Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson is a firm believer in drafting the best player available. As result, if I was the General Manager of the Green Bay Packers and employing the best player available approach, instead of drafting Michael Neal (DE, Purdue) with the 56th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, here are some players I would have considered drafting:
Terrence Cody (DT, Alabama), who went #57 to the Baltimore Ravens. I would have taken Cody just to see Prince Fielder and Terrence Cody have an eat off...my money is on Cody in a landslide. All kidding aside, drafting Cody would have given the Packers two true perfect space (and food) eating defensive tackle (Pickett and Cody) in the 3-4. With Pickett and Cody at defensive tackle, the Packers could play Raji at defensive tackle and defensive end. Instead, the Packers have to leave Raji at defensive tackle and hope that Neal fits in at defensive end despite no real experience in the 3-4 defense.
Ben Tate (RB, Auburn), who went #58 to the Houston Texans. According to the Football Outsiders, when you combine size and speed numbers for every running backs eligible for the 2010 NFL Draft, Ben Tate was the best combination in the entire 2010 NFL Draft. How successful has this stat been recently you ask? In 2008, this same statistic said the best combination of size and speed going into the draft was Chris Johnson. Granted Johnson being ranked first going into the 2008 NFL Draft might have been skewed because Johnson posted one of the fastest 40-yard dash times in combine history but there is no denying Johnson is one of the best running backs in the NFL right now. I am not saying Tate is going to be Chris Johnson, but the Packers need a speedy, game changing back to compliment Ryan Grant. For my money, Tate would have been a great value at the end of the second round.
Charles Brown (OT, USC), who went #64 to New Orleans Saints. If I had to rank my draft crushes that the Packers reasonably could have gotten, they go in this order:
#1) Jerry Hughes
#2) Taylor Mays
#3) Charles Brown
Why Charles Brown you ask...I think he is this drafts Michael Oher minus the back story and Sandy Bullock's Oscar. Yes, the Packers took an offensive tackle in the first round but I have two counter arguments. One, tackles come in twos for the Packers. Both Tauscher and Clifton were drafted by the Packers in the 2000 NFL Draft. Two, Ted Thompson has not drafted tackles that high in his tenure with Allen Barbre taken in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Thompson started investing in the offensive line with Buluga but I still think drafting Brown would have hedged that decision very nicely.
Showing posts with label Taylor Mays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taylor Mays. Show all posts
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
With the 23rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft the Packers COULD HAVE taken...
Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson is a firm believer in drafting the best player available. As result, if I was the general manager of the Green Bay Packers and employing the best player available approach, instead of drafting Bryan Buluga (OT, Iowa) with the 23rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, here are some players I would have considered drafting:
Dez Bryant (WR, Oklahoma St), who went 24 to the Dallas Cowboys. Donald Driver seems ageless but in the next few years he is going to slow down and Bryant looked like the perfect guy to replace Driver. The off the field issues surrounding Bryant probably scared Ted Thompson but the chance to get the most physically gifted receiver in the draft with the 23rd pick would have been hard for me to pass up. Yes, Jordy Nelson and James Jones are sitting in the wings but neither really projects to be a starting wide receiver opposite Greg Jennings, which made Bryant even more enticing.
Kyle Wilson (CB, Boise St), who went 29 to the New York Jets. Some scouts had Wilson rated as the best cornerback in the draft, even ahead of Joe Haden (CB, Florida) who was selected 7th by the Cleveland Browns. In terms of value, Wilson would have been a steal at 23 in my book. Despite most pundits thinking the Packers need cornerbacks, they have the bodies IF (and it is a big if) everyone comes back healthy so cornerback was NOT actually a need for the Packers. After Charles Woodson, the 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the Packers have:
- Al Harris: old and coming off a knee injury is never a good sign but Harris is a former Pro Bowler that stays in impeccable shape which should allow him to come back stronger than ever.
- Tramon Williams: after Harris went down last season, Williams looked like a starter in the making if he cuts down his Ahmad Caroll esque holding penalties.
- Pat Lee: a former second round pick that has a big upside but has yet to play because of injury. Lee essentially redshirted in the NFL so far the last two seasons, if he gives the Packers anything in 2010 then its a huge bonus.
