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GM Ted Thompson

Welcome to NFL Draft Week.

It’s the week many Green Bay Packers fans have been waiting for.  General Manager Ted Thompson will finally wake up from his offseason hibernation and will get to work setting the Packers up for another Super Bowl run in 2013.  As usual, he largely ignored free agency and will rely on the draft to restock Green Bay’s shelves with fresh talent.

This offseason has been one of some discontent for some Packers fans.  Donald Driver retired, Charles Woodson was released and Greg Jennings signed with the Minnesota Vikings.  That’s three veteran leaders that Green Bay won’t have this year, not to mention three fan favorites as well. The Packers also hung onto Jermichael Finley, which drew considerable scorn from fans also.

Fear not, Packer faithful. It’s not all bad.  Clay Matthews signed a five-year contract extensions and all signs point to Aaron Rodgers having his extension done before training camp.  As long as Matthews and Rodgers are in Green Bay, the Packers should remain in the upper echelon of teams in the NFC.

That said, Thompson realizes both those players need talent around them to get Green Bay from being one of the best teams to THE best team and he will do that through the NFL draft.   One could almost say, in recent years anyway, the draft has become Thompson’s personal playground.  Read more... (812 words + 1 image, estimated 3:15 mins reading time)

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Georgia LB Alec Ogletree

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: LB Alec Ogletree

Player Info:

Alec Ogletree

6’3”

237 lbs.

Hometown: Newnan, GA

 STATS

NFL Combine:

40-yard dash: 4.70 seconds

Bench Press: 20 reps (225 lbs)

Vertical Leap:    33.5 inches

Broad Jump:       122 inches

20 Yd Shuttle:    4.39 seconds

Three Cone:       7.16 seconds

News and Notes:

He earned the team’s Newcomer of the Year award as a true freshman in 2010. Ogletree moved from safety to inside linebacker at the request of coaches. After he broke his foot against Boise State in 2011, Ogletree missed seven games. He was suspended the first four games of 2012 due to violation of team rules.  The final play of his college career was a sack to seal a bowl win over Nebraska.

What they’re saying about him:

NFL.com: “Has excellent speed for the position, can turn on the jets to chase plays down form behind. Beats blocks with hand quickness, plays the position like a safety with a chance to build a frame like a linebacker. Attacks the football when tackling in the hopes of creating a fumble. Outstanding straight-line speed. Plays loose.”  Read more... (758 words + 1 image, estimated 3:02 mins reading time)

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Alabama OL Barrett Jones

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: OL Barrett Jones

Player Info:

Barrett Jones

6’4”

306 lbs.

Hometown: Germantown, TN

STATS

NFL Combine:

Missed due to lisfranc injury

News and Notes:

Missed NFL Combine due to foot injury, and his draft stock has been impacted.  Won the Rimington Award last season as the nation’s top center. Played all over the offensive line at Alabama under Nick Saban. Won All-SEC Honors at right guard in 2010, and in 2011 moved to blind-side tackle position and was named the SEC’s top offensive lineman and was a consensus All-American.

First Crimson Tide member to win the William V. Campbell Trophy as the nation’s best “scholar-athlete.”

What they’re saying about him:

NFL.com: “Possesses NFL size for an interior player. Solid pass protector whether playing inside or outside, plays with a wide base, mirrors and anchors effectively by keeping his feet moving and extends his arms to stay engaged. Good hip extension in the run game. Very good football and general intelligence. Great awareness of late blitzers and twist stunts, and he gives excellent effort to reach free rushers so his quarterback stays upright.  Read more... (731 words + 1 image, estimated 2:55 mins reading time)

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Wisconsin RB Montee Ball

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: RB Montee Ball

Player Info:

Montee Ball

5’11”

212 lbs.

