Eye on the Draft

keeping you up to date on the ever-changing draft landscape

this week's episode: 8 players, 8 slots

Holding the #9 pick in this year's draft means that there are going to be exactly 8 players unavailable to the Packers.  The hope is that those 8 players are not some of the Packers' priority targets, although the reality is many of them will be.  At this point the dream for all Packer fans is that players we don't need rise, allowing our targets to fall to us at #9.  There are just too many unknowns at this point to lock down who those 8 players will be.  The ongoing NFL combine may have given us some hints however.

Inexact list of Packers' targets who are in jeopardy of going top 8: Aaron Curry, B.J. Raji, Brian Orakpo, Malcolm Jenkins and Everette Brown.

BAD NEWS:

- Michael Crabtree's stress fracture has shaken things up near the top.  Thought to be Seattle's pick at #4, Crabtree has become an injury risk and may be passed over by Seattle in favor of a defensive tackle which, of course, would be Packers' target B.J. Raji.

- The apparent Barrett Robbins-style freak-out of Alabama OT Andre Smith has escorted him out of the first 8 slots (Peter King claims he may have fallen out of the 1st round), meaning another spot up in the air.

- Teams interested in a DE were able to get a long look at workout warriors Brian Orakpo and Everette Brown, who both performed well at today's defensive line portion of the combine. 

GOOD NEWS:

- Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin is proving to be worthy of a top 8 spot (maybe Oakland or Jacksonville).  He blazed his 40 and "looked like the best WR in the field during the workouts"... remember, Crabtree did not participate.

- Andre Smith may have spazzed himself into the Packers' spot at #41.  Unlikely he'll fall that far, but if Andre the Giant is around there, you must take him.

- OTs Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith had stellar days at the combine, all but locking up top 5 spots.

- Although Brian Orakpo had a great workout, teams may be scared off by what happened to the eerily similar top DE last season, Vernon Gholston.

- Matthew Stafford continued to impress (even without throwing) and may end up with Detroit at #1.  Mark Sanchez, on the other hand, did not blow anyone away with his combine workouts but if he interviews well and has a solid pro day, he could get back into the top 8 fold.

As it stands today, I'd guess the only players unavailable to the Pack will be the following 8.

Aaron Curry

Eugene Monroe

Jeremy Maclin

Matthew Stafford

Jason Smith

Malcolm Jenkins

Michael Crabtree

B.J. Raji