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  1. #1

    A.J. Hawk

    Draft Preview: Linebackers
    Hawk, Sims headline exceptional group
    Bob McGinn

    Green Bay - Ohio State's A.J. Hawk has the edge on Florida State's Ernie Sims by one year of age, 2 inches of height and 15 pounds of muscle.

    It's the best draft for linebackers since 2000, when six were taken in the first round, and the margin among the leading men is narrower than one might guess.

    "Who's the better defensive player, Hawk or Sims?" Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian said. "I'd make it on a very, very slim margin for Hawk only because he's bigger, but that's only for the draft. I saw Hawk live against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and came away incredibly impressed, but Ernie Sims may come in here as a 10-year all-pro."

    If Sims does turn out to be like Derrick Brooks, the eight-time Pro Bowl player for Tampa Bay to whom he is most often compared, what would that leave on the horizon for Hawk?

    "I've always compared Hawk to Randy Gradishar," Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo said. "Hawk's a great player. He's great. How do people not take him?"

    Gradishar, another former Buckeyes middle linebacker, made the Pro Bowl seven times during a 10-year career with Denver from 1974-'83.

    "Hawk's better than Gradishar," said one personnel man who has spent a lifetime in coaching and scouting. "He's a little bit like (Ray) Nitschke from Illinois. In a way, Hawk is just as vicious. He just doesn't signify and testify it, growl and scowl. When Hawk tackles, he hurts your (bleep)."

    For a modern-day comparison, scouts bring up Chicago's Brian Urlacher. Several say that Hawk will play with the same astonishing sideline-to-sideline speed that is the hallmark of Urlacher's game.

    "If you were making a movie you'd cast him as the linebacker," said Rich Snead, director of player personnel for the Tennessee Titans. Snead said Hawk was better coming out than Keith Brooking and way better than Jonathan Vilma and James Farrior.

    Said Snead: "He's not (Junior) Seau. Seau was phenomenal. He's not as good as Cornelius Bennett. But he's the one guy I've seen in a long time that knocks people back when he tackles them."

    "Hawk might be the safest pick in the draft," Philadelphia Eagles GM Tom Heckert said. "We can't find any holes. He's 6-1. Maybe that's it. So what? I think you could take him anywhere."

    Hawk might just become the "awesome player" that San Diego general manager A.J. Smith expects him to be, but the tape-viewing room at Florida State made for even more eagerly awaited viewing for scouts last fall than the one at Ohio State.

    "Sims is probably my favorite player in the draft as far as watching him play," Buffalo national scout Marc Ross said. "I've never seen a player who plays more relentlessly without regard for his body than this guy. I say ever. Hawk plays his (bleep) off. Vilma played hard. But this guy is crazy. I mean, he is absolutely nuts when he plays."

    No first-round linebacker in the last 15 years has been as short as Sims, who measured 5 feet 11 1 /8 inch at the combine. The other glaring negative on Sims is the fact he suffered five concussions in college.

    "He can bring the heat like I haven't seen in a long time," one personnel director said. "But the concussions scare the (bleep) out of me."

    As admired and as good as Sims has a chance to be, the fact that Hawk captured 19 of 21 first-place votes as the No. 1 linebacker in a Journal Sentinel poll of personnel people reflects the dominance most scouts see in him.

    "If he slipped to us, I'd celebrate until we got to camp," said Tom Modrak, the Buffalo Bills assistant GM who will help his team make the eighth pick. "He plays so hard and he's so smart and he wants to be good. His impact won't be only on the field. I think he'll be a presence on your team."

    The 21 scouts were asked to rank the linebackers on a 1-to-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth five points and so on. Nine players received votes, and estimates are that up to 20 could be selected in the first three rounds.

    Hawk had 103 points (his two non-firsts were seconds) compared to 79 for Sims, who was left off the ballot by one scout who said he "can't get off a block." Next, in order, were Chad Greenway with 34 points, Demeco Ryans with 25, Thomas Howard with 19, D'Qwell Jackson and Roger "Rocky" McIntosh with 17, Bobby Carpenter with 16 and Clint Ingram with five.

    "The draft is so thin in other places that there may be a run on them," Modrak said. "There will be some good players in the second and third rounds, and in the second day. It's an abnormal year."

