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Packers GM Ted Thompson

It’s been said over and over, but while the 2013 NFL Draft lacks star power at the top, it’s extremely deep in rounds two and three. So that should make for an exciting Day 2 tonight.

You’ll notice plenty of first-round talent on the board between picks 33-62. There are even some players in the third round that had a shot at being selected in round one.

For the Packers, I’d be quite surprised if they don’t add a skill position player at some point today. Whether it’s running back, wide receiver, or both, the Packers should have plenty of options to add an impact player on Day 2. There wasn’t a single running back selected in round one, so Eddie Lacy, Giovani Bernard, Johnathan Franklin and Le’Veon Bell are all still on the board. There’s a very good chance that one of those players will fall to the Packers at No. 55.

Sorry, Mel Kiper, but Montee Ball is not a first-round talent, and I don’t think he’ll be selected in the second round at all.

But if the Packers have their choice between several running backs, they’ll probably have to decide what’s more important: Do they a running back that would play immediately, or grabbing a wide receiver to groom for the future? Of course, they could go for a more immediate need and go with a safety or center, but I believe the value will be better at the end of the third round at those positions.  Read more... (1180 words + 1 image, estimated 4:43 mins reading time)

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Packers DE Datone Jones

The first 32 picks of the 2013 NFL Draft are in the books, and the Packers struck gold (and baby blue?) by grabbing UCLA defensive end Datone Jones at No. 26.

Jones was a popular pick among mock drafts, and he was my selection for the Packers in my final mock draft released Thursday. At 6’4″ 283 pounds, Jones has the frame to add another 10-15 pounds and be a difference-maker on the defensive line early in his career.

But when the Packers were on the clock, Jones wasn’t necessarily a no-brainer. A number of players at positions of need were on the board, including defensive linemen Jesse Williams and Sylvester Williams, safeties Jonathan Cyprien and Matt Elam, and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.

The team’s two biggest needs are/were at safety and on the defensive line. So rather than go with a luxury pick like Patterson, the Packers opted to go with the more glaring need by taking Jones.

A year ago, the Packers addressed the defensive line by taking Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy in the second round and Iowa’s Mike Daniels in the fourth. Worthy suffered a torn ACL late in 2012 and may miss a large chuck, or perhaps all, of the 2013 season. And with Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, Mike Neal and C.J. Wilson set to hit free agency after this season, the selection of Jones gives the team some flexibility along the line.

What they’re saying:  Read more... (1223 words + 1 image, estimated 4:54 mins reading time)

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With their first round pick (26th overall) in the 2013 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers select Datone Jones, a DE from UCLA.

PLAYER DETAILS: 
Datone Jones
DE
UCLA
6’4″/283lbs

CAREER NOTES: 

From NFL.com: The graduate of Compton High School stuck around Los Angeles to play college ball after being named a four-star recruit by multiple recruiting services. Datone (pronounced DAY-tone) played in 10 games, with two starts, as a true freshman in 2008 (credited with 17 tackles) before starting every game the following year while racking up 11 tackles for loss and four sacks (including one in the team’s EagleBank Bowl win over Temple). Unfortunately, Jones missed the entire 2010 season with a fractured right foot suffered in preseason camp. Jones’ statistics were nothing special in 2011 (41 tackles, 6.5 for loss, three sacks as a 14-game starter), and he wasn’t even named to the All-Pac 12 honorable mention squad by league coaches.

COMBINE: 
4.80 40 yard dash, 29 bench, 31.5″ vertical, 112.0″ broad, 7.32 3 cone, 4.32 shuttle

SCOUTING REPORT: (from our own Jason Perone)  Read more... (383 words + 1 image, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

• Has a good initial move.  Quick burst, powerful
• Uses hands effectively but will initially have issues disengaging NFL O-linemen
• Can get downfield and pursues well
• Has a good motor and his initial burst can get him into the backfield
• Lacks ideal size for a 3-4 DL.  Will need to add some weight
• As with many college defensive prospect, overruns the play, taking himself out of it

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As the 2013 NFL Draft is about to begin, here are some things that have been whispered into my ear as well as some of my own opinions and predictions.

