Excellent Mock, make for the benefit of Packerfanistan

[RashanGary]

Players Re-signed:

John Kuhn
Brandon Jackson
Daryn Colledge
Mason Crosby
Brett Swain

Players Who Leave:

Cullen Jenkins
James Jones
Jason Spitz

Players Cut/Traded:

Donald Lee
Derrick Martin
Brady Poppinga
Mark Tausher
Johnny Jolly


1st - DE - Muhammed Wilkerson - Big, quick, strong, Wilkerson is everything you look for in a 3-4 DE
http://www.draftheadquarters.com/images/Muhammad_Wilkerson_Declare.jpg


2nd - RT - James Carpenter - Underrated prospect. What 2 years at JUCO cost him in recognition, he made up for with elite all SEC play (voted by coaches) in 2010.
http://crimsonnation.net/files/2010/10/77carpenterweb.jpg


3rd - CB - Ras-I Dowling - Ultra productive corner. Outplayed Chris Cook for 3 years. Injures his entire SR season. Dowling has every tool and every skill to be great on the next level




4th - WR - Greg Salas - Nelson moves up, Jones moves on, Salas enters as the next Packer WR in training



4th - OG - John Moffit - Colledge stays for now, but he's put on notice with the drafting of Moffit and the development of Lang. Thompson freaks out at the thought of losing his only ugly Wisconsin Badger. He presses the panic button and drafts Moffit.
http://phinphanatic.com/files/2011/04/John-Moffitt-Wisconsin.jpg



5th - SS - Joe Lefeded - Great ST's player. Strong, fast, very athletic.




6th - OT - Lee Ziemba - He's a skinny 320 lbs - Underrated player. Athletic in short area but slow 40. Clifton's old and Tausher moves on, so the depth is much needed from this draft.




7th - OLB - Marc Schiechl - Ultra productive small school pass rusher. Excellent athlete. Worht a shot at OLB. Very similar to Zombo.



7th - WR - Shaky Smithson - Quicker than he is fast, Smithson is a dominant punt returner and excellent KR. When I did the image search, this came up. Shaky Smithson is actually about 6' tall, 195 lbs and is an athletic looking black guy with mini-dreads.
http://leaderofthepac.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/texas-tech-hottest-student-bodies-3.jpg

[Lurker64]

I don't really like how late the OLB situation is addressed. Personally I'd rather have Dontay Moch in the 2nd or 3rd than either of the guys you posted, kid's Brian Orakpo but 2" shorter.

[Smidgeon]

By the way, why does DE seem to be such a high priority? I guess I just don't see it, even with Jolly and Jenkins gone. They have Raji and Pickett who are sure-fire starters, and Neal who flashed for the other spot, Howard Green on run downs, and CJ Wilson lining up on pass downs with Raji and/or Neal. I think it was Patler who pointed out the Packers basically only use 2.5 DL per game anyway...

I get needing depth, but Pickett isn't nearing the end quite yet. I guess I just don't see it despite many pundits claiming it's close to the number one need.

[RashanGary]

Yeah. I like Dowling a lot, but I'd rather have an OLB than a CB. Moch looks like a great OLB prospect. Maybe my next one will have that change.


DE - Wilkerson
OT - Carpenter (if you look at his JR and SR seasons at Alabama, he's a top tier OT and like Alualu last year and Ryan Matthews, I think this guy is going to go shockingly high)
OLB - Moch (elite athlete, very productive OLB/DE in college)



If we hit those three positions with our first three picks, we'll all be doing back flips.

[Tarlam!]

Meh, I was doing backflips the year TT drafted AJ. I remember how many people were doing backflips when TT draft Rodgers. None!

I've stopped doing backflips on draft weekend. I enjoy the speculation and I enjoy the commentary here after each pick a great deal.

[Guiness]

By the way, why does DE seem to be such a high priority? I guess I just don't see it, even with Jolly and Jenkins gone. They have Raji and Pickett who are sure-fire starters, and Neal who flashed for the other spot, Howard Green on run downs, and CJ Wilson lining up on pass downs with Raji and/or Neal. I think it was Patler who pointed out the Packers basically only use 2.5 DL per game anyway...

I get needing depth, but Pickett isn't nearing the end quite yet. I guess I just don't see it despite many pundits claiming it's close to the number one need.

