-Provided below each description is the player whose roster spot will be taken by the incoming draftee.
-This is a very preliminary list as we’re only in mid-January. I’d say half of a prospect’s draft stock is made up of in-season performance, with the other half post-season all-star games and workouts. It’s an extremely fluid process, which makes it fun to look back come April and laugh about the fact I had Javier Arenas going 3 rounds earlier than he did.
-I don’t know 80% of the players pegged to go beyond 3rd round, so I picked the few guys I’ve heard of, or just Google-imaged them to see if they had the look of a good football player (Barry Church).
Rd. 1: Bryan Bulaga – OT, University of Iowa
Everything about this pick feels so obvious that I feel like it cannot actually happen. If Bulaga is available at #23 – many peg him a mid-20’s prospect – the Packers will take him because everything about him fits in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher will be brought back on one-year deals, allowing Bulaga to gain experience as a back-up (chances either Clifton or Tauscher miss time is ~100%) and not have to be thrust in immediately to protect the blindside of a 26 year-old franchise QB. The hope then would be that the boy from Crystal Lake, IL will step into the starting left tackle role beginning in the 2011 season and continuing for a decade.
Round hole meets round peg
At the expense of: Breno Giacomini. The project is over, and you’ve failed.
Rd. 2: Javier Arenas – CB, University of Alabama
What makes Arenas so attractive at this spot is his ability to immediately fill two gigantic holes in the Packers’ roster that were exposed in Arizona: secondary depth and competent return man. Assuming Al Harris is back as starter or #3 corner, Arenas can immediately take the position of #4 CB away from whatever trash the Packers have floating around back there. The hope is he ascends the CB depth chart, but his primary focus right away will be on special teams. He will take both kick-off and punt returns away from ACL-less Will Blackmon and ensure that Jordy Nelson will never, and I mean EVER, have to return another kick again.
For our sake, let's hope he's not related to Gilbert
At the expense of: Trevor Ford or Josh Bell or one of their other infinitely replaceable defensive backs.
Rd. 3: O’Brien Schofield – OLB, University of Wisconsin
An obvious homer pick here, but truth be told this O’Brien fellow can play a little football. At this stage, Round 3 seems likely for Schofield, although if he gives the scouts a display of that elite athleticism many believe he has, watch out for him to jump up a round. He was successful as a DE for the Badgers, but one look at him tells you the Flying Spaghetti Monster put him on this Earth to rush the passer as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Packers will be very lucky if he’s available this late.
As you all know, I’m the driver of the Brad Jones bandwagon, and I still believe my Braddy will only get better as a pro, but no GM would go into a season without giving a 2nd year, 7th rounder some heavy competition. This is all under the assumption that we’ve seen the last of Aaron Kampman in Green Bay. I’ve always admired Kampman for the way he played, but from a football perspective it benefits both the Packers and Kampman to go their separate ways.
Usually don't resort to this type of language, but this picture makes me think one thing - fEsTiVaL!!!!
At the expense of: Jeremy Thompson. It looks as though J. Thompson will be forced into retirement – either because of the serious neck injury sustained in December or his total lack of football skills.
Rd. 4: Dexter McCluster – RB/WR, University of Mississippi
Is Dexter McCluster a NFL running back, wide receiver, or neither? I don’t have the answer to that, but what I can tell you is he is exactly the type of home-run hitter that Packer fans crave. We have a very explosive offense without any truly explosive players, and the addition of McCluster’s sub 4.4 speed for select plays might bring some added pop to their already potent line-up (baseball terminology!). End-around here, bubble screen there, nothing major, just enough to add a dimension the offense severely lacks – speed. Unlike Spiller, Best and McKnight – who will all be long gone by this point - McClusterfuck has zero chance to ever assume the role as starting RB, but adding this type of weapon in round 4 is still solid value.
Too crazy for Boys-Town, too much of a boy for Crazy-Town
At the expense of: Ahman Green. Love you to death, Ahman, but we both know it’s time. Congratulations on the All-Time Packer rushing record.
Rd. 5: Barry Church – S, University of Toledo
The Packers are extremely thin at safety, with literally nothing behind Collins and Bigby (although Bigby can be considered nothing as well). Not that Barry Church will save the day, but adding depth here is a must. Plus, after any big Barry Church play, we can all scream “Let’s take ‘em to Church” or some variation thereof.
Already getting excited about his inevitable nickname, Barry "non-denominational" Church
At the expense of: Matt Giordano. Good riddance.
Rd. 6: Zoltan Mesko – P, University of Michigan
Will they use a 6th round pick on a punter? Probably not. Do I really want to sift through names to find the small-school offensive guard that Thompson will end up taking here? Definitely not.
Kiss it baby, yeaaaaahhhhhh
At the expense of: Jeremy Kapinos. Didn’t really secure a roster spot by rating last in most of the important punting statistics.
Rd. 7: Anonymous 300+ pound man – DE, University of ____________
This is the traditional “In Case Johnny Jolly Goes to Jail” draft pick. What would a Packer draft be without it?
I heard this guy has some free time on his hands
At the expense of: Korey Hall. John Kuhn lives to fight another day.
It'll be interesting to see what happens if Bulaga isn't available, because that would mean pretty much all the "elite" OTs are gone. In that case, do the Packers still try set themselves up at OT with an undersized/moderate talent like Charles Brown? Or do they try to address a different need? This draft is super deep at almost every position the Packers might need. I think this is one of those drafts where you take the best guy available at 24 (Mays? McKnight?) and then address needs in rounds 2-4 at some of the deeper positions (CB, S, RB/KR, pass rush threat), as you have us doing. Two questions/concerns-
ReplyDelete1. I think I'd swap Schofield and Arenas in the 2nd and 3rd round the way the wind is blowing right now.
2. Arenas smells a little too much like Batman to me.
1) If it works out this way, 19-0 is guaranteed.
ReplyDelete2) Was that a Dark Knight reference at the end there? I like the John Kuhn-female detective comp. He sucks.