The official offseason draft thread

there you have it

Ted will trade up

Dix.

I've already predicted the entire first round, with trades, sealed in an envelope and mailed to Slayer.  After the draft, he'll (once again) show just exactly what my draft acumen is. 

Until then, I'm not giving anything away. 

I don't keep up with college players as well as many of you, and I'm having trouble understanding something.  I see Troy Niklas' name come up as a possible 2nd round pick for the Packers a lot (here and elsewhere), but I can't understand why.  From what I've read, he's an excellent blocker, with some traits that might make him good receiver down the road, but with his limited experience as a pass catcher he has yet to show much of an instinct for it - especially with regards to over the shoulder passes or anything deep.  I didn't see him play, but that is a common opinion and his stats would seem to back it up.  Notre Dame just didn't throw him the ball very often.

What am I missing?  In today's NFL, a TE that doesn't stretch the field wouldn't normally be worth a 2nd round pick in a very deep draft.  Certainly, Niklas is very fast for a TE and he possesses the size needed to be effective - so is the enthusiasm for him just based on the hope that the skills can develop to go with the physical traits?  Just about everybody rates him as a 2nd rounder, so I feel like I must be missing something.

His yards per catch indicate that he did stretch the field. He ended the season with 37 receptions for 498 yards—a 15.6 yards-per-reception average—with five touchdowns. 

If only there were a place on the internet where you could watch him on a tube for yourself. 

Sorry if I bothered you Iowacheese. It seemed to me that I was asking a football related question in the relevant thread.

I'm well aware of how Youtube works, but what I was hoping for was a well informed opinion from some of the folks here that like Niklas and know what they're talking about.  I thought I might be able to learn more here than I could from watching video of a player that only has 33 career receptions to look at - especially since I watch a limited amount of college football, so I don't have a good feel for the quality of the competition he's facing, or the QB throwing him the ball - and my eye just isn't as trained because my frame of reference is built almost entirely from watching pros play against other pros.

But instead of insight, you gave me sarcasm.  Thanks.

FLPACKER - I saw that stat, which is impressive, but he also had a pretty high YAC and with such a limited number of receptions, the yards per reception stat can be pretty misleading.  But maybe he can - the scouting reports I was were pretty down on him in that regard, but they certainly don't know everything.

I don't think that he ran the 40 at the combine. Reports I've seen indicate that he is a ferocious blocker & has real potential to be a "gronk-like" TE since he has only been playing the position for 2 years. Unpolished to be sure, but alot of potential. 

quote:

Sorry if I bothered you Iowacheese. It seemed to me that I was asking a football related question in the relevant thread.

I think you kind of answered your own question. He's a good blocker with great size, good athleticism and has shown potential as a receiver. He also comes from coach/system that has produced some reliable TEs in the NFL including Brent Celek, Kyle Rudolph, and John Carlson. You are correct that he is unproven as a receiver and if he was more proven then I think he would be in the conversation for late round 1, but because he's not an established deep threat (something seemingly coveted in the modern pass happy NFL) then he gets pushed down in favor of guys like Ebron and Amaro who are very proven receivers. 

Thanks Grave Digger.  It seems to me, and this is just my opinion, that the desire by teams to have a Gronk/Graham type TE is elevating anyone that seems to fit the mold.  Which sort of makes sense, since there are so few of them and having one gives your team a distinct advantage.

I guess I'm just a little conservative in my thinking, since I'd rather not take a player with such limited experience that early. 

It's funny though that guy like Sam Shields gets just one year of experience at CB and it causes him to be undrafted despite his speed, while Niklas is supposed to be a second rounder due largely to potential.

I don't think I'll ever understand scouting.

The difference between Shields and Nilklas though is that Shields had good measurables but only started one season to go and character questions where Niklas has more exceptional height/length, two seasons and lacks those character questions.

Latest BPA on Fanspeak simulator using Walter Football rankings.

I've seen several mock drafts with the Packers taking Hageman with the 21st pick.

