LT and the 2010 Draft

[Fred's Slacks]

We all know the importance of having a LT in this league. With that, I think most of us are hoping that we select one with our first pick in the upcoming draft.
IMO there are 4 LT candidates who are no brainers if they happen to be available at 23 (I'm well aware that most have no chance of making it there):

Russell Okung
Brian Bulaga
Trent Williams
Anthony Davis

Knowing that all of these guys have little chance of making it to 23, I would include 3 other guys I might consider at 23 who could (possibly) be a LT:

Bruce Campbell
Mike Iupati
Charles Brown

IMO, Any other LT prospect would be a reach at 23.

My question for discussion is: Do we automatically take one of these guys if they are there at 23 or do we try to fill another position if we feel someone else provides better value.

My Opinion: Of the guys I think may be available at 23, there are a few guys I would probably take before I would take one of 3 "next tier" guys. They include:

Ryan Mathews
Sergio Kindle
Brandon Graham
Earl Thomas
Devin McCourty

What do you thnk?

[Bretsky]

I completely agree with you; I am not sure the next three on your list are good values at 23.

I think we should go BPA; although if one of the top 4 make it to us we select them.

[Bretsky]

We all know the importance of having a LT in this league. With that, I think most of us are hoping that we select one with our first pick in the upcoming draft.
IMO there are 4 LT candidates who are no brainers if they happen to be available at 23 (I'm well aware that most have no chance of making it there):

Russell Okung
Brian Bulaga
Trent Williams
Anthony Davis

Knowing that all of these guys have little chance of making it to 23, I would include 3 other guys I might consider at 23 who could (possibly) be a LT:

Bruce Campbell
Mike Iupati
Charles Brown

IMO, Any other LT prospect would be a reach at 23.

My question for discussion is: Do we automatically take one of these guys if they are there at 23 or do we try to fill another position if we feel someone else provides better value.

My Opinion: Of the guys I think may be available at 23, there are a few guys I would probably take before I would take one of 3 "next tier" guys. They include:

Ryan Mathews
Sergio Kindle
Brandon Graham
Earl Thomas
Devin McCourty

What do you thnk?


not sure I'd take McCourty quite that high.......but of the others

Kindle would be a great fit
Graham exciting
Matthews and Grant a great 1-2 punch
Thomas a nice fit

[Joemailman]

I suspect that Brandon Graham is the guy most likely to be available that TT covets. He has pointed out in the past that Clifton was a 2nd round pick, so it's not a given you need to use a 1st to replace him.

Graham is more a football player than elite athlete. Contrast that to a guy like Campbell who is just the opposite. If TT stays at pick 23, I'll be surprised if the Pick is an OT.

[Fred's Slacks]

not sure I'd take McCourty quite that high.......but of the others

Kindle would be a great fit
Graham exciting
Matthews and Grant a great 1-2 punch
Thomas a nice fit

Yeah, McCourty has just entered my radar lately for a possibility at 23 and I've really started to like him. Usually when I just start to like a prospect I over value him at first. That may be the case here but right now, I like him.

[Bretsky]

not sure I'd take McCourty quite that high.......but of the others

Kindle would be a great fit
Graham exciting
Matthews and Grant a great 1-2 punch
Thomas a nice fit

Yeah, McCourty has just entered my radar lately for a possibility at 23 and I've really started to like him. Usually when I just start to like a prospect I over value him at first. That may be the case here but right now, I like him.


I've watched highlights of him lately on NFL Network and IMO he is impressive. He'll be a very good player and I think he's climbing into round one. If I was making a mock draft today I think I'd have the Vikings picking him.

[Brandon494]

At first I thought we had to take a LT in the 1st round but after signing Clifton and Taushcer and having Lang backing up both tackle spots I believe we should draft BPA and get a O-line help later in the draft.