But Jolly and Jenkins are gone. Almost assuredly. There's < 1% chance Jolly is back, and a very low chance Jenkins remains. He gets his payday elsewhere, IMO. My guess would be that he goes to a team switching systems, either from 4-3 to 3-4 or vice versa, and doesn't have the personel. Jenkins has shown ability in both systems, and would be a guy that could plug a hole. The Broncos? They seem to like recycling DLinemen, and they certainly have a bad D right now.

I wouldn't count on Neale for much, it would just be a nice surprise if he contributed. I don't see it as a position of great need, but something to address at some point in the draft.

[Lurker64]

I think the need at DE is mitigated in large part because, when left to his druthers, Dom Capers will not have more than 2 defensive linemen on the field. Generally we only have 3 down DL on first down, and on short yardage, and frequently the defense lines up in nickel on 1st and 10. Dom only actually bothers to play a 3-4 against teams where he's concerned about the run. Most of the time we're a 2-4-5 team.

That being said, I'd much rather draft a later round developmental DL prospect like Brandon Bair out of Oregon than spend our first on a part time player.

[Bretsky]

John Mofffitt would be a great pick for GB in round 3 or after; he's a nasty brawler IMO and a Packer person

[Bretsky]

I'd also welcome Shaky Smithson.

[Bretsky]

Notes on Salsa from a site I enjoy

Greg Salas, WR, Hawaii
Height: 6-1. Weight: 206.
Projected 40 Time: 4.60.
Combine 40 Time: .
Pro Day 40 Time: .
Vertical: . Broad: . Hand: 9 1/4.
Projected Round (2011): 3-5.
4/3/11: Greg Salas stood on his Combine numbers at Hawaii's Pro Day. He worked out in front of 30 teams, including Ted Thompson and Hue Jackson.

1/27/10: As forum member Mycarman called him, "The Hawaiian Salsa Guy," Greg Salas really showed off his great hands during Senior Bowl practice. He's solidified his status as a Round 3-4 slot receiver.

3/31/10: We're used to seeing big numbers from Hawaii receivers - Greg Salas collected 106 receptions, 1,590 yards and eight touchdowns in 2009.

[Bretsky]

HERE is a guy I'd LOVE to see in Green n Gold if you want to read about him; unfortunately he's a little buzzer so I'm not sure how much TT would like him.

Draft him...........we've got our punt and kickoff returner

IMO he's more of a third round guy partly due to his height.


Jerrel Jernigan, WR/KR, Troy
Height: 5-9. Weight: 185.
Projected 40 Time: 4.39.
Combine 40 Time: 4.47.
Pro Day 40 Time: 4.32.
Vertical: 38. Broad: 10-4. Hand: 9 1/4.
Projected Round (2011): 2-3.
3/5/11: Jerrel Jernigan was the only player of note at Troy's Pro Day. Jernigan really shined, running two 40s of 4.32 and 4.38. He also improved his vertical leap by half an inch. CBS' Rob Rang compares Jernigan to Deion Branch, citing Jernigan's ability to "shift gears and explode through traffic with a rare burst." With this great workout, Jernigan increased his chances of going in Round 2.

10/1/10: Jernigan is an athletic player in the open field. He has 31 catches for 384 yards and two touchdowns on the year, but 209 of his receiving yards came against Arkansas State.

3/31/10: Had a big year for Troy, catching 71 balls for 1,101 yards and four touchdowns. Also averaged 23 yards on kickoff returns.

[RashanGary]

I think James Carpenter is going to be a stud in the NFL and get drafted a lot higher than the media types have him going. He went under the radar because he played two years at JUCO, but he was too dominant against the best in college football for him to not be considered a top tier OT. He was the best and that was playing against the best.

[Bretsky]

Positives:

Carpenter has impressive size at nearly 6’5”, 315 pounds even if he isn’t very well toned at that weight. He has long arms and big hands, which help him as a run and pass blocker. He has solid lateral agility and pretty good footwork to mirror pass rushers, but his greatest value is as a run blocker in my opinion. He consistently drive blocks well with good hand placement in the running game and sustains his blocks well thanks to his big, strong hands and long arms which make his blocks hard to get off of. He has good technique as both a run and pass blocker, does not bend at the waist but at the knees. He is also more mobile than I thought he would be, as he routinely demonstrates the ability to combo-block a defender and then move to the second level and engage a linebacker. He moves well for a man of his size in space and has a solid first step off the line of scrimmage to help him down-block on DT’s or to seal his man on a draw play. Carpenter also does a good job of taking his man out of the play in pass protection if he gets his hands on him. Also surprisingly good at cut blocks for his size.

