Bretsky
04-14-2007, 04:48 PM
The Green Bay Packers haven't rolled the dice and taken a wide receiver in the first round very often over the past three decades. But when they have, the Packers have done as well as any team in football.
Bart Starr drafted James Lofton with the sixth overall pick in 1978, and today, Lofton sits in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tom Braatz selected Sterling Sharpe at No. 7 in 1988, and Sharpe played in five Pro Bowls before a spinal-cord injury prematurely ended his career. And Mike Sherman used the 20th overall selection on Javon Walker in 2002, a player who was developing into a superstar before he demanded to be traded a year ago.
If current Packers general manager Ted Thompson decides to use his first-round pick on a wide receiver this year, he could certainly hit a home run himself. The class is deep and gifted and could have as many as six players taken in Round 1.
"It's a good group," said Thompson, whose team has the 16th pick in the first round. "I think colleges because of how wide-open the games have come to, I think there are more receivers every year than years past when it was a little less wide-open."
Green Bay could definitely use the help.
Donald Driver is coming off a career year in which he was named to his second Pro Bowl. But the Packers desperately need to give the 32-year old Driver some help.
Greg Jennings, a rookie starter last year, faded badly over the second half of the season. Reserves Ruvell Martin and Carlyle Holiday are relatively unproven. Robert Ferguson has shown next to nothing in six seasons and is coming off a serious foot injury. And Koren Robinson is on the NFL's reserve/suspended list for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and can't even apply for re-instatement until Sept. 18.
"You always need playmakers," Packers wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said near the end of last season. "No matter what, you're looking to get better. That's not an indictment of the group as much as it's a statement of reality. That's the way it is.
"If you're not a solid starter, then we're looking to get better all the time. It needs to be a competitive situation, because that's the only way we're going to get to where we need to get to."
The crown jewel of this year's wide receiver class - and perhaps the entire draft - is Georgia Tech junior Calvin Johnson. Players with Johnson's combination of size (6-5, 239) and speed (4.35) come around about once a decade. If an NFL team were building a wide receiver, it would be Johnson.
Making Johnson almost too good to be true is, while he has Randy Moss' physical gifts, he has Marvin Harrison's character. Oakland might eventually decide Johnson's just too good to pass up with the No. 1 pick. And there's virtually no way Johnson will get past Tampa Bay at No. 4.
"My combination of size, speed and strength, and then my willingness to help out whatever team takes me," Johnson said of his strengths. "I believe those combined will help me make plays at the next level."
While Johnson will be long gone when Green Bay's first-round pick comes up, he might be the only wide receiver off the board. And if Thompson decides to go the wide receiver route, he'll have several attractive options.
Tennessee junior Robert Meachem has all the necessary physical gifts and is coming off a monstrous season. LSU's Dwayne Bowe has great size and toughness. And USC's Dwayne Jarrett was one of the most productive receivers in college football in years despite sub-par speed.
The most intriguing prospect, though, could be Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr.
Thompson & Co. saw first-hand how a player like Chicago return specialist Devin Hester can change a game last season. Ginn Jr. has that type of ability and could eventually develop into a game-changing wide receiver, as well.
Ginn Jr. couldn't run for scouts until April 12 due to a foot injury he suffered in the national championship game. But anyone popping in a tape of Ginn Jr. knows his speed borders on world class.
"I think clubs know what he's capable of," Houston general manager Rick Smith said of Ginn Jr. "He's got a body of work that you can look to, so I would think that he's going to be OK."
Ginn Jr. improved as a receiver every year at OSU and had his best season in 2006 when he had 59 catches and nine TDs. But it's Ginn Jr.'s ability as a return man that has scouts drooling. In 102 punt and kickoff returns at OSU, Ginn Jr. brought eight back for touchdowns.
Hester, dubbed the "Windy City Flyer," had six return TDs during the regular season last year. Then he returned the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl for a TD, as well.
Many believe Ginn Jr. can do the same for the team that drafts him.
"He will bring excitement to our league, similar to Devin Hester bringing excitement to our league," Chicago coach Lovie Smith said of Ginn Jr.
"He's an outstanding returner," James Harris, Jacksonville's vice president of player personnel said of Ginn Jr. "He's made some big plays doing that and I'm pretty sure wherever he goes, he's going to be a threat doing that."
Green Bay's feeble special teams - which have ranked dead last the past two seasons - could certainly use such a spark. And the Packers' offense, which desperately needs a vertical threat, could certainly benefit from the presence of Ginn Jr.
In typical Thompson form, though, he downplayed his team's needs.
"We don't have any major needs," he said. "As far as the receiver position, we have some guys who can play."
