Zero2Cool
15 years ago
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Green Bay Green Bay's pick of defensive end Mike Neal in the second round of the NFL draft was more about the future than the present.

Oh, Neal might see occasional time in the base defense this fall and operate as an inside rusher on some passing downs.

But barring something unforeseen, Neal has virtually no shot at supplanting starters Cullen Jenkins and Johnny Jolly in 2010.

When this season ends, though, Jenkins and Jolly both could be unrestricted free agents. Jolly also has an ongoing legal situation in Houston.

So for now, Neal is an insurance policy the Packers probably won't cash until 2011.

"You can never have too many of those guys," Packer defensive line coach Mike Trgovac said.

"I kind of focus my area in one position. I think he's a guy that can come in and compete with the guys that we have in there. Certainly he'll be given every opportunity."

Some projected Neal (6 feet 3 inches, 294 pounds) as a three-technique tackle in a 4-3 scheme because of his short arms (33 1/2 ).

But Green Bay saw the powerful Neal as an end all the way in its 3-4 base.

By far, Neal's most redeeming quality is strength. He set school records at Purdue in the bench press (510), squat (615) and clean (385).

Then, at the NFL combine in February, Neal did 31 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench.

After doing next-to-nothing his first three years at Purdue (one redshirt), Neal came on strong his final two seasons.

Starting 23 of 24 games at left defensive tackle, Neal had 11 sacks, 21 1/2 tackles for a loss and 68 tackles.

Neal was terrific at the East-West Shrine game, a performance that undoubtedly raised his draft stock.

He's also drawn praise for his movement skills and agility, but his 40-yard dash time (4.89) is slow for defensive end.

"He was very impressive in the all-star games practices and in the games themselves when they are going against all seniors and guys that are getting drafted at the same time," Packer general manager Ted Thompson said of Neal.

"We think he fits very well into our system. He played defensive tackle mostly in college. . . . We feel like he'll be a good asset for us in our sub packages rushing the passer from the inside."

Neal was criticized in some circles for his effort level and lack of consistency. But the Packers said that's because Neal almost never came off the field at Purdue.

Neal estimated that he played 80-plus snaps some games, while Trgovac said, "they played a lot of defensive football at Purdue."

"The guy is in the game the entire time," said Shaun Herock, Green Bay's assistant director of college scouting. "Eventually a big guy like that is going to wear down a little bit at the end of the game, but he has a motor about him."

Neal has stayed healthy the past two seasons but had a wide array of injuries before that.

Neal was granted a medical hardship in 2005 after undergoing knee surgery; then he missed five games in 2006 with a turf toe injury that later required surgery.

He also had surgery that same off-season for a torn labrum, but he returned from all of those to play good football the past two years.

"I am a hard-nosed football player," Neal said. "I know when I get off the ball and get to blockers I'll knock them off the ball. I think I'm a tough football player, and that's what I will bring to the Packers - another added dimension to the physical defensive line."

Neal should certainly fit in well with a defensive line group that was terrific a year ago.

The Packers ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rushing defense, setting a franchise record for fewest yards allowed per game (83.3).

With nose tackles Ryan Pickett and B.J. Raji, along with ends Jenkins, Jolly and now Neal, Green Bay should have terrific depth up front.

"I'm a big fan of defensive linemen," Thompson said. "As you know, before when we ran a 4-3, I think we'd keep sometimes 12 on our 53-man. You start running out of those guys, you run out of them pretty fast and there's no well to go get any more water."

That's why Thompson went to the well for Neal, and later East Carolina's C.J. Wilson in Round 7. While most don't expect either rookie to make major contributions in 2010, Neal won't be one of those people.

"I want to play as much as I can and contribute to the team," Neal said.

"If they drafted me this high, they expect me to come in and work my butt off and get on the field. I definitely want to get in and contribute as a rookie."


