lbs
Arm Length: 31 3/8""
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.55 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 6.78 seconds
20-yard Dash: 4.20 seconds
225-pound Bench Press: 12 reps
Vertical Leap: 33"
Broad Jump: 121"
Wonderlic: 21 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: The Packers picked at 167th overall as well so that leaves only seven players selected between Tretter and their next pick so see below for other possible picks.
Tweet:
Micah Hyde was all Big "10" last season for Iowa at CB, I guess that is the good news for the #Packers. I presume he moves to safety in GB.Analysis: This was a total luxury pick by the Packers since they already have five NFL caliber cornerbacks on the roster. That said, they did got a player that was voted as the best defensive back in the Big "Ten" last season in the fifth round so it is not like they took a slouch. Hyde's measurables are not off the charts but let's not forget that Casey Hayward didn't have the most impressive measurables going into the draft last season either but Hayward was in the running for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Packers shot down initial reports that Hyde would move to safety next season, but my guess is that the only way he makes the roster is if he can excel on special teams while showing the ability to slide between cornerback and safety.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
5th Round (167th Overall): Josh Boyd, Defensive Tackle
School: Mississippi (SEC)
Height: 6'2⅝"
Weight: 310 lbs
Arm Length: 32"
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 5.05 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 32 reps
Vertical Leap: 28"
Broad Jump: 104"
Wonderlic: 14 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Ricky Wagner (OT, Wisconsin), Joshua Evans (S. Florida), and Nick Moody (OLB, Florida State)
Tweet:
Like #Packers adding another body to the defensive line with Josh Boyd, thankfully Boyd is taller than 6'0".Analysis: Although I wish the Packers would have added a run stuffing defensive tackler earlier in the draft, at least the Packers drafted a taller more imposing defensive tackle than they have in pervious years. For exampled, the Packers picked six consecutive defenders to start the 2012 NFL Draft but none of them are as physically imposing as Boyd. In the first round the Packers added a versatile 3-4 defensive end that can occupy blocked and also get after the quarterback in Datone Jones. In drafting Boyd, the Packers added a space eating interior defensive lineman with some height that has a chance to be the next Ryan Pickett, which is a good thing since not only is Pickett getting long in the tooth, but he is set to become a free agent this off-season.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
6th Round (193rd Overall): Nathan Palmer, Outside Linebacker
School: Illinois State (Missouri Valley)
Height: 6'1¾"
Weight: 233 lbs
Arm Length: 33 1/2"
Hand Size: 9 5/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.72 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Leap: 35.5"
Broad Jump: 125"
Wonderlic: 15 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Kapron Lewis-Moore (DE, Notre Dame), Michael Williams (TE, Alabama), and Joe Kruger (DE, Utah)
Tweet:
Welcome Nate Palmer to #Packers, I don't want to jinx him by calling him Aaron Kampman 2.0 like I did a few years ago with Ricky Elmore.Analysis: The Packers were the only team that Palmer visited throughout the draft process so he thought that he would go undrafted. To Palmer's surprise, the Packers must have liked their visit. Palmer projects as a very similar player to the newly departed Erik Walden or Frank Zombo but will be in a fierce competition for the coveted backup outside linebacker spots behind Claymaker and Nick Perry since the Packers like to rotate their outside linebackers.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
7th Round (216th Overall): Charles Johnson, Wide Receiver
School: Grand Valley State (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 215 lbs
Arm Length: 30 1/2"
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.40 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 14 reps
Vertical Leap: 40"
Broad Jump: 132"
Wonderlic: N/A
Other Possible Picks: Jordan Poyer (CB, Oregon State), Ryan Seymour (OG, Vanderbilt), and Nicholas Williams (DT, Samford)
Tweet:
#Packers continue to show their affinity for small school guys taking wide receiver Charles Johnson out of Grand Valley State.Analysis: The jump from college to the NFL is difficult, especially at wide receiver. Since Johnson played Division II football, it will be even more interesting to see how he adjusts since he looked like a man amoungst boys in college but will now be a boy amongst men in the NFL.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
7th Round (224th Overall): Kevin Dorsey, Wide Receiver
School: Maryland (
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 207 lbs
Arm Length: 33 3/4"
Hand Size: 9 5/8"
40-yard Dash: 4.47 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 17 reps
Vertical Leap: 38"
Broad Jump: 130"
Wonderlic: 22 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Eric Herman (OG, Chadron State), Everett Dawkins (DT, FSU), and Ty Powell (OLB, Harding)
Tweet:
Kevin Dorsey is 2nd WR drafted in 7th by #Packers, I guess since @donald_driver80 retired, they are trying to replace him 7th rounder-style.Analysis: Dorsey has a very similar build to Johnson, although Johnson looks a hair faster than Dorsey. Odd are that only one of Johnson and Dorsey will make the final 53-man roster to open the season so expect a number of spirited battles between Johnson and Doresy throughout the preseason.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
7th Round (232 Overall): Sam Barrington, Linebacker
School: South Florida (Big East)
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 235 lbs
Arm Length: 32 1/4"
Hand Size: 10 1/4"
40-yard Dash: 4.73 seconds
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-yard Dash: N/A