  2. #2
    "As far as a complete player, a can't miss, no holes off the field or on the field player, Hawk is as close as you're going to get," Buffalo national scout Marc Ross said. "He's tough, smart, plays hard, a good athlete, fast, quick, uses his hands and he's strong." Can play any of three positions but is best in the middle or weak side. "If you watch the guy, he's like (Matt) Leinart, always in the right place," one scout said. "He's around the ball, he's square, he can cover and he can rush." Played extensively as a freshman and started last three seasons. Finished with 15 1/2 sacks, 12 takeaway plays and 41 TFL (tackles for loss). "He beat their other linebackers, who are pretty darn good, to the ball even when he had to go across and over them," another scout said. "He's a leader. He's everything." Will be married on St. Patrick's Day 2007 to Laura Quinn, sister of Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn. Hails from Centerville, Ohio. "I think he's a little overrated," a third scout said. "I just think down in, down out he tends to play in the secondary. He's not the biggest, stoutest guy. Unless you keep him protected and let him run . . . I think he's a little like Rob Morris at Indianapolis. He's dependable and consistent, but I just don't know if he's ever going to be a 'wow' guy." Scored 27 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test.

  3. #3
    Hawk's scores at the combine:

    Height: 6010
    Weight: 248
    40 Yrd Dash: 4.59 (4.45 on a fast track at his Pro Day)
    20 Yrd Dash: 2.72
    10 Yrd Dash: 1.56
    225 Lb. Bench Reps: 24
    Vertical Jump: 40"
    Broad Jump: 9'7"
    20 Yrd Shuttle: 3.96
    3-Cone Drill: 6.82

    Brian Urlacher's scores at the combine:

    Height: 6037
    Weight: 258
    40 Yrd Dash: 4.59
    20 Yrd Dash: 2.70
    10 Yrd Dash: 1.62
    225 Lb. Bench Reps: 27
    Vertical Jump: 34"
    Broad Jump: 10'2"
    20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.18
    3-Cone Drill: 6.94

    Any talk of Hawk not being a great athlete should be put to rest. Scouts are generally wary of overhyping guys, and for any guy you can find some scouts who don't like a player as much as others (hell, there are scouts who will find something negative to say about Reggie Bush), but there's about as much across the board love for Hawk as you'll find in a prospect.

  4. #4
    http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9398242

    Clark Judge, a senior writer, kicks things off. He says the Pack will go with A.J. Hawk at No. 5 and can't believe the youngster has lasted this long. "He could be the best player in the draft," writes Judge.

    Mock Draft: Clark Judge - Who they should take

    2. New Orleans Saints
    A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State: I want the best defender in the draft; here he is

    Mock Draft: Clark Judge - Who they will take

    5. Green Bay Packers
    A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State: One way or the other, Pack emerges with defensive help.

  5. #5
    Another rendition by Kiper and the draftniks
    Mike Hart

    Moving right along, Mel believes the Green Bay Packers will pass on Vince Young and grab A.J. Hawk at No. 5...

    Pat Kirwan, the NFL.com senior analyst, is toeing the slab with his mock draft.

    Pat has the Packers scooping up Oregon defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. On paper, this fellow appears to be a good prospect if you're making an eye chart...

    Clark Judge, a senior writer, kicks things off. He says the Pack will go with A.J. Hawk at No. 5 and can't believe the youngster has lasted this long. "He could be the best player in the draft," writes Judge.

    Pete Prisco, another senior writer, has the Saints swiping Hawk at No. 2. North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams then slides to the Pack at No. 5. "This is the next Julius Peppers," writes Prisco. This is a whole lot better than being the next Doctor Pepper...

    Senior writer Dennis Dodd also has Hawk going to the Saints and the Packers taking Williams...

    Sportsillustrated.cnn.com: A.J. Hawk is the pick for Green Bay at No. 5...

    Sportingnews.com: The Pack grabs A.J. Hawk.

  6. #6
    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.

  7. #7
    Tim McShay of Scouts Inc.:

    5. Green Bay Packers (4-12)
    Top-five needs: OG, OLB, OC, DE, WR
    The pick: A.J. Hawk, OLB, Ohio State
    The Packers have done a decent job of addressing their needs at wide receiver (Rod Gardner), defensive tackle (Ryan Pickett) and safety (Marquand Manuel) this offseason. Still missing, though, is an impact playmaker on defense. There are some reports regarding the Packers' growing interest in massive two-gap DT Haloti Ngata (Oregon). However, Hawk is a more complete player, and he could make a more immediate impact for a defense that is in desperate need of a playmaker and leader of his capacity.

  8. #8
    Anti Homer Rat HOFer Bretsky's Avatar
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    """If you were making a movie you'd cast him as the linebacker," said Rich Snead, director of player personnel for the Tennessee Titans. Snead said Hawk was better coming out than Keith Brooking and way better than Jonathan Vilma and James Farrior. ""

    Better than Vilma.

