Supplemental Draft - This Thursday

[OS PA]

Brandt's supplemental draft primer
Gil Brandt


(July 9, 2006) -- Training camps are just around the corner, but teams still have a chance to add fresh talent to their roster on July 13. That's when the annual supplemental draft takes place and this year's draft has seven entrants.

Of the seven, Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks, Iowa State defensive end Jason Berryman, junior college linebacker David Dixon and Texas fullback Ahmad Hall were already on the radar. (See more information on them below.) But now they have been joined by:

Marco Martin, DT, Texas:Martin was highly recruited out of high school but had a hard time getting on the field at Texas.

Craig Berry, OL, Connecticut: Berry was a starter for UConn for much of the past two seasons.

Richard Washington, RB/WR, N.C. State: Washington caught 29 passes for 348 yards for the Wolfpack as a junior in 2004 but was dismissed from the team before his senior season. He worked out for scouts in early July and was measured at 5-foot-10 7/8 and 164 pounds. He ran outdoors on grass in good conditions but there was a light rain. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.66 and 4.76. He also had a 1.55 and 1.59 in the 10-yard dash, 2.75 and 2.72 in the 20-yard dash, 29-inch vertical jump, 8-foot-6 long jump, 4.50 short shuttle, 12.77 long shuttle and 7.23 three-cone drill.

Check back this week for any additional supplemental draft news and for the results on Thursday.

(June 22, 2006) -- For those of you experiencing a little post-NFL draft withdrawal, there's good news: The 2006 Supplemental Draft is just around the corner.

This years' supplemental draft is tentatively scheduled for July 13. Rules of the supplemental draft stipulate that it has to take place at least 10 days prior to opening of the first training camp.

Draft order is determined by a weighted system that is divided into three groupings. First come the teams that had six or fewer wins last season, followed by non-playoff teams that had more than six wins, followed by the 12 playoff teams.

The first time the supplemental draft came into play was in 1977, when Al Hunter, a running back from Notre Dame, was selected in the fourth round by the Seattle Seahawks.

Of course, in order for a team to select someone, it must have that choice available in the following year's regular draft -- and that's the pick it will give up to make the supplemental pick.

Some of the names you might recall who have been selected in supplemental drafts through the years include linebacker Brian Bosworth, a first-round pick of the Seahawks in 1987; Washington State QB Timm Rosenbach, taken by the Cardinals in 1989; Miami QB Steve Walsh, also taken in 1989 by the Dallas Cowboys; and Duke QB Dave Brown, who was selected by the Giants in 1992.

More recently, San Diego defensive tackle Jamal Williams was a second-round supplemental pick in 1998, and he has become a terrific run-stuffer for the Chargers.

The paperwork hasn't officially been filed yet for the supplemental draft this year, but there are at least four players who will get a close look from scouts around the league:

* Ahmad Brooks, LB, Virginia: A national defensive player of the year coming out of high school, Brooks had an outstanding 2004 season for the Cavaliers in 2004, but got hurt last year.
* Jason Berryman, DE, Iowa State: At about 240 pounds, he's probably a linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
* David Dixon, LB: Dixon is from Galveston, Texas, and last played at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas in 2004.
* Ahmad Hall, FB, Texas: Hall served in the Marines and wasn't eligible for the regular draft. He worked out at Texas' Pro Day on March 22 and was measured at 5-10¾, 232 pounds. He ran his 40s in 4.53 and 4.55 and also had a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-9 long jump, 4.20 short shuttle, 7.21 three-cone drill and 24 bench presses.

Of course, NFL.com will have news on these and other players who file for the supplemental draft, so rest easy. There's more draft analysis on the way!


Brooks held a workout for pro scouts on June 22 at the University of Virginia. On a 96-degree day and the heat index up at 110, Brooks ran on AstroTurf and worked out on grass that was dried-out. Bengals linebacker coach Ricky Hunley conducted the workout. There were representatives from 31 teams at the workout, with only the Vikings not in attendance. Mike Nolan from the 49ers was the only head coach there. He was joined by San Francisco VP of player personnel Scot McCloughan. Brooks will work out for the 49ers at their place for two days next week. Randy Mueller of the Dolphins, Mike Murphy from the Cowboys and Calvin Branch from the Raiders were also there. Brooks lost 32 pounds in 10 weeks (he was measured at 6-foot-3, 260 pounds) and passed five drug tests in the last 10 weeks. He ran three times, timed at 4.68, 4.75 and 4.74 in the 40, with 10-yard splits of 1.53, 1.58 and 1.58 and 20-yard splits of 2.73, 2.75 and 2.75. His arm span measured 33½ inches and his hands measured 9½. He had a 32-inch vertical jump, a 9-foot-8 long jump, a 4.43 short shuttle, an 11.84 long shuttle, a 7.43 three-cone drill and 19 benches. The conditions were not really good, just average.