225-pound Bench Press: 22 reps
Vertical Leap: 37"
Broad Jump: 122"
Wonderlic: 23 out of 50
Other Possible Picks: Zeke Motta (S, Notre Dame), Mike Taylor (LB, Wisconsin), and Jordan Rodgers (QB, Vanderbilt)
Tweet:
The draft ends with a whimper for #Packers taking Sam Barrington, LB from South Florida.Analysis: Mr. Irrelevant of the 2013 NFL for the Packers is Sam Barrington. If there is one position on the roster that will be hard to crack come next fall, it is linebacker. The good news for Barrington is that he reminds me of Jamari Lattimore because of his ability to play multiple linebacker position, which is going to be key for any reserve linebacker given the fact that roster spots are so scarce.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013
Congrats to the 11 players drafted by the Packers, take a day to celebrate and get ready to work because available roster spots are scare. Check back on Wednesday because I am going to take my first guess at what the opening day 53-man roster will look like for the 2013 Green Bay Packers.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Building The 53 - 2013 NFL Draft Day 1 Packers Review
It was an interesting first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. There were five draft day trade, only one quarterback drafted (E.J. Manuel), and no running backs were drafted in the first round for the first time since the early 1960's. The biggest surprise of the first round though was the Minnesota Vikings making three picks.
The Vikings had a pair of first round pick heading into the 2013 NFL Draft as a part of trading Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks. In order to jump back into the first round to make their third pick in the first round, the Vikings traded four 2013 draft picks (52nd, 83rd, 102nd, and 229th) to the New England Patriots for the 29th pick that they used to draft Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee). In between the second and third pick the Vikings made in the first round of the draft, the Packers drafted a player.
With 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson choose Datone Jones (DE, UCLA, 6'4", 283 lbs). Here were my pre-draft thoughts on Datone Jones:
"It seems like almost every year a versatile defensive lineman like Jones drops to the end of the first round (i.e. Muhammad Wilkerson in 2011) and everyone wonders why he fell so far. That is especially true for Jones because it looks like he can play almost any position along the defensive line in both a 3-4 and a 4-3 defense." (Source)
"Put up big numbers last season at UCLA but that was his only real productive season in college because he missed the entire 2010 season with a foot injury and had a lackluster 2011 season. His ceiling and floor are the highest of the players discussed so far but based on my study of Jones so far, there is much better chance Jones turns out to be the next Cullen Jenkins than the next Justin Harrell." (Source)
Immediately after the Packers drafted Jones, I sent out this tweet:
The Vikings had a pair of first round pick heading into the 2013 NFL Draft as a part of trading Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks. In order to jump back into the first round to make their third pick in the first round, the Vikings traded four 2013 draft picks (52nd, 83rd, 102nd, and 229th) to the New England Patriots for the 29th pick that they used to draft Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee). In between the second and third pick the Vikings made in the first round of the draft, the Packers drafted a player.
With 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson choose Datone Jones (DE, UCLA, 6'4", 283 lbs). Here were my pre-draft thoughts on Datone Jones:
"It seems like almost every year a versatile defensive lineman like Jones drops to the end of the first round (i.e. Muhammad Wilkerson in 2011) and everyone wonders why he fell so far. That is especially true for Jones because it looks like he can play almost any position along the defensive line in both a 3-4 and a 4-3 defense." (Source)
"Put up big numbers last season at UCLA but that was his only real productive season in college because he missed the entire 2010 season with a foot injury and had a lackluster 2011 season. His ceiling and floor are the highest of the players discussed so far but based on my study of Jones so far, there is much better chance Jones turns out to be the next Cullen Jenkins than the next Justin Harrell." (Source)
Immediately after the Packers drafted Jones, I sent out this tweet:
Nice work Ted Thompson drafting Datone Jones.With Shariff Floyd off the board, looks like the #Packers got Cullen Jenkins 2.0.Although I love Jones, I might actually like the package of picks that the Patriots got from the Vikings for the 29th pick. Let's see how the rest of the draft plays out before we jump to any conclusions though because a bird in the hand is always better than two in the bush, especially when it comes to the NFL Draft.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 26, 2013
Building The 53 - 2013 NFL Draft Day 1 Preview for Ted Thompson
Happy NFL Draft Day! As I said in my preview of the first round for the Packers in the 2012 NFL Draft, the first round of the NFL Draft is one of my ten
favorite days of the year. At this point, Green Bay Packer
general manager Ted Thompson is scheduled to make the 26th pick in the
first round in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Much like I said in my preview of the first round for Packers in the 2011 NFL Draft, we know that Thompson likes to trade back in the draft to amass more picks so there is no guarantee that the Packers will hold onto the 26th pick. If no quarterbacks are picked in the first half of the first round, there are a handful of teams that have quarterback needs with early picks in the second round that will want to jump back into the end of the first round so they can selected the player they deem to be the "quarterback of the future" for their franchise.
