AllGreenBayPackers.Com

NC State safety Earl Wolff

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: S Earl Wolff

Player Information:

Earl Wolff, S North Carolina St.
5-11, 209 pounds
Hometown: Raeford, N.C.

STATS

NFL Combine:

40 time: 4.40
20-yard shuttle: 4.07
Broad jump: 11′ 2″
Vertical jump: 39″

News and Notes:

Three-year starter at North Carolina State … Former head coach Tom O’Brien once called Wolff “the heart of the defense” … Graduated in three-and-a-half years with a degree in sports management … Led the team in tackles as a senior, finishing with 119 on the year … Finished second on the team in tackles with 113 as a junior … Finished third on the team with 91 tackles as a sophomore … Had seven forced fumbles during his college career … Redshirted as a true freshman in 2008 before starting four games as a redshirt freshman in 2009 … Was a high school running back at Hoke County High School, also a standout track athlete

 What they’re saying about him:   Read more... (577 words + 1 image, estimated 2:18 mins reading time)

• CBSSports.com: “Possesses lean, muscular frame with long arms. Displays good play recognition, and nice initial straight-ahead burst. Takes sound angles to the outside against the run, and really uses his length well to close space and make the tackle. Wraps up nicely, and routinely approaches his target low. Exhibits a fluid backpedal and flips the hips with good timing in transition.”

---- Get AddToAny

Florida safety Josh Evans

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: FS Josh Evans

Player Information:

Josh Evans, FS Florida
6-1, 207 pounds
Hometown: Irvington, N.J.

STATS

NFL Combine:

40 time: 4.54
20-yard shuttle: 4.10
Broad jump: 10′ 3″
Vertical jump: 34.5″

News and Notes:

Two-year starter alongside first-round hopeful Matt Elam … Started 24 games and appeared in a total of 47 during his time at Florida … Competed with Florida’s track team during the spring indoor season in 2010 … As a senior, Evans led the team with 79 tackles, including 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss … Built like a free safety, has the mentality of a strong safety … Recorded four tackles and an interception in his last college game in the Sugar Bowl against Louisville … Chose Florida over Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Purdue … Was a high school quarterback

 What they’re saying about him: 

• CBSSports.com: “Has a lean, athletic build with very long arms. Attacking mentality stands out on film. He isn’t afraid to get physical and competes when the ball is in the air and after the catch, always attempting to rip it out of the ballcarrier’s grasp. Attacks the line of scrimmage when he reads run or when allowed to blitz, which he did effectively in 2012, recording 2.5 sacks.”

Video:

Video Analysis:  Read more... (505 words + 1 image, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

• Quick to the ball against the run and the pass.

---- Get AddToAny

Georgia Southern Safety JJ Wilcox

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: Safety JJ WIlcox

Player Information:

JJ Wilcox, Safety, Giorgia Southern, 6’0″, 213 pounds Hometown: Cairo, Georgia

STATS

NFL Combine:

40 time: 4.57

225-pound bench: 17 reps

Vertical: 35″

Broad jump: 1o’ 4″

3-cone: 7.02

20yd shuttle: 4.09

News and Notes:

Wilcox has only one year of experience playing the safety position, having moved there after three years of playing on offense as a wide receiver and slotback. Despite his inexperience and small-school status, Wilcox was honored with an invitation to the Senior Bowl. Wilcox was second on the team with 88 tackles, three passes broken up and two interceptions.

 What they’re saying about him:   Read more... (544 words + 3 images, estimated 2:11 mins reading time)

• CBSSports.com: ”Athletic frame with a thick lower half. Stands out at this level due to his athleticism and proved he deserved to be on the same field with the top prospects in Mobile. Good lateral agility. Surprisingly adept as an open field tackler. Attacks the line of scrimmage when he reads run but while fast to the action, breaks down pretty well, showing enough balance, patience and strength for the effective stop… Showed some instincts and range operating as a single-high safety during Senior Bowl drills…” “Tends to bend at the waist rather than the knees. Attacks the line of scrimmage as a run defender, slipping by most blocks but too often is tied up when he they do get to him. Tools worthy of developing but isn’t ready for prime time yet.”

---- Get AddToAny

Ted Thompson covets his draft picks. Who might he target in a trade-down?

Packers general manager Ted Thompson covets his draft picks like nothing else. He often trades down, gets the player he’s targeting and adds late-round picks in the process.

And at first glance, this draft appears tailor-made for Thompson.

The Packers hold the 26th overall pick in this year’s draft, and the team will certainly have plenty of options at that point. Perhaps Thompson would consider moving up if a player falls to a certain point in the draft, but in my opinion, moving down is a much more likely scenario.

