AJ Hawk was a prolific tackler and super reliable to be on the field. I would say he was a good LB, but can't say he was great. When he was drafted, everyone thought he pretty much hit his ceiling in college and he was really damn good in college. He wasn't going to be someone who was going to change the game, but he was going to be someone that wouldn't get beat, but also wasn't really going to beat anyone. That's why some were bemoaning taking LB in the top ten. Thing is though, trading back requires a partner to give you something you feel is adequate in return.
Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool
I will also say that I thought Hawk and Brady Poppinga both looked better in an attacking style of defense, then got placed at OLB in Jim Bates/Bob Sanders system where LBers were asked to react and OLBers were specifically asked take on blockers and funnel the plays back into the MLB. Which I wondered if that might of been too old school at the time. As far as I know, that thought process has died out in the NFL. And after their time with the Packers, neither Bates nor Sanders served consecutive years as Defensive Coordinator again (Sanders is still coaching LBers with the Buccaneers).
But it took Hawk and Poppinga some adjustment time to go from attacking style to full reacting style and then even worse, when we went back to the attacking style when the Packers went to a 3-4, it seemed like they could no longer go full on attack mode again, as they seemed to be over thinking. (Just my interpretation and) that held them both back from reaching their true potential.
Also just looking back in defensive Coordinators, it probably did not help that the team kept switching Coordinators there.
2003 - Ed Donatell (2000-2003)
2004 - Bob Slowik (DB coach under Donatell)
2005 - Jim Bates (DC for Dolphins since 2000)
2006 - Bob Sanders (Coached under Bates since 2001 and was Packers DC from 2006 to 2008)
Changing Coordinator often there. Not sure why they all left, but Sherman was probably on the hot seat in 2004 at least as he lost his GM duties in 2005 and we got a new head coach in 2006.
My understanding is that Jim Bates left because he interviewed for the head coaching job and did not get it, leaving him pissed that once again he was passed over (in 2004, the Dolphins head coach resigned after a 1-8 start and as interim head coach Bates finished the season 3-4 and some thought he might get a chance to continue as full time head coach, but they hired Nick Saban, whom was not interested in keeping Bates around).
But my overall point being, I feel like the the Scouts were drafting aggressive style players for a reactive style scheme (which is not ideal) and the coaches using/teaching a possibility out of date scheme also did not help the players maximize their potential.
Like drafting Stokes (Man Coverage CB) for an extremely Zone Heavy Scheme didn't seem ideal either. Though note Georgia did play a lot of of coverage, but their CBs are freaks of natures that are usually better in Man Coverage and the great pass rush and great athletic abilities get them through with Zone responsibilities.