wpr
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13 years ago

Early in training camp, the Green Bay Packers’ coaches kept saying the rookies were swimming in new information and not playing full speed because they were trying to avoid mistakes.

Well, in the Packers’ third preseason game, at Indianapolis on Friday, we saw some of those young guys playing more freely.

Based on the game videotape, something clicked with linebacker D.J. Smith, a sixth-round draft pick as an undersized (5-foot-10 5/8) linebacker out of Appalachian State. He started the second half at inside linebacker and finished with five tackles and a sack.

Smith looks like he has a pretty good feel for the game and was out of position on only one play. The Packers drafted him probably because of his explosion to the ball. When he sees the ball he doesn’t let it come to him, he attacks it. Impressive.

Another rookie who’s now a dark horse to make the team is undrafted outside linebacker Vic So’oto out of Brigham Young. At 6-3 and 263, he was a defensive end in college, and early in camp I thought he couldn’t play his new position. I still don’t know if he’s the answer as a backup now that Frank Zombo is out for a while because of a broken shoulder blade, but So’oto has come around. He had a sack, put on consistent pressure and was good against the run.

So’oto is unnatural in coverage — that’s part of the deal when you make that position change. But he brought some physicalness to the edge. Brad Jones, on the other hand, didn’t show much as the first outside linebacker off the bench. He’s not explosive.

Ricky Elmore, another sixth-round pick, is out of the picture at outside linebacker for sure. Undrafted rookie Jamari Lattimore had a sack in the second half, but against the backups, whereas So’oto did it against the Colts’ starters. The Packers threw in So’oto with the No. 1 defense to see if they should hang on to him, and his deal will be whether he can hold up in pass coverage. I don’t know if he has the niftiness to do it, but he can rush and is physical against the run, so he has two of the three.



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Chutzpah515
13 years ago
I was really impressed with the play of Smith the other night. He seemed to be around the ball for the majority of the time he was in. He made some really great plays and with Jones' play waning recently, I think he is now in the middle of the competition going on at outside LB.

I love watching the Packers' preseason games because of all the undrafted rookie talent they are able to acquire. So’oto certainly made an impact in both the pass rush and run defense in the second half. IMO he resembles Zombo in his relentless attack toward the ball. Playing like this so early in his transition to LB could end up leading to a roster spot for sure.
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nerdmann
13 years ago
I still think Elmore could be a player with a pro offseason to work on his body. But at this point I'm more interested in Smith and So'oto. Lattimore needs an offseason too. Add about 20 lbs.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
TheKanataThrilla
13 years ago
I'm glad some guys are showing promise in the second half. I caught the first half of the Indy game and I was extremely frustrated with the lack of pressure we were getting on the QB.
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