The day before the workout, Brooks met with John Dorsey and Reggie McKenzie (GB), had a meeting with Ricky Hunley (CIN) and had dinner with Jerry Reese (NYG).

Brooks, who played linebacker in college but might project as a Julius Peppers-type defensive end in the pros, missed six games with a right knee injury last year. He visited Dr. James Andrews on June 12 for the knee to be examined and that report was made available to all NFL teams.

Brooks' father, Perry Brooks, was a defensive tackle whom New England drafted in Round 7 in 1976. He never played for New England but played 92 games for Washington.

He will continue to work out under Chip Smith in Atlanta.

I know we've been talking about this for a while now, but just thought i'd start a little threat about.

I have a feeling this is going to be a pretty active supplemental draft with at least 3 players going in it.

Ahmad Brooks will be a hot battle and I have a feeling somebody will jump early on him with a 2nd. If he falls to the fourth he'll be an insane steal. I think that he will have a pretty good to stellar NFL career. He was one hell of a force in college when he was on the field, and could prove to be what one of the teams desperate enough to spend a high-pick on him need at ILB or DE.

I'd love to see him in a packer uniform playing special teams and rushing the passer. (Gasp, Julius Peppers mentioned in the same article as Ahmad Brooks - what if?)

What are all of your thoughts on the supplemental draft and Ahmad Brooks?

What would you spend to get him?


(I meant to put 4th Round, and 5th Round +, but they didn't add for some reason)

[the_idle_threat]

He's not big enough to be anything like Julius Peppers, but he could probably help somebody.

Do you know why did he missed the regular draft?

[Guiness]

that high, eh? I would've picked 5th, if the list went to there.

Don't know why there's a supplimental - academic eligeablity is the most common reason tho'

[the_idle_threat]

He might go 3rd round or even higher to some team that is desperate for LB talent, but I think the Pack would take him no higher than 5th or perhaps even 6th.

[Merlin]

Although I think Brooks is the BPA, I would prefer we go after a WR. I am not too confident in the ones we have now and if we are to have a revolving door at any position this year, I hope and pray it is at WR. We have 2 solid TE's and one okay one, the best fullback in the game and if healthy some of the best RB's in the game. Favre will have all sorts of people to throw. We definitely won't have much of a vertical game because teams will double up on Driver, leaving us huge question marks at the other WR spot. The more the merrier. Someone has to step up you would think!

[woodbuck27]

Except for Ahmad Brooks, being a somewhat interesting fella to consider at maybe a 4th or 5th. I don't see the Packers making a move in this Supplementle draft.

The fella that intrigues me most is Ahmad Hall, FB, Texas:

Hall served in the Marines and wasn't eligible for the regular draft. He worked out at Texas' Pro Day on March 22 and was measured at 5-10¾, 232 pounds. He ran his 40s in 4.53 and 4.55 and also had a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-9 long jump, 4.20 short shuttle, 7.21 three-cone drill and 24 bench presses.

What does this mean, considering that he is now 26 years old?

"Hall could have been drafted between the fifth and seventh rounds in April. He still has two years of active duty remaining, but people close to the situation say the service time would not interfere with his dreams of playing in the NFL."

Would we have to wait two more years for him? If so he would 'in reality' be the man tabbed to take over from William Henderson.

I really don't see any of the seven eligible players as a fit for us. Maybe Brooks in the right spot but likely someone will take him before the 4th round. He's certainly had a ton of interest. He could be a very decent player. It's the character issues there - that many of you say - cancel him out as a Packer prospect.

In that measure he's gone and we take noone.

[BooHoo]

How many rounds are in the supplemental draft?

[OS PA]

If I don't stand mistaken - The supplemental draft is based on next years picks. If a team wishes to draft someone they bid their next years pick and whoever wins the bid loses the pick but gets the player.

Draft order depends on last years standings and is grouped like this - teams .500 or below, teams above .500 that didn't make the playoffs, then teams that did make the playoffs.

i'm not sure what happens if two teams bid at the same time, but i'm sure someone on these forums knows.

[woodbuck27]

If I don't stand mistaken - The supplemental draft is based on next years picks. If a team wishes to draft someone they bid their next years pick and whoever wins the bid loses the pick but gets the player.

