Wow are you sure it's just a rumor? Late February IS the peak time for factual draft news reports.
Heard TT was sitting next to Baalke giving him pointers on who to draft at WR
My favorite TT counterintelligence move was the year he somehow leaked that the Pack wanted Shea McClellin and the Bears outfoxed him by picking him ahead of us....
Most people have been saying this is an average linebacker group but I think this group showed that it was better than average today.
Ragland didn't put up top 10 pick type of numbers but certainly didn't lay an egg. Pretty solid across the board, he improved his already good chances of being off the board by the 27th pick.
Leonard Floyd (who I think might be one of Ted's early favorites) unfortunately did not do some of the agility drills. But he did run a 4.60 40-time (excellent 1.60 10-yard), posted a 39.5 inch vertical and a 10'7" broad jump.
I didn't have any concerns regarding Joshua Perry and his ability to be a thumper in the middle. Sideline to sideline was a bit of a concern. Perry ran a 4.68 40 at 254 pounds. Looks to be a real solid value at the end of round two.
Utah State's Nick Vigil had a pretty impressive day. The 6-2, 239 pounder posted the best 3-cone (6.73) and short shuttle (4.00) of any of the linebackers.
What about Joshua Perry as a possible ILBer? He tested well today & was voted First Team Big 10 this year. http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/...hua-perry?id=2555326
Floyd bulked up and ate a lead burrito to weigh in at 244#, but he pulled out before running his second 40. Maybe he just wanted to stand on that time, but he may have also tweaked something.
Travis Feeney of Washington is built very similar player and ran even faster, but he's not a polished as Floyd as a pass rusher as he used to play safety. He's also had shoulder problems.
The guy who intrigues me is De'Vondre Campbell of Minnesota. TBH when I saw him play for MN basically at ILB, I thought he lacked instincts but he has the length and athleticism to play the edge, he's a good tackler in space and may have been out-of-position playing inside. He looks very fluid.
Hopefully Floyd did tweak something on that first 40 and it forced him out of the agility drills. Ted would probably be pretty disappointed with Floyd if he felt the 40 and the vertical jump was all he needed to do. Ted seems to like those 3-cone drill numbers.
I'm not convinced that Floyd will be a good NFL player. Definite boom-or-bust type. But I think Ted will prioritize pass-rush upside over everything else in this draft, and Floyd probably has as much of that as any player on the board.
One guy that I wasn't really that familiar with before today was Vanderbilt's Stephen Weatherly. After looking at the combine numbers I went back and looked at his defensive statistics and they were ordinary at best. But at 6-4 3/8, 267 pounds, 34 1/2 inch arms and a 4.61 40 (10 yard times were 1.59 and 1.60 which are excellent)...he looks like he might be worth spending a late round pick on.
The guy I think really blew it today was Noah Spence. He already has a boatload of character red flags and his 40 time was pretty pedestrian for a top OLB prospect at 4.80. There are also rumors I read in a couple of places where his coaching wasn't holding up to the heightened scrutiny of the NFL team interviews.
One guy I don't think has any business playing in space is Carl Nassib. While I don't remember ever thinking he looked all that nimble, oy vay did he look stiff in drills.
Rusty posted:
This is the exact reason I come to x4 for my football news.
No mamby-pamby fluff pieces in here, just hard-hitting, in-your-face information.
Attaboy, Rusty!
Just caught up with combine.....it's a rough year to be drafting top 5. The QBs all have big question marks. There are no can't miss pass rushers. The OT's look good but the recent busts of top 10 OT's has to make you wonder if the position is worth it that high. IMO, Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack are probably the two best players in the draft but they play positions that have never been top 5 picks and are rarely even top 10.
I don't think the top five looks great but it's pretty solid. It very well could be a big benefit to teams that the prototypical franchise QB is not there because probably half those guys turn out to be busts anyway. Laremy Tunsil and Joey Bosa may not be five time Pro Bowlers but each of them should be plus-plus players and both of them have really high floors, Tunsil plays left tackle and Bosa probably should average around 10 sacks per year. I think those guys are worth top five picks in almost any draft. Jack will be an impact player unless the knee problem is a concern which, at this point in time, it doesn't appear to be. If healthy (enough) then he is also a guy that fits in the top five picks in almost any draft. Jalen Ramsey probably will be a safety but he won't be a typical safety, he could walk down and cover some of those better tight end and take the offensive mismatch away. I'd feel pretty good about taking him in the top five. After that it's a bit of a crapshoot, but I think those four guys are worthy of top five picks.
Ragland ain't happening, just like Moseley and Shazier...they will be gone before we pick. DE or OLB likely.