   Read more... (318 words + 2 images, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)

1. Whisper: If there is one player the Packers would consider trading up for, it’s Sheldon Richardson. 49ers talking to Jets about the same thing…
2. Prediction: The Packers will draft a running back and/or wide receiver between Rounds two and four.
3. Opinion: If a trading partner can be found (49ers? Pats?) Packers should trade back a bit and pick up another third rounder.
4. Whisper: Top running back on the Packers’ board is Johnathan Franklin, UCLA.
5. Whisper: I was told to “expect a surprise” in the first round by the Packers. No more details than that, unfortunately. Trade up? Kevin Minter (who they love)? Robert Woods? Tank Carradine?
6. Prediction: There is no way the Packers come out of this draft without taking a running back.
7. Opinion: Two mid-round safeties the Packers should be going after are JJ Wilcox of Georgia Southern and Duke Williams of Nevada.
8. Whisper: Packers have done “a ton of research” on Kevin Minter, Stedman Bailey, Johnathan Franklin, Le’Veon Bell, JJ Wilcox, Dwayne Gratz, AJ Klein, Ryan Griffin.
9. Prediction: Johnathan Franklin or Le’Veon Bell will be a Green Bay Packer.
10. Opinion: Seriously hoping Ted trades down and amasses 4 picks in the top 100…

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2013 NFL Draft

As the Packers draft analyst for DraftTek.com, I’ve been involved with at least 20 mock drafts leading up to today. They’re not entirely mine, however, as the actual picks are made by computer.  I get to input needs information, and can try to “grab” certain players (if they are available at that spot) or “lockout” players from contention.

Analysts for the other 31 teams all do the same thing. What results is the closest thing to a real draft simulation (they don’t call it a mock) I’ve seen anywhere. It ‘s quite unique and if you are not familiar with it, you really should check them out.

What’s even cooler is that on draft day, the “simulation” is updated within minutes of when each pick is selected. So, as the Packers are up at #26, it will re-run the simulation within minutes, eliminating the 25 other players already picked from contention for the Packers pick. So at any point in the draft, you can get a quick view at what the landscape looks like for the rest of the draft. Isn’t that rather amazing? It’s a great thing to be checking as you watch the draft unfold…

Here’s how today’s  today’s final DrafTek  NFL Draft simulation ended up:  Read more... (1163 words + 3 images, estimated 4:39 mins reading time)

1. Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama
2. Jonathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
3. Stedman Bailey, WR , West Virginia
4. JJ Wilcox, S, Georgia Southern
5. Michael Mauti, ILB, Penn State / 5B: Nicholas Williams, DE Samford
6. David Bass, OLB, Missouri Western

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Draft Target Bulls Eye

How many mock drafts have you checked out? How many positional ranking lists have you pondered? Maybe a scouting report or two? The draft is less then a week away. The NFL Draft might be one of the greatest marketing wonders of the world. Three days of TV coverage, on two Networks, with Parties at most home Stadiums and so much out there you can’t swing a dead cat and not hit something related to the NFL draft.

And I have to admit, I love it.

The amount of buzz created this time of year about everything football is quite amazing when you consider not that long ago, Well at least in my time as a Packer fan, which to some would be a long time ago, the draft was a much different affair. The year the Packers won the first Super Bowl, Vince had twenty two picks in 17 rounds. And that year of 1967 was the first year of the combined draft. The NFC and AFC had got that point to end the bidding war between the two Leagues for the Top prospects.

Today a player had better be a Super Star out of the box or that “B “ word gets tossed out there pretty quickly. We will also all hear what team had the best grade in the draft. That is the one thing out of today’s draft that makes me mumble short worded sentences that Jersey Al won’t put on his site.  Read more... (1209 words + 1 image, estimated 4:50 mins reading time)

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