- Brandon Underwood: was a highly touted recruit out of high school that lost his way at Ohio State. Underwood resurfaced at Cinncinati and went on to have a pretty successful college career. Underwood is physically gifted at 6'1" but has yet to show much in the NFL.
- Will Blackmon: is an electric return man that just can't stay healthy. This season is make or break for Blackmon. If healthy, Blackmon would be worth having on the roster for his return ability alone. If Blackmon contributes anything at cornerback, the Packers would be ecstatic.
- Josh Bell: gave up the touchdown to lose to the Steelers with no time remaining in week 15 and doesn't look like a long term solution at cornerback.
- Trevor Ford and D.J. Clark: haven't been around long enough to know one way or another.
Jerry Hughes (OLB, TCU), who went 31 to the Indianapolis Colts. I have a huge football crush on Hughes. According to the Football Outsiders new SackSEER stat (looks at vertical leap, short shuttle time, collegiate sacks, and collegiate games missed), Hughes projects to have the most sacks of any player in the 2010 NFL Draft in his first 5 seasons in the NFL. Granted that is pure speculation but Hughes would have fit very nice opposite Clay Matthews as a stud outside linebackers in the 3-4 for the next ten years. I guess the Packers think Brad Jones, Brady Poppinga, and Brandon Chillar can contribute at outside linebacker opposite Clay Matthews.
Chris Cook (CB, Virginia), who went 34 to the Minnesota Vikings. See all of the discussion about the Packers' cornerback situation above. In terms of Cook, the main thing I like about him is that he is 6'2". You can't teach height and with all of the trouble big physical receivers gave the Packers last year, having a 6'2" cornerback would have fit nicely in 2010. Quick tangent, why are there so many tall wide receivers but not very many tall cornerbacks? I guess tall cornerbacks usually aren't that fast but almost every cornerback seems to be 5'11" while most wide receivers seem to be at least 6'2". As a result, not many talented, tall cornerback backs come around like Cook.
Taylor Mays (S, USC), who went 49 to the San Francisco 49ers. Mays turned into the defensive Tebow of the draft, people either loved or hated Mays. I fell into the former camp, I love Mays almost as much as Jerry Hughes. Mays is 6'3" and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds, those type of physical specimens come around once every 5 or 10 years at the safety position. There were questions about Mays' ability to change direction while in coverage but any time you can get such a physically gifted player, you have to take him. Furthermore, the Packers tried to play the "psycho" package with one defensive lineman, five linebackers and five defensive backs. Last year, Chillar was the fifth linebacker but got burned whenever he got matched up on a running. Instead of using Chillar, the Packers could have inserted Mays as a hybrid linebacker/defensive back. I know you don't draft a player in the first round for such a specific use but it just shows the versatility Mays would have added to the Packers defense.
Dez Bryant (WR, Oklahoma St), who went 24 to the Dallas Cowboys. Donald Driver seems ageless but in the next few years he is going to slow down and Bryant looked like the perfect guy to replace Driver. The off the field issues surrounding Bryant probably scared Ted Thompson but the chance to get the most physically gifted receiver in the draft with the 23rd pick would have been hard for me to pass up. Yes, Jordy Nelson and James Jones are sitting in the wings but neither really projects to be a starting wide receiver opposite Greg Jennings, which made Bryant even more enticing.
Kyle Wilson (CB, Boise St), who went 29 to the New York Jets. Some scouts had Wilson rated as the best cornerback in the draft, even ahead of Joe Haden (CB, Florida) who was selected 7th by the Cleveland Browns. In terms of value, Wilson would have been a steal at 23 in my book. Despite most pundits thinking the Packers need cornerbacks, they have the bodies IF (and it is a big if) everyone comes back healthy so cornerback was NOT actually a need for the Packers. After Charles Woodson, the 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the Packers have:
- Al Harris: old and coming off a knee injury is never a good sign but Harris is a former Pro Bowler that stays in impeccable shape which should allow him to come back stronger than ever.
- Tramon Williams: after Harris went down last season, Williams looked like a starter in the making if he cuts down his Ahmad Caroll esque holding penalties.
- Pat Lee: a former second round pick that has a big upside but has yet to play because of injury. Lee essentially redshirted in the NFL so far the last two seasons, if he gives the Packers anything in 2010 then its a huge bonus.