    AJ HAWK IS OUR GUY; he's a Packer Man

    Intense
    Great Attitude
    Smash Mouth
    Pro Ready
    Great Tackler
    Inspirational

    THE LEADER OF THE PACKER D for the next Decade.



    HE GOT HAWK'D !!

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Bretsky View Post
    """If you were making a movie you'd cast him as the linebacker," said Rich Snead, director of player personnel for the Tennessee Titans. Snead said Hawk was better coming out than Keith Brooking and way better than Jonathan Vilma and James Farrior. ""

    Better than Vilma.

    AJ HAWK IS OUR GUY; he's a Packer Man

    Intense
    Great Attitude
    Smash Mouth
    Pro Ready
    Great Tackler
    Inspirational

    THE LEADER OF THE PACKER D for the next Decade.



    HE GOT HAWK'D !!
    Smash mouth!

    For two years he looked like this player with those athletic traits, then everything came apart. I think he had an injury and then he rebuilt himself for teh 3-4 and lost all that quickness and speed.
    Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by pbmax View Post
    Smash mouth!

    For two years he looked like this player with those athletic traits, then everything came apart. I think he had an injury and then he rebuilt himself for teh 3-4 and lost all that quickness and speed.
    If he was so terrible, it should have been easy to fill his spot with any jack off. Yet anyone they put in there doesn't look leaps and bounds better than Hawk. To the contrary, they are worse if for no other reason they are far from dependable.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Rutnstrut View Post
    If he was so terrible, it should have been easy to fill his spot with any jack off. Yet anyone they put in there doesn't look leaps and bounds better than Hawk. To the contrary, they are worse if for no other reason they are far from dependable.
    Terrible? Maybe at the end with the ankle/foot injury.

    But after being compared to Urlacher, with athletic measurables to match, he really settled into average for the balance of his career. That is quite a comedown by itself.
    Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.

  12. #12
    Anti Homer Rat HOFer Bretsky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pbmax View Post
    Smash mouth!

    For two years he looked like this player with those athletic traits, then everything came apart. I think he had an injury and then he rebuilt himself for teh 3-4 and lost all that quickness and speed.

    Ponders if I cursed him

    I expected him to be a star but he never got there
    LIFE IS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS; I JUST REALIZED THIS. The MILWAUKEE BUCKS have won the same number of championships over the past 50 years as the Green Bay Packers. Ten years from now, who will have more championships, and who will be the fart in the wind ?

  13. #13
    Lunatic Rat HOFer RashanGary's Avatar
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    25 year old me sounds like a cocky idiot. Ugh.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by JustinHarrell View Post
    25 year old me sounds like a cocky idiot. Ugh.
    So what's changed?

    I keed! I keed!

  15. #15
    Dr. Z of SI.com:

    No. 5 PACKERS: An easy pick upon which everyone agrees. I call the Packers, speak to two individuals, and they both confirm that the logical choice is A.J. HAWK, LB, OHIO STATE, an amazingly gifted young defender.

  16. #16
    I say TT trades out of #5. I would really regret him doing this, though, cause I really want either Mario or Hawk. I don't wanna QB or OT. I think we trade with Oakland so they can get to Vince Young, who is miraculously still there.

    For me it's:

    Bush - HOU
    Brick - NO
    Linnie - TIT
    Mario - NYJ
    Young - OAK
    Davis - 49
    Hawk - Packers.

  17. #17
    Senior Rat HOFer ND72's Avatar
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    HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK
    "I would love to have a guy that always gets the key hit, a pitcher that always makes his best pitch and a manager that can always make the right decision. The problem is getting him to put down his beer and come out of the stands and do those things." - Danny Murraugh

  18. #18
    Wolf Pack Rat HOFer Deputy Nutz's Avatar
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    The way I look at is the Packers are either going to get Hawk, Davis, or Williams, especially if the Saints select Hawk with the second pick of the draft.

    If Hawk goes before the Packers so be it, I would be happy with Williams or Davis at that point.

    I just don't see the Saint's taking Hawk with the second pick. I think they might take Ferguson. They need an offensive tackle.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by ND72
    HAWK HAWK HAWK

    Don't you mean to say:

    HAWK HAWKHAWK HAWKHAWK HAWKHAWK HAWK

  20. #20
    Senior Rat HOFer ND72's Avatar
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    AH...my bad...didn't know how well the yellow would look
    "I would love to have a guy that always gets the key hit, a pitcher that always makes his best pitch and a manager that can always make the right decision. The problem is getting him to put down his beer and come out of the stands and do those things." - Danny Murraugh

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