Grade the 2016 draft

[swede]

Best to Not Best format:

Overall Grade: B+ I felt the Packers navigated the draft pretty well. We will look back on this draft fondly in a few years. Davis needs to shine or he won't make the team, but everyone else needs to find an apartment and sign a two year lease.

(2nd) Spriggs: A; A first round talent in the second, stolen from a divisional opponent for the cost of a measly late fourth rounder when we still had two measly fourth rounders left.

(1st) Clark: B+; A late first round talent that--possibly--could have been had along with an extra pick with a trade down. TT admits to being afraid to risk the object of his heart's desire.

(4a) Lowry: B+; The short arms brought us a very fine DE that managed to get his hands on 14 passes in his career. Long arms don't do you any good if you don't put 'em up like he does.

(6) Murphy: B-; Good value, but the Packers may have to burn a roster spot for a year as he gets his body NFL ready. He had a 97% pass pro efficiency rating in his senior year.

(3rd) Fackrell: B-; This is the one pick that may very well be a star...should be good...and yet I fear the 25 year old will bust. (I get a D- for draft insight on this one so he's doing better than me.)

(4th) Blake Martinez: C; I wanted Nick Vigil, but the Bungles swooped ahead of us and snatched him. Now I will never know if he was on our board ahead of Bla-ake (said in snotty tone).

(5th) Davis: C; The talent is there, but why the lack of productivity with a QB like Goff?

Sorry about the lack of emojis, but I don't even know what they are.

[Fritz]

Me, I think Blake Martinez is going to turn out to be a very good inside linebacker. Maybe not his first year, but possibly by mid-year that guy will be starting, methinks.

[Patler]

Me, I think Blake Martinez is going to turn out to be a very good inside linebacker. Maybe not his first year, but possibly by mid-year that guy will be starting, methinks.

In place of Barrington or Ryan?

[woodbuck27]

The new look Packers:

Mean...tough.

[RashanGary]

Clark (B+) Big guy. Good player. Good athlete.

Spriggs (C) Big guy, OK player. Great athlete. Too much to give up. Inconsistent OL get Qbs killed.

Fackrell (A) I like the pick. He's a really good pass defender. I see him inside. I see his arrow pointing up with health and with playing in the pass heavy NFL.

Martinez (B-) blah.

Lowry (B) I like him. Good player. Good athlete. Has a shot.

Davis (A) I like the pick. Fast. Good hands.

Murphy (C) blah


Average B It's Ted Thompson. He'll do alright and he'll get an undrafted guy or two to put the class over the top. We're one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the last 10 years for a reason.

[Pugger]

Clark (B+) Big guy. Good player. Good athlete.

Spriggs (C) Big guy, OK player. Great athlete. Too much to give up. Inconsistent OL get Qbs killed.

Fackrell (A) I like the pick. He's a really good pass defender. I see him inside. I see his arrow pointing up with health and with playing in the pass heavy NFL.

Martinez (B-) blah.

Lowry (B) I like him. Good player. Good athlete. Has a shot.

Davis (A) I like the pick. Fast. Good hands.

Murphy (C) blah


Average B It's Ted Thompson. He'll do alright and he'll get an undrafted guy or two to put the class over the top. We're one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the last 10 years for a reason.

Are you saying we gave up to move up and get Spriggs?

[Smidgeon]

A well thought out and well written article on the draft:

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/seeing-...i-draft-review

[3irty1]

A well thought out and well written article on the draft:

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/seeing-...i-draft-review

That was probably the best piece of Packer writing I've ever read.

[Patler]

That was probably the best piece of Packer writing I've ever read.

I, on the other hand, thought it was exceptionally long-winded with its content of superficiality.
Believe me, I know a lot about long-winded superficiality!

[swede]

That was probably the best piece of Packer writing I've ever read.

I agree. But I also couldn't help but feel that underneath the continual confirmations of the author's foresight lay the real article's real foundation: hindsight, pure and simple, woven into an informed narrative.