Common sense says Thompson will look at DL and OL because history indicates he places a high value on those positions. It is a deep draft at both position groups though, a lot of good DL and OL will be available later on, Thompson may decide to wait and grab a talented guy on Day 2 or Day 3. If he does that I wouldn't rule out him talking the top pass rusher available, the top non-QB skill player available. This will definitely be an interesting draft, everything depends on the specific player available, but I wouldn't rule out an outside-the-box pick in round 1.
I would doubt he'll stray from OL/DL/Pass Rusher. Bakhtiari, Sitton and Lang are all in the final year of their contracts, Daniels is the only experienced D-lineman under contract for any length of time, Perry and Neal are Free Agents, it's probably Peppers' last season, Mulumba and Elliott haven't proven to be reliable, it's not like ILB has anything to brag about if Matthews moves back outside, etc.
This is a good year to draft big bodies, which bodes well for the Packers, especially if they grab a pass rusher early.
Hunter Henry still factors into that first round mix. The Packers cannot have an offensive repeat of what happened last year. Best way to guard against injury to the wide receiver group would be to take another wide receiver, but with five receivers already a virtual lock to make the roster (Janis for special teams play) and a sixth that is a pretty good bet (Abbrederis), taking another wide receiver might be throwing away a pick. There is an opening for a tight end and Henry provides that dimension they've been lacking at the position, big natural pass-catcher that can take the top off of the defense. Add in that this appears to be a terrible tight end class, if Ted doesn't take Henry then he might have a hard time finding a tight end worth whatever pick is on the board. Henry has to be a strong consideration if he makes it to #27.
It's a real good bet that the coaching staff will be pushing hard to upgrade the tight end position. The Packer's front office may not be a democracy, but that doesn't mean that Ted isn't a team player.
It all depends on who is available. Pass rush and DL are big needs obviously and some youth on OL wouldn't hurt, but Ted won't reach for a pass rusher or an OT. If Hunter Henry or Derrick Henry or other players not named Henry are the top guys on his board then I doubt he passes. Even if guys seemingly don't fit (i.e. Drafting a 43 DE in Perry for the 34 or drafting a college Safety to play CB etc) but they are the top guy on GBs board then they will be the pick.
I'd love Henry in a Packer uniform. We've missed that threat since Finley left...
I don't think Henry is a a factor, tbh. If he grades out as an Olsen/Witten-level prospect, he'll be long gone and if he doesn't, TT won't see him as a first-rounder.
I also don't see him taking a RB in the first, unless maybe if Elliott falls.
YATittle posted:I'd love Henry in a Packer uniform. We've missed that threat since Finley left...
With or without the pink feather?
Timmy! posted:Rusty posted:This is the exact reason I come to x4 for my football news.
No mamby-pamby fluff pieces in here, just hard-hitting, in-your-face information.Attaboy, Rusty!
So, you come here for dick? 
And is he better than Ben-Heath RoethlisMiller?
Herschel posted:I don't think Henry is a a factor, tbh. If he grades out as an Olsen/Witten-level prospect, he'll be long gone and if he doesn't, TT won't see him as a first-rounder.
I also don't see him taking a RB in the first, unless maybe if Elliott falls.
I totally agree with the TE / RB assessment.
Timmy! posted:Rusty posted:This is the exact reason I come to x4 for my football news.
No mamby-pamby fluff pieces in here, just hard-hitting, in-your-face information.Attaboy, Rusty!
Ouch that could be some rug burn for him! I hear NFL scouts are nuts over this guy
Come on now. It ain't every guy in the league that can trip over his own dick.
Herschel posted:I don't think Henry is a a factor, tbh. If he grades out as an Olsen/Witten-level prospect, he'll be long gone and if he doesn't, TT won't see him as a first-rounder.
I also don't see him taking a RB in the first, unless maybe if Elliott falls.
Olsen was the 31st overall pick and Witten was a 3rd round pick. If he grades out like those guys then 27 might actually be a little high.
DH13 posted:Come on now. It ain't every guy in the league that can trip over his own dick.
He must have big hands/fingers.
Round One = Emmanuel Ogbah/OLB/Oklahoma State (6-4 1/4, 273)
College defensive end that totaled 113 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss and 24 sacks over his last two seasons at OSU. Figured to fit best as a 4-3 defensive end in the NFL but posted a 4.63 40-time, 35.5 inch vertical, 10'1" broad jump, 4.50 short shuttle and 7.26 second 3-cone drill and now figures to be either a 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker. Only did 20 reps of 225. His combined length (6-4 1/4, 35 1/2 inch arms), overall athletic ability and college production probably makes him the pass-rusher with the most upside available at #27 outside of Noah Spence (and I think Spence's character concerns will knock him down the Packer's board). Many think Ogbah's biggest impact could come as an interior rusher on obvious passing downs, a trait that the Packers are known to find desirable and have drafted for in the past.