- Brandon Underwood: was a highly touted recruit out of high school that lost his way at Ohio State. Underwood resurfaced at Cinncinati and went on to have a pretty successful college career. Underwood is physically gifted at 6'1" but has yet to show much in the NFL.
- Will Blackmon: is an electric return man that just can't stay healthy. This season is make or break for Blackmon. If healthy, Blackmon would be worth having on the roster for his return ability alone. If Blackmon contributes anything at cornerback, the Packers would be ecstatic.
- Josh Bell: gave up the touchdown to lose to the Steelers with no time remaining in week 15 and doesn't look like a long term solution at cornerback.
- Trevor Ford and D.J. Clark: haven't been around long enough to know one way or another.
Jerry Hughes (OLB, TCU), who went 31 to the Indianapolis Colts. I have a huge football crush on Hughes. According to the Football Outsiders new SackSEER stat (looks at vertical leap, short shuttle time, collegiate sacks, and collegiate games missed), Hughes projects to have the most sacks of any player in the 2010 NFL Draft in his first 5 seasons in the NFL. Granted that is pure speculation but Hughes would have fit very nice opposite Clay Matthews as a stud outside linebackers in the 3-4 for the next ten years. I guess the Packers think Brad Jones, Brady Poppinga, and Brandon Chillar can contribute at outside linebacker opposite Clay Matthews.
Chris Cook (CB, Virginia), who went 34 to the Minnesota Vikings. See all of the discussion about the Packers' cornerback situation above. In terms of Cook, the main thing I like about him is that he is 6'2". You can't teach height and with all of the trouble big physical receivers gave the Packers last year, having a 6'2" cornerback would have fit nicely in 2010. Quick tangent, why are there so many tall wide receivers but not very many tall cornerbacks? I guess tall cornerbacks usually aren't that fast but almost every cornerback seems to be 5'11" while most wide receivers seem to be at least 6'2". As a result, not many talented, tall cornerback backs come around like Cook.
Taylor Mays (S, USC), who went 49 to the San Francisco 49ers. Mays turned into the defensive Tebow of the draft, people either loved or hated Mays. I fell into the former camp, I love Mays almost as much as Jerry Hughes. Mays is 6'3" and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds, those type of physical specimens come around once every 5 or 10 years at the safety position. There were questions about Mays' ability to change direction while in coverage but any time you can get such a physically gifted player, you have to take him. Furthermore, the Packers tried to play the "psycho" package with one defensive lineman, five linebackers and five defensive backs. Last year, Chillar was the fifth linebacker but got burned whenever he got matched up on a running. Instead of using Chillar, the Packers could have inserted Mays as a hybrid linebacker/defensive back. I know you don't draft a player in the first round for such a specific use but it just shows the versatility Mays would have added to the Packers defense.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
With the 23rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft the Green Bay Packers select...
For some reason I have a feeling that Ted Thompson is trading back in the first round which will NOT sit well with Packer fans that watched the first three hours of the draft only to have to wait another day.
Ted Thompson could also trade up like last year when he nabbed Clay Matthews at the end of the first round but that seems highly unlikely, especially since Thompson doesn't have an extra 3rd round pick at his disposal (from the Jets in exchange for B. Favre). Quick tangent, that still boggles my mind that Brett Favre only netted the Packers a 3rd round pick, how is that possible? That trade illustrates how overvalued draft picks are in the NFL.
Back to the 2010 NFL Draft, assuming Thompson keeps the pick the Packers are in a great position to take the best player available because they do not have any glaring needs. Even though I am advocating for Thompson to take the best player available in the first round, the Packers definitely do NOT need a quarterback, fullback, tight end, or middle linebacker that early.
Besides the aforementioned positions, Thompson should take the best player available. If the Thompson stays put at 23, some household names will be long gone (Bradford, Suh, Spiller, etc) but there are always a few sleepers that go earlier than expected. Do I smell a Tebow sighting before 23? Hopefully not because the Vikings have the 30th pick in the draft.
