official 2014 nfl draft thread

[woodbuck27]

reading The comments McGinn got from personnel guys, there isnt a first round safety in this bunch. And Ive been saying that for a while. Pryor and Dix know how to play, but this is the NFL and you better be the sharpest knife in the set if you're going to run 4.6 from the safety position, especially free safety where covering ground is at the very top of your job description. Clinton-dix skillset just doesnt transfer. He has no real redeaming quality other than being the most refined free safety in a poor class.

Pryor, now heres a guy who brings legitimate strong safety skills, but he's slow and he's not a true leader of the defense type that you would want from a less than stellar athlete. And strong safety just isnt as important as free safety as of late. 20 years ago, yeah, today, i wouldnt take pryor either.

And that brings us to Jimmie Ward, a more impressive athlete than Haha, faster, but smallish, from a smaller school and has character concerns. 21st pick? Id probably feel better about him than the other two, but no friggin way, not when hes immature.

So we're left looking at corners and ILBs if we want to really improve our back 7. Fuller is probably the best player, but light and injury prone. I dont knowmif our guy is there. Shazier and Mosley are our best bet, in this draft, to really improve our back 7. Shazier scares me the more i read. Hes not a true "leader of the defense" type and i put a lot of stock in that from ILBs and safeties. Their games tie together with so many other players, you need a guy who really knows what is going on or mistakes happen over and over and over. Love his speed, looks like Patick Willis when hes chasing. Love his big hits, again, Willis. But Willis is a true leader, a guy who studies and sets the tone for preparation. Shazier, it looks like its all about him.

So for me, if we're going to get better in the middle, the guy I like in the first round is Mosley. Unlike Clinton-Dix and Pryor, mosley is a very good athlete for his position. Runs the same as haha and Pryor, but bigger and more explosive 35" vertical jump. He's a legit 1st round talent. And hes a true gamer, unlike both safeties. Hes the heart and soul of his defense. Hes the leader. He diagnoses and anticipates as well as anyone. His zone coverage is off the charts. The NFL is littered with elite athletes like Shazier who just never put it together. It's also littered with long-time quality inside players like mosley who are poor athletes but more than any other position, ilB makes up for it with awareness and instincts. Mosley isnt a poor athlete though. Hes a really fine athlete. He has the complete package and hes the back 7 player im most hoping for on Thursday because he has the qualities that dominate iLBs have in the nFL, not just combine, but all of it.

Good post.

Reading your comments and Safety:

I don't see any opportunity for TT and Safety in Round one. Based on mocks both Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor will be off the board by Pick NO. 21.

FS Jimmy Ward - N. Illinois had a solid season last year. He makes up for his below six feet (5'-11' 193 pound) size.

Jimmy Ward is a versatile defensive back who's fast, strong and a dependable tackler; a playmaker with the ability to play any DB position. I like this fella if TT can trade down from position NO. 21 and possibly pick him and gain another higher round pick. Lots of NFL teams have need at the Safety position (approx. a dozen). Based on that he most likely will be gone before Round 3.

If Ted Thompson doesn't have a shot at ILBer C.J. Mosely - Alabama and less than 40 hours away from his draft that's looking like more of a reality proposition. I believe that TT will try to trade down. That's the nature of his beast.

LB Ryan Shazier has a very solid Grade of 6.3 by NFL.Com. CBS.Com has him ranked third in his position and ranked 19th overall. Ted Thompson and the packer Scouts will have him positioned on the packers board wherever and in terms of TT picking Ryan Shazier !? It's a simple wait and see. We do need a first round pick to step right in and contribute and have the potential to be a leader on and off the field.

Now ... I'm going to dream a little:

Straight up if I had a choice between C. J. Mosely or Ryan Shazier. I'd go with the more NFL ready prospect and leader in C.J. Mosely.

Mosely (6.42) grades out slightly better than Shazier (6.30).

Ryan Shazier looks like an athlete with awesome skills; yet some time will be needed to mold him. If TT is going to use NO. 21 he'll want that prospect to be ready to make a solid contribution ....now.

If C. J. Mosely is on the board at Pick NO. 21 and TT ignores that with some other move. I'll scratch my head.....and then I'll let out a Primal Scream.

TT and a prospect that is ready to go and that we also have need for....See Guiness's guy and NT Louis Nix III. One very prominent NFL site says we have need at 1) Safety; Tight end: Inside linebacker and Wide Receiver.

We also have need on both lines and especially I feel we have a dramatic need on the DL. That's the head of our teams snake and how strong is it really !? I don't care how TT has performed and picking early round talent and DL we need on the Defensive Line. BPA as an aside; this is the fact of Green Bay Packer life and the immediate future.

I've little confidence in BJ Raji. Will Johnny Jolly be available? Ryan Pickett is basically "the past".

I'm a little surprized that I'm arriving here but it seems like Ted Thompson and reality. Ted Thompson will be dramatic in this draft. He'll trade down and trade up as he see's fit.

As for pick NO. 21 I do expect that he'll trade down and pick off the BPA DT/DE in the Draft. For all other picks TT will stick "hopefully and really" stick to the BPA model.

GO TT and GO Pack GO !