In case you missed it yesterday, I posted my 3rd annual first round mock draft of what I think every GM's should do in the first round if used their current pick (or picks). I did not deem a single quarterback worthy of drafting in the first round but I still think a few teams will panic and reach for a quarterback in the first round this year anyhow.
The Packers have no glaring needs but they could still use an every down running back, a left tackle of the future, depth along the defensive line, another edge pass rusher, and a safety. Before I preview the players that I am targeting for the Packers with the 26th pick, keep in mind these guys will most likely be off the board:
QB: Geno Smith (West Virginia) and Ryan Nassib (Syracuse)
WR: Tavon Austin (West Virginia) and Keenan Allen (California)
TE: Tyler Eifert (Notre Dame)
OT: Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M), Eric Fisher (Central Michigan), Lane Johnson (Oklahoma), and D.J. Fluker (Alabama)
OG: Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina) and Chance Warmack (Alabama)
DE: Ziggy Ansah (BYU) and Barkevious Mingo (LSU)
DT: Shariff Floyd (Florida), Star Lotulelei (Utah), Sheldon Richardson (Missouri), and Sylvester Williams (North Carolina)
MLB: Alec Ogletree (Georgia) and Manti Te'o (Notre Dame)
OLB: Dion Jordan (Oregon) and Jarvis Jones (OLB, Georgia)
CB: Dee Milliner (Alabama), Desmond Trufant (Washington), and D.J. Hayden (CB, Houston)
S: Kenny Vaccaro (Texas)
Some of my biggest draft crushes will most likely go in the Top 10 (Joeckel, Fischer, Johnson, Floyd, Lotulelei, and Jordan). After the Top 10 rated players in the draft, most draft pundits think there is not much of a difference between having the 11th pick and the 41st pick. Leaving aside almost sheer locks for being picked in the Top 10, my biggest draft crushes from above are: Richardson, Williams, and Vaccaro. If any of those guys just mentioned fall to 26, I totally support the Packers drafting those guys and will explain my affection in more detail as I review the draft.
With all of that foreplay out of the way, here are some guys that I would realistically like to see Thompson draft with the 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft:
John Jenkins (DT, Georgia, 6'4", 346 lbs): Some people have Jenkins rated as a second or third round prospect but I view Jenkins as a wider, taller version of B.J. Raji so suffice to say I absolutely love Jenkins.
Menelik Watson (OT, Florida State, 6'5", 310 lbs): Has a really interesting back story that is tailor made for TV pundits to gush about. Although Watson played right tackle at Florida State, he projects as a left tackle in the NFL given his large hands (10 3/8") and long arms (34"). If the Packers picked Watson it would mark the second consecutive draft they've taken an offensive tackle from Florida State because last year they drafted Andrew Datko in the 7th round. Given Datko's injury history, on Day 1 of training camp, Watson would have a better chance of playing meaningful snaps for the Packers than Datko.
Justin Pugh (OT/OG, Syracuse, 6'4", 307 lbs): Feels like the second coming of Marhsall Yanda, a guy I wanted the Packers to sign heading into the wacky 2011 NFL season courtesy of the labor unrest the previous off-season. Pugh seems to project as more of a guard or right tackle in the NFL and the Packers are already set at guard (Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang) and right tackle (Bryan Bulaga and Don Barclay) so this would be more of a value than need pick.
Datone Jones (DE, UCLA, 6'4", 283 lbs): Put up big numbers last season at UCLA but that was his only real productive season in college because he missed the entire 2010 season with a foot injury and had a lackluster 2011 season. His ceiling and floor are the highest of the players discussed so far but based on my study of Jones so far, there is much better chance Jones turns out to be the next Cullen Jenkins than the next Justin Harrell.
