Mockzilla 2014

[3irty1]

For the last couple of years I've held myself to just one mock draft so here is mine for 2014. Typically I wouldn't take the time to do this until right before the draft but they pushed it back on me and I don't want to wait. Here (http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?25382-Mockzilla-2013&highlight=mockzilla)is my example from last year and here (http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?23900-Mockzilla&highlight=mockzilla)is the year before. With my mock drafts I typically make my decisions based half on what I think we should do and half on what I think Ted thinks we should do.

Pick #21
Louis Nix III | NT | Notre Dame
6'2" 331 lbs
http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ARq4ISKljJqkFcKRvQ.r4g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusncaafexperts/Former-Notre-Dame-defensive-tackle-Louis-Nix-III-USA-Today-Sports.jpg

The Packers seem to have lost a lot of beef last year with Jolly and Pickett. Raji is on just a 1 year. Nix doesn't just fill a need though, he's a steal at 21. He has the ability to control a man or a gap and be that tree trunk centerpiece in the middle of our 30 front to put the numbers advantage in our favor. Nix may just spell and backup Raji and contribute as a rotational player in 2014 but in 2015 and beyond he's a critical piece at 0 and 1 tech. Hilarious guy as well, should get a lot of camera time and be a fan and locker room favorite.

Pick #53
Donte Moncrief | WR | Mississippi
6'2" 221 lbs
http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/photo/2013/09/28/0ap2000000251648.jpg

Moncrief is one of the more underrated receivers in this draft. His stride on a football field is like Ken Griffy Jrs swing or Morgan Freeman's voice. Moncrief is smooth and smooth is fast. He builds up speed in a way where guys just don't see it coming and gets safeties to take poor angles. Like all good Ted-WR's, Moncrief explodes out of his cuts and does the small things well. He's got a head fake that can break ankles. His hands aren't elite but good and does have a bad habit of body catching from time to time.

With a consistent running game, move-the-chains guys like James Jones and Boykin provide diminishing returns. Guy who can excel in the vertical passing game can take this offense to another level. When was the last time you saw a Packers WR catch it over their shoulder and outrun the secondary?

Pick #85
CJ Fiedorowicz | TE | Iowa
6'5" 255lbs
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/wcfcourier.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/cf/dcf9f8d1-b300-5cde-abcb-866ca38a53bf/523e52d941f36.preview-620.jpg

Fiedorowicz is probably going to be in at least half of all Packers mock drafts, it just makes too much sense. He fills a need, is projected in an area of the draft where the Packers have two picks, and is a part of an Iowa pipeline that's worked out really well for us in recent years.

Pick #98 (compensatory)
Prince Shembo | LB | Notre Dame
6'1" 253 lbs
http://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/prince-shembo.jpg?w=1000

Another guy who is criminally underrated. Shembo played on the left, on the right, and in a 2-point and 3-point stance for Notre Dame. He's got some good experience in coverage. He looks the part of an elite pass rusher and has the measureables as well (26 reps on 33" arms, 38.5" vertical) but is really more of a relentless dirty work player. If he can put together his tools he can be a special pass rusher but even if he doesn't he's a very nice versatile and durable guy to have around.

Pick #121
Ross Cockrell | CB | Duke
6'0" 191 lbs
http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/photo/2014/01/29/0ap2000000319521.jpg

Cockrell is a terrific football player who can tackle and play physical without getting too grabby. He doesn't always play up to his size and I didn't originally think he'd be an option for Ted because of his lack of timed speed but supposedly he managed sub 4.4 times at his pro day yesterday. He plays fast enough to work the boundary is physical enough to play the slot. Smart player with great eyes, probably lacks the length to play safety but could free up Hyde to focus on it.

Pick #161
Tre Boston | FS | North Carolina
6'0" 204 lbs
http://allsportsdiscussion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/TreBoston.jpg

Just as fans are starting to organize torches and pitchforks, Ted addresses the safety position after patiently waiting until the 5th round to do so. Boston is a converted cornerback who is still learning the vision lines as a safety but has considerable upside and enough athletic ability and ball skills (13 picks) plus a physical playing style to make a coach comfortable throwing him into the fire as a rookie. The competition between him and Hyde should produce a solid football player.