[red]

At first I thought we had to take a LT in the 1st round but after signing Clifton and Taushcer and having Lang backing up both tackle spots I believe we should draft BPA and get a O-line help later in the draft.

agreed

we are no longer in a "have to" situation with that first pick after resigning the two tackles

but i would still like to see one taken in the second or third

BPA in the first

[packrulz]

We all know the importance of having a LT in this league. With that, I think most of us are hoping that we select one with our first pick in the upcoming draft.
IMO there are 4 LT candidates who are no brainers if they happen to be available at 23 (I'm well aware that most have no chance of making it there):

Russell Okung
Brian Bulaga
Trent Williams
Anthony Davis

Knowing that all of these guys have little chance of making it to 23, I would include 3 other guys I might consider at 23 who could (possibly) be a LT:

Bruce Campbell
Mike Iupati
Charles Brown

IMO, Any other LT prospect would be a reach at 23.

My question for discussion is: Do we automatically take one of these guys if they are there at 23 or do we try to fill another position if we feel someone else provides better value.

My Opinion: Of the guys I think may be available at 23, there are a few guys I would probably take before I would take one of 3 "next tier" guys. They include:

Ryan Mathews
Sergio Kindle
Brandon Graham
Earl Thomas
Devin McCourty

What do you thnk?
I think it's a good crop of LT's in this draft, (thank God), some mocks even have Bulaga dropping to 23. One guy that intrigues me is Jared Veldheer, I know he's Division II but the guy won't have to contribute right away, he could be a stud LT for years to come: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/02/27/division-iis-jared-veldheer-one-of-combines-most-intriguing-pl/
I don't think he'll last past the 1st round.
I also like:
Taylor Mays
Joe Hayden
Golden Tate
Kyle Wilson
Jerry Hughes

[Fred's Slacks]

I think it's a good crop of LT's in this draft, (thank God), some mocks even have Bulaga dropping to 23. One guy that intrigues me is Jared Veldheer, I know he's Division II but the guy won't have to contribute right away, he could be a stud LT for years to come: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/02/27/division-iis-jared-veldheer-one-of-combines-most-intriguing-pl/
I don't think he'll last past the 1st round.
I also like:
Taylor Mays
Joe Hayden
Golden Tate
Kyle Wilson
Jerry Hughes

I shuddered a little watching that video of him power cleaning 425. Terrible form, he's going to end up like Harrell. He possesses a lot of power to get the weight up like that though. Very intriguing player. Can't see us taking him at 23 but if we traded back a little he might be a nice find.

[Fred's Slacks]

Bold teams need a LT:

1 St. Louis
2 Detroit
3 Tampa Bay
4 Washington
5 Kansas City
6 Seattle
7 Cleveland
8 Oakland
9 Buffalo
10 Jacksonville
11 Denver
12 Miami
13 San Francisco
14 Seattle
15 N.Y. Giants
16 Tennessee
17 San Francisco
18 Pittsburgh
19 Atlanta
20 Houston
21 Cincinnati
22 New England
23 Green Bay
24 Philadelphia
25 Baltimore
26 Arizona
27 Dallas
28 San Diego
29 N.Y. Jets
30 Minnesota
31 Indianapolis
32 New Orleans

Does it look to anyone else like LT might be an important position? Anyway, the good thing here is that if one of the "big 4" slip past Seattle at 14, we may have a shot. If Detroit doesn't take Okung, then that may open the door as all other takles then slide a bit.

[Freak Out]

I think it's a good crop of LT's in this draft, (thank God), some mocks even have Bulaga dropping to 23. One guy that intrigues me is Jared Veldheer, I know he's Division II but the guy won't have to contribute right away, he could be a stud LT for years to come: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/02/27/division-iis-jared-veldheer-one-of-combines-most-intriguing-pl/
I don't think he'll last past the 1st round.
I also like:
Taylor Mays
Joe Hayden
Golden Tate
Kyle Wilson
Jerry Hughes

I shuddered a little watching that video of him power cleaning 425. Terrible form, he's going to end up like Harrell. He possesses a lot of power to get the weight up like that though. Very intriguing player. Can't see us taking him at 23 but if we traded back a little he might be a nice find.