Negatives:

I don’t think Carpenter can stick at left tackle in the NFL as a starter. I think he could play there in a pinch if your starter went down, but overall I think he is a right tackle. He is solid off the ball but even though he has good technique and footwork he just doesn’t have the lateral agility to mirror speed rushers who can fly around the edge. When facing players like this he will open his hips a bit too early, making him vulnerable to the inside move. At times he seems to be waiting for the defender to come to him and waiting to engage him in pass protection when he could get into position and get his hands on him to help force him wide or take him out of the play. When moving in space he struggles to change direction quickly and while he has the athleticism to pull, set up screens and even cut block I don’t think he would be a good fit in a zone blocking scheme.

Overall:

James Carpenter is a quality offensive tackle prospect. Is he going to be a Pro-Bowler at LT? No. But I think he will be a quality starter for a long time at right tackle in the NFL. He is very durable and didn’t miss a start in his career at Alabama. He is tough, he has experience in a pro-style offense so he could arguably contribute right away if needed once he learns the offensive terminology, and because his technique is already well developed you know what you are getting with him. He isn’t a project, which means his ceiling isn’t as high, but he is someone who can contribute early in his career in my opinion. He should be a quality pass blocker as long as he doesn’t have to block great speed rushers off the edge and he should be a quality run blocker as well, making him a worthwhile pick for someone in need of a quality right tackle and a spot-starter at left tackle.

Projection: 3rd round. Carpenter could go early-late 3rd round in my opinion. Will he go early in that round? It’s hard to say. With a good combine and pro-day showing it is certainly possible, but because he isn’t a terrific athlete I think it is likely that he doesn’t improve his stock much during those events while other more athletic/lesser known players could emerge and pass him up. I could see him falling to the fourth round, but I think he would be a great pick anywhere in the 3rd round

[Bretsky]

to be honest when I looked Carpenter up I felt I had a pretty good knowledge of the OT prospects before him but didn't know a ton about Carpenter. Here was one writeup. I kind of think Buluga is a RT; if TT thinks that I think he'll want his picks to project as possible LT's or OG's as well.

[Tarlam!]

Steve Smith is listed at 5'-9" and 185lb. Went in the 3rd #74.

Just sayin'.

[RashanGary]

to be honest when I looked Carpenter up I felt I had a pretty good knowledge of the OT prospects before him but didn't know a ton about Carpenter. Here was one writeup. I kind of think Buluga is a RT; if TT thinks that I think he'll want his picks to project as possible LT's or OG's as well.

I don't remember Bulaga ever getting beat with speed. He did get beat a little with power. But he was a 21 year old rookie, coming out as a JR. If he stuck at RT, I'm fairly certain he'd make big strides from his already solid rookie season. I do think he can play LT though. His feet are excellent and he seems to be a bit of a natural.

The Carpenter write up, to me, if you read the positives, the guy is a prototype NFL ready OT. Then the negatives, it really only lists one and it says he opens his hips a little early, yet no mention of him actually getting beat that way. Maybe he his more of a RT, but you can see the media types stretching to find a negative about him. The coaches voted him all SEC OT. It's rare the all SEC LT goes in the 3rd round. I highly doubt he drops that far.

Everything about him, it seems he's a guy you plug in on day on and then forget he's there for 10 years.

[Bretsky]

I'm on board. When I looked at a couple other sites it noted his weakness in that he's not an elite athlete. Big deal......if he's a FB player. Clifton, the best LT I've witnessed as a Packer fan, would have never been mistaken for an elite athlete either.

Here would be another classic TT pick; it'd be fun to actually hit on a few of his picks one year



Cecil Shorts III, WR, Mount Union
Height: 6-0. Weight: 193.
Projected 40 Time: 4.45.
Combine 40 Time: 4.53.
Pro Day 40 Time: 4.50.
Vertical: 34.5. Broad: 9-6. Hand: 9 1/4.
Projected Round (2011): 4-6.
3/19/11: Cecil Shorts somehow dropped 13 pounds since the Combine - please alert Rosie O'Donnell how to do this - but it only helped his 40 by .03 seconds. He did not work out because of the rain.

3/31/10: Another great year for Cecil Shorts III - 90 catches, 1,551 yards and 17 scores.

8/7/09: Aside from having one of the coolest names in this draft class, Cecil Shorts III registered 77 receptions for 1,484 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2008.

[Tarlam!]