Pick #176 (compensatory)
Dri Archer | WR/RB/KR | Kent State
5'8" 173 lbs
http://www.ohio.com/polopoly_fs/1.340417.1349753189!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_270/webonly-ksu-archer.jpg

This seems like an odd choice for the Packers but might actually make quite a bit of sense. Archer has a gear that other players just don't have and instantly provides a 5th or 6th WR who can handle return duties. It'd be interesting to see what McCarthy would try to do with him on offense as well.

Pick #197
Devon Kennard, LB, USC
6' 3" 250 lbs
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/80/806795.jpg

Kennard is a very intellegent and versatile player with a ton of athletic ability. Its hard for me to predict he'll be around but I think this draft is just that deep. Kennard has played DE, ILB, and OLB. Constantly changing positions and torn pectoral muscles have made him not as productive as one would hope for such a highly recruited guy. His eclectic experience in a big program has made him into a guy perfect for a team looking to become more versatile on defense. Perhaps one that loves USC linebackers.

Pick #236
Ryan Groy | OL | Wisconsin
6'5" 316 lbs
http://www.espnwisconsin.com/media/Badgers/RyanGroy.jpg

When Ted falls asleep at night he dreams about big versatile offensive linemen with short shuttles under 4.60 and 3-cones under 7.60. Groy might be mentioned by name in Ted's dream journal because he can play anywhere on the line including center, has even played FB, and had a SS of 4.47 and a 3-cone of 7.49. If he were more of a finisher Ted might start writing love songs. He is a great guy to have coming off the bench or in competition with Tretter.

[red]

Moncrief vs LSU (2012)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNmiRu3Kcf0

vs texas (2012)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm9JPlBgf6A

[Brandon494]

Nice work even though I hope we pick a safety within the first two rounds of the draft.

[Bretsky]

good job.....but personally....don't want Nix at all

[gbgary]

one of the two top safeties or mosley.

[mraynrand]

good job.....but personally....don't want Nix at all

ixnay!

[red]

Nice work even though I hope we pick a safety within the first two rounds of the draft.

ditto

[gbgary]

ixnay!

:D

[3irty1]

Ok so if this draft were to go down and I were to try to talk everyone off the ledge because we didn't get a 1st or 2nd round safety I'd point to Hyde as the reason. In a fair fight, there 3 maybe 4 safeties in this draft that I would expect to beat out Hyde for 2014 and drafting one of them puts Hyde's ass on the bench except in dime which I don't consider an efficient use of draft resources.

Hyde playing safety is a solid plan. When Hyde came out he was looked at as a safety tweener. He had the length, the tackling skills, the football IQ, the instincts, solid range, the ball skills, and even some experience playing safety at Iowa but lacked ideal bulk and wasn't a real plant, drive, and run type athlete. As a slot corner his quickness would allow him to make more plays but didn't really have the recovery speed you'd like in a corner. Basically I see this as a tradeoff between his limitations and shitloads of fans wanted to spend 54 Million dollars on a FA safety with similar limitations. Again Hyde may not be the type of player you win because of, but he's definitely proven to be the kind of NFL player you win with, not in spite of.

In this draft I went a different way. I got another corner in a similar mold the Hayward who could provide enough depth to allow Hyde true freedom to pursue the starting safety spot without having to be the primary backup for a completely different position. Also a high-potential safety prospect who represents reasonable competition for 2014 but has the tools to really steal the show in the future. I think doing it this way keeps the most options open and the most flexibility in dealing with injury and other adversity.

[Bretsky]

Ok so if this draft were to go down and I were to try to talk everyone off the ledge because we didn't get a 1st or 2nd round safety I'd point to Hyde as the reason. In a fair fight, there 3 maybe 4 safeties in this draft that I would expect to beat out Hyde for 2014 and drafting one of them puts Hyde's ass on the bench except in dime which I don't consider an efficient use of draft resources.

