Assessing Packer Draft "Needs" as of today

" Raji back at NT might also be impactful."

 

Maybe I am a pessimist, but I don't see how moving him back to NT is going to improve his performance.

 

He got single blocked the majority of the time last year.  He consistently failed to shed and fill holes.  How does moving to the nose where he will get doubled more often before one of the linemen come off to destroy Hawk make him more likely to have an impact?

 

If he improves, it will be because of effort, not position.  Long story short, I still think we are very weak up the middle..  NT, ILB and S.

The ONE BPA theory is a myth, as there usually is no one BPA sitting there. Unless you have the first pick in the draft and an Andrew Luck type guy is sitting there. What really happens is all/most teams slot players into groups of similiar talent rankings. So for instance, at pick 21 in the first round TT will have a group of say 5 to 8 players all rated about equal. He will then make his pick from that group of guys. Same thing happens in rounds 2 through 7, only the ratings are lower and perhaps the groupings get bigger.

 

One other thing, from what I gather, regarding TT's picks is he's focused on 2 to 3 years out when making selections. SO the immediate need may not be addressed, but rather what his crystal ball says the team will need in a couple or few years to remain competitive. He can always find a short term fix in a journeyman FA for a percieved immediate need. JMHO.

 

So, dont be surprised if a WR is picked very early (will he be able to re-sign both Jordy and Cobb?) or a CB (how much longer will Tramon be on the team?). Uncle Ted will be looking to the future years, not just 2014, to draft and develop them for when they are needed. IMHO.

Players are ranked & grouped into tiers. If a player from tier 1 falls down to 21 & he has other players of "need" in Tier 2, I expect TT to draft the player left in tier 1.

 

He always has. I don't see any reason that would change in 2014

Agreed Boris, there are instances of true BPA in the later half of the 1st round. Aaron Rodgers is a prime example.

Also agree, if a higher tiered or grouped guy falls into you rankings at that spot it can become a no brainer to pick him IF the reasons for that fall check out OK, character, medical etc.

 

Where teams like the queens and others fail is when they let needs force them into taking a lower tiered player because a guy at the need position was not there in the tier or group available at that pick. See Ponder as an example. TT does not fall into that trap.

Teams almost always draft for need within the tiers, the problem comes when teams jump tiers.

 

I have a gut feeling that the Packers have Minnesota DT Ra'Shede Hageman pegged at 21. To me he just fits. B1G DL, which they seem to love, and he was a Senior Bowl standout, which also seems important to them. With the Peppers signing they don't seem to have a need to draft a DL who can play immediately either, which is perfect for Hageman because he will need some time to develop. A good coach and strong leaders around him are exactly what Hageman needs to really tap into that incredible ability he has shown at times. Again though that is just a gut feeling, I won't be surprised if they go in any direction. 

Hageman scares me.  I see him flaming out.  Just a gut feeling, nothing to back it up. 

 

No question the talent is there. 

From a STL Rams writer:

 

Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Packers, Lions, Bears attend CB Pierre Desir's pro day at Lindenwood University.

 

 

He's definitely boom or bust. His play is hot and cold, dominant one minute and invisible the next. If we needed to count on him immediately then I would say no, but with Peppers, Daniels, Datone, Worthy, Raji, etc. in the mix this year I think we can be patient with him. You're right though, he's a scary prospect.

Kind of another Raji, but longer.

BFI or GFI?

For some odd reason, I think the first pick going to be a WR. 

 

I'm not advocating it, and I'm aware this draft appears deep at that position. 

 

It just seems like a TT to do if the guy he wants is sitting there, or after he trades down.

Not a surprise, but the Packers definitely had a scout at the Virginia Tech Pro Day. In this picture taken of "One Outfit Jim", you can see the Packers scout to the left taking notes. 

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BjG4IKsIgAA-e5O.jpg:large

That looks like Leslie Fraser!

220...221...Whatever it takes.....

I was next to him at the urinal one time and told him I pissed off the only female scout in football. 

Who else but Harbaugh would be the farthest one out on the field.