I'd be thrilled with Hageman at 53, but not 21.

That'd be a helluva haul, H5.

Nice H5.  I noticed the Walter ranking appears to slide a few high value players.  Good luck getting Abbrederis in the fourth.

Latest with FanSpeak:

21

S CALVIN PRYOR

LOUISVILLE

53

ILB CHRISTIAN JONES

FLORIDA STATE

85

DE STEPHON TUITT

NOTRE DAME

98

DE TRENT MURPHY

STANFORD

121

DT CARAUN REID

PRINCETON

161

TE JACOB PEDERSEN

WISCONSIN

176

QB LOGAN THOMAS

VIRGINIA TECH

197

C RUSSELL BODINE

NORTH CAROLINA

236

WR SHAQ EVANS

UCLA

21

WR BRANDON COOKS

OREGON STATE

53

TE TROY NIKLAS

NOTRE DAME

85

OLB CHRISTIAN JONES

FLORIDA STATE

98

G AUSTIN WENTWORTH

FRESNO STATE

121

C TYLER LARSEN

UTAH STATE

161

S TERRENCE BROOKS

FLORIDA STATE

176

ILB MAX BULLOUGH

MICHIGAN STATE

197

DT BEAU ALLEN

WISCONSIN

236

CB RASHAAD REYNOLDS

OREGON STATE

This is tooo easy!!

Stick with your day job Rusty.

Using Walter Big Board

Fanspeak draft 3001 might be the best one yet. I wonder if Ted would be satisfied if it came down like this.

21 S Calvin Pryor

53 ILB CJ Mosely

85 WR Jared Abbrederis

98 C Marcus Martin

121 QB Aaron Murray

161 TE Arthur Lynch

176 ILB Max Bullough

Murray won't last that long.

Here is our future QB, my grandson!

http://i441.photobucket.com/al...jpg1_zps5ef2e707.jpg

Wonder if he'll last longer than Murray in the draft?

Did RW post his combine numbers?

I just heard Mike Sherman is coming in to help TT pick a punter.

If you consider guys in the first 4 rounds as the players with the best likelihood of helping from Day 1, Ted can bring in 5 of them. If it came out in some order as ILB, S, C, TE, and WR that can return kicks, I'd be just tickled.

Now sit back and wait for an OT and CB to start the draft.

Brock Jensen - NDSU, QB

Waupaca native.

I sure hope we have someone on the radar for a Center.  I keep seeing stories about safeties and ILB's, but Tretter's not a proven commodity, and I'm tired of seeing Rodgers scramble for his life.

if Ted was fine with EDS leaving then Sitton and Lang are fine with Tretter going to Sunday between them. Tretter has earned enough respect to show he's expected to earn respect. 

The reality is that no team is going to be "above average" at every position. Tretter was drafted to replace EDS, doesn't make sense to draft someone to replace him BEFORE he has even played. 

Butt (and we all have one,)

1.  doesn't it make sense to have DEPTH at center?  where's the depth?  where's the beef?

2.  doesn't it make sense to have someone on the roster with some NFL game experience?   Tretter has none, if I recall correctly.

3.  I'm rubber and you're glue.  Whatever you say bounced off me and sticks to you.

So there!  

Wonder if they took a look at de la Puente.  He was pretty decent for the Saints as a starter, and looks like he was signed for cheap.  Could've been some good insurance.

21

TE ERIC EBRON

NORTH CAROLINA

53

TE TROY NIKLAS

NOTRE DAME

85

TE C.J. FIEDOROWICZ

IOWA

98

TE XAVIER GRIMBLE

USC

121

TE ARTHUR LYNCH

GEORGIA

161

TE RICHARD RODGERS

CALIFORNIA

176

TE JACOB PEDERSEN

WISCONSIN

197

TE A.C. LEONARD

TENNESSEE STATE

236

TE JOE DON DUNCAN

DIXIE STATE

Uncle Ted decides to corner the market and drive the Patriots crazy.