official 2014 nfl draft thread

[Fritz]

Okay, my last two cent before the draft:

Think HHCD and Prior are gone. Leaning towards Ward. Not sold on the ILBs. Hoping someone formerly expected to be gone drops (Barr, whomever). I'd be okay with a WR, but I almost think that'd be wasted value unless someone slips through the draft. Can't think of anyone else on whom I have an opinion.

Some folks in Detroit advocating for Barr

[woodbuck27]

OF THIS GROUP the only one that jumps out is Ebron as 22; I think he's going well ahead of us but perhaps that is due to not many TE's being worth muck. I also think the safeties get over drafted and it would really surprise me if HaHa and Prior get by the Ravens. Jimmy Ward will be there for us if we want him as many in PR do.

I would love it if somehow any of the following fell: Barr (I'd trade up if he gets close to us), HaHa, Prior, Shazier, and Mosley. I have a feeling it's going to be Shazier and the SL Slugs and some high rates WR's though. And Arizona could grab Shazier and ruin my day. Part of my intrigue with Shazier...who I hate deep down....is I'm sick of being San Francisco's bitch for four times straight. AND if you want to call a spade a spade.....they are in a better position draft wise to improve their team as they are loaded with picks.

If we're sitting there with the Slugs, Ward, and WR's I'm more than fine with TT taking the Best WR (Cooks/Beckam).....reaching for Ward a bit...but in reality...I'd be trying like hell to trade down.

At worst....try to get Cleveland to trade up to 21 (so nobody jumps them for a QB) and take as little as a 4th round pick to do so. You might be able to use their 4th on a guy like Ed Reynolds or Jared Abrederis.

This morning or Monday May 05, 2014 NFL toatal Access has our pick being surprisingly looking back over the past two months as Free Safety Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix, Fr. Alabama:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...an-clinton-dix

Get a load of these Mocks picks and the Packers pick @ NO. 21:

Bucky Brooks says we pick C.J. Mosley. He has FS Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix going at Pick NO. 13 to the RAMS and da Chicago Bears going FS as well and Calvin Pryor with the next pick at Pick NO 14.

Many Packerrats will be pleased to learn that Mike Huguenin, Chase Goodbread and Matt Smith also have the Packers hooking up with Alabama ILB C. J. Mosely at Pick NO. 21.

Comment woodbuck27: It's my view that the Bears will go FS as well and if not they go right of the top to a priority need (DT) and take DT Aaron Donald Fr. Pittsburgh or NT Timmy Jernigan Fr. Florida State.

Looking at other Mocks from NFL.Com:

Former NFL GM Charley Casserly says it'll be: DE Stephon Tuitt Fr. Notre Dame ( Tuitt will start in his first year at defensive end. The Packers need a safety, ** but there are none left with first-round abilities.)

Charley Casserly has FS Calvin Pryor going at #14 to the Chicago Bears; ** and he has Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix going in the #16 spot after the RAMs make a trade at #13 with the Dallas Cowboys who covet DT Aaron Donald Fr. Pittsburgh and want to steal his possible selection from the Chicago Bears.

[B]Note: Other noteables based on Packerrats views:

Charlie Casserly has ILB C. J. Mosley going at NO. 17 to the Baltimore Ravens;

WR Brandin Cooks goes @ NO. 20 to the Arizona Cardinals.

and OLB Ryan Shazier going at Pick #31 overall to the Denver Broncos.

Charles Davis and Daniel Jeremiah think it will be Ted Thompson and TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins fr. Washington ( The comment by Charles Davis: Packers buy into getting the 2012 ASJ model -- a dynamic, physical, fast player with big-time hands ).

Daniel Jeremiah says in terms of TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins:

Seferian-Jenkins needs more polish, but his combination of size, catch radius and high-point skills will make him an immediate impact player in the red zone.

Please see for full Mock results:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/profil...ins?id=2543683

[Guiness]

Fisher in St-Louis is trying like hell to drum up interest in the #2 pick. He's said the Rams have identified '6 to 8 players' they could pick at #2 - I see that as him telling the teams all the way down to #8 he's answering the phone.

[Smidgeon]

Fisher in St-Louis is trying like hell to drum up interest in the #2 pick. He's said the Rams have identified '6 to 8 players' they could pick at #2 - I see that as him telling the teams all the way down to #8 he's answering the phone.