Hometown: Wentzville, MO

STATS:

NFL Combine:

-40-yard dash: 4.66 seconds

-Bench press: 15 reps

-Vertical jump: 32”

-Broad Jump: 118”

-3-cone drill: 6.88 seconds

-20-yard shuttle: 4.40 seconds

News and Notes: Highly recruited out of high school after racking up over 5000 yards and scoring 71 times in his final two years.  Owns the NCAA career record for touchdowns, tied Barry Sanders during the 2011 season for the single season mark with 39 and was a Heisman finalist.  Spent first two seasons at Wisconsin as a backup and ran for over 1300 yards in a “running back by committee” approach.

Ball stunned many by choosing to come back to Wisconsin for his senior year instead of entering the NFL draft in 2012.  He was assaulted on campus early in the season which resulted in a concussion.  Finished his career at Wisconsin with 5,140 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns. Ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at his pro day, which is about two-tenths quicker than his time at the scouting combine.

What they’re saying about him:

NFL.com: “Reliable, hard-working zone back. Presses the line of scrimmage, and generally has good vision and feel to find the cutback lane or cut away from penetrating defenders. Smaller back with a lot of wear on his tires. Possesses average overall size and straight-line speed. One speed runner who another gear to accelerate once in space, and doesn’t have elite agility to elude quicker defenders.”  Read more... (917 words + 1 image, estimated 3:40 mins reading time)

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What chemistry problem?

With such a deep receiving corps, the Green Bay Packers have been able to let things slide a bit at the tight end position.  The question is how much longer they can afford to do so.  Starting tight end Jermichael Finley set a franchise record for receptions by a tight end while the departed Tom Crabtree seemingly scored a touchdown every time the Packers played on national television.

With Crabtree gone and Finley entering the final year of his contract, the tight ends face a crucial year in 2013.  Could the Packers draft a tight end early in this spring’s draft? Will Finley become the game changing weapon everyone thought he could be back in 2009? Who will replace Crabtree as the blocking specialist among them?

Where are we now:

Here are the current suspects:

Jermichael Finley (3rd round, 2008)

D.J. Williams (5th round, 2011)

Ryan Taylor (7th round, 2011)

Brandon Bostick (undrafted free agent, 2012)

Andrew Quarless (5th round, 2010)

For expanded coverage of this topic, listen in using the player below or download the podcast from the Packers Talk Radio Network on Itunes.

Finley: The player so many fans love to hate.  His mouth got him into trouble early in the season but he came around late and had some solid games to close out the regular season.  Read more... (795 words + 1 image, estimated 3:11 mins reading time)

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WR Stedman Bailey

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: WR Stedman Bailey

Player Info:

Stedman Bailey

5’10”

193 lbs.

Hometown: Miramar, Florida

 STATS

NFL Combine:

- Arm Length: 32.75″

- Bench Press: 11 reps

- 40-yard Dash: 4.52

- Vertical Jump: 34.5″

- Broad Jump: 117.0

- 3 Cone Drill: 6.81 seconds

- 20-yard Shuttle: 4.09 seconds

News and Notes:

ESPN.com named him an All-Big East Freshman in 2010 when he started nine games and finished with 24 catches for 317 yards and four touchdowns. He followed that season up by setting a school record for receiving yards with 1,279 and tied a school record with 12 touchdowns.  He broke both records in 2012 with 1,627 yards and an incredible 25 touchdowns.

Bailey went to high school with quarterback Geno Smith and that chemistry carried over to West Virginia.

What they’re saying about him:

NFL.com: “Extremely productive. Showcases tremendous physicality in his routes. Uses his hands and body to create separation. Excellent body control. Very reliable target, volume catcher. Smart receiver who is adept at finds holes and picking up the first down. Tracks the football well over his shoulder and adjusts his body in order to make difficult catches. Lacks ideal size, both in terms of height and bulk. Not an overly explosive athlete. Doesn’t change directions with suddenness. Likely won’t run a blazing 40 yard dash. ”  Read more... (689 words + 1 image, estimated 2:45 mins reading time)

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