"I think at every position in the draft, you can get guys that can help your team. If we could do that (at receiver), that would be fine."
Bart Starr drafted James Lofton with the sixth overall pick in 1978, and today, Lofton sits in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tom Braatz selected Sterling Sharpe at No. 7 in 1988, and Sharpe played in five Pro Bowls before a spinal-cord injury prematurely ended his career. And Mike Sherman used the 20th overall selection on Javon Walker in 2002, a player who was developing into a superstar before he demanded to be traded a year ago.
If current Packers general manager Ted Thompson decides to use his first-round pick on a wide receiver this year, he could certainly hit a home run himself. The class is deep and gifted and could have as many as six players taken in Round 1.
"It's a good group," said Thompson, whose team has the 16th pick in the first round. "I think colleges because of how wide-open the games have come to, I think there are more receivers every year than years past when it was a little less wide-open."
Green Bay could definitely use the help.
Donald Driver is coming off a career year in which he was named to his second Pro Bowl. But the Packers desperately need to give the 32-year old Driver some help.
Greg Jennings, a rookie starter last year, faded badly over the second half of the season. Reserves Ruvell Martin and Carlyle Holiday are relatively unproven. Robert Ferguson has shown next to nothing in six seasons and is coming off a serious foot injury. And Koren Robinson is on the NFL's reserve/suspended list for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and can't even apply for re-instatement until Sept. 18.
"You always need playmakers," Packers wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said near the end of last season. "No matter what, you're looking to get better. That's not an indictment of the group as much as it's a statement of reality. That's the way it is.
"If you're not a solid starter, then we're looking to get better all the time. It needs to be a competitive situation, because that's the only way we're going to get to where we need to get to."
The crown jewel of this year's wide receiver class - and perhaps the entire draft - is Georgia Tech junior Calvin Johnson. Players with Johnson's combination of size (6-5, 239) and speed (4.35) come around about once a decade. If an NFL team were building a wide receiver, it would be Johnson.
Making Johnson almost too good to be true is, while he has Randy Moss' physical gifts, he has Marvin Harrison's character. Oakland might eventually decide Johnson's just too good to pass up with the No. 1 pick. And there's virtually no way Johnson will get past Tampa Bay at No. 4.
"My combination of size, speed and strength, and then my willingness to help out whatever team takes me," Johnson said of his strengths. "I believe those combined will help me make plays at the next level."
While Johnson will be long gone when Green Bay's first-round pick comes up, he might be the only wide receiver off the board. And if Thompson decides to go the wide receiver route, he'll have several attractive options.
Tennessee junior Robert Meachem has all the necessary physical gifts and is coming off a monstrous season. LSU's Dwayne Bowe has great size and toughness. And USC's Dwayne Jarrett was one of the most productive receivers in college football in years despite sub-par speed.
The most intriguing prospect, though, could be Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr.
Thompson & Co. saw first-hand how a player like Chicago return specialist Devin Hester can change a game last season. Ginn Jr. has that type of ability and could eventually develop into a game-changing wide receiver, as well.
Ginn Jr. couldn't run for scouts until April 12 due to a foot injury he suffered in the national championship game. But anyone popping in a tape of Ginn Jr. knows his speed borders on world class.
"I think clubs know what he's capable of," Houston general manager Rick Smith said of Ginn Jr. "He's got a body of work that you can look to, so I would think that he's going to be OK."
Ginn Jr. improved as a receiver every year at OSU and had his best season in 2006 when he had 59 catches and nine TDs. But it's Ginn Jr.'s ability as a return man that has scouts drooling. In 102 punt and kickoff returns at OSU, Ginn Jr. brought eight back for touchdowns.
Hester, dubbed the "Windy City Flyer," had six return TDs during the regular season last year. Then he returned the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl for a TD, as well.
Many believe Ginn Jr. can do the same for the team that drafts him.
"He will bring excitement to our league, similar to Devin Hester bringing excitement to our league," Chicago coach Lovie Smith said of Ginn Jr.
"He's an outstanding returner," James Harris, Jacksonville's vice president of player personnel said of Ginn Jr. "He's made some big plays doing that and I'm pretty sure wherever he goes, he's going to be a threat doing that."
Green Bay's feeble special teams - which have ranked dead last the past two seasons - could certainly use such a spark. And the Packers' offense, which desperately needs a vertical threat, could certainly benefit from the presence of Ginn Jr.
In typical Thompson form, though, he downplayed his team's needs.
"We don't have any major needs," he said. "As far as the receiver position, we have some guys who can play."
"I think at every position in the draft, you can get guys that can help your team. If we could do that (at receiver), that would be fine."