Yep, that's how I read it too. If they wanted to stay put, they wouldn't say anything. All they'd have to do is identify their two favorite players--in order--and take the second if the Texans take the first. By saying there's a list, he's saying, "We want to move down. Call us."

[woodbuck27]

Fisher in St-Louis is trying like hell to drum up interest in the #2 pick. He's said the Rams have identified '6 to 8 players' they could pick at #2 - I see that as him telling the teams all the way down to #8 he's answering the phone.

There are many players that the RAMS could pick with the NO. 2 overall pick. In terms of BPA arguably; there will be "only" four.

How's that:

There are only five (5) prospects with a grade > 7.0.

Two (2) OT's; One (1) WR; One (1) DE; and One (1) OLB.

[RashanGary]

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.

[Bretsky]

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.

I'm with you on Mosley...but would also be happy with Shazier

I think Clinton-Dix and Prior are better than you give them credit for though. I watch a lot of Draft muck on NFL Network with Mayock and Casserly. I remember one of them....maybe both...noting they liked Vicarrio and Eric Reed last year but this years top two safeties higher than Vicario and Reed coming out (they all rated Earl Thomas higher than all)

I think Clinton Dix is a very good fit for what we want....and that is a smart ballhawk that created turnovers. His anticipation and ball skills are stellar. The safeties on our defense didn't have one INT last year for the first time in about sixty years. Dix helps that. What worries me about Dix is Alabama is the best coached team in college football with the most talent. So some of these guys excel at Alabama and then balance out to just be ok in the pros after excelling in college.

Prior I thought ran a 4.5 which is not bad. He's a combo guy; you can send him loose to blitz the QB and he'll inflict some serious pain on WR's coming over the middle.....in a more legal manner than a Merriweather hit but with similar velocity. But he's a guy you can run and pass blitz with and he'll blow up plays...ala Leroy Butler. he likes romaing which scares me a bit.

[Brandon494]

I pray we don't get Mosley, the last thing this team needs is another injury prone player. Didn't we draft another player in the 1st round who was injury prone? Damn what was his name? I can't remember!

Also to say Dix and Pryor aren't 1st round material is Haha....I guarantee if either one is there at 21 the Packers will be calling their name. As far as Shazier don't know where you've been reading this stuff about him but might want to read this article because you've heard wrong.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.s...shazier_o.html

[Joemailman]

DT Tim Jernigan, thought to be a possible 1st round pick, failed a drug test at the Combine.

[Bretsky]

. Didn't we draft another player in the 1st round who was injury prone? Damn what was his name? I can't remember!

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.s...shazier_o.html

Are you referring to Justine......or Fluffy...aka...Sherry...the new marshmellow ?

[BZnDallas]

I pray we don't get Mosley, the last thing this team needs is another injury prone player. Didn't we draft another player in the 1st round who was injury prone? Damn what was his name? I can't remember!

Also to say Dix and Pryor aren't 1st round material is Haha....I guarantee if either one is there 21 the Packers will be calling their name. As far as Shazier don't know where you've been reading this stuff about him but might want to read this article because you've heard wrong.

[url]http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2014/01/how_ohio_states_ryan_shazier_o.html[/url]

Sounds like Packer People to me...
He's an inch shorter than Mosley and weighs the same
And the kid runs circles around Mosley

If Mosley is the pick, I'll trust TT like i almost always do and hope he turns into another Ray Ray...
I hope Shazier's the pick because i think he brings to the table what our defense needs the most... help against the mobile QB and athletic TE...

[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 !

[Bretsky]

I still don't have a strong view between Ward and Buchanon. I know Ward seems to be a darling in here though. If the two safeties and the two LB's are gone..........I sure hope Cleveland does not have a QB yet. Perhaps somebody falls. Perhaps somebody wants to trade ahead of Cleveland....or maybe we can even Coax Cleveland into trading up five picks.........or giving up their second and a pick to get three picks in round one. It would happen. I'd be fine with getting back into the 30's and taking Ward or Buchanon

[woodbuck27]

I still don't have a strong view between Ward and Buchanon. I know Ward seems to be a darling in here though. If the two safeties and the two LB's are gone..........I sure hope Cleveland does not have a QB yet. Perhaps somebody falls. Perhaps somebody wants to trade ahead of Cleveland....or maybe we can even Coax Cleveland into trading up five picks.........or giving up their second and a pick to get three picks in round one. It would happen. I'd be fine with getting back into the 30's and taking Ward or Buchanon

TT is going to try like hell to trade down from pick NO. 21.