Kawann Short (DT, Purdue, 6'3", 299 lbs): Given how much of a headache defensive lineman Mike Neal has been for Packer fans since they drafted him out of Purdue in 2010, the Packers better think long and hard about taking another Purdue defensive lineman so soon. That said, I see Short as a much better version of Neal so I totally support the Packers drafting Short with the 26th pick if he is still available.
Kyle Long (OL, Oregon, 6'6", 313 lbs): I am contractually obligated by the NFL to point out that Kyle is the son of Howie Long and brother of Chris Long before I can mention anything else about him. With that out of the way, Long had some trouble early on in his college career at Florida State but got things back on track at Saddleback Junior College before going to Oregon. Long's arms are a little short (33 3/8") for a left tackle but he makes up for that with his height and large hands (11").
Eddy Lacy (RB, Alabama, 5'11", 231 lbs): The Packers desperately need a three-down back, which is exactly what Lacy would be for the Packers. This feels a little like the 2007 NFL Draft when all the signals pointed towards the Packers drafting Marshawn Lynch. Unfortunately Lynch went 12th and the Packers took the aforementioned bust Justin Harrell 16th. Despite the running back position being devalued in the NFL, Lacy is the best back in the draft, so I would not be surprised if he went in the late teens or early 20's.
Matt Elam (S, Florida, 5'10", 208 lbs): After the Packers were physically man-handled by the 49ers there was all of this talk of the Packers adding "tough guys" to their team and Elam fits that bill. Although diminutive for a safety, Elam is a physical presence at safety that could do more of the dirty work to free up Morgan Burnett to be more of a ball hawk in the secondary in 2013.
Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International, 6'0", 217 lbs): Thompson likes small school guys and Cyprien might be the best small school prospect after offensive tackle Eric Fischer. Although Cyprien is not the tallest or fastest guy, he is a physical presence in the mold of former Packers safety Atari Bigby.
Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama, 6'3", 323): It might be a reach to take Williams in the first round but his combination of size and strength is just what the Packers need along the defensive line. That is even more of a need given that the Packers will be without the services of Jerel Worthy, one of their two second round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft for most if not all of 2013 as Worhty rehabs a serious knee injury suffered at the end of 2012.
Jonathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State, 6'3", 320 lbs): Even though Hankins had a decorated college career, some thought he should have returned for his senior year to refine his pass rushing skills. If Hankins can occupy defenders in the NFL like he did in college, I could care less how much he gets after the quarterback because he will open a ton of lanes for other defenders to make plays.
Whether or not Thompson actually makes a pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, check back for my quick thoughts as well as some guys that I hope Thompson targets in the second and third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Much like I said in my preview of the first round for Packers in the 2011 NFL Draft, we know that Thompson likes to trade back in the draft to amass more picks so there is no guarantee that the Packers will hold onto the 26th pick. If no quarterbacks are picked in the first half of the first round, there are a handful of teams that have quarterback needs with early picks in the second round that will want to jump back into the end of the first round so they can selected the player they deem to be the "quarterback of the future" for their franchise.
In case you missed it yesterday, I posted my 3rd annual first round mock draft of what I think every GM's should do in the first round if used their current pick (or picks). I did not deem a single quarterback worthy of drafting in the first round but I still think a few teams will panic and reach for a quarterback in the first round this year anyhow.
The Packers have no glaring needs but they could still use an every down running back, a left tackle of the future, depth along the defensive line, another edge pass rusher, and a safety. Before I preview the players that I am targeting for the Packers with the 26th pick, keep in mind these guys will most likely be off the board:
QB: Geno Smith (West Virginia) and Ryan Nassib (Syracuse)
WR: Tavon Austin (West Virginia) and Keenan Allen (California)
TE: Tyler Eifert (Notre Dame)
OT: Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M), Eric Fisher (Central Michigan), Lane Johnson (Oklahoma), and D.J. Fluker (Alabama)
OG: Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina) and Chance Warmack (Alabama)
DE: Ziggy Ansah (BYU) and Barkevious Mingo (LSU)
DT: Shariff Floyd (Florida), Star Lotulelei (Utah), Sheldon Richardson (Missouri), and Sylvester Williams (North Carolina)
MLB: Alec Ogletree (Georgia) and Manti Te'o (Notre Dame)
OLB: Dion Jordan (Oregon) and Jarvis Jones (OLB, Georgia)
CB: Dee Milliner (Alabama), Desmond Trufant (Washington), and D.J. Hayden (CB, Houston)
S: Kenny Vaccaro (Texas)
Some of my biggest draft crushes will most likely go in the Top 10 (Joeckel, Fischer, Johnson, Floyd, Lotulelei, and Jordan). After the Top 10 rated players in the draft, most draft pundits think there is not much of a difference between having the 11th pick and the 41st pick. Leaving aside almost sheer locks for being picked in the Top 10, my biggest draft crushes from above are: Richardson, Williams, and Vaccaro. If any of those guys just mentioned fall to 26, I totally support the Packers drafting those guys and will explain my affection in more detail as I review the draft.
