Official 2016 NFL Draft Thread

My mock for the day...

Fulller on the board at 57 was too tempting to pass up. I chose him over Hunter Henry...maybe a mistake, but with Jared Cook on board, a deep threat looked too good.

27: R1P27 OLB NOAH SPENCE EASTERN KENTUCKY

57: R2P26 DT SHELDON DAY NOTRE DAME

88: R3P25 OLB LEONARD FLOYD GEORGIA

125: R4P27 WR DEMARCUS ROBINSON FLORIDA

131: R4P33 C JACK ALLEN MICHIGAN STATE

137: R4P39 RB JORDAN HOWARD INDIANA

163: R5P24 WR TAJAE SHARPE MASSACHUSETTS

200: R6P25 DE LAWRENCE THOMAS MICHIGAN STATE

248: R7P27 CB LARRY SCOTT OREGON STATE

I would love Jordan Howard with 137

No argument with Noah Spence? 

Turns out Higbee did do some pass-catching drills at the Western Kentucky pro day but he didn't do the standard 40-yard dash stuff.  I liked him as a candidate at the end of round three...but IMO he's a guy that needed to step up and prove that he was worth a third rounder in the post-season process.  Now I'm even happier that Thompson signed Cook and took the tight end position off the list of major team needs.  Terrible tight end class in this draft.

Boris posted:

No argument with Noah Spence? 

Yeah...I'd have to say "no" to that one....I don't think he fits the mold.

Now I'm even happier Ted re-signed Nick Perry

Nut hugger. 

Boris posted:

No argument with Noah Spence? 

Spence is crazy talented but has a great deal of off field baggage.  Wasn't he the guy who got popped for Ecstasy TWICE at O$U?  You have to be a special kind of stupid to get kicked off of the O$U football team.

But that being said I have an inkling that the Packers just might go for him in the first round.  Like I said the dude can flat out play and as long as he has his life together I think it wouldn't be that bad of an idea.

Ohio State was attempting to get Spence reinstated but the Big 10 threw him out of the conference.

Perfect Packer People.

We can fix him  

I just want some NASTY on this defense & other than Daniels we really don't have anyone

Just like the Packers fixed Colt Lyerla....

I'd be willing to argue that HaHa is fairly nasty.  I'm hoping the coaching staff gets on him about leading with the helmet before he knocks himself out or breaks his neck.

So just throwing this out there.........what if Laquan Treadwell falls to #27?  He was touted as top 10 early in the draft process but eventually settled in the top 15 in just about every mock I saw.  Then he ran a 4.6 forty and despite that time being the consensus expectation for him, they're now saying late first round.  I don't know a whole lot about the guy since he wasn't supposed to be available at #27, but you can never have enough pass catchers (as we saw last year) and if he falls just b/c of a forty time, would he be worth the #27 pick?  Or is that forty time predicting an inability to get open in the NFL?  

I've been reading good things about Chris Jones too.  Some are calling him one of the more underrated players in the draft.  But like a lot of underrated DT's........the knock on him is effort and pad level.  But unlike a lot of the DT's being mocked to the Packers in round 1, Jones is a pass rusher.  

Treadwell is a better DaVante Adams-type, so I'm not sure Green Bay would take him there.  The Queens would likely take him anyway, if he's on the board. 

Most mocks I've seen have MIN taking Doctson.  Them taking Treadwell would push Doctson down so do you look at him at P27?

The WR position will be worth keeping an eye on.  Though we have 3 youngsters on the roster, none of them are proven and of the whole gang, Nelson is really our only present and future #1WR.  Any of Ty, Jared and Jeff could step up but I don't see a #1 amongst those 3.  At some point you need a #1 on this offense and considering Nelson only has at best a couple more prime years left, you need a future #1 in the system very soon so he is ready when Jordy starts to slip.

The more I look at the state of the OL going into 2017, the more I think TT will lean OL in the draft.  OL and DL then LB's.  But I could see TT going WR if he sees a guy fall that he thinks can develop into a 1 or 1B.

I think OL is a very good possibility.  Even if you had all 5 guys signed for 2017, the debacle that was 2015 can't be ignored.  People will point to the WR's, TE's and RB's poor play as to why the offense struggled but IMO, the OL was reason #1.  Sitton and Lang were great but Bulaga and Linsley were significantly worse in 2015 than 2014 ad Bakhtiari was hurt.  

Something else to think about, does TT bring back both Sitton and Lang in 2017?  They were arguably the best guard tandem in the NFL lat year but having the best guards doesn't get you that far (as we saw in 2015, it did not make up for poor OT play).  Does TT decide it's better to bring one back and go cheap at the other guard position?  

DH13 posted:

The more I look at the state of the OL going into 2017, the more I think TT will lean OL in the draft.  OL and DL then LB's.  But I could see TT going WR if he sees a guy fall that he thinks can develop into a 1 or 1B.

zactly how I see it.  we'll soon find out. 

call me out to lunch, but I think he drafts the rb from alabama in the first.  if he is bpa, then he gets called.