[pbmax]

Well, Bob isn't impressed. He basically echoes a point red made a few weeks ago. There is depth at safety, but that might be because there is not a top end.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...258218081.html

Does the 40 matter that much to a safety?

[mraynrand]

Does the 40 matter that much to a safety?

Brian Dawkins ran a 4.59 and was The Byron "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award in 2008. Football speed and instincts matter more than pure speed at safety. I was at Philly in 2004 and just watched Dawkins in the secondary. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was in the Packer huddle. Guy knew the plays, knew his keys and broke on passes with no wasted steps. Drafted #61, probably because of speed issues. Ted Thompson: "I have people around me to remind me to draft players who can play football, so I don't get distracted by measureables" (that's a paraphrase)

[RashanGary]

More than any other position, I do think 40 time matters for free safety. It's the one position that really covers long ground and I notice most top tier FS are fast in the nfl. It's more than just speed, but I wouldn't take a slow safety with a first round pick in this draft.

[Brandon494]

A few free safeties off the top of my head that had similar 40 times.

Ed Reed 4.57 40
Jairus Byrd 4.68 40
Dashon Goldson 4.65 40
Antrel Rolle 4.5 50
Malcom Jenkins 4.53 40

If 40 times matter more for FS then why would teams move slower CBs to FS? Its about instincts, taking the right angles, and tackling since they are the last line of defense.

[HarveyWallbangers]

More than any other position, I do think 40 time matters for free safety. It's the one position that really covers long ground and I notice most top tier FS are fast in the nfl. It's more than just speed, but I wouldn't take a slow safety with a first round pick in this draft.

You would be correct--according to a multiplier done by DRAFTMETRICS. They correlated testing in the combine drills to success in the NFL (measured by 3+ years of starting in the NFL). Here is what the found on the importance of each drill per position. We'll just evaluate the 6 common drills--40 time, short shuttle, 3 cone, vertical, broad jump, and bench press. The vertical and broad jumps end up mattering more than people think--because it measures the player's explosiveness. They didn't show the results of QBs because measurables didn't have a big correlation to success in the NFL. The results are intersting at some positions, the drills have less importance (QB, OT, 3-4 DE, LB)--while the drills matter a lot more at other positions (TE, OG, 4-3 DE, CB). Some drills are very important at a position while others matter very little. Here were the results:

RB
Important: 40 time++, vertical, broad jump
Moderately important: none
Not very important: bench, shuttle, 3 cone--

WR
Important: shuttle, 40 time
Moderately important: vertical, broad jump
Not very important: 3 cone, bench--

TE
Important: bench++, broad jump++, shuttle
Moderately important: vertical
Not very important: 3 cone, 40 time

OC
Important: shuttle++, vertical
Moderately important: broad jump, 3 cone
Not very important: bench, 40 time

OG
Important: vertical++, 40 time, shuttle, broad jump, 3 cone
Moderately important: bench
Not very important: none

OT
Important: 40 time
Moderately important: vertical, shuttle, broad jump
Not very important: bench, 3 cone

4-3 DE
Important: shuttle++, broad jump++, vertical++
Moderately important: 3 cone, 40 time
Not very important: bench

3-4 DE
Important: none
Moderately important: bench, 40 time
Not very important: broad jump, vertical, shuttle, 3 cone

DT
Important: none
Moderately important: vertical, 40 time
Not very important: bench, shuttle, broad jump, 3 cone--

LB
Important: shuttle
Moderately important: 40 time
Not very important: 3 cone, broad jump, vertical, bench--

CB
Important: 40 time, bench, shuttle
Moderately important: vertical, 3 cone, broad jump
Not very important: none

S
Important: 40 time, 3 cone
Moderately important: shuttle
Not very important: broad jump, vertical, bench--

++ means the drill is very important at that position.
-- means the drill is not important at that position.

Overall, across all positions, the drills correlated to NFL success in this order: shuttle, 40 time, vertical, broad jump, bench, 3 cone

[Brandon494]

And since when was Bob McGinn an expert on anything?