Draft order depends on last years standings and is grouped like this - teams .500 or below, teams above .500 that didn't make the playoffs, then teams that did make the playoffs.

i'm not sure what happens if two teams bid at the same time, but i'm sure someone on these forums knows.

That is a solid report of the process and regarding a case where teams bid on the same player:

Tiebreaking Procedure

If two or more teams have the same win/loss record, then their opponents' win/loss record is used as the tiebreaker. The team with the lowest opponents' winning percentage gets the higher pick. For example, five teams (Tennessee, New York Jets, Green Bay, Oakland and San Francisco) finished with a 4-12 record in 2005, but as Tennessee's opponents had the worst winning percentage among the five teams, the Titans were the first 4-12 team to make their pick in the 2006 Draft. If two teams have the same win/loss record and opponents' win/loss record, then a coin toss decides who picks first

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hall sounds like one hell of a person.

Hall's pristine image could help his chances
By Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.com

Determining the best player in Thursday's NFL supplemental draft -- talented but troubled former University of Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks -- hasn't exactly drained the brainpower of NFL scouts.

Neither has the task of identifying the best person in the special summertime lottery -- onetime University of Texas fullback Ahmard Hall.

There is considerably more than their respective talent levels, and that one inexplicable "R" in Hall's first name, that separates the two young players. His brilliant talent notwithstanding, Brooks was booted out of the Cavaliers' program by head coach Al Groh for repeat violations of unspecified team rules. As for Hall, well, he survived boot camp at Camp Pendleton (Calif.), the initiation ritual for Marines, as part of his circuitous detour to the cusp of an NFL career.

In a supplemental draft pool typically comprised of guys whose dossiers include a wart or two -- former Iowa State defensive end/linebacker Jason Berryman, arguably the second-best player available, served eight months in jail in 2004 after pleading guilty to robbery charges -- Hall is a pristine prospect. How squeaky-clean is Hall, who has impressed scouts with his quickness and strength? Try spit-and-polish squeaky-clean, the kind of no-nonsense, sir, yes, sir! player who can probably glance down at his spikes and see his own reflection staring back at him.

On those occasions when Brooks and Berryman weren't in trouble with the law or with their coaches, they were able to chase quarterbacks and tailbacks around the football field. When trouble found Hall, it meant he had to chase Taliban warlords through the treacherous mountain passes of Afghanistan.

"I'm not sure it made me a better football player, but I know it made me a whole lot better person," said Hall, 26, a former sergeant who returned from four years in the Marines that included tours in Kosovo and Afghanistan to make the Longhorns as a walk-on. "In meetings with scouts, they ask a lot of questions, but the one area they don't ever bring up is the character thing. I'm proud of that. I think teams know that, if they draft me or they sign me to come to their camp, they aren't going to have to worry about any issues of that sort, you know?"

One popular Web site that devotes its full content to draft coverage recently suggested that the pool of prospects for the 2006 supplemental draft was more like a casting call for "The Longest Yard." Whether Hall is selected on Thursday, or even gets a chance in an NFL training camp, his life might be worthy of a screenplay.

Said Texas coach Mack Brown: "Had he never set foot on the field, his story would have been a good one. But what he went through to play football and to fulfill his dream, with what he meant to our football team, it just makes the story that much better."

It is certainly a tale of diligence and devotion, hard work, responsibility, accountability and perseverance over adversity, all the character traits NFL coaches claim to covet among their players. And it is a story about which Hall, a husband and a father who recently graduated with a degree in physical therapy after using the G.I. Bill to return to school, has perhaps just one regret.

"When I was in high school [in Angleton, Texas]," Hall said last week by phone, "I was the typical big jock on campus. I had a big head, really, and thought football was enough to get me by. If I had one thing that I could do over, it would be to hit the books and understand how important an education can be. I worried so much about football, and all the stuff that surrounded it, I let everything else slip."

And so while Hall earned offensive most valuable player honors for Brazoria County for a senior season that included more than 1,000 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns and a playoff berth -- a productive campaign good enough to elicit scholarship offers from Texas A&M, Kansas State and Oklahoma State -- his grades kept him from qualifying academically. Instead of going to summer football camp, he headed to boot camp, where he became not just a soldier but a survivor.

"It's three months of having people scream at you," Hall said. "They break you down at boot camp, bit by bit and piece by piece, and then they build you up again into a man. It definitely gets you ready to be able to handle a lot of things."

