Some things you can be sure of. The Lions are not going to the play-offs. The Vikings inability to win a Super bowl , coupled with Ted Thompson not trading up in the draft
Well, apparently those things just got plausible. Thompsons trade up to the 26th pick shocked many and got a lot of mixed receptions. Especially because of the amount of picks given up and some glaring holes along the O-line, which couldnt be fixed before the 4th round this way. The 4th round, of course, is usually to draft for the future instead of direct starters.
But still, was this a good draft, or should Ted have stuck to his old style and just taken the best player on the board when the Packers had to pick? Or if nothing was to his liking there, trade back. It got us some quality players that contributed to the Packs very successful 13-3 season, but also our quite disappointing 6-10 season. The verdict is still out there, but in my eyes, hes been a very good drafter so far, and straying from something that works is always risky.
First of all, the Packers own first-rounder. They selected BJ Raji, a big and dominating DT from Boston College. I believe this was more a pick of need than the best player available, even though Ted Thompson denies it. Crabtree is just an amazing talent and shouldnt have dropped out of the top 8 (Looking at you, Oakland and Jacksonville). Sure, he had some injury problems. That made me a little hesitant as well. Nonetheless, he was the best player available. Other options here were Oher, Maybin, Orakpo or Jenkins.
That said, Raji was still a pick of great value at 9. Many mock drafts had him going to the Bengals, who desperately needed a pass rusher and run stopper, or to the Jaguars, who still have a hole at DT due to trading away Marcus Stroud. Also, it was one of our bigger needs. Hell play either NT or DE in his first season and will beef up a D-line that was struggling mightily last year. With the addition of Raji, our front 7 will look a lot fiercer immediately.
Ted had to trade up for the other front 7 player. Giving up a 41st, 73rd and 83rd overall to obtain the 26th and 162nd from the Patriots. Some people thought, and still think, that the Pack gave up too much here. I disagree. Clay Matthews is an exceptional talent and very athletically gifted. He can step in directly, stay our there in a nickel package and get some pressure on the QB when needed, which will result in a less one-dimensional rushing attack than we had last year. Whenever you can get a player you scouted and had on the board at the 9th pick and can get him with the 26th, you should jump on it directly, and that is exactly what he did.
Given Our 2nd round picks have been very successful in the past, but who was there at that point to fill that void left open opposite of Kampman? Everette Brown was there. An undersized, one-dimensional DE/OLB from Florida State. Please see- Jamal Reynolds. Clint Sintim was an option, but he doesnt have the cover and run stopping skills that Matthews III has. William Beatty was still on the board and that is a player who wouldve been able to help our O-line immediately on the right side, but overall, there was no one even coming close to Clays skill.
What really should be looked at is what the Pack couldve gotten with their 3rd round picks. There were no great players on the board at this point and our extra 5th rounder eventually got us an OT with 3rd round talent, Jamon Meredith. He allegedly had some character issues, but seems to be heading the right way.
The rest of the players selected by Green Bay were:
TJ Lang in the 4th round. (One of the better interior linemen in this draft who has made some impressive progression throughout his college career.)
FB Quinn Johnson in the 5th round.( A devastating run blocker out of LSU.)
In the 6th round DE Jarius Wynn. (Currently a slightly unknown player Not too impressive throughout either his college career or with his drills.)
Brandon Underwood (Drafted in the 6th round as well. A bit of a question mark at his own position, DB, but one of the better special teams players available. A very good gunner in college.)
And lastly, LB Brad Jones in the 7th. (Another very solid special teams players.)
You cant really give a draft a grade at this point. Itll need 3 years, at least, before you can make any sensible statements, but at this point, Im very satisfied. Thompson has been building a solid foundation and appears to be putting the final pieces of the puzzle together. This has been the most aggressive draft that Packers fans have seen in a while and I like it. I like it a lot.
Detlev Dimmitry, Packershome.com