With all of that foreplay out of the way, here are some guys that I would realistically like to see Thompson draft with the 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft:
John Jenkins (DT, Georgia, 6'4", 346 lbs): Some people have Jenkins rated as a second or third round prospect but I view Jenkins as a wider, taller version of B.J. Raji so suffice to say I absolutely love Jenkins.
Menelik Watson (OT, Florida State, 6'5", 310 lbs): Has a really interesting back story that is tailor made for TV pundits to gush about. Although Watson played right tackle at Florida State, he projects as a left tackle in the NFL given his large hands (10 3/8") and long arms (34"). If the Packers picked Watson it would mark the second consecutive draft they've taken an offensive tackle from Florida State because last year they drafted Andrew Datko in the 7th round. Given Datko's injury history, on Day 1 of training camp, Watson would have a better chance of playing meaningful snaps for the Packers than Datko.
Justin Pugh (OT/OG, Syracuse, 6'4", 307 lbs): Feels like the second coming of Marhsall Yanda, a guy I wanted the Packers to sign heading into the wacky 2011 NFL season courtesy of the labor unrest the previous off-season. Pugh seems to project as more of a guard or right tackle in the NFL and the Packers are already set at guard (Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang) and right tackle (Bryan Bulaga and Don Barclay) so this would be more of a value than need pick.
Datone Jones (DE, UCLA, 6'4", 283 lbs): Put up big numbers last season at UCLA but that was his only real productive season in college because he missed the entire 2010 season with a foot injury and had a lackluster 2011 season. His ceiling and floor are the highest of the players discussed so far but based on my study of Jones so far, there is much better chance Jones turns out to be the next Cullen Jenkins than the next Justin Harrell.
Kawann Short (DT, Purdue, 6'3", 299 lbs): Given how much of a headache defensive lineman Mike Neal has been for Packer fans since they drafted him out of Purdue in 2010, the Packers better think long and hard about taking another Purdue defensive lineman so soon. That said, I see Short as a much better version of Neal so I totally support the Packers drafting Short with the 26th pick if he is still available.
Kyle Long (OL, Oregon, 6'6", 313 lbs): I am contractually obligated by the NFL to point out that Kyle is the son of Howie Long and brother of Chris Long before I can mention anything else about him. With that out of the way, Long had some trouble early on in his college career at Florida State but got things back on track at Saddleback Junior College before going to Oregon. Long's arms are a little short (33 3/8") for a left tackle but he makes up for that with his height and large hands (11").
Eddy Lacy (RB, Alabama, 5'11", 231 lbs): The Packers desperately need a three-down back, which is exactly what Lacy would be for the Packers. This feels a little like the 2007 NFL Draft when all the signals pointed towards the Packers drafting Marshawn Lynch. Unfortunately Lynch went 12th and the Packers took the aforementioned bust Justin Harrell 16th. Despite the running back position being devalued in the NFL, Lacy is the best back in the draft, so I would not be surprised if he went in the late teens or early 20's.
Matt Elam (S, Florida, 5'10", 208 lbs): After the Packers were physically man-handled by the 49ers there was all of this talk of the Packers adding "tough guys" to their team and Elam fits that bill. Although diminutive for a safety, Elam is a physical presence at safety that could do more of the dirty work to free up Morgan Burnett to be more of a ball hawk in the secondary in 2013.
Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International, 6'0", 217 lbs): Thompson likes small school guys and Cyprien might be the best small school prospect after offensive tackle Eric Fischer. Although Cyprien is not the tallest or fastest guy, he is a physical presence in the mold of former Packers safety Atari Bigby.
Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama, 6'3", 323): It might be a reach to take Williams in the first round but his combination of size and strength is just what the Packers need along the defensive line. That is even more of a need given that the Packers will be without the services of Jerel Worthy, one of their two second round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft for most if not all of 2013 as Worhty rehabs a serious knee injury suffered at the end of 2012.
Jonathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State, 6'3", 320 lbs): Even though Hankins had a decorated college career, some thought he should have returned for his senior year to refine his pass rushing skills. If Hankins can occupy defenders in the NFL like he did in college, I could care less how much he gets after the quarterback because he will open a ton of lanes for other defenders to make plays.
Whether or not Thompson actually makes a pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, check back for my quick thoughts as well as some guys that I hope Thompson targets in the second and third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
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