Hyde playing safety is a solid plan. When Hyde came out he was looked at as a safety tweener. He had the length, the tackling skills, the football IQ, the instincts, solid range, the ball skills, and even some experience playing safety at Iowa but lacked ideal bulk and wasn't a real plant, drive, and run type athlete. As a slot corner his quickness would allow him to make more plays but didn't really have the recovery speed you'd like in a corner. Basically I see this as a tradeoff between his limitations and shitloads of fans wanted to spend 54 Million dollars on a FA safety with similar limitations. Again Hyde may not be the type of player you win because of, but he's definitely proven to be the kind of NFL player you win with, not in spite of.

In this draft I went a different way. I got another corner in a similar mold the Hayward who could provide enough depth to allow Hyde true freedom to pursue the starting safety spot without having to be the primary backup for a completely different position. Also a high-potential safety prospect who represents reasonable competition for 2014 but has the tools to really steal the show in the future. I think doing it this way keeps the most options open and the most flexibility in dealing with injury and other adversity.



We had about the worst safety play in the NFL last year. While it would not surpirse me if Hyde is ok there, IMO it would be idiotice to count on it. We chose not to play in free agency at safety so now it's a desperate need that we should address. Well....unless...we're fine there

[Joemailman]

We had about the worst safety play in the NFL last year. While it would not surpirse me if Hyde is ok there, IMO it would be idiotice to count on it. We chose not to play in free agency at safety so now it's a desperate need that we should address. Well....unless...we're fine there

I'm not convinced TT is done with upgrading the Safety position although he may not do anything before the draft. There are still a lot of FA Safeties out there. Clemons is the biggest name out there, but I know Harvey, who knows more about players around the league than I do felt Clemons is overrated. Maybe TT thinks so too.

[Bretsky]

I'm not convinced TT is done with upgrading the Safety position although he may not do anything before the draft. There are still a lot of FA Safeties out there. Clemons is the biggest name out there, but I know Harvey, who knows more about players around the league than I do felt Clemons is overrated. Maybe TT thinks so too.

I was never in love with Clemons and I would not argue the media overrated him
With that being said, what you get is a very smart safety who is assignment sure
He's not a playmaker...but he is stable and would have added that to a position devoid of that. He also works hard, studies, and gets peope in position.

His performance last year would have put him as our best safety last year IMO


I'm fine to take some young dude such as Major Wright who disappointed last year; from what I can see that's about what is left....so maybe we can turn somebody else's junk into something.

But IMO we should have been..or should be..trying to add a stable veteran back there to go along with a rookie with upside

Hell, at this point I'd settle for Jim Leonard

But Jim Leonard wanted to come to Green Bay years ago and TT has no interest so not holding my breath there

[3irty1]

Maybe I should have just mocked a draft with 9 safeties.

[Bretsky]

Maybe I should have just mocked a draft with 9 safeties.

:)

Don't sell TT short; we'll probably end up with 11 picks so might as well take 11

[Joemailman]

Maybe I should have just mocked a draft with 9 safeties.

Actually, the biggest problem with your mock is it doesn't include a guy drafted in Rounds 3-5 who played LT in college but who is projected as a Guard in the NFL. Every Packer mock should have that. Best results have come in the 4th. Sitton, Lang, Bakhtiari. Tretter?

[red]

Actually, the biggest problem with your mock is it doesn't include a guy drafted in Rounds 3-5 who played LT in college but who is projected as a Guard in the NFL. Every Packer mock should have that. Best results have come in the 4th. Sitton, Lang, Bakhtiari. Tretter?

has TT ever NOt drafted one of those guys in the mid rounds?

[pbmax]

Maybe I should have just mocked a draft with 9 safeties.

Wolf rule applies. Never do three at one position again. So two safeties and one combo CB.

[smuggler]

The three corners thing worked, though. Mike McKenzie was a good player for us, and one of the others we traded for Ahman Green.

[pbmax]

The three corners thing worked, though. Mike McKenzie was a good player for us, and one of the others we traded for Ahman Green.

Yeah, but the Ahman trade saved a poor draft effort. Mike was the 3rd round pick. Eduards and Vinson were terrible. If Holmgren wasn't in Seattle, that doesn't happen.

[call_me_ishmael]

Safety is becoming an increasingly important position w/ tight end and big receivers being so prevalent these days. It would be a mistake not to add a steady vet at the very least. Someone who will at least be solid and won't make many mistakes even if they're not special. Counting on a rookie to start there is a huge error in judgement. It would be a pleasant surprise if they do.