Not well toned? So he needs a pro training camp and an off-season! Sheesh!

[Bretsky]

It sounds like there is a strong chance Carpenter will be there for GB round two.

So would you rather have somebody like Wilkerson or Brooks Reed and Carpenter,
or a guy like
Ijalana and maybe a Jabal Sheard

I think I'd choose the first option

[Lurker64]

Steve Smith is listed at 5'-9" and 185lb. Went in the 3rd #74.

Just sayin'.

Yeah, but TT is pretty keen on taller DBs and bigger WRs. Since his time in Green Bay the WRs that Thompson has drafted have been: 6-3 217, 6-0 200, 6-1 208, 6-0 188, 5-11 198, 6-0 186, 6-1 196.

The only WR he drafted that was short of six feet was Jennings, whose lack of ideal height was more than made up for by his game. I have a hard time seeing him drafting 5-9 Jernigan.

[Lurker64]

It sounds like there is a strong chance Carpenter will be there for GB round two.

So would you rather have somebody like Wilkerson or Brooks Reed and Carpenter,
or a guy like
Ijalana and maybe a Jabal Sheard

I think I'd choose the first option

I think I'd rather have Dontay Moch or Sam Acho than Jabal Sheard. But if we get Ijalana and Moch/Acho with our first two picks, I'm happy drafting strict BPA the rest of the way.

Moch or Acho is more of a personal preference thing. Moch is fast but not especially agile, while Acho is agile but not especially fast. Moch's pass rush keys off his aggressive bull rush, while Acho's pass rush keys off his anticipation, motor, and technique. I'd be happy with either player in the second.

[Bretsky]

I'd be fine picking Ijalana if we trade down six to eight picks; find a sucker who wants a QB and get an extra pick. He'll turn out to be a decent player. Not much of a value at pick 32 IMO.

Lot of people think Moch might be the classic bust pick; I don't have a view either way with that

[sharpe1027]

I think the need at DE is mitigated in large part because, when left to his druthers, Dom Capers will not have more than 2 defensive linemen on the field. Generally we only have 3 down DL on first down, and on short yardage, and frequently the defense lines up in nickel on 1st and 10. Dom only actually bothers to play a 3-4 against teams where he's concerned about the run. Most of the time we're a 2-4-5 team.

That being said, I'd much rather draft a later round developmental DL prospect like Brandon Bair out of Oregon than spend our first on a part time player.

I think Capers likes having his best players on the field. If that means 2 DL, he'll do it, but if he's got 3 solid DL I think he'll play them more.

[RashanGary]

I think Capers likes having his best players on the field. If that means 2 DL, he'll do it, but if he's got 3 solid DL I think he'll play them more.

Agreed. If we get Adrian Clayborn like our mock draft says we could, in a year or two, I could see a lot more Clayborn/Raji/Neal base than 2-4-5 nickle. The reason is because the pass rush/run stop combo of those three is more important than the 5th DB.

Capers lines up what he has. If what he has change, so does what he lines up.

People made the same mistake with Ted Thompson. Ted did this today, therefor he will do the same thing tomorrow and we'll never win the SB. There is context that gets missed. In this case, the context is Capers played his best 11. You can't predict what he'll play tomorrow, because you don't know what his best 11 will be made up of.

[Tarlam!]

If I were asked, I'd say this is the most important dude on the DL:


Last name is pronounced TER-guh-vack.

• Joined Packers Feb. 3, 2009.

• Enters his 16th season as an NFL coach and second stint with the Packers, having coached Green Bay’s defensive line in 1999, the same year Mike McCarthy was quarterbacks coach.

• Was the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator for six seasons (2003-08), directing a defense that ranked in the top 10 three times.


Injuries depleted the line last year, but the youngens showed enough for me to have faith in what we have. I believe it's a direct result of the DL coach.

[Smidgeon]

I think Capers likes having his best players on the field. If that means 2 DL, he'll do it, but if he's got 3 solid DL I think he'll play them more.

I know what you're saying about getting the best players on the field, but this is now a passing league. Dom drove the 2-4-5 to a Super Bowl and a top defense. In this league where 3 WR sets are more common than 2 TE sets, I think the 2-4-5 is GB's defense.

My opinion, of course. And thus why I don't think a DE is that high of a priority.

It will be really interesting to see which way the Packers go in 10 days...

[Tarlam!]

Another man's opinion:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/668358-green-bay-packers-full-7-round-mock-draft-with-possible-trades