For Hall, it meant handling the stints in Kosovo and Afghanistan, tours of duty about which he is reluctant to speak very much. He is polite in declining to elaborate on his wartime tours, but does acknowledge that he was in harm's way on more than a few occasions, and that the experience forced him to focus and prioritize and gain perspective on life.

It also made him miss football that much more.

"People are always comparing the two, you know, war and football," Hall said. "There's no comparison. One is about life and the other is a game. No matter how bad things get, you can usually play football the next day, the next week, whatever. Life is, well, you know, it's life."

When he returned from Afghanistan sporting his sergeant's stripes, Hall definitely wanted to play again, and so he sent a letter to the Texas coaching staff. So impressive was his background, so strong his rhetoric in the emotional missive, that Brown waived a school rule that stipulates walk-on candidates must have played organized football within the past 24 months. An athletics department compliance officer, Arthur Johnson, helped file paperwork with the Big 12 and NCAA to resolve lingering academic issues.

"How do you tell a young person like that he cannot come out and at least try out for the football team?" Johnson, now at the University of Georgia, told the Austin (Tex.) American-Statesman.

Hall's career statistics are modest. In two seasons, encompassing 24 games, he carried just two times for 11 yards and one touchdown. He caught three passes for 42 yards, had a dozen special teams tackles and was credited with nine blocks that resulted in Longhorns' touchdowns. Oh, yeah, the man dubbed "Big Marine" by Texas star quarterback Vince Young, was also part of a national championship team.

A big part, said Young, who praised Hall for his leadership skills.

"On the field, off the field, you name it, everyone [admired] him," Young said. "There's just something about the way he carries himself. He's more special than he realizes."

How special? On Sept. 11, 2004, the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks on this country, his teammates chose Hall to lead them onto the field for a game against Arkansas, and he charged from the tunnel waving an American flag. In 2005, Hall was elected the Big 12's male sportsperson of the year by a media panel. A year earlier, at the school's 2004 football banquet, Hall fittingly received the inaugural Pat Tillman Award, created in honor of the former Arizona Cardinals' safety who lost his life in Afghanistan as a member of the Army Rangers.

Hall couldn't attend that banquet because he was home tending to business, caring for son Mason, now 3, while his wife, Joanna, took night classes. She will graduate in three weeks with a degree in nursing. "No matter what else," Hall said, "you take care of family. You change enough diapers, it changes your focus."

It's appropriate that the selfless Hall toils at what has become in the NFL a relatively anonymous position. Fullbacks don't get many "touches" anymore. But some fullbacks, like Hall, still manage to touch people.

"I consider it a character-testing position," said Hall, whose community service for the Longhorn's outreach program included working with Austin-area veterans and organizing a care package drive for soldiers who were deployed overseas. "I'm really proud to be a fullback."

"In meetings with scouts, they ask a lot of questions, but the one area they don't ever bring up is the character thing. I'm proud of that. I think teams know that, if they draft me or they sign me to come to their camp, they aren't going to have to worry about any issues of that sort, you know?"

But at age 26 ("but a young 26," he said, laughing), four years older than the point at which most rookies enter the league, Hall faces some obstacles. It helps that scouts like his size (5-feet-11, 235 pounds) and that he has posted solid performances in workouts. Hall has run the 40 in just under 4.5 seconds, posted a 35-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot long jump and 24 repetitions on the standard 225-pound bench press. And it's difficult, even for the most businesslike talent evaluators, to ignore the possibility that a league which dispatches some of its young players to NFL Europe to learn about football might turn its back on a player who voluntarily went overseas for some real-life lessons.

Suffice it to say, Hall has advocates in personnel departments around the league.

Still, Hall understands that, even with some scouts in his corner, the odds of an NFL career are long. But he also knows he isn't quite ready to snuff out the dream.

"I'm pretty realistic but, in my heart, I know I have to give [football] a chance," he said. "When you're in a war, you come back with a new appreciation for everything, and I value every aspect of my life now. But I feel like I have to do this and, if it doesn't work out, so be it. I've had job offers. I have opportunities. I can go back and get my master's degree. Probably because of what I've been through, I don't leave anything to chance anymore. I've got it all mapped out from A to Z, believe me. Right now, though, the three letters that most occupy my time are NFL."

The Marines are always looking for a few good men and they clearly found one in Ahmard Hall. If some NFL team is just seeking one more solid character guy for its roster, it could do worse than to consider him.

[Fosco33]

Is there coverage of this anywhere - TV or Radio?

Anyone willing to post known information - relevant to potentially solid players, surprising moves by teams or Packer info...