Why would TT take a lesser Lacy a round earlier? 

He won't take a RB in RD1 just like he won't take a TE in RD1.  Against his morals.

Vikings are going to take Troy Williamson Jr (Will Fuller) in round one.

I honestly and truly believe this is a classic year that TT will do one of two things.  Trade out of the first round to get more picks or he goes a way that none of think he should.  If I was a betting man he will do something like pick a WR with his first pick. 

Nah, TT has been pretty predictable with his recent first round picks.  I mean he could always surprise us but his recent history gives us a pretty good idea what he'll do.  We might not be able to name the player but odds are, he's going to stay put and draft a position of need.  He was more unpredictable early in his career as GM but the last 5 years he's used his first rounder to fill an obvious need.  This year, that means front 7 or offensive line.  

TT's always full of surprises...

I was pretty surprised these last two years with first rounders. I never would have expected he would take a S or a CB in r1...he never seemed to place a value on those positions above r2. 

How does this NFL press release today effect the upcoming draft? PC baloney finally ruins the game we all love.

In a pro-active and ground-shaking response to the ever-growing trend of criticism of safety concerns in the National Football League, Commissioner Roger Goodell today issued a press release detailing sweeping reforms to the game.

The press release is presented here in its entirety.

“The National Football League Commission and team owners regard the physical short term and long term health of its 1,800 active players as paramount. We began radically improving safety in the early 1970s with major advancements to the helmet, and steadily continued on that path by instituting new and better rules, especially in the area of tackling. Injuries continue to fall as a result of our ongoing efforts.

“However, the NFL recognizes it must do more. We have listened not only to our own hearts, but also to the increasingly frequent unbiased criticisms and suggestions from sports commentators, OSHA, Congressional oversight committees, the players lobby, lawyers representing injured players, doctors and especially women’s and other social justice warrior organizations (the lattermost being concerned with possible romanticizing of brutal physical aggression).

“As a result of many hours of discussion, the owners have unanimously agreed to begin making dramatic changes in the game. The changes will begin in the 2017 regular season. They will be fully instituted over the following six years. All changes are for the safety of our players, but of course many of these changes offer incident benefits that resonate with the reigning right-thinking political culture of today.

“We begin with player age caps and average ages. Knowing that the likelihood of injury increases with the age of the player, no player over the age of 28 will be eligible to play. We will achieve this goal gradually over the next four years, and can expect a 17% drop in overall injuries. While this will result in the early retirement of several popular and successful players, especially quarterbacks, it also provides for more newer faces in a team’s annual roster, and that’s a good thing. It keeps the game fresh.

“The current average age of NFL players is 25.2 years. That will change. In four years, the maximum average age of any team shall not exceed 24.4 years, resulting in an 11% decrease in injuries.

“We are also reducing the number of games played. Pre-season games will be reduced from four to two. Regular season games will be reduced from 16 to 14. By reducing the overall number of games — excluding postseason games — from 20 to 16 should produce at least a 20% reduction in injuries. Keep in mind that a higher percentage of injuries occur in preseason and late season games.

“Presently, a game is 60 minutes long. This will be reduced immediately by 10%, or 6 minutes, to 54 minutes and is likely to yield a 10% reduction in injuries. In four years the game time will be down to 48 minutes. We note that there are 18% more injuries in the final 12 minutes of a game than in any other 12-minute segment.

“And now we address the single biggest underlying cause of player injury: Body mass. It is simple bio-physics that larger masses carry more energy and inflict more injury than do smaller masses. Further, the body mass of the injured player is not a significant fact; bigger players are hurt just as readily as are smaller players.

“The average weight of today’s NFL player is 253.2 pounds. The weight for linemen runs around 300 pounds. Keep in mind that the average weight of a 25-year-old American male is 187 pounds, and his average height is 5 feet and 11 inches.

“Over the course of the next six years, we will reduce a team’s maximum average player weight to 195 pounds. The maximum weight of any single player shall not exceed 205 pounds. 

“The average height of a 25 year old male is 5 feet 11 inches. The NFL will not require an average team height until further studies indicate a need to do so. We will, however, put an individual maximum cap of 6 feet two inches on all players.

“We note that this year’s Super Bowl champs, the Denver Broncos, were the lightest team in the league at 245 pounds per player. The runner up Carolina Panthers were only a pound heavier. This proves that lighter is better. Teams shouldn’t want bigger players. Fans want winners, and winners are lighter. So, fans don’t want big players.

“Statistics suggest a 37% decrease in injuries as a result of the changes in height and weight requirements. We especially expect to see a dramatic decrease in chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

“Of course there will be equipment changes. Beginning in 2017, padding will increase 50%. That figure may increase depending on the results. A benefit of the increased padding is that the average 195 pound player will appear to spectators in the stands and on television to be the same size as a 300 pound player. From the fans’ viewpoint, the game won’t appear to have changed at all.