[smuggler]

Vinson was good, but tore up his knee iirc. Eduards was a bust. 2/3 ain't bad.

It's too late to add a veteran safety who's average or better. We'd have to scope another team's cutdowns if we wanted to go that route.

[3irty1]

Actually, the biggest problem with your mock is it doesn't include a guy drafted in Rounds 3-5 who played LT in college but who is projected as a Guard in the NFL. Every Packer mock should have that. Best results have come in the 4th. Sitton, Lang, Bakhtiari. Tretter?

Groy is more or less that man, obviously he didn't settle at LT but did play there. With all the extra juniors in this draft the last two rounds are where I see all the typical TT types. Wesly Johnson, Groy, Connor Boffeli, John Urschel etc. In a normal draft those would be TT's midrounders.

The cupboard is also pretty friggin stacked at OL this offseason. Without any moves it looks to be the strongest OL we've seen in the TT era.

[mraynrand]

Vinson was good, but tore up his knee iirc. Eduards was a bust. 2/3 ain't bad.

It's too late to add a veteran safety who's average or better. We'd have to scope another team's cutdowns if we wanted to go that route.

Vinson got the Packers Ahman; Wolf redeemed a pretty poor 1999 GM year with an impossibly good GM year in 2000.

[mraynrand]

The cupboard is also pretty friggin stacked at OL this offseason. Without any moves it looks to be the strongest OL we've seen in the TT era.

Especially after getting rid of Newhouse. + by -

[Pugger]

I'm not convinced TT is done with upgrading the Safety position although he may not do anything before the draft. There are still a lot of FA Safeties out there. Clemons is the biggest name out there, but I know Harvey, who knows more about players around the league than I do felt Clemons is overrated. Maybe TT thinks so too.

Clemens has signed with Houston. I do like Tre Boston but I too hope Ted drafts another safety before the 7th round.

[Spaulding]

I think the resigning of Shields signaled that TT isn't going to back himself into the signing of a safety if they aren't the best player available or at least on par with the value of the other available players. I think if this was the case he would have let Shields go with the thought that Heyward could move to the 2nd CB position and then Hyde back fill in the nickel.

As much as I think our safety play was beyond suck last year (watching the SB and the play of the Seahawks safeties play just further solidified what good S play does for the success of the overall defense), I think the moving of Hyde to S means that we'll up with BPA again.

Would love to a S (Prior) and ILB (Borland) taken in the first two rounds though. However I think Prior will be gone by our pick in the 1st and Borland although I love his instincts and production is just another hamstring injury waiting to happen and it's much of an upgrade in covering TE's over Jones.

[woodbuck27]

one of the two top safeties or mosley.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2014/1/7/5284070/nfl-mock-draft-2014-roundup-bridgewater

Here is the average draft position of players in at least five mocks used:

C.J. Mosley - drafted 12th overall on average based on data this article (a small sample).

[woodbuck27]

I think the resigning of Shields signaled that TT isn't going to back himself into the signing of a safety if they aren't the best player available or at least on par with the value of the other available players. I think if this was the case he would have let Shields go with the thought that Heyward could move to the 2nd CB position and then Hyde back fill in the nickel.

As much as I think our safety play was beyond suck last year (watching the SB and the play of the Seahawks safeties play just further solidified what good S play does for the success of the overall defense), I think the moving of Hyde to S means that we'll up with BPA again.

Would love to a S (Prior) and ILB (Borland) taken in the first two rounds though. However I think Prior will be gone by our pick in the 1st and Borland although I love his instincts and production is just another hamstring injury waiting to happen and it's much of an upgrade in covering TE's over Jones.

TT will have a shot at a solid DB (CB or S) @ Pick 21.

He needs to address the Packers Red Zone inefficiency in 2013. He might go BPA (TE ) 'only if ' Eric Ebron is available.

WR's like O'Dell Beckham, Margise Lee and Brandin Cooks 9 (all about 5' - 11" ands 6 '- 0 "; aren't the BIG physical WR's that I feel that TT needs with his 21st pick to improve that Red Zone efficiency.