In any case, it is reasonable to think the Packers can get a stud that can contribute next year at 23. Here are my ranking, meaning if all the guys were available I would want Thompson to select the first guy on the list and so on:
- Taylor Mays (Safety, USC): you can't teach size and strength. There is a chance Mays goes #8 to the Raiders because he is an absolute physical freak of nature at 6'3" with a 4.31 40-yard dash. Either way I see him as a hybrid linebackers/safety in Dom Capers' psycho package which is a huge upgrade over Chillar trying to play that hybrid position.
- Jerry Hughes (OLB, TCU): the guys at Football Outsiders debuted a new stat a couple of days ago called SackSEER which tries to predict how many sacks a defensive end/outside linebacker will have in their first 5 years in the NFL. The stat takes into account four factors: vertical leap, short shuttle time, sacks per game in college, and games missed in college. The stat looks very robust and Mr. Jerry Hughes is #1 on their list of 2010 draft entries ahead of much more heralded players like Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech), Everson Griffen (USC), Brandon Graham (University of Michigan), and Sergio Kindle (University of Texas).
- Charles Brown (T, USC): there are always a few guys that shoot up draft boards the week of the draft and Charles Brown is that guy this year. In all likelihood Brown will not be there at 23 but I included him for two reasons. First, because I think Brown is the Michael Oher of the 2010 NFL Draft minus Sandra Bullock as his movie step-mom. Second, to show how much I like Mays and Hughes.
- Sergio Kindle (OLB, Texas): even though he has an obscenely low SackSEER projection, Kindle would be a good value at 23. I have a few counters to drafting Kindle though. One, why not give Brad Jones a year or two to develop? Two, why not move Chillar/Poppinga opposite Matthews?
- Devin McCourty (CB, Rutgers): make Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packer beat writer and Rutgers alum Greg A. Bedard happy and allow him to cover a Scarlet Knight that looks like a promising young cornerback.
- Jared Odrick (DE, Penn State): really hope he gets picked before 23. Would be a "good value" according to the talking heads at 23 but just not sold on him for no good reason really.
- Javhid Best (RB, Cal): has some concussion issues which is never a good thing, especially if you are a rookie running back. With that said, I am all for the Packers lighting a fire under Ryan Grant while addressing their return needs all at once.
Check back throughout draft weekend, I will react to Thompson's moves as much as possible.
Ted Thompson could also trade up like last year when he nabbed Clay Matthews at the end of the first round but that seems highly unlikely, especially since Thompson doesn't have an extra 3rd round pick at his disposal (from the Jets in exchange for B. Favre). Quick tangent, that still boggles my mind that Brett Favre only netted the Packers a 3rd round pick, how is that possible? That trade illustrates how overvalued draft picks are in the NFL.
Back to the 2010 NFL Draft, assuming Thompson keeps the pick the Packers are in a great position to take the best player available because they do not have any glaring needs. Even though I am advocating for Thompson to take the best player available in the first round, the Packers definitely do NOT need a quarterback, fullback, tight end, or middle linebacker that early.
Besides the aforementioned positions, Thompson should take the best player available. If the Thompson stays put at 23, some household names will be long gone (Bradford, Suh, Spiller, etc) but there are always a few sleepers that go earlier than expected. Do I smell a Tebow sighting before 23? Hopefully not because the Vikings have the 30th pick in the draft.
In any case, it is reasonable to think the Packers can get a stud that can contribute next year at 23. Here are my ranking, meaning if all the guys were available I would want Thompson to select the first guy on the list and so on:
- Taylor Mays (Safety, USC): you can't teach size and strength. There is a chance Mays goes #8 to the Raiders because he is an absolute physical freak of nature at 6'3" with a 4.31 40-yard dash. Either way I see him as a hybrid linebackers/safety in Dom Capers' psycho package which is a huge upgrade over Chillar trying to play that hybrid position.
- Jerry Hughes (OLB, TCU): the guys at Football Outsiders debuted a new stat a couple of days ago called SackSEER which tries to predict how many sacks a defensive end/outside linebacker will have in their first 5 years in the NFL. The stat takes into account four factors: vertical leap, short shuttle time, sacks per game in college, and games missed in college. The stat looks very robust and Mr. Jerry Hughes is #1 on their list of 2010 draft entries ahead of much more heralded players like Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech), Everson Griffen (USC), Brandon Graham (University of Michigan), and Sergio Kindle (University of Texas).