Round Two = Willie Henry/DE/Michigan (6-2 3/4, 303)
Thompson went with the player that had the most pass-rush upside remaining on the board in round one, and in round two comes back and takes the defensive lineman with the most pass-rush upside remaining on the board. Henry redshirted in 2012, started 6 games in 2013, started 6 games in 2014 and started 9 games this past season. Finished 2015 with 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Henry plays with power and shows good initial burst and quickness. Had excellent across the board numbers at the combine for a 300 pounder. Henry is still considered a raw and developmental prospect, but what he showed in 2015 have many believing he could be emerge as an impact player in the NFL. Personally I wouldn't be a big fan of this pick. I like Henry enough, but I view him as a best fit at 3-technique and that's Mike Daniels' spot. But Thompson has a long history of drafting this type of player and trying to fit him in the defense, so that's why I had the Packers taking Henry.
Round Three = Tyler Higbee/TE/Western Kentucky (6-5 3/4, 249)
Hunter Henry is the best tight end in this draft, Austin Hooper is the next best tight end from a "complete tight end" perspective, but Tyler Higbee is probably the second best "pass catching tight end" prospect in this draft after Henry. Entered Western Kentucky as a wide receiver and played that position in 2011, then redshirted in 2012 and came back as a tight end in 2013. Was off to a huge start in 2015 before suffering a sprained knee. Finished the season with 8 starts, 38 catches, 563 yards, 14.8 yard per catch average and 8 touchdowns. Did appear in the conference championship game in a reserve role and then did not play in the bowl game. Also did not participate at the combine, so there are legitimate questions about his knee. But at this time it's not believed to be serious, so if the Packer's physicians give the thumb's up I think this is a player that would really interest Thompson. There is no real mystery as to what type of player Higbee is, he's not huge and powerful and doesn't ever figure to be much of a blocker. But he can run, has length, a very good set of hands and appears to be a natural pass-catcher.
Round Four = Willie Beavers/OT/Western Michigan (6-4 5/8, 324)
Beavers was a three year starter at left tackle for Western Michigan. Redshirted in 2011, played in 8 games (two starts) in 2012 before become a full time starter in 2013. Has a good blend of athletic ability and power, but is not top-notch in either of those departments. Has an outside shot to play left tackle in the NFL, but his characteristics indicate he might be able to play anywhere along the offensive line. Has shorter arms (33 1/2 inch) and smaller hands (9 1/2 inch) than most tackle prospects, but that doesn't seem like something that has ever concerned Thompson.
Round Four (compensatory pick) = Joe Haeg/OT/North Dakota State (6-6, 304)
Haeg has great experience on both sides of the offensive line. He redshirted in 2011, started 29 games at right tackle in 2012-2013 and then started 31 games at left tackle in 2014-2015. Haeg is known more a athletic technician than a power player at this point in time. Has relatively short arms (33 3/4 inch) for someone with his height (6-6). Posted a 9'3" broad jump (tied for 4th among offensive lineman), a 7.47 3-cone drill time (tied for 5th among offensive lineman) and a 4.47 second short shuttle (3rd among offensive linemen). Attractive developmental prospect that has a chance to play either left tackle or right tackle in the NFL.
Round Four (compensatory pick) = Kolby Listenbee/WR/Texas Christian (6-0, 197)
The original plan at the end of round four would have been to grab an offensive lineman, a running back and an inside linebacker. However, lack of solid running back and inside linebacker prospects in this area of the draft would force the Packers to go in a different direction. I think they probably will look to draft two offensive linemen in this draft, and with the Beavers and Haeg pick that is now complete. I had them taking Listenbee with this pick only because it's been confirmed that the team has met with Listenbee and he is currently grading out early in round five. I'm actually pretty intrigued that the Packers would be interested in Listenbee because he doesn't seem like a receiver the Packers prefer. He's not very physical and it's questionable how effective he would be if moved around in the offense. He's a prototypical speed-burner outside receiver that can make plays down the field. Considered a poor blocker and is not that great when having to work in traffic. He was an All-American sprinter at Texas Christian, so the 4.35 second 40-yard dash time he posted at Indy didn't surprise anybody. Also posted a 35 1/2 inch vertical and a 10'9" broad jump, but unfortunately did not participate in the agility drills. 2015 statistics = 30 catches, 597 yards, 19.9 average per catch, 5 touchdowns. 2014 statistics = 41 catches, 753 yards, 18.4 average per catch, 4 touchdowns.
Round Five = Nick Vigil/ILB/Utah State (6-2 3/8, 239)
Super-productive inside linebacker that did surprisingly well at the combine. Vigil finished the 2015 season with 144 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. His 40-yard dash at the combine was a solid 4.72 seconds but his 3-cone drill time (6.73 seconds) and short shuttle time (4.00) was tops among all linebackers. He is know to be very quick and has solid instincts for the position. His biggest issue is lack of size. Weighted in a 239 at the combine but might play in the 225-230 area (Utah State listed him at 235).