Someone please coach this guy before he destroys himself. When he cocked his left leg out to the side I thought it was all over.

Strong brute though. :lol:

[RashanGary]

Interesting look at who does and doesn't need tackles. It could help us in the 1st round (letting a premier guy slip) and it could help us in the 2nd round, letting a really good prospect slip.


It appears we may be in a good value spot for tackles.



There's a guy named Rodger Saffold, projected in the 2nd that looks pretty good. Maybe with all of those teams before us not needing OL, we could land a quality 2nd round tackle. Jared Veldheer looks like a high upside tackle too. He could be had 2nd or later.

[bobblehead]

I suspect that Brandon Graham is the guy most likely to be available that TT covets. He has pointed out in the past that Clifton was a 2nd round pick, so it's not a given you need to use a 1st to replace him.

Graham is more a football player than elite athlete. Contrast that to a guy like Campbell who is just the opposite. If TT stays at pick 23, I'll be surprised if the Pick is an OT.

Everyone here knows my opinion on LT's (if they bother reading what I type), but that being said I think you are dead on. Graham is exactly what the doctor ordered and could very well slip to us. Like Mathews last year, many have said he is the best pass rusher in this draft. We happen to have a need at OLB (and pass rush).

The OT's that slip are considered projects of sorts. I recently read an article that said the measurables (not production mind you) on this years OT class are off the charts. Something like NINE of them match up to the big 4 from last year. TT may move up in the second or make some other type of trade to get one of them, but another pass rushing OLB will make our entire D look pretty scary.

[Deputy Nutz]

Since the Packers signed Clifton they are not as desperate for 2010 to find a starting caliber LT in the draft. If they needed to do that, last year was the year for that. I see some decent prospects but nothing that would leave me to believe that a player at 23 could come in and do as well as an aging Clifton.

This was a bad year in terms of free agent left tackles, Clifton was the best one out there.

I think if the Packers are smart they go with a best player available approach in the first round, and then look to upgrade the depth at left tackle in the second or third round. In reality they have no back up for Clifton, and I bet dollar to donuts that Clifton doesn't start all 16 regular season games, and someone that has a bit more talent than a 7th round pick would be a better fit for Rodgers blind side.

TJ Lang should be groomed to be the next right tackle for the Packers. I think he could become a pro bowler there, I think he could be a decent left tackle, but I think he could really turn some heads as a right tackle. The Packers need to get there offensive line organized, because Lang will suffer in his development if the Packers ask him to learn and play four out of five positions. This approach by the Packers has actually slowed the growing process of Spitz, Colledge, and Barbre. I really hope the have Lang concentrate on one position, and one position only.

[bobblehead]

First off, welcome back Nutz (unless I missed other posts).

I agree with most of what you say. My point is/was is that there are going to be prospects at 23 with as much upside as the big 4 last year. I would like to have one. I think a team can't survive without a really good LT. Lang will always be serviceable there, nothing more.

I also agree we have to take the BPA whenever we pick. All ranks equal you go by position, but good players win games, not serviceable ones.

I truly believe this is the year we turn the corner on OL. I think MM is going to be more honest about playing the guy who is doing the best job finally....we have a real shot to win it all and if Tausch is outplaying all the other RT's in camp he will start....if not, he won't. If spitz is outplaying wells he will start....else not. Right on down the line. Even college could be signed and beat out by Lang for instance imo. If a guy takes a play off or turnstiles a couple times I believe he will meet the pine fast.

I also believe we will either trade down in the first to get picks, or up in the 2nd to get a guy....one of the two because the talent will drop off between those picks. If Graham is available when we pick I think we would pick him and then trade up when TT thinks we are down to one elite prospect for LT. Otherwise I think if he sees all talent equal he trades back with the first and tries to pick up picks so he can get 2 in that middle range. Sort of a move back with the first, and up with the second deal. Just my opinion.