I agree with some of the thoughts on Hageman.  I've watched a number of Minnesota games and he's extremely up and down as a player.   In some respects he reminds me a lot of our guy Jereal Worthy.  Given his talent and ability he should be more dominant but the lack of consistency will drive you crazy.

 

 

 

Agree.  All I want out of the draft is a true MLB and a true S.  None of this tweener/hybrid BS... 

Agreed. And please make both huge blazing fast snotbubblers. Our interior D has to start crushing people not this grab and drag crap.

Man, that was some gawd-awful defense. Did we even have one guy who wasn't being blocked on that play? It wouldn't have mattered if AP would've followed Felton up the middle instead of cutting around McMillan; it was going to be a big play either way.

"Well he's available and he gets the defense called"...

 

Jimmie Ward is the pick. fast, all purpose safety. 

Ward isn't round 1 talent. if Ha-Ha, Pryor or Mosley is gone get another road paver for the OL. The best defense is this passing game with Lacy behind a line of maulers. Keep away for 35 plus minutes each week. 

 

Im im not even sure Ward is a better all purpose safety than Hyde. I know Hyde can play on Sundays. 

I could see Ted going CB before safety. If the plan is to use Hyde at safety, they need depth there in case Tramon, Shields or Gimpy Hamstring goes down. House did not show up last year.

...much rather see TE Ebron or Dlineman than an Olineman

I want to see Borland if no s or dt is there

A GM would have to have alot of guts to pick Borland in the first round. He has all the intangibles, but his athletic limitations will probably make him a 3rd round pick. 

Agree... and I think GB will have to trade up in R3 to get him.  I'm all for it. 

Feeling positive this morning, so here are a few potential reasons for optimism in defensive improvement using only players currently on the roster.

• Hayward playing at his rookie level for a full season
• Raji plays more to his potential now back at NT
• Boyd and Jones make big jumps in Year 2
• Hyde provides at least NFL-starter caliber Safety play next to Burnett, which also elevates MB
• Lattimore gets a decent chunk of time at ILB showing what he flashed last year
• Neal and Perry building on some promise shown last year while being used more sparingly/creatively
• Peppers proves it in prove-it year

I don’t know that any of these has better than a coin flip’s chance of actually happening, but I like looking at the glass as half full in the event we don’t see the draft shaking it out as we’re all hoping. Even without an immediate impact from the draft, no reason this defense can’t be at least a top 15 unit with some health.

I thought the goal was improving our overall athleticism/speed? We want to get smaller and slower? 

Health will be the biggest thing we need. 

Kiper currently ranks Borland as the 25th best player in the draft, says he knows for a fact a few teams see him as a first rounder.  A bit hard to believe. 

Being ranked among the top 30 players and even carrying a "1st round grade" does not guarantee he will get picked in round 1. There's a lot to like about him and while I joke about it, I don't think his size will be the problem for him in the NFL. From what I've seen I think he gets over-aggressive at times and doesn't have the speed/quickness to make up for it. He can move east/west well enough which is why when he diagnoses the play correctly he makes a lot of good plays outside the numbers. To me though, I see him gamble a lot and misdiagnose plays and doesn't have the the recovery speed/quickness to make up for it. The majority of the time he seems to read the play correctly though. I don't think he will go in the first round, but like I said there is a lot to like. 

I'll bet TT has 20 players or less with a "1st-round grade"

I'd like to know for a fact if Kiper is accepting payment from certain players to get his hype.  The way he talks at the draft and all the back tracking he has to do when things don't go his way is nausiating (spell?) - I often wondered if that wasn't the case. 

I just look at what I see when I see Borland play, he is a playmaker, he's around the ball and tackling - that's what we need.

The question with Chris isn't that he can play- put in the OSU game tape (among many others) to put that to bed.

It whether he can play-make among much larger humans. There's a reason why size matters in the NFL- a guy of great skill, speed, and power can be lost in the traffic and ultimately rendered ineffective. I'd like to think Borlands able to buck that, but it is a concern.