Round Six = Daniel Lasco/RB/California (6-0 1/4, 209)
I would have liked to see the Packers find a better candidate two rounds earlier but this is a weak draft for running backs and I don't think there is much difference between any of the running backs once it gets past the Kenyan Drake/C.J. Prosise tier which falls early in round four. If Ted feels the same way it wouldn't be shocking to see him pass on the position completely if he doesn't take one in the first three rounds. Ted generally likes big backs that can catch the ball...Lasco can catch the ball but his size is questionable. Lasco had an excellent season in 2014: 210 carries, 1115 rushing yards (5.3 average) 12 rushing touchdowns, 33 catches, 356 receiving yards (10.8 average), 2 touchdowns. Lasco suffered through various leg injuries in 2015 and only started 3 games (played in 9). Totals for the 2015 season were: 65 carries, 331 rushing yards (5.1 average), 3 rushing touchdowns, 4 catches, 24 receiving yards (6.0 average), 0 receiving touchdowns. The book on Lasco is that he is a smaller back that can catch the ball, is more quick than fast, has some "make you miss" in him, but he won't move the pile and probably won't break many long runs. I thought he had slid into undraftable territory following the 2015 season but he posted a 4.46 second 40 yard dash (4th best among running backs), a 41.5 inch vertical jump (best among running backs), an 11'3" broad jump (best among running backs) and a 11.31 60 yard shuttle (2nd best among running backs) to put himself back in the mix. Ted doesn't seem to put as much stock in workout numbers for offensive players as he does for defensive players, but his sixth rounder last year was a tight end that ran a 4.65 second 40-yard dash in workouts and that more than anything else is probably what got him drafted.
Round Seven = Gerald Dixon Jr./DT/South Carolina (6-3, 327)
Lots of talk about how great this draft is for interior defensive linemen, but while that is true it is a terrible draft in terms of 3-4 nose tackle depth. Jarren Reed and Andrew Billings are round one players and likely gone by the time the Packers pick. Vernon Butler and Austin Johnson may be 3-4 nose tackles (both might be better as 5-techniques in the Packer's defense) that figure to be drafted somewhere between 25 and 45. After that there isn't much. It wouldn't be a reach to say there isn't another 3-4 nose tackle worth drafting. So it came down to this pick and it was picking between a bunch of nose tackles that may not be worth a roster spot...a backup safety would be the next thing to look at. I had Ted settling for one of the nose tackles. Dixon was a two year starter at South Carolina. He totaled 28 tackles and 2 tackles for loss in 2015. Big man with some quickness that can occupy blockers but offers zero in terms of pass-rushing.
Ogbah would obviously be a value, but he will be a project a OLB much like Nick Perry. The value is there though.
I have a hunch Haeg is going to go earlier to someone like NE in r3. Value is right in your draft though.
PackFoo posted:Ragland ain't happening, just like Moseley and Shazier...they will be gone before we pick.
Every year I see either the Steelers or Ravens a couple picks ahead of Green Bay I have resigned myself to their picking the best player available at a Packer need position.
It's as certain as Ted winning whatever trade he makes with Billy B.
Who is this years Ra'Shede Hageman, cause I want Ted to pass on that guy too
Don't like the Second pick. MUCH better d-lineman will be available than Henry in Second Round. Initially discounted Higbee being worth a 3, but after researching him a little I am interested.
Curious to know why you have Beavers ahead of Haeg? Based on bio info, Haeg has much more experience, and just as much, if not more, versatility.
Do you see any scenarios in Rounds 3/4/5 where the Packers would move up/down?
And is Dixon rated so low just because of no pass rush ability? Any character or injury concerns?
Maylock is high on Beavers, but reports out of Senior Bowl practices were that he did not fare well in one-on-one drills. I think the questions with Haeg are 1) Strength (did not bench at combine 2) Did not play vs. any future pros in college and injured his shoulder the week of the Senior Bowl & did not play in the game.
Timmy! posted:Curious to know why you have Beavers ahead of Haeg? Based on bio info, Haeg has much more experience, and just as much, if not more, versatility.
Must be all the Western Michigan and North Dakota State tape he poured over.
We need more players named Henry on this team.
Round 1: Hunter Henry TE Arkansas
Round 2: Derrick Henry RB Alabama
Round 3: Willie Henry DE Michigan
Round 4: Henry Krieger-Coble TE Iowa
LA Times mock draft over the weekend doesn't even have Ragland going in Round 1....
like I said, big dropper
If Ragland is around at 27 then I find it hard to believe he would NOT be the top guy on GBs board unless there is an injury. He's too good of a football player.