Bretsky
10-26-2006, 09:39 PM
Packers present an early draft wish list
Running back looms as high priority
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Oct. 26, 2006
Green Bay - Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson was at Clemson University earlier this week, watching tape after tape after tape.
Adrian Peterson, a junior running back from Oklahoma, would look good in a Packer uniform.
Joe Thomas, a left tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers, is considered the best offensive lineman available in the NFL Draft in April.
This is an ordinary day for Thompson at this time of the year. Like his predecessor Ron Wolf, Thompson spends about half of his week every fall scouting players on college campuses.
By the time the 2007 NFL Draft rolls around next April, Thompson hopes to be prepared for each and every scenario possible. Except for one, perhaps.
"The only thing I don't want is to be back in that top 5," Thompson said from the road on Monday. "The only way I want to end up there is by trade. I don't want to earn our way into that top 5 again."
The Packers did just that a year ago, when they slogged their way through a 4-12 season, then took linebacker A.J. Hawk with the No. 5 overall pick.
Barring anything unforeseen, Green Bay (2-4) almost certainly figures to be in the top half of the 2007 draft. And depending how the Packers' final 10 games of 2006 go, they could crack the top 5 again.
The college season still has a month remaining in the regular season, followed by bowl games, post-season all-star games, the NFL Combine and individual workouts. But with several college seniors having played close to 50 career games, the draft is beginning to take shape.
With that in mind, we examine the top prospects and Green Bay's level of need at the position, on a scale from 1 to 10:
QUARTERBACK
Notre Dame's Brady Quinn is the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Trained under offensive guru Charlie Weis, Quinn (6-4, 227) has a big arm, a great head and enough mobility. Like Matt Leinart this year, Quinn appears ready to start from Day 1.
Michigan State's Drew Stanton (6-3, 230) entered the year as a first-round pick in the eyes of many. But he's slipping.
Ohio State's Troy Smith, the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, is a tremendous athlete who has improved as a passer. But a lack of ideal size (6-1, 215) and questions about his accuracy might keep him out of Round 1.
Stanford senior Trent Edwards carries a first-round grade on some boards.
Underclassmen Brian Brohm (6-4, 224) of Louisville and JaMarcus Russell (6-6, 260) of LSU could shake things up if they declare early.
Packers' level of need - 4: Even if Brett Favre retires, it's unlikely Green Bay would take a quarterback on Day 1. If Thompson was going to do that, 2006 was the time when Leinart and Jay Cutler were available. If Favre leaves, Thompson most likely would turn the team over to Aaron Rodgers and sign a veteran to compete for the starting job.
No. 3 Ingle Martin showed little this summer, so taking a quarterback in the middle rounds makes sense.
RUNNING BACK
Oklahoma junior Adrian Peterson, who's recovering from a broken collarbone, is the cream of the crop.
Peterson (6-2, 218) has a rare blend of size, strength and speed (4.45) and most believe his injury will scare him away from the college game and into the NFL.
If Peterson comes out, he's almost certain to be gone in the top five picks.
California junior Marshawn Lynch (5-11, 217) is also expected to declare early. If he does, a top 10 selection isn't out of the question.
Louisville's Michael Bush, who is recovering from a broken leg, leads the senior class. Both Bush and Auburn's Kenny Irons are likely first-rounders.
Packers' level of need - 9: Ahman Green is injury-prone and near the end. And neither Noah Herron nor Vernand Morency are the long-term answer. A young stud like Peterson or Lynch could be available if Green Bay is drafting high enough, and such a player could revive the Packers' ground game.
WIDE RECEIVER
Georgia Tech junior Calvin Johnson (6-5, 235) is a dynamic prospect who will almost certainly declare early. Big, strong and fast (4.45), Johnson would likely be gobbled up in the first five picks.
Fellow juniors Ted Ginn Jr. of Ohio State and Dwayne Jarrett are certain first-rounders, as well. Ginn lacks great size (6-0, 180), but has blazing speed and has improved as a receiver during his time in Columbus.