“There will be far, far fewer injuries. In fact, in six years our goal is to see professional football suffer fewer per capita injuries than the average professional beach volleyball player. We’ll set standards of safety that will be used by volleyball, golf, bowling and curling professionals. Someday, let us hope, no one will ever be hurt by anything anywhere, ever.

“Traditionalists will knee-jerk criticize these changes. That is to be expected. But they’ll soon realize the game is more fun to watch and more competitive between teams equalized by weight and height. Foremost, the reduction in player size approaching the national average will open the sport to millions of players who, through genetics and no fault of their own, have not been able to compete with the genetically privileged larger players. We expect player quality to increase to new levels. Fans who appreciate athleticism will be thankful the NFL is making these changes. And, fans can more easily imagine themselves as players. The new NFL player will no longer be a genetic, overdeveloped monster, but a regular guy. Your average geek software developer will have a shot at playing pro football.

“But the NFL is never satisfied in its quest for safety and social fairness and equality. It’s not enough that we open the game to the average male. We want to open it up women, too. This is a difficult and uncharted path, of course, and while the NFL will work diligently, it may take some time. But we begin by requiring all teams to sign at least one female as a kicker. Teams will further be required to use female kickers for all extra point kicks, and at the minimum!, to successively alternate the female and male kickers for kick offs, punts, and field goals. We think this will bring in many more fans to the games.

“Remember that all changes are based on statistics and bio-mechanical physics.

“The face of the game will change, but the game remains the same.”

CUPackFan posted:

Nah, TT has been pretty predictable with his recent first round picks.  I mean he could always surprise us but his recent history gives us a pretty good idea what he'll do.  We might not be able to name the player but odds are, he's going to stay put and draft a position of need.  He was more unpredictable early in his career as GM but the last 5 years he's used his first rounder to fill an obvious need.  This year, that means front 7 or offensive line.  

 

CuPack,  I would really like to see TT do just what you said and spend the top picks on the front 7 and the OL.  If I had my choice I would want a big nasty DE or an ILB I think we need it up front on the defense.

Happy April Fool's Day everyone!

It seems like the top DL are trending up right now, hard to say whether guys like Reed or Butler will make it to 27. Now that the dust is settling a little with pro days, I'm think Ohio St OT Taylor Decker or Indiana OT Jason Spriggs are the likeliest candidates at 27. Both could probably slide down to Guard if needed and seem to have what the Packers look for. Decker looks like a RT or OG only, not as likely a candidate at LT. He reminds me of kind of a Jake Long/Bryan Bulaga type...probably hit his ceiling, but his ceiling is reliable starter. Spriggs reminds me of Joe Staley...unpolished but has a lot of upside.

This draft could go a lot of different ways. Listening to NFL radio today & they had a couple of guys who do national mocks. They said that just one team making a certain pick can have a "domino effect" on 5 other teams. With 26 teams drafting before us, there is probably 15-18 guys who the consensus is will be gone. After that it is anyone's guess. They also talked about "Big Boards" of guys like Kiper & McShay & how certain teams boards may look similar, but others could be significantly different. 

You can bet the farm TT's big board looks way different than everyone else's. 

Grave Digger posted:

It seems like the top DL are trending up right now, hard to say whether guys like Reed or Butler will make it to 27. Now that the dust is settling a little with pro days, I'm think Ohio St OT Taylor Decker or Indiana OT Jason Spriggs are the likeliest candidates at 27. Both could probably slide down to Guard if needed and seem to have what the Packers look for. Decker looks like a RT or OG only, not as likely a candidate at LT. He reminds me of kind of a Jake Long/Bryan Bulaga type...probably hit his ceiling, but his ceiling is reliable starter. Spriggs reminds me of Joe Staley...unpolished but has a lot of upside.

Taking a guard in the first round?

Why do you say that? Both are legit NFL Tackles. 

I just want Ragland or an OL in round 1. After that whatever. A few months and let's get 14 underway. 

If TT happens to take an OL in Round 1, I hope it's a T who can play LT, or at least can play either T position. Both positions need depth, and they need to be stabilized, but if it's only one position that can be done, I'd hope for LT.

It's been mostly unsettled since Cliffy retired, playing with guys who were just good enough to start...and some who weren't. TT has drafted OL plenty, but they haven't panned out whether it was injury (Sherrod) or bust (Newhouse).
Daktari was a good pick, and has been an over-achiever IMHO, but he's just not the guy we need at LT.

Besides, Viking fans whine about how Baktari holds on every play. 

While Spriggs looked like the most athletic o-lineman at the combine, he was not dominant on the field. A good player, he still had trouble with inside pass rush & bull rush. Perhaps it is just a small adjustment to technique that he will get in NFL, but clearly his on-field performance did not match up with his combine performance. 

Word in from Indiana that Jordan Howard ran the 40 in the 4.6's and looked terrible trying to catch the ball.  Ted probably doesn't care about the 40 time with a running back, but questionable hands is likely to knock Howard down the board some.

Post workout interview, he mentions a visit with the Packers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6dTyE8NgFg