[red]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2014/1/7/5284070/nfl-mock-draft-2014-roundup-bridgewater

Here is the average draft position of players in at least five mocks used:

C.J. Mosley - drafted 12th overall on average based on data this article (a small sample).

that info is from january 7th, almost 3 months ago

i did my own research, i looked at 22 mocks that have come out in the last few days

ebron- average draft position is 10.2. the highest he was mocked was 9th, the lowest he went was 21. three of theose 22 mocks had him going to green bay at 21

clinton-dix- 14.6 average. highest mocked was 8th, lowest he was mocked was 22nd. no mock had him going to GB

cj mosely- 20.0 average. highest taken was 8th, lowest was 31. three mocks had him going to GB

Pryor- 22.8 average. highest was 17th, lowest- two mocks had him not taken in the first. 5 mocks had pryor going to green bay

of those 22 mocks i looked at. 3 of them had us taking jimmie ward

[red]

further breakdown of those 22 mocks

mocks that had us taking a player at 21

calvin pryor-5
ryan shazier- 4
eric ebron-3
cj mosely- 3
jimmie ward- 3
Marqise Lee-1
Stephon Tuitt- 1
Darqueze Dennard- 1
Xavier Su’a-Filo- 1

notable names that no one had us taking

hageman
nix
clinton-dix

[run pMc]

If it's Shazier than they are serious about upgrading Jones/Hawk. Would Shazier/Barrington be the future at ILB?

I think Ebron and HaHa will be gone. I think Ward in R1 would be a reach. The big names to me are Mosley and Nix, which means TT will pick Tuitt and poopoo all the injury talk or take a WR.

[mraynrand]

Shazier = Black Hawk Down.

[3irty1]

Ebron and Haha are probably the most likely to be gone but I think but I could see Pryor, Nix, and Mosley representing the best reasonably likely tier of players. All fill a big need. In my mock I went with the same logic that Ted used when he selected Raji: that they only make so many big men.

[mraynrand]

In my mock I went with the same logic that Ted used when he selected Raji: that they only make so many big men.

Louis Nix sinks ships

[bobblehead]

This is fun. Even more fun is coming to PR on draft day when TT takes somone NO ONE predicted. Someone the "experts" have as a 3rd round talent.

[Smidgeon]

The offseason is dragging.

[pbmax]

Draft in April is a fail so far.

[Smidgeon]

Draft in May is a fail so far.

Fixed.

[red]

its only a week and a half later this year

we'd be sitting here with our thumbs in our asses,bitching about having to wait so long for the draft, even if it was still being held at its regular date

[Freak Out]

If Tex were alive would he be screaming for Johnny Football?

[red]

glad he's dead

[pbmax]

If Tex were alive would he be screaming for Johnny Football?

Tex to me seems/seemed like a complete 6' 5" statue in the pocket kind of guy to me, but I could be wrong.

[Joemailman]

glad he's dead

Oh come on. I would love to have Tex here debating Wist.

There is a guy at http://www.packershome.com/forum/posts/t21332-Jared-Allen-is-a-Bear#post273512 who goes bt the name Texaspackerbacker. Don't know if it's the same guy, but he has this sig:
Expressing the Good Normal Views of Good Normal Americans.
If Anything I Say Smacks of Extremism, Please Tell Me EXACTLY What.

Same guy?

[mraynrand]

Oh come on. I would love to have Tex here debating Wist.

There is a guy at http://www.packershome.com/forum/posts/t21332-Jared-Allen-is-a-Bear#post273512 who goes bt the name Texaspackerbacker. Don't know if it's the same guy, but he has this sig:

Same guy?

absolutely:


I was a real estate broker and a teacher, in addition to ten years in the army. I hate insurance, so I would never sell it. I only buy what the damn intrusive law forces me to buy. Absolutely, I grew up in "Leave It To Beaver" America - and "Dr. Huxtable" America and George Lopez America too. ....redacted to accommodate Red's frail sensibilities....

[Freak Out]

That's Tex. No doubt about it. Invite him back here.

[pbmax]

Pretty sure that was his signature here. At least the last line.

[smuggler]

All this time I thought he was actually dead. Fuckers.