Jarrett is chasing most of USC's major receiving records, but his speed (4.60) might remind some scouts of recent Trojans' bust Mike Williams.
Notre Dame's Jeff Samardzija (6-5, 218) is the best available senior. His hands are outstanding, as is his size-to-speed ratio.
Packers' level of need - 7: As the 2006 season has shown, Green Bay's depth here is paper-thin. Greg Jennings has the look of a future No. 1, but Donald Driver turns 32 in February and can't play forever.
Robert Ferguson's career in Green Bay is likely over, and the rest of the players are simply bodies.
Reinforcements are required.
TIGHT ENDS
The position, which has been stocked in recent years, lacks first-round talent.
Minnesota's Matt Spaeth and Oregon State's Joe Newton, who sat out the 2005 season
with a leg injury, are the top seniors.
Greg Olsen of Miami (Fla.) and Arizona State's Zach Miller are the best juniors.
Packers' level of need - 6: Green Bay hasn't had a tight end who can stretch the field since Keith Jackson.
Someone such as Miller or Georgia senior Martrez Miller, who both have 4.65 speed, could do just that. But the Packers haven't drafted a tight end since 2001 when they took Bubba Franks and David Martin. And Green Bay's brass doesn't seem overly concerned about the position.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Wisconsin's Joe Thomas is one of the most highly-regarded left tackles in years and could go in the top three picks. Thomas is incredibly athletic for a man his size (6-6½, 313) and appears almost recovered from the torn ACL he suffered last season.
Penn State's Levi Brown, Notre Dame's Ryan Harris and Central Michigan's Joe Staley are all possible first-rounders. If underclassmen Jake Long of Michigan and Sam Baker of USC leave school early, they'll be potential first-rounders, as well.
Fresno State's Kyle Young is the top-rated center and a possible first-rounder. As usual, the guards figure to be ignored early, although Texas' Justin Blalock (6-4, 329) is a monster.
Packers' level of need - 5: Thompson appears to have hit the jackpot with his 2006 collection of Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and Tony Moll. That trio should form the nucleus of Green Bay's line for years to come.
Left tackle Chad Clifton is nearing the end, though, and the reserves are a motley bunch. So depth is certainly needed.
DEFENSIVE LINE
This is arguably the strongest position in the draft.
Clemson's Gaines Adams (6-4½, 260) and Georgia's Quentin Moses (6-4, 254) are two senior defensive ends with tremendous explosion likely to go in, or around, the top 10.
Michigan's LaMarr Woodley (6-2, 274), Notre Dame's Victor Abiamiri (6-4, 270) and Nebraska's Adam Carriker are all probable first-rounders, as well.
Ohio State defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock (6-3, 297) has been one of the country's fastest risers this fall.
A group that also includes Florida's Marcus Thomas (6-2½, 288), North Carolina State's DeMarcus Taylor (6-2, 310), Tennessee's Justin Harrell and Louisville's Amobi Okoye (6-1, 317) could crack the first round, as well.
The top underclassmen are USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson (6-5, 265) and Michigan defensive tackle Alan Branch (6-6, 331).
Packers' level of need - 4: Green Bay doesn't have a game-changer among its front four. But the Packers have a scrappy, try-hard bunch that for the most part has held its own. Therefore, it's unlikely they'd address this position with a first-round pick.
LINEBACKERS
Penn State's Paul Posluszny has been called the "best linebacker to ever play at Penn State" by none other than Jack Ham and is likely to go in the top 15-20 picks.
But Posluszny will have to convince scouts that his knee is entirely sound after he tore two ligaments in the 2006 Orange Bowl. The injury did not require surgery, though.
Mississippi's Patrick Willis (6-2, 240) and Michigan's David Harris (6-2, 251) - both inside linebackers - are potential first-rounders, as well.
Packers' level of need - 1: A.J. Hawk has the look of a 10-year starter.
Fellow rookie Abdul Hodge is waiting in the wings should Nick Barnett leave in free agency after the 2007 season.