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zombieslayer
15 years ago
That's kind of a given, right? I think all of us in the chat during the draft knew he was drafted not for 2010, but for the future.

He will get reps this year though, especially on passing downs.
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warhawk
15 years ago
The site I was looking at that had his stats stated he had 16 sacks over his junior (10.5) and senior (5.5) seasons. I figured with nobody else nearly as good as him on the DL coming off 10+ sacks he probably got doubled most of the time. Not sure if this article is right on this or the one I was looking at had it wrong.

They definately needed quality depth to rotate in and give Jenkins and Jolly a break. Him pounding on OL can't hurt their cause when it gets to the 4th quarter.
"The train is leaving the station."
Pack93z
15 years ago
Watching him play in the fall ... Big Ten ball... Inconsistent comes to mind..


At times.. he popped and at times he would get handled.

Like the pick.. just needs to work on consistency... Trgovac will get him ready to roll.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
zombieslayer
15 years ago
Pack - he won't be so inconsistent if he's rotated in and "fresh." I think that's one of our ideas with our DL.

Go back to our SB loss. Remember we had an All-Pro DL that was completely exhausted. Had they been rotated, we may have won that game.

Same thing with Neal. Giving Jenkins and Jolly a breather too will help their games as well.
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2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷
Since69
15 years ago
I know I'm draftarded compared to the guys that do this for a living, but I'm sorry. I still don't like this pick.
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go.pack.go.
15 years ago
All I have to say is that I hope Jenkins isn't gone after this season. He is a great fit in this defense, and it would severely hurt our line if he leaves.
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Wade
  • Wade
  • Veteran Member
15 years ago
Ok. I just imagined myself as Ted Thompson (cough hack spit).

I'm worried that Cullen Jenkins might not re-sign after this year. So I've got a choice:
1. Get a deal done with Jenkins sooner than later.
2. Use a high draft choice to draft a rookie with "potential" in case Jenkins leaves, a rookie that I know isn't as good as Jenkins yet.

Try as I might, I don't understand how 2 is the choice.

Now I'm sure Foster will explain to me the financial constraints one more time....but I just think this sounds like some of the beancounters I've encountered above me in their corp titles.

The ones I think of as even bigger pinheads than me.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
Rockmolder
15 years ago

Ok. I just imagined myself as Ted Thompson (cough hack spit).

I'm worried that Cullen Jenkins might not re-sign after this year. So I've got a choice:
1. Get a deal done with Jenkins sooner than later.
2. Use a high draft choice to draft a rookie with "potential" in case Jenkins leaves, a rookie that I know isn't as good as Jenkins yet.

Try as I might, I don't understand how 2 is the choice.

Now I'm sure Foster will explain to me the financial constraints one more time....but I just think this sounds like some of the beancounters I've encountered above me in their corp titles.

The ones I think of as even bigger pinheads than me.

"Wade" wrote:



I'd try to get a kid who's a good pass rusher and has the chance to be a great one, who fits my scheme very well, and try to replace Johnny Jolly, who couldn't get to the QB to save his life.

Jolly is going to ask for a huge amount of money next year, because he's a good run stuffer and makes some splash plays like batting down balls and getting interceptions. Something that GB really shouldn't pay him.

Enter Neal. We have this one year to spare. We can take the gamble on a potential kid. Next to that, he's not as bad and raw as people make him out to be. He wasn't spectacular, but he was constantly double teamed and was (one of the) best pass rusher on that team.

You're not going to get a player without any flaws in the 2nd. If the big thing is his work ethic, I could totally go with that. On talent alone, he could've been a borderline 1st round pick, easily.
zombieslayer
15 years ago
I'd rather have Jenkins than Jolly and wonder if we're going with Neal to replace Jolly, not Jenkins. Whereas Jolly may be better against the run, Jenkins is no slouch against the run either and Jenkins can get pressure on the opposing QB. Jenkins also can play any position on the DL.
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2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷
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