- Charles Brown (T, USC): there are always a few guys that shoot up draft boards the week of the draft and Charles Brown is that guy this year. In all likelihood Brown will not be there at 23 but I included him for two reasons. First, because I think Brown is the Michael Oher of the 2010 NFL Draft minus Sandra Bullock as his movie step-mom. Second, to show how much I like Mays and Hughes.
- Sergio Kindle (OLB, Texas): even though he has an obscenely low SackSEER projection, Kindle would be a good value at 23. I have a few counters to drafting Kindle though. One, why not give Brad Jones a year or two to develop? Two, why not move Chillar/Poppinga opposite Matthews?
- Devin McCourty (CB, Rutgers): make Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packer beat writer and Rutgers alum Greg A. Bedard happy and allow him to cover a Scarlet Knight that looks like a promising young cornerback.
- Jared Odrick (DE, Penn State): really hope he gets picked before 23. Would be a "good value" according to the talking heads at 23 but just not sold on him for no good reason really.
- Javhid Best (RB, Cal): has some concussion issues which is never a good thing, especially if you are a rookie running back. With that said, I am all for the Packers lighting a fire under Ryan Grant while addressing their return needs all at once.
Check back throughout draft weekend, I will react to Thompson's moves as much as possible.
1st Round Mock Draft (April 21, 2010)
With the new format and teams desperate to improve, I expect there to be a number of trades in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. For simplicity sake, I filled out my mock draft making the HUGE assumption that there will be no trades, here is my first EVER mock draft:
#1) Rams - Sam Bradford
#2) Lions - Ndamukong Suh
#3) Bucs - Gerald McCoy
#4) Redskins - Russell Okung
#5) Chiefs - Eric Berry
#6) Seahawks - Trent Williams
#7) Browns - Joe Haden
#8) Raiders - Derrick Morgan
#9) Bills - Bryan Bulaga
#10) Jags - Earl Thomas
#11) Giants - Rolando McClain
#12) Miami - Dan Williams
#13) 49ers - Jimmy Clausen
#14) Seahawks - C.J. Spiller
#15) Broncos - Brandon Graham
#16) Titans - Jason Pierre-Paul
#17) 49ers - Mike Iupati
#18) Steelers - Maurkice Pouncey
#19) Falcons - Sean Weatherspoon
#20) Texans - Kyle Wilson
#21) Bengals - Jermaine Gresham
#22) Patriots - Dez Bryant
#23) Packers - Taylor Mays
#24) Eagles - Sergio Kindle
#25) Ravens - Jared Odrick
#26) Cards - Jerry Hughes
#27) Cowboys - Charles Brown
#28) Chargers - Jahvid Best
#29) Jets - Nate Allen
#30) Vikings - Tim Tebow (hopefully)
#31) Colts - Rodger Safford
#32) Saints - Devin McCourty
#1) Rams - Sam Bradford
#2) Lions - Ndamukong Suh
#3) Bucs - Gerald McCoy
#4) Redskins - Russell Okung
#5) Chiefs - Eric Berry
#6) Seahawks - Trent Williams
#7) Browns - Joe Haden
#8) Raiders - Derrick Morgan
#9) Bills - Bryan Bulaga
#10) Jags - Earl Thomas
#11) Giants - Rolando McClain
#12) Miami - Dan Williams
#13) 49ers - Jimmy Clausen
#14) Seahawks - C.J. Spiller
#15) Broncos - Brandon Graham
#16) Titans - Jason Pierre-Paul
#17) 49ers - Mike Iupati
#18) Steelers - Maurkice Pouncey
#19) Falcons - Sean Weatherspoon
#20) Texans - Kyle Wilson
#21) Bengals - Jermaine Gresham
#22) Patriots - Dez Bryant
#23) Packers - Taylor Mays
#24) Eagles - Sergio Kindle
#25) Ravens - Jared Odrick
#26) Cards - Jerry Hughes
#27) Cowboys - Charles Brown
#28) Chargers - Jahvid Best
#29) Jets - Nate Allen
#30) Vikings - Tim Tebow (hopefully)
#31) Colts - Rodger Safford
#32) Saints - Devin McCourty
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