Always fun reading what expectations everyone has of whom among our draft class and UDFA's will make an impact this season or seasons to come.
As we drafted, I was so so disappointed we didn't get Dalvin Cook, and especially Tarik Cohen. Both of those guys just had to land in the NFCN. Cohen has Bears fans electrified. He was my favorite guy in the draft. Just so uniquely special. What a great role player he could've been for this team.
To the ones we did draft...
Aaron Jones is the one and only guy I'm truly excited about. I've gotten caught up in some Josh Jones hype but the other Jones is the guy I was most excited about at draft time. There is an "it" factor to certain players and sadly when I went to Lambeau to see the Eagles game I was hoping for two things...An Aaron Jones long TD run and a Michael Clark TD catch. Aaron was abysmal in that game...nowhere to go, but Clark caught the closing second TD from Taysom Hill.
I think before TC is all over Aaron Jones will be the guy at RB behind incumbent 88. This guy is a true dual threat and put up big numbers even against big time programs like Texas even though the Horns had one horrific D last season. The guy just has great balance and vision. Bounces to daylight and ends up with huge gains. Would love to see that again in our offensive arsenal. I saw a pic of 12 with his arm around him at practice one day. I think Aaron and Aaron are going to be quite the tandem somewhere around midseason or late in the year. Would like to see him unleashed right toward the end of the year ala Dorsey Levens. A very likable well spoken young man to boot.
Michael Clark is my favorite UDFA. That photo of him towering over Gunter is truly incredible. I think it's more awe inspiring than any pic of the eclipse I've seen.
Watching this kid's YouTube clip after he was signed got me all fired up. This is the kind of guy you wait on for 2-3 years to get it. The guys calling Marshall's games sure thought this guy was special. I've heard Mike McCarthy talk about how far he has to go but he can run and his hands are great and his height and arms are just so tantalizing...
Also, Lenzy Pipkins, #41 from Okla St. at CB really caught my eye during my trip to Lambeau. Can run and hit and seemed to have good sense as to what was happening on the field. As bad as we are at CB, I can see us sticking with the high picks and underperformers over this kid. Would be sad to stand pat after what we saw last year. Hoping he takes a step in the 4th preseason game when back end roster spots are really on the line.
Cody Heiman was a LB prospect who was also intriguing to me... but I've heard next to nothing about him although he looks ripped when you see him. Doubt he makes it but would like to see him on the PS.
Ted Thompson sits on his hands per former GM: "because they’ve had 25 fricking years of great quarterbacks. Of course it works. Try it without a special quarterback."