Second-year man Brady Poppinga has also steadily improved and has a bright future, making this one of the deepest positions on the roster.
CORNERBACK
Michigan's Leon Hall (5-11, 193) is a lockdown cornerback who could crack the top 5.
Fresno State's Marcus McCauley runs like the wind (4.33). Cal's Daymeion Hughes already has seven interceptions this fall. Both figure to be mid-first-rounders.
South Carolina's Fred Bennett, Texas' Aaron Ross and Iowa State's DeAndre Jackson could be first-rounders, as well. Pittsburgh's Darrelle Revis and Arizona's Antoine Cason are the top juniors.
Packers' level of need - 8: Al Harris and Charles Woodson are on the wrong side of 30 and have more questions than answers.
Harris, whose play has slipped in 2006, has moaned about his contract for months and might not return.
Woodson hasn't played with the same aggressiveness and confidence he did early in his career.
The reserves remain unproven, so taking a potential difference-maker early would make sense.
SAFETY
Notre Dame senior Tom Zbikowski (6-0, 210) is the top player here in the eyes of most scouts. Zbikowski, who made his professional boxing debut in June, is a ball-hawk and a standout punt returner.
Virginia Tech's Aaron Rouse (6-4, 218) is a physical freak who could wow scouts at the NFL Combine.
Texas' Michael Griffin, Utah's Eric Weddle and Miami's Brandon Meriweather are unique talents, as well.
Meriweather could be hurt, though, following his recent role in the Hurricanes' brawl against Florida International.
Packers' level of need - 7: Nick Collins isn't going anywhere, but Marquand Manuel has been a disappointment and should be replaced.
Marviel Underwood would be a logical candidate had he not tore a pair of knee ligaments in the 2006 pre-season.
SPECIALISTS
Colorado's Mason Crosby is the country's premier kicker and stands an excellent chance of being selected on Day 1.
Maryland's Adam Podlesh, a two-time semifinalist for the Ray Guy award, heads the punters.
Packers' level of need - 3: Early returns from kicker Dave Rayner and punter Jon Ryan have been favorable and their jobs appear secure for the time being.
Running back looms as high priority
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Oct. 26, 2006
Green Bay - Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson was at Clemson University earlier this week, watching tape after tape after tape.
Adrian Peterson, a junior running back from Oklahoma, would look good in a Packer uniform.
Joe Thomas, a left tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers, is considered the best offensive lineman available in the NFL Draft in April.
This is an ordinary day for Thompson at this time of the year. Like his predecessor Ron Wolf, Thompson spends about half of his week every fall scouting players on college campuses.
By the time the 2007 NFL Draft rolls around next April, Thompson hopes to be prepared for each and every scenario possible. Except for one, perhaps.
"The only thing I don't want is to be back in that top 5," Thompson said from the road on Monday. "The only way I want to end up there is by trade. I don't want to earn our way into that top 5 again."
The Packers did just that a year ago, when they slogged their way through a 4-12 season, then took linebacker A.J. Hawk with the No. 5 overall pick.
Barring anything unforeseen, Green Bay (2-4) almost certainly figures to be in the top half of the 2007 draft. And depending how the Packers' final 10 games of 2006 go, they could crack the top 5 again.
The college season still has a month remaining in the regular season, followed by bowl games, post-season all-star games, the NFL Combine and individual workouts. But with several college seniors having played close to 50 career games, the draft is beginning to take shape.
With that in mind, we examine the top prospects and Green Bay's level of need at the position, on a scale from 1 to 10:
QUARTERBACK
Notre Dame's Brady Quinn is the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Trained under offensive guru Charlie Weis, Quinn (6-4, 227) has a big arm, a great head and enough mobility. Like Matt Leinart this year, Quinn appears ready to start from Day 1.
Michigan State's Drew Stanton (6-3, 230) entered the year as a first-round pick in the eyes of many. But he's slipping.
Ohio State's Troy Smith, the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, is a tremendous athlete who has improved as a passer. But a lack of ideal size (6-1, 215) and questions about his accuracy might keep him out of Round 1.
Stanford senior Trent Edwards carries a first-round grade on some boards.
Underclassmen Brian Brohm (6-4, 224) of Louisville and JaMarcus Russell (6-6, 260) of LSU could shake things up if they declare early.
Packers' level of need - 4: Even if Brett Favre retires, it's unlikely Green Bay would take a quarterback on Day 1. If Thompson was going to do that, 2006 was the time when Leinart and Jay Cutler were available. If Favre leaves, Thompson most likely would turn the team over to Aaron Rodgers and sign a veteran to compete for the starting job.
No. 3 Ingle Martin showed little this summer, so taking a quarterback in the middle rounds makes sense.
RUNNING BACK
Oklahoma junior Adrian Peterson, who's recovering from a broken collarbone, is the cream of the crop.
Peterson (6-2, 218) has a rare blend of size, strength and speed (4.45) and most believe his injury will scare him away from the college game and into the NFL.
If Peterson comes out, he's almost certain to be gone in the top five picks.
California junior Marshawn Lynch (5-11, 217) is also expected to declare early. If he does, a top 10 selection isn't out of the question.
Louisville's Michael Bush, who is recovering from a broken leg, leads the senior class. Both Bush and Auburn's Kenny Irons are likely first-rounders.
Packers' level of need - 9: Ahman Green is injury-prone and near the end. And neither Noah Herron nor Vernand Morency are the long-term answer. A young stud like Peterson or Lynch could be available if Green Bay is drafting high enough, and such a player could revive the Packers' ground game.
WIDE RECEIVER
Georgia Tech junior Calvin Johnson (6-5, 235) is a dynamic prospect who will almost certainly declare early. Big, strong and fast (4.45), Johnson would likely be gobbled up in the first five picks.
Fellow juniors Ted Ginn Jr. of Ohio State and Dwayne Jarrett are certain first-rounders, as well. Ginn lacks great size (6-0, 180), but has blazing speed and has improved as a receiver during his time in Columbus.
Jarrett is chasing most of USC's major receiving records, but his speed (4.60) might remind some scouts of recent Trojans' bust Mike Williams.
Notre Dame's Jeff Samardzija (6-5, 218) is the best available senior. His hands are outstanding, as is his size-to-speed ratio.
Packers' level of need - 7: As the 2006 season has shown, Green Bay's depth here is paper-thin. Greg Jennings has the look of a future No. 1, but Donald Driver turns 32 in February and can't play forever.
Robert Ferguson's career in Green Bay is likely over, and the rest of the players are simply bodies.
Reinforcements are required.
TIGHT ENDS
The position, which has been stocked in recent years, lacks first-round talent.
Minnesota's Matt Spaeth and Oregon State's Joe Newton, who sat out the 2005 season
with a leg injury, are the top seniors.
Greg Olsen of Miami (Fla.) and Arizona State's Zach Miller are the best juniors.
Packers' level of need - 6: Green Bay hasn't had a tight end who can stretch the field since Keith Jackson.
Someone such as Miller or Georgia senior Martrez Miller, who both have 4.65 speed, could do just that. But the Packers haven't drafted a tight end since 2001 when they took Bubba Franks and David Martin. And Green Bay's brass doesn't seem overly concerned about the position.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Wisconsin's Joe Thomas is one of the most highly-regarded left tackles in years and could go in the top three picks. Thomas is incredibly athletic for a man his size (6-6½, 313) and appears almost recovered from the torn ACL he suffered last season.
Penn State's Levi Brown, Notre Dame's Ryan Harris and Central Michigan's Joe Staley are all possible first-rounders. If underclassmen Jake Long of Michigan and Sam Baker of USC leave school early, they'll be potential first-rounders, as well.
Fresno State's Kyle Young is the top-rated center and a possible first-rounder. As usual, the guards figure to be ignored early, although Texas' Justin Blalock (6-4, 329) is a monster.
Packers' level of need - 5: Thompson appears to have hit the jackpot with his 2006 collection of Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and Tony Moll. That trio should form the nucleus of Green Bay's line for years to come.
Left tackle Chad Clifton is nearing the end, though, and the reserves are a motley bunch. So depth is certainly needed.
DEFENSIVE LINE
This is arguably the strongest position in the draft.
Clemson's Gaines Adams (6-4½, 260) and Georgia's Quentin Moses (6-4, 254) are two senior defensive ends with tremendous explosion likely to go in, or around, the top 10.
Michigan's LaMarr Woodley (6-2, 274), Notre Dame's Victor Abiamiri (6-4, 270) and Nebraska's Adam Carriker are all probable first-rounders, as well.
Ohio State defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock (6-3, 297) has been one of the country's fastest risers this fall.
A group that also includes Florida's Marcus Thomas (6-2½, 288), North Carolina State's DeMarcus Taylor (6-2, 310), Tennessee's Justin Harrell and Louisville's Amobi Okoye (6-1, 317) could crack the first round, as well.
The top underclassmen are USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson (6-5, 265) and Michigan defensive tackle Alan Branch (6-6, 331).
Packers' level of need - 4: Green Bay doesn't have a game-changer among its front four. But the Packers have a scrappy, try-hard bunch that for the most part has held its own. Therefore, it's unlikely they'd address this position with a first-round pick.
LINEBACKERS
Penn State's Paul Posluszny has been called the "best linebacker to ever play at Penn State" by none other than Jack Ham and is likely to go in the top 15-20 picks.
But Posluszny will have to convince scouts that his knee is entirely sound after he tore two ligaments in the 2006 Orange Bowl. The injury did not require surgery, though.
Mississippi's Patrick Willis (6-2, 240) and Michigan's David Harris (6-2, 251) - both inside linebackers - are potential first-rounders, as well.
Packers' level of need - 1: A.J. Hawk has the look of a 10-year starter.
Fellow rookie Abdul Hodge is waiting in the wings should Nick Barnett leave in free agency after the 2007 season.
Second-year man Brady Poppinga has also steadily improved and has a bright future, making this one of the deepest positions on the roster.
CORNERBACK
Michigan's Leon Hall (5-11, 193) is a lockdown cornerback who could crack the top 5.
Fresno State's Marcus McCauley runs like the wind (4.33). Cal's Daymeion Hughes already has seven interceptions this fall. Both figure to be mid-first-rounders.
South Carolina's Fred Bennett, Texas' Aaron Ross and Iowa State's DeAndre Jackson could be first-rounders, as well. Pittsburgh's Darrelle Revis and Arizona's Antoine Cason are the top juniors.
Packers' level of need - 8: Al Harris and Charles Woodson are on the wrong side of 30 and have more questions than answers.
Harris, whose play has slipped in 2006, has moaned about his contract for months and might not return.
Woodson hasn't played with the same aggressiveness and confidence he did early in his career.
The reserves remain unproven, so taking a potential difference-maker early would make sense.
SAFETY
Notre Dame senior Tom Zbikowski (6-0, 210) is the top player here in the eyes of most scouts. Zbikowski, who made his professional boxing debut in June, is a ball-hawk and a standout punt returner.
Virginia Tech's Aaron Rouse (6-4, 218) is a physical freak who could wow scouts at the NFL Combine.
Texas' Michael Griffin, Utah's Eric Weddle and Miami's Brandon Meriweather are unique talents, as well.
Meriweather could be hurt, though, following his recent role in the Hurricanes' brawl against Florida International.
Packers' level of need - 7: Nick Collins isn't going anywhere, but Marquand Manuel has been a disappointment and should be replaced.
Marviel Underwood would be a logical candidate had he not tore a pair of knee ligaments in the 2006 pre-season.
SPECIALISTS
Colorado's Mason Crosby is the country's premier kicker and stands an excellent chance of being selected on Day 1.
Maryland's Adam Podlesh, a two-time semifinalist for the Ray Guy award, heads the punters.
Packers' level of need - 3: Early returns from kicker Dave Rayner and punter Jon Ryan have been favorable and their jobs appear secure for the time being.