[Smidgeon]

I agree. But I also couldn't help but feel that underneath the continual confirmations of the author's foresight lay the real article's real foundation: hindsight, pure and simple, woven into an informed narrative.

Yes, but if you get past the hindsight back-patting, the reasonings seem pretty logical. By that, I mean, the author is darn good at justifying what has already happened and identifying the rosiest of rosy perspectives on the ceiling of the picks without it sounding like you're drinking the most potent of Kool-Aids.

[Fritz]

In place of Barrington or Ryan?

Whichever one isn't lost to a season-ending injury!

If everyone's healthy? In place of Ryan.

[3irty1]

I appreciate the author's exploring the strategy of building an NFL team through the eyes of a GM. For me the best parts weren't the insights of the draft class, although I think those were fine examples. It struck me as eminently level-headed in its approach of both recognizing the incredible luck to which TT owes his success as well as the luck he makes for himself through well measured opportunity. Since Packers aren't real news, articles like this usually read like an authors outlet for sensation.

Yet this piece throws cold water at our most extreme fans who are adamant about Ted's ego and spending habits as well as any fans who think he is a genius time-lord whose scouting and drafting are irreplaceable.

[Smidgeon]

+1

[RashanGary]

Are you saying we gave up to move up and get Spriggs?

Yeah. I don't think the three picks we gave up to get a lineman that wasn't said to be rock solid was worth it.

[pbmax]

Yeah. I don't think the three picks we gave up to get a lineman that wasn't said to be rock solid was worth it.

Gave up 2 picks (R4 and R7). The other is swapped for a replacement.

[RashanGary]

Gave up 2 picks (R4 and R7). The other is swapped for a replacement.

The total cost for spriggs was a 2nd, 4th and 7th round pick. 3 picks for one player.

[pbmax]

The total cost for spriggs was a 2nd, 4th and 7th round pick. 3 picks for one player.

Did the Packers give up a Round 1 pick for Clark?

[RashanGary]

Did the Packers give up a Round 1 pick for Clark?

Clark isn't a so/so OLman. Not many reports thought spriggs was a rock solid player. Sounded like he was an ok player and a great athlete.

He might be ok though. He's not coming from a school known to produce NFL lineman so it's guesswork on how quickly he'll pick up on NFL technique. He's probably a wait one year player at best, but I'll stay hopeful. I don't like the pick at first blush, but I'll be happy to eat my words if he steps up and pans out.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't get the angst about Spriggs. It's not like he's all potential and wasn't that good in college.

NFL.com

Spriggs excelled in his senior season, catching second-team All-Big Ten accolades along with the eyes of scouts. The four-year starter also was named first team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and third-team honors by the Associated Press. Spriggs had a scary moment on the field in 2014 against Michigan State, as he was taken to the hospital after suffering a helmet-to-helmet blow. But since them he has shown the build (6-foot-7, 307 pounds), anchor in pass protection and willingness to block through the whistle to be the type of prospect NFL offensive line coaches will covet at left tackle.

CBS Sports

A former tight end, Spriggs was a four-year starter at left tackle for the Hoosiers and showed steady development each season, filling out his frame and holding his own against the Big Ten's top rushers like Joey Bosa and Shilique Calhoun.
He was named second team All-Big Ten in 2015 by the coaches and media and one of six semifinalists for the Outland Trophy. Spriggs was charged with only two sacks allowed in 431 called pass attempts.

In 10 starts in 2014, he allowed just two sacks and was a consistent force in the run game, helping Tevin Coleman rush for over 2,000 yards. Spriggs did not redshirt and missed only one game for the Hoosiers because of injury.

ESPN

Overall Football Traits
Production 1

1 = EXCEPTIONAL, 2 = ABOVE AVERAGE, 3 = AVERAGE, 4 = BELOW AVERAGE, 5 = MARGINAL