There are a few scenarios in which I think the Packers would be wise to stay at No. 26 and make their pick. In the unlikely event that Kenny Vaccaro or Jonathan Cyprien fall to the Packers, either player would be a great pick. If Datone Jones is available at 26, he would also be an option.

But this year’s draft lacks star power at the top, and rounds two and three figure to be loaded with NFL-ready talent, especially at some of the Packers’ positions of need. Let’s take a look at five potential targets if the Packers trade out of their first-round pick.

#1) DE Margus Hunt – Southern Methodist

The Packers have a handful of guys on the defensive line that are effective in one specific area. Mike Neal is a solid pass rusher in the nickel, C.J. Wilson and Ryan Pickett are stout against the run, while B.J. Raji is probably the Packers’ best all-around defensive lineman.  Read more... (1357 words + 1 image, estimated 5:26 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny

Who might Ted consider moving up for?

Packers general manager Ted Thompson is armed with eight picks in this month’s NFL draft. At this time last year, Thompson had 12 picks in his arsenal, which allowed him to double-dip in the second round to bring Jerel Worthy and Casey Hayward to Green Bay.

Thompson may not have as much ammunition to move up in this year’s draft, but moving up is still certainly a possibility.

If he chooses to trade up in the first round, there are a handful of players he could target. This year’s draft lacks true star power at the very top, but it’s extremely deep with potential Day 2 prospects.

But if Thompson sees a gap after the top player at a position of need, he could consider moving up to acquire him. The Packers have several needs on both sides of the ball, and with several other NFC powerhouses having been engaged in an all-out arms race this offseason, Green Bay with rely on the draft even more than usual.

Considering the draft has so much value on Day 2 this year, I believe the Packers are likely to move out of the first round entirely before making multiple picks in rounds two and/or three. But with a little over a week before the 2013 NFL Draft, let’s take a look at three players the Packers could target in a first-round trade-up.

#1) FS Kenny Vaccaro, Texas  Read more... (1104 words + 1 image, estimated 4:25 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny

LSU Safety Eric Reid

Player Information:

Eric Reid, Safety, Louisiana State University

6’2″, 212 pounds

Geismar, LA

STATS

NFL Combine:

40 time: 4.53

225-pound bench: 17 reps

Vertical: 40 1/2″

Broad:  134″

News and Notes:

Reid ran the fastest 40 time of all safeties at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. . .Reid saw playing time right away during his freshman season at LSU, appearing in all 13 games. . .during his sophomore season, he avoided the slump and his team-leading 76 tackles, two interceptions, three pass break-ups and two forced fumbles on the year earned him second-team All-SEC honors. . .during his junior season in 2011, Reid had a timely interception against Alabama to seal the Tigers’ win and earned Reid the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his effort against the Tide (six tackles, one for loss, forced fumble, INT). . .Reid earned First-Team All-SEC honors in 2012.

What they’re saying about him:  Read more... (596 words + 3 images, estimated 2:23 mins reading time)

• CBSSports.com: “Possesses the prototypical frame for the position, boasting wide shoulders, long arms and a tapered frame. Reid is a fantastic downhill athlete with quick read-and-react ability to attack the play with steam spurting from his ears. He might be the explosive hitter from the safety position in the 2013 draft, closing with the speed and physicality of a linebacker rather than a defensive back.”

---- Get AddToAny

FIU safety Jonathan Cyprien

The first round of the 2013 NFL Draft will take place two weeks from today. That’s a good thing.

Trades are sure to shake up the order of round one, but no trades will be projected in this first-round mock. Things just get messy when projecting trades.

This mock will be updated in a week before the final version is released on draft day.

Some great value presented itself when the Packers were on the board at No. 26 in this projection. But what position of need would they choose to address if the  board fell this way? Read on.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

KC: No surprise at the top. The Chiefs tagged Branden Albert, but they can’t pass on a guy like Joeckel. They’ll move Albert to right tackle and plug Joeckel in as the starting left tackle from Day 1. Had they not traded for Alex Smith, I think Geno Smith would be the guy. But clearly, the Chiefs aren’t enamored with this quarterback class.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Geno Smith, West Virginia

JAX: Jaguars GM David Caldwell has hinted that it’s down to two players at No. 2. Those two players are likely quarterback Geno Smith and pass rusher Dion Jordan. Jacksonville invested a first-round pick on Blaine Gabbert a few years ago, but he’s been a bust thus far. It’s a new regime, and I think Geno Smith is their guy.  Read more... (2312 words + 1 image, estimated 9:15 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny