A.J. Hawk

[HarveyWallbangers]

Draft Preview: Linebackers
Hawk, Sims headline exceptional group
Bob McGinn

Green Bay - Ohio State's A.J. Hawk has the edge on Florida State's Ernie Sims by one year of age, 2 inches of height and 15 pounds of muscle.

It's the best draft for linebackers since 2000, when six were taken in the first round, and the margin among the leading men is narrower than one might guess.

"Who's the better defensive player, Hawk or Sims?" Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian said. "I'd make it on a very, very slim margin for Hawk only because he's bigger, but that's only for the draft. I saw Hawk live against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and came away incredibly impressed, but Ernie Sims may come in here as a 10-year all-pro."

If Sims does turn out to be like Derrick Brooks, the eight-time Pro Bowl player for Tampa Bay to whom he is most often compared, what would that leave on the horizon for Hawk?

"I've always compared Hawk to Randy Gradishar," Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo said. "Hawk's a great player. He's great. How do people not take him?"

Gradishar, another former Buckeyes middle linebacker, made the Pro Bowl seven times during a 10-year career with Denver from 1974-'83.

"Hawk's better than Gradishar," said one personnel man who has spent a lifetime in coaching and scouting. "He's a little bit like (Ray) Nitschke from Illinois. In a way, Hawk is just as vicious. He just doesn't signify and testify it, growl and scowl. When Hawk tackles, he hurts your (bleep)."

For a modern-day comparison, scouts bring up Chicago's Brian Urlacher. Several say that Hawk will play with the same astonishing sideline-to-sideline speed that is the hallmark of Urlacher's game.

"If you were making a movie you'd cast him as the linebacker," said Rich Snead, director of player personnel for the Tennessee Titans. Snead said Hawk was better coming out than Keith Brooking and way better than Jonathan Vilma and James Farrior.

Said Snead: "He's not (Junior) Seau. Seau was phenomenal. He's not as good as Cornelius Bennett. But he's the one guy I've seen in a long time that knocks people back when he tackles them."

"Hawk might be the safest pick in the draft," Philadelphia Eagles GM Tom Heckert said. "We can't find any holes. He's 6-1. Maybe that's it. So what? I think you could take him anywhere."

Hawk might just become the "awesome player" that San Diego general manager A.J. Smith expects him to be, but the tape-viewing room at Florida State made for even more eagerly awaited viewing for scouts last fall than the one at Ohio State.

"Sims is probably my favorite player in the draft as far as watching him play," Buffalo national scout Marc Ross said. "I've never seen a player who plays more relentlessly without regard for his body than this guy. I say ever. Hawk plays his (bleep) off. Vilma played hard. But this guy is crazy. I mean, he is absolutely nuts when he plays."

No first-round linebacker in the last 15 years has been as short as Sims, who measured 5 feet 11 1 /8 inch at the combine. The other glaring negative on Sims is the fact he suffered five concussions in college.

"He can bring the heat like I haven't seen in a long time," one personnel director said. "But the concussions scare the (bleep) out of me."

As admired and as good as Sims has a chance to be, the fact that Hawk captured 19 of 21 first-place votes as the No. 1 linebacker in a Journal Sentinel poll of personnel people reflects the dominance most scouts see in him.

"If he slipped to us, I'd celebrate until we got to camp," said Tom Modrak, the Buffalo Bills assistant GM who will help his team make the eighth pick. "He plays so hard and he's so smart and he wants to be good. His impact won't be only on the field. I think he'll be a presence on your team."

The 21 scouts were asked to rank the linebackers on a 1-to-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth five points and so on. Nine players received votes, and estimates are that up to 20 could be selected in the first three rounds.

Hawk had 103 points (his two non-firsts were seconds) compared to 79 for Sims, who was left off the ballot by one scout who said he "can't get off a block." Next, in order, were Chad Greenway with 34 points, Demeco Ryans with 25, Thomas Howard with 19, D'Qwell Jackson and Roger "Rocky" McIntosh with 17, Bobby Carpenter with 16 and Clint Ingram with five.

"The draft is so thin in other places that there may be a run on them," Modrak said. "There will be some good players in the second and third rounds, and in the second day. It's an abnormal year."

[HarveyWallbangers]

"As far as a complete player, a can't miss, no holes off the field or on the field player, Hawk is as close as you're going to get," Buffalo national scout Marc Ross said. "He's tough, smart, plays hard, a good athlete, fast, quick, uses his hands and he's strong." Can play any of three positions but is best in the middle or weak side. "If you watch the guy, he's like (Matt) Leinart, always in the right place," one scout said. "He's around the ball, he's square, he can cover and he can rush." Played extensively as a freshman and started last three seasons. Finished with 15 1/2 sacks, 12 takeaway plays and 41 TFL (tackles for loss). "He beat their other linebackers, who are pretty darn good, to the ball even when he had to go across and over them," another scout said. "He's a leader. He's everything." Will be married on St. Patrick's Day 2007 to Laura Quinn, sister of Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn. Hails from Centerville, Ohio. "I think he's a little overrated," a third scout said. "I just think down in, down out he tends to play in the secondary. He's not the biggest, stoutest guy. Unless you keep him protected and let him run . . . I think he's a little like Rob Morris at Indianapolis. He's dependable and consistent, but I just don't know if he's ever going to be a 'wow' guy." Scored 27 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hawk's scores at the combine:

Height: 6010
Weight: 248
40 Yrd Dash: 4.59 (4.45 on a fast track at his Pro Day)
20 Yrd Dash: 2.72
10 Yrd Dash: 1.56
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 24
Vertical Jump: 40"
Broad Jump: 9'7"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 3.96
3-Cone Drill: 6.82

Brian Urlacher's scores at the combine:

Height: 6037
Weight: 258
40 Yrd Dash: 4.59
20 Yrd Dash: 2.70
10 Yrd Dash: 1.62
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 27
Vertical Jump: 34"
Broad Jump: 10'2"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.18
3-Cone Drill: 6.94

Any talk of Hawk not being a great athlete should be put to rest. Scouts are generally wary of overhyping guys, and for any guy you can find some scouts who don't like a player as much as others (hell, there are scouts who will find something negative to say about Reggie Bush), but there's about as much across the board love for Hawk as you'll find in a prospect.

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9398242

Clark Judge, a senior writer, kicks things off. He says the Pack will go with A.J. Hawk at No. 5 and can't believe the youngster has lasted this long. "He could be the best player in the draft," writes Judge.

Mock Draft: Clark Judge - Who they should take

2. New Orleans Saints
A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State: I want the best defender in the draft; here he is

Mock Draft: Clark Judge - Who they will take

5. Green Bay Packers
A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State: One way or the other, Pack emerges with defensive help.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Another rendition by Kiper and the draftniks
Mike Hart

Moving right along, Mel believes the Green Bay Packers will pass on Vince Young and grab A.J. Hawk at No. 5...

Pat Kirwan, the NFL.com senior analyst, is toeing the slab with his mock draft.

Pat has the Packers scooping up Oregon defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. On paper, this fellow appears to be a good prospect if you're making an eye chart...

Clark Judge, a senior writer, kicks things off. He says the Pack will go with A.J. Hawk at No. 5 and can't believe the youngster has lasted this long. "He could be the best player in the draft," writes Judge.

Pete Prisco, another senior writer, has the Saints swiping Hawk at No. 2. North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams then slides to the Pack at No. 5. "This is the next Julius Peppers," writes Prisco. This is a whole lot better than being the next Doctor Pepper...

Senior writer Dennis Dodd also has Hawk going to the Saints and the Packers taking Williams...

Sportsillustrated.cnn.com: A.J. Hawk is the pick for Green Bay at No. 5...

Sportingnews.com: The Pack grabs A.J. Hawk.

[HarveyWallbangers]

NFL Draft Countdown:

5. GREEN BAY PACKERS
A.J. HAWK

This is a franchise that is stuck between two worlds, nearing the end of the Brett Favre era and still trying to compete for one last Super Bowl with him yet also trying to get younger and build for the future. The strains of this plan became very evident a year ago when the Packers chose Aaron Rodgers, an heir apparent to the franchise icon, in round one when he unexpectedly fell into their laps. While that struggle will likely continue until Favre finally hangs up his cleats it won't have any affect on this choice. When all is said and done this will likely work out very well for the Packers because they will more than likely be able to address their most glaring need, linebacker, with the top rated player at the position. Former first rounder Nick Barnett has a firm grasp on one of the jobs but Green Bay might very well be in the market for two new starters outside with Ben Taylor, Brady Poppinga and Robert Thomas currently battling for spots on the first unit as of now. Not exactly anything to get too excited about. Anyone who saw a Ohio St. game this past season knows what a force A.J. Hawk can be and he is the rare linebacker who can seemingly dominate and control a game. The team would also strongly consider Mario Williams if he somehow fell this far, which is doubtful at best, while Michael Huff and maybe even a quarterback could garner interest as well. At the end of the day Hawk would seem to be the ideal match, giving them a great leader and playmaking presence on defense.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Tim McShay of Scouts Inc.:

5. Green Bay Packers (4-12)
Top-five needs: OG, OLB, OC, DE, WR
The pick: A.J. Hawk, OLB, Ohio State
The Packers have done a decent job of addressing their needs at wide receiver (Rod Gardner), defensive tackle (Ryan Pickett) and safety (Marquand Manuel) this offseason. Still missing, though, is an impact playmaker on defense. There are some reports regarding the Packers' growing interest in massive two-gap DT Haloti Ngata (Oregon). However, Hawk is a more complete player, and he could make a more immediate impact for a defense that is in desperate need of a playmaker and leader of his capacity.

[Bretsky]

"""If you were making a movie you'd cast him as the linebacker," said Rich Snead, director of player personnel for the Tennessee Titans. Snead said Hawk was better coming out than Keith Brooking and way better than Jonathan Vilma and James Farrior. ""

Better than Vilma.

AJ HAWK IS OUR GUY; he's a Packer Man

Intense
Great Attitude
Smash Mouth
Pro Ready
Great Tackler
Inspirational

THE LEADER OF THE PACKER D for the next Decade.



HE GOT HAWK'D !!

[HarveyWallbangers]

Dr. Z of SI.com:

No. 5 PACKERS: An easy pick upon which everyone agrees. I call the Packers, speak to two individuals, and they both confirm that the logical choice is A.J. HAWK, LB, OHIO STATE, an amazingly gifted young defender.

[Tarlam!]

I say TT trades out of #5. I would really regret him doing this, though, cause I really want either Mario or Hawk. I don't wanna QB or OT. I think we trade with Oakland so they can get to Vince Young, who is miraculously still there.

For me it's:

Bush - HOU
Brick - NO
Linnie - TIT
Mario - NYJ
Young - OAK
Davis - 49
Hawk - Packers.

[ND72]

HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK HAWK

[Tarlam!]

HAWK HAWK HAWK


Don't you mean to say:

HAWK HAWKHAWK HAWKHAWK HAWKHAWK HAWK

[Deputy Nutz]

The way I look at is the Packers are either going to get Hawk, Davis, or Williams, especially if the Saints select Hawk with the second pick of the draft.

If Hawk goes before the Packers so be it, I would be happy with Williams or Davis at that point.

I just don't see the Saint's taking Hawk with the second pick. I think they might take Ferguson. They need an offensive tackle.

[ND72]

AH...my bad...didn't know how well the yellow would look

[MJZiggy]

Dr. Z of SI.com:

No. 5 PACKERS: An easy pick upon which everyone agrees. I call the Packers, speak to two individuals, and they both confirm that the logical choice is A.J. HAWK, LB, OHIO STATE, an amazingly gifted young defender.

Hang on...kill the music and the party for just a moment. I'd just like to note that the people he spoke to confirm that Hawk is the LOGICAL choice--not the one they will be taking. Thompson said that anyone who thought he would play it safe didn't know him well.

That's all. Cue the balloon drop.

[Partial]

Just because AJ Hawk is a can't miss prospect by no means is he playing it safe. He's taking the best player with the most playmaking potential. He's taking the dude that scouts are saying is as good or better than the guy who won Defensive Player of the Year.


Hawk is gonna be a friggin' stud.

[RashanGary]

I wouldn't be surprised with Hawk. I also wouldn't be surprised with Ferguson, Davis or Mario. Thompson was spoken of so highly by Wolf as a scout that I find it hard to believe he'll make the wrong decision. We know quite a bit from these guys through scouts interviewed and internet sources but in the end Thompson has spent far more time than any 5 of us combined and will be prepared to select the best player. There are going to be at least 2 really good players at that spot and the Packers should be immediately better no matter who it is. To all those guys I argue with daily; I LOVE Hawk too and no matter who we get a little part of me would be disappointed it is not him. Having said that; I don't really fall in love with one player and I'm keeping an open mind. I'm hoping for whoever Thompson deems best between who's left. The best player if you will. I'm not ignorant enough to pretend I know who that is.

[HarveyWallbangers]

We know quite a bit from these guys through scouts interviewed and internet sources but in the end Thompson has spent far more time than any 5 of us combined and will be prepared to select the best player.

I'd venture to guess that Thompson spent far more time than all of us combined. We just regurgitate what we read on the Internet. That's why there were so many upset with the Nick Collins pick.

[BF4MVP]

I've been changing my opinion of Hawk about 25 million times since the middle of the season..I've literally gone from "OMG HE'S THE NEXT URLACHER WE GOTTA GET HIM!!!!!!" to "Eh, he'll be a solid player, but not worth number 5." So I'm not really sure how I feel..Although Ted Thompson knows what he is doing, and he will make the best pick for the Green Bay Packers. I am 100% behind whatever decision he makes as far as who is the number 5 pick.

There are a couple things I really like about Hawk that don't change with my ever-changing opinion of him..

1. He's a jerk. On the field I mean. I have no idea what kind of person he is, so I'm not commenting on his personality off the field. I do know, though, that he has that "Nitschke" type of competitive fire..If you're a player on the opposing team, and you try crossing paths with Hawk, he doesn't give a shit who you are, he's just gonna knock you the fuck out. I like that a lot. We need someone like that.

2. He's a leader. I know from what i've read that he'll try his best to get in people's faces and get them to play better..I don't think he'll care that he's a rookie, he'll do it anyways..Guess what, Woodson, if you're not earnin your paycheck, you'll probably have to answer to AJ..We haven't had a leader on this defense since LeRoy Butler..I like that too..

3. He fills a glaring need for a linebacker. I don't need to explain..

With the three things I've listed, one would think that I'd be screaming at my TV on draft day "CMON TT TAKE HAWK!!!!!!'" But for whatever reason, my opinion of him changes almost daily....

Good reads though, Harv, thanks for sharin those..

[Guiness]

Pete Prisco, another senior writer, has the Saints swiping Hawk at No. 2. North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams then slides to the Pack at No. 5. "This is the next Julius Peppers," writes Prisco. This is a whole lot better than being the next Doctor Pepper...



HW I like how you avoided Prisco's other prognostication:

Who they should take: Ernie Sims

[HarveyWallbangers]

Pete Prisco, another senior writer, has the Saints swiping Hawk at No. 2. North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams then slides to the Pack at No. 5. "This is the next Julius Peppers," writes Prisco. This is a whole lot better than being the next Doctor Pepper...



HW I like how you avoided Prisco's other prognostication:

Who they should take: Ernie Sims

I didn't see that. I grabbed the content straight from the JSO article (that I referenced), and that wasn't in there.

Personally, I don't think Prisco knows what he's talking about (he's not one of the national "experts" that I respect a lot), but the argument that I'm trying to counter is this idea that the selection of Hawk would not get mass approval. I'd venture to guess that many more people than not would think Hawk was a good pick for the Packers. I don't think that's even relavent, but apparently others do.

[Guiness]

Didn't see the JSO article. I really don't swing by there very often anymore.

I agree though - taking AJ would sit fine with the experts. I also don't like Prisco much, and saying that Sims is a top 5 choice doesn't help my opinion of him much!

[CyclonePackFan]

Pete Prisco, another senior writer, has the Saints swiping Hawk at No. 2. North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams then slides to the Pack at No. 5. "This is the next Julius Peppers," writes Prisco. This is a whole lot better than being the next Doctor Pepper...



HW I like how you avoided Prisco's other prognostication:

Who they should take: Ernie Sims

I didn't see that. I grabbed the content straight from the JSO article (that I referenced), and that wasn't in there.

Personally, I don't think Prisco knows what he's talking about (he's not one of the national "experts" that I respect a lot), but the argument that I'm trying to counter is this idea that the selection of Hawk would not get mass approval. I'd venture to guess that many more people than not would think Hawk was a good pick for the Packers. I don't think that's even relavent, but apparently others do.

Harvey,

Don't know if you saw it, but ESPN did a little nationwide online poll that was essentially a nationwide mock draft. It's at:

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/story?id=2406023

They assigned each team a time of day when they went on the clock, and went through the first round in about a week or so. Anyway, the interesting part I saw was that when Green Bay was up, Hawk beat Williams 42% to 25%, winning 48 out of the 50 states and the international voters. (If you click on "Wisconsin" it brings up an interactive map) The only two states Williams won? Wisconsin and North Carolina.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Anti-Buckeye bias in the state of Wisconsin?
:D

[CyclonePackFan]

Anti-Buckeye bias in the state of Wisconsin?
:D

Must be.

[No Mo Moss]

It took me months to fall in love with taking Hawk @ #5, but now it seems his hype may move him into the number two spot. That would devastate me, I think this is "the guy".

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hawk soars above other prospects
Don Banks, SI.com

At some point, the NFL Draft morphed into an all-out debate, accompanied by a cacophony of voices and opinions. This time around, the topics that dominated the discussion were Reggie Bush versus Matt Leinart, and later Mario Williams, in the battle for the No. 1 pick; Leinart versus Vince Young in a clash of quarterbacking styles; and the NFL viability of Jay Cutler, given his meager won-loss record as a collegiate starter.

All of those topics made for fascinating dissection, but as the league's two-day rookie job fair extravaganza prepares to kick off in New York on Saturday, have we perhaps overlooked the most obvious question of all: Who's the best pure football player available, with the highest probability of being a great professional?

In interviewing league personnel men, coaches and executives for the past two months, I've heard one name mentioned more than others, and it might surprise you. It's not Bush, as gifted a game-breaking talent as he is. It's not Williams, Leinart, Young or Cutler, all of whom have at least one or two significant question marks attached to their scouting reports.

It's Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, who has inspired nary a negative word in the months-long predraft screening process. Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage, one of the more respected personnel evaluators in the league, labeled Hawk "the safest pick in the draft.'' New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis, whose Saints have strongly considered taking Hawk second overall, said his personnel men believe Hawk is the best linebacking prospect since Junior Seau was the No. 5 pick in 1990 by San Diego.

And a handful of team officials have told me Hawk is the one player in this year's draft who's guaranteed to be starting, and making an impact, right from the opening weekend of the 2006 NFL season. I don't know about you, but I haven't heard that level of certainty on any other prospect in this year's draft, including Bush, who is considered a once-in-a-generation type talent at running back.

People have questioned whether Bush can make enough of an impact in 15 to 20 touches a game. Williams, for most of his college career, wasn't even the best defensive end at N.C. State, and he has yet to show consistent production over an entire season. Some personnel men theorize that Leinart benefited greatly from the talented USC offensive system and that he's already as good as he's ever going to be. And Cutler has some mechanical issues and bad habits that even his staunchest supporters acknowledge will have to be worked out early in his pro career.

But Hawk, who is widely regarded as No. 5 Green Bay's likely choice, is talked about within league circles as the obvious defensive rookie of the year-in-waiting, a can't-miss talent in a first-round pool that always carry as much risk as reward.

"He is the real thing,'' Browns head coach and former Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said of Hawk. "He's a playmaker. He runs all over the place, and he runs to the ball. He's got some size, some speed, some production. I like all those things.''

The Packers are desperate for playmakers and leadership on defense, and that's why Hawk figures to be a no-brainer if he's available when their slot comes up. Green Bay's belief is that Hawk will walk in the door and instantly help change the mentality on defense.

"I'd like to come in and see what I can do in the NFL and try to make an impact,'' Hawk said. "[Linebacker] is a position where a lot of times they say they don't want to draft people too high because they think 'How much impact can a linebacker have?' But guys like Shawne Merriman and Lofa Tatupu had huge years [as rookies last year].

"The linebacker position ... with all the defenses they're playing, and with the offenses you have to face -- one week you're facing a spread offense and the next week a team is trying to pound the ball on you. You have to be able to do a little bit of everything.''

Hawk does a little bit of everything and he does it all well. He can play any linebacker position in a 3-4 or 4-3 alignment. Some scouts see him as the ideal inside linebacker in a 3-4, while others suggest he would be best used as the weakside linebacker in a 4-3, chasing the ball from sideline to sideline.

At 6-foot-1, 248 pounds, Hawk has the size to shed blockers in the NFL and get heavily involved in run defense and jamming a hole at the line of scrimmage. But he's also quick enough (he ran a 4.45 at Ohio State's pro day) to drop into coverage and blanket a potential receiver or chase down a quarterback on the blitz. You won't see Hawk coming off the field in certain situations and that only adds to his value in the eyes of league personnel evaluators.

San Diego's Merriman and Seattle's Tatupu were impact rookies at linebacker last season, with Merriman becoming the fifth player at that position in the past six years to earn the league's defensive rookie of the year award. Merriman went 11th overall to the Chargers and Tatupu was taken by the Seahawks in the second round. Linebackers may not be selected as high these days as they once were, but Hawk will be an exception. The last top-five linebacker was LaVar Arrington in 2000, who went No. 2 to Washington out of Penn State.

"It's understandable,'' Hawk said. "Obviously we're not big defensive ends, who are going to get 15 to 18 sacks a year. We're not going to be a running back, who's going to rush for 1,500 yards. [Linebacker] is a spot where there's three or four of them on the field. I guess you can justify not taking [linebackers] too high. But all I want is a chance, regardless of where I'm taken.''

Hawk is going to get his chance. And though he won't have a No. 1 next to his name on Saturday, that doesn't mean he's not the guy NFL scouts seem to think of first when it comes to a sure bet in the 2006 draft.

[RashanGary]

SI has some of the most reliable coverage. I don't think Hawk is only safe but he is dominate as well. I think it is going to be very, very hard to pass up A.J. Hawk with the 5th pick if he's available. I don't have a crystal ball but I'd have to put pretty high odds on A.J. Hawk being a Packer at this point.

[HarveyWallbangers]

YES!

[ND72]

for all of you who have talked to me on here, you know my love for A.J.....i can't even put into words what this day has just made for me. just unreal for me.

[Bretsky]

for all of you who have talked to me on here, you know my love for A.J.....i can't even put into words what this day has just made for me. just unreal for me.

I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YA ND; PLUS WE GET TO SEE THE HOTTIE GIRLFRIEND AS WELL

[ND72]

hottie fiance....and next year we can worry bout getting the brother in law.

[FritzDontBlitz]

i have a question: is that white guy with dredlocks in the new under armour commercial aj hawk?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Yes.

[Deputy Nutz]

http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper410/stills/476p70k3.jpg

[Homer Jay]

Anti-Buckeye bias in the state of Wisconsin?
:D

I still hate the Buckeyes, but I am mighty pleased to have AJ coming to Green Bay.

[FritzDontBlitz]

having improved our defense during this offseason has actually made our offense look so much better, because it not only limits the other team's scoring opportunities but the potential for turnovers increases substantially.

i can't wait to see woodson and al harris on the field together strutting their stuff, shutting down receivers and blitzing off the corners.

the idea of aj hawk and nick barnett roaming the field together is mind boggling.

our defensive line will be greatly improved with the acquisition of pickett as the runstuffer in the middle, and the young unheralded d-line players will greatly benefit from the new weight training program to create the best defensive line rotation in the league - to those who may doubt the ability of our line, think back to how they were flying all over the field frustrating michael vick in the georgia dome last season.

i am quite pleased with this offseason. thanks, teddy bear

[Deputy Nutz]

I can't wait to see the rivalry explode in the Packer locker room come late November between the Ohio St guys and the Michigan guys!

[Scott Campbell]

i am quite pleased with this offseason. thanks, teddy bear


Were just getting started FDB. That second round pick is probably the equivelent of where we pick in the first round most years. We should land a player.

[HarveyWallbangers]

89% of respondents on JSO are happy with the Hawk selection--not that it really matters.

[MadtownPacker]

Hawk is one scary looking dude. I hope to see him staring down opposing QBs for years to come.

[mraynrand]

I'm livin' here in Ohio and have seen Hawk play for four years now. I like the guy. I think he can be a solid LB. Still, I'm a bit worried about his ability to cover deep. The mental aspect of it seems to be fine. He seems bright, knows coverages and adjest very well to a mobile QB. What I am sorried about is his size and ability to react to the ball covering TEs right up the middle. Certainly he's fast enough, but will his vertical be enough. I know it seems like a minor point, but when the Packers line up against the 49ers, and Hawk gets to cover VD, perhaps then we'll know the answer for sure.

one thing seems certain - the face and character of the GB Packers looks very different. I can't imagine how the offense will be explosive this year and if Hawk plays as well in the NFL as he did with a loaded defense in college, it should improve the Packer's defense.

[Fosco33]

89% of respondents on JSO are happy with the Hawk selection--not that it really matters.
>90% happy with Brett returning

[HarveyWallbangers]

Nobody will be able to temper my enthusiasm about this pick.

[MJZiggy]

89% of respondents on JSO are happy with the Hawk selection--not that it really matters.
>90% happy with Brett returning

Who are the other 10%? Do they not know enough not to believe Prisco, my new mortal enemy? I want M3 to tape that article on the locker room wall and then stuff it down his throat at the end of a stellar season.

(I sincerely apologize to the person who posted that we should avoid reading that article. I should have remembered your warning and heeded it.)

[Joemailman]

Hawk is one scary looking dude. I hope to see him staring down opposing QBs for years to come.

Sort of like Nitschke with hair.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hawk rekindles Ray of hope in Green Bay
Richard Pufall, JSO

You could almost see Ray Nitschke looking down from the heavens and uncurling that snarling lip into a big, broad smile. Cynical Bears and Vikings fans would argue that old No. 66 had to be looking up and smiling. But the direction doesn’t matter. It’s the smile that’s important.

And why wouldn’t he smile? After all, it was a great week for the defense and a very good one for Nitschke’s beloved Packers in general.

It all started with the best possible gift you can give to the boys on “Dââ⠀šÂ¬Ã‚ — a future Hall of Fame quarterback who is capable of keeping the offense on the field while the defense rests.

And that’s what happened when Brett Favre ended his 113-day Mississippi-lawn-tractor pull by announcing his return for a 15th season with Green Bay.

Then there was the turnabout gift to Favre, the mini-blockbuster signing of free-agent cornerback Charles Woodson. Good defense, you see, can only help Favre’s offense in this the ultimate team sport.

With Al Harris on the other corner the improvement in Green Bay’s defense should be hugely significant. And it would appear now that Ahmad Carroll will be called upon only when the Packers are in dire need of a clutch holding penalty.

And don’t forget the Packers had already signed nose tackle Ryan Pickett along with safety Marquand Manuel, who will play opposite the young and talented Nick Collins.

Then came the draft and what many are boldly hailing as the second coming of Nitschke at linebacker. But let’s give A.J. Hawk a chance to play a few games before we start chiseling his bust for the Hall of Fame in Canton.

To be sure, when the Packers used that No. 5 pick to select Hawk out of Ohio State it created a buzz that makes many believe Green Bay’s defense can now do to opponents what it had been doing to the home fans at Lambeau Field — scare the hell out of them.

Then there’s GM Ted Thompson. Give this guy a few loaves and fishes and he can feed all of Packer Nation. Thompson insists that he and Mike McCarthy aren’t rebuilding the Packers, but Teddy Ballgame has done a masterful job in the last several days of reconstructing what had become his own tattered professional image.

Thompson went into draft weekend with seven selections and came out with 12 new players on Green Bay’s roster. And you know what? Some of them look to be pretty good, too.

After Hawk came Daryn Colledge with the first of Green Bay’s two second-round picks. Colledge, primarily a left tackle at Boise State, has a good chance to step in and start at left guard. (OK, no big deal you say, because you think your uncle Ollie could beat out last season’s guards. But hey, it’s a start).

The Packers, with their second pick in the second round, drafted wide receiver Greg Jennings out of Western Michigan. Jennings is just the 11th player in NCAA Division I history to gain more than 1,000 yards in three seasons. That’s impressive, but the lad now plies his trade in the National Football League, not the Mid-American Conference. So we’ll wait and see if Mr. Jennings makes us forget about Javon Walker.

Of course, Walker in recent months has made himself most forgettable. The rebellious wide receiver had been howling that he never again would play for the Packers, who had wronged him beyond repair. You see folks, the Green Bay organization had committed the unpardonable crime of making Walker a millionaire after he had turned in one great season of work in four years on the job. Wouldn’t you want your boss to slap you around like that?

So Thompson traded Walker to the Denver Broncos for a second-round draft choice. And that is, indeed, excellent value for a former good guy who had become a team cancer, missed about 15½ games of the 2005 season and is trying to come back after a serious knee injury.

But more to the point, the greatest player in the world — which Walker isn’t — is no good to your team if he doesn’t want to be there.

Give Thompson credit for erasing the Walker distraction long before the Packers hit training camp.

Meanwhile, back at the draft, it looked like Thompson was reloading, not rebuilding.

The GM selected Abdul Hodge, a hit seeking missile of a middle linebacker. The Packers have to be considering moving the speedy Nick Barnett from the middle to the strong side, putting Hodge in the middle with Hawk on the weak side. Others, of course, such as Ben Taylor, Brady Poppinga and Kurt Campbell factor in at linebacker, so the Barnett-Hodge-Hawk trio might not take the same stage for a while.

In any event, the linebacker position which was a weakness just a few days ago, now appears to be a strength.

And the jewel of this unit, to be sure, is A.J. Hawk. This youngster brings an intensity to Green Bay that reminds us of — dare we say it — Mr. Nitschke.

Hawk, like Nitschke, is a search-and-destroy hitter who loves contact. Nitschke was bigger, but Hawk is faster.

Nitschke, like Hawk, was a no-frills guy. Green Bay was all the big city Nitschke wanted and Hawk seems to agree.

When many of his peers were strutting their stuff in New York on Day 1 of the draft, Hawk was with family and friends at home in Ohio.

By all accounts, Hawk is a wonderful, gentle, warm, well-spoken, intelligent family guy off the field. And so was Nitschke.

But Hawk, like Nitschke before him, is transported into his private little world of all-consuming violence at the moment he snaps that chin strap.

Nitschke would love this kid.

These two are almost alike in every way.

Now, all Hawk has to do to complete the comparison is play 15 years, win five NFL championships and be inducted in the Hall of Fame.

[mraynrand]

I'm livin' here in Ohio and have seen Hawk play for four years now. I like the guy. I think he can be a solid LB. Still, I'm a bit worried about his ability to cover deep. The mental aspect of it seems to be fine. He seems bright, knows coverages and adjest very well to a mobile QB. What I am sorried about is his size and ability to react to the ball covering TEs right up the middle. Certainly he's fast enough, but will his vertical be enough. I know it seems like a minor point, but when the Packers line up against the 49ers, and Hawk gets to cover VD, perhaps then we'll know the answer for sure.

one thing seems certain - the face and character of the GB Packers looks very different. I can't imagine how the offense will be explosive this year and if Hawk plays as well in the NFL as he did with a loaded defense in college, it should improve the Packer's defense.

now we know for sure. He can't do it.

[call_me_ishmael]

This. Now this is some gold. Every scout and journalist is just raving about the guy. Definitely never lived up to the hype. Wish we had Haloti.

[Freak Out]

Nobody will be able to temper my enthusiasm about this pick.

LOL! This is priceless.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I've had a lot more of these. I loved the Hawk pick. I hated the Rodgers pick. Around 2007 I realized I didn't know what I was talking about, and tried to remain positive about every pick until the dude showed up in played in the NFL.

[pbmax]

I miss FritzDontBlitz and Sparkey.

People predicting the draft are like weather forecasters. By the time you figure out they are wrong, its too late to do something about it.

[pbmax]

If every first round pick played like Hawk, we'd have a better O line. Much worse OLB corp.

[bobblehead]

I remember wanting to trade down if we didn't get D'Brickshaw Ferguson. I simply didn't want a linebacker in the top 10.

[bobblehead]

Nobody will be able to temper my enthusiasm about this pick.

Still feel this way?

[pbmax]

Would Hawk have slid, Rodgers like, if Packers traded down?

[Guiness]

Would Hawk have slid, Rodgers like, if Packers traded down?

I doubt it. He was taken where the pundits rated him, and I don't remember seeing anything 'bad' about him.

[gbgary]

retires a Packer.

hawk-retires-as-a-packer (http://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/1283232-a-j-hawk-retires-as-a-packer)

[pbmax]

"""If you were making a movie you'd cast him as the linebacker," said Rich Snead, director of player personnel for the Tennessee Titans. Snead said Hawk was better coming out than Keith Brooking and way better than Jonathan Vilma and James Farrior. ""

Better than Vilma.

AJ HAWK IS OUR GUY; he's a Packer Man

Intense
Great Attitude
Smash Mouth
Pro Ready
Great Tackler
Inspirational

THE LEADER OF THE PACKER D for the next Decade.



HE GOT HAWK'D !!

Smash mouth! :lol:

For two years he looked like this player with those athletic traits, then everything came apart. I think he had an injury and then he rebuilt himself for teh 3-4 and lost all that quickness and speed.

[pbmax]

i have a question: is that white guy with dredlocks in the new under armour commercial aj hawk?

Where the hell did FritzDontBlitz go?

[pbmax]

I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YA ND; PLUS WE GET TO SEE THE HOTTIE GIRLFRIEND AS WELL

WORST. TAKE. EVER.

:D

[pbmax]

I'm livin' here in Ohio and have seen Hawk play for four years now. I like the guy. I think he can be a solid LB. Still, I'm a bit worried about his ability to cover deep. The mental aspect of it seems to be fine. He seems bright, knows coverages and adjest very well to a mobile QB. What I am sorried about is his size and ability to react to the ball covering TEs right up the middle. Certainly he's fast enough, but will his vertical be enough. I know it seems like a minor point, but when the Packers line up against the 49ers, and Hawk gets to cover VD, perhaps then we'll know the answer for sure.

one thing seems certain - the face and character of the GB Packers looks very different. I can't imagine how the offense will be explosive this year and if Hawk plays as well in the NFL as he did with a loaded defense in college, it should improve the Packer's defense.

The voice of even-tempered pessimism.

[pbmax]

I miss FritzDontBlitz and Sparkey.

People predicting the draft are like weather forecasters. By the time you figure out they are wrong, its too late to do something about it.

Seriously, now I am just repeating myself on 3 year cycles. :roll:

[Rutnstrut]

Smash mouth! :lol:

For two years he looked like this player with those athletic traits, then everything came apart. I think he had an injury and then he rebuilt himself for teh 3-4 and lost all that quickness and speed.

If he was so terrible, it should have been easy to fill his spot with any jack off. Yet anyone they put in there doesn't look leaps and bounds better than Hawk. To the contrary, they are worse if for no other reason they are far from dependable.

[wist43]

So the upshot from MM's comments would be that Dom is near God-like, and Ted should be fired b/c the players suck to high heaven??

Wrong thread, lol...

[pbmax]

If he was so terrible, it should have been easy to fill his spot with any jack off. Yet anyone they put in there doesn't look leaps and bounds better than Hawk. To the contrary, they are worse if for no other reason they are far from dependable.

Terrible? Maybe at the end with the ankle/foot injury.

But after being compared to Urlacher, with athletic measurables to match, he really settled into average for the balance of his career. That is quite a comedown by itself.

[Bretsky]

Smash mouth! :lol:

For two years he looked like this player with those athletic traits, then everything came apart. I think he had an injury and then he rebuilt himself for teh 3-4 and lost all that quickness and speed.


Ponders if I cursed him

I expected him to be a star but he never got there

[RashanGary]

25 year old me sounds like a cocky idiot. Ugh.

[Pugger]

Who are the other 10%? Do they not know enough not to believe Prisco, my new mortal enemy? I want M3 to tape that article on the locker room wall and then stuff it down his throat at the end of a stellar season.

(I sincerely apologize to the person who posted that we should avoid reading that article. I should have remembered your warning and heeded it.)

Where has MJZiggy gone?

[KYPack]

Where has MJZiggy gone?

007 too.

We lost many a good brother and sister over the years.

Oh well, we lost quite a few assholes, too.

[George Cumby]

25 year old me sounds like a cocky idiot. Ugh.

So what's changed?

I keed! I keed!

[Brandon494]

Peace!

[Brandon494]

Bishop was always better