NFL Draft Countdown:

5. GREEN BAY PACKERS
A.J. HAWK

This is a franchise that is stuck between two worlds, nearing the end of the Brett Favre era and still trying to compete for one last Super Bowl with him yet also trying to get younger and build for the future. The strains of this plan became very evident a year ago when the Packers chose Aaron Rodgers, an heir apparent to the franchise icon, in round one when he unexpectedly fell into their laps. While that struggle will likely continue until Favre finally hangs up his cleats it won't have any affect on this choice. When all is said and done this will likely work out very well for the Packers because they will more than likely be able to address their most glaring need, linebacker, with the top rated player at the position. Former first rounder Nick Barnett has a firm grasp on one of the jobs but Green Bay might very well be in the market for two new starters outside with Ben Taylor, Brady Poppinga and Robert Thomas currently battling for spots on the first unit as of now. Not exactly anything to get too excited about. Anyone who saw a Ohio St. game this past season knows what a force A.J. Hawk can be and he is the rare linebacker who can seemingly dominate and control a game. The team would also strongly consider Mario Williams if he somehow fell this far, which is doubtful at best, while Michael Huff and maybe even a quarterback could garner interest as well. At the end of the day Hawk would seem to be the ideal match, giving them a great leader and playmaking presence on defense.