NFC North : Top 10 draft picks 1997-2007

[motife]

Benson is latest NFC North bust
A.J. Hawk hasn't lived up to 2006 draft hype.
By Steve Lawrence
steve_lawrence_packers@yahoo.com
Posted Jun 10, 2008

Division teams generally have done woefully when owning top-10 picks in the draft. PackerReport.com's Steve Lawrence reviews the drafts from 1997 to 2007.

Why would any team want to have an early first-round draft choice?

For every Adrian Peterson, there’s a Cedric Benson, who the Chicago Bears selected No. 4 overall in the 2005 draft but was released on Monday after another run-in with the law.

There’s a reason why the Green Bay Packers have the only Super Bowl championship in the last 21 years by teams from the NFC North. Too often, division teams have blown their first-round picks — especially early first-rounders.

Here is how NFC North teams fared with top-10 picks since the Packers won the Super Bowl following the 1996 season.

2007

Detroit — WR Calvin Johnson, No. 2, C: Has the tools to be a star and turn this grade into an A.

Minnesota — RB Adrian Peterson, No. 7, A: One of the biggest-impact rookies in memory.

2006

Green Bay — LB A.J. Hawk, No. 5, C: Solid, but is solid good enough for a No. 5 pick? Whether it’s Hawk or it’s the scheme, he simply hasn’t been the stud he was at Ohio State.

Detroit — LB Ernie Sims, No. 9. B-minus: Some experts think Sims has been the better draft pick between him and Hawk. He’s drawing some comparisons to fellow Florida State product Derrick Brooks.

2005

Chicago — RB Cedric Benson, No. 4. F: Disappointing on the field, but a bigger disappointment off of it. A drunken-driving arrest was the last straw for Bears general manager Jerry Angelo. “Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate,” he said.

Detroit — WR Mike Williams, No. 10: F: Top-10 picks shouldn’t be on their third team in three seasons. He caught a combined 15 passes in 2006 and 2007.

2004

Detroit — WR Roy Williams, No. 7: B. He’s averaging 60 catches for 913 yards and seven touchdowns per seasons. But he’s too brash for his own good, with only one 1,000-yard season and playing on a miserable team.

2003

Detroit — WR Charles Rogers, No. 2: F. Lasted just three seasons with 36 career receptions.

Minnesota — DT Kevin Williams, No. 9: A. The two-time Pro Bowler is one of the best in the business.

2002

Detroit — QB Joey Harrington, No. 3: F. He’s thrown more touchdown passes than interceptions just once in six seasons spread over three teams.

Minnesota — OT Bryant McKinnie, No. 7: B. The mountainous tackle used to get beat day and night by Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila on passing downs.

2001

Chicago — WR David Terrell, No. 8: D-minus. Caught five touchdown passes in five seasons.

Green Bay — DE Jamal Reynolds, No. 10: F. Three sacks in three NFL seasons and never started a game.

2000

Chicago — LB Brian Urlacher, No. 9: A. A six-time Pro Bowler. Enough said.

1999

Detroit — LB Chris Claiborne, No. 9: D. He bounced around with four teams during an eight-year career. Never was closer to being a Pro Bowl-caliber player.

1998

Chicago — RB Curtis Enis, No. 5: F. Career was derailed by a torn ACL that took away the power that made him a star at Penn State. Played just three seasons.

1997

Detroit — CB Bryant Westbrook, No. 5: C-plus. A member of the all-rookie team, his promising career was thwarted when he ruptured an Achilles in 2000. Landed in Green Bay in 2002 and had his career on track when he ruptured another Achilles.

In case you were counting, that’s 17 top-10 picks from 1997 to 2007. Two players got A’s and six got F’s. The Lions had eight top-10 picks in those 11 drafts, and wound up with four busts and one Pro Bowl appearance (Roy Williams) to show for all of those losses.

[Lurker64]

As unspectacular as Hawk has been, looking down the list of 2006 first rounders I can't really see anybody there who really would have been more spectacular wearing Green and Gold. My goodness does that draft look overhyped two years later.

[hoosier]

As unspectacular as Hawk has been, looking down the list of 2006 first rounders I can't really see anybody there who really would have been more spectacular wearing Green and Gold. My goodness does that draft look overhyped two years later.

Antonio Cromartie wouldn't look too shabby. But I agree with your general sentiment--till now it's been a somewhat underwhelming group.

[The Leaper]

What the hell is wrong with a solid player...especially when there is no one taken immediately after Hawk who is a huge impact player?

Apparently this guy has failed to notice Barnett's noteworthy uptick in performance since the arrival of Hawk. Could that just be coincidence, or has Hawk's solid play allowed Barnett an easier time in the middle and given him greater latitude to make plays?

People who criticize Hawk simply have no understanding of football. He's a very solid, assignment sure player who plays a position on the Packer defense that doesn't really utilize playmaking skills. Hawk accepts that role and relishes it when he could easily be a loudmouth and demand a greater share of the limelight. Claiming that he isn't showing playmaking skills is pointless...HE ISN'T SUPPOSED TO, so are you asking him to ignore coaching and do his own thing simply to prove he can put up stats?

[Deputy Nutz]

Why bother, I would just get in another argument with Bulldog.

[Bossman641]

I can't say that I'm not disappointed that Hawk hasn't put up bigger numbers, but I'm hoping that those could still come, either through Sanders' tweaking the scheme or Hawk improving. All I know is that since his arrival our LB's have gone from a weakness to a strength.

[run pMc]

I think Hawk led the team in tackles his rookie year, and pushed Barnett the following year. Not too shabby. I think it's the defensive scheme which makes him less of a superstar. He's been solid player with occasional spectacular flashes.

[HarveyWallbangers]

It shouldn't take an expert to realize that a scheme that's geared to funnel the MLB to plays, puts the OLBs in coverage, and also doesn't ask the WLB to blitz a lot isn't going to do much to help that player in stats--which most of the experts not following a team closely are going to look at.

He's asked to cover TEs and be good in run support. He's good in both of those. Like someone said, our LBs have gone from liability to strength. Part of that is how the scheme fits Barnett better and part of that is Hawk. Statistically, he was the top coverage LB in football last year for LBs that qualified for the rankings. That's a pertinent stat for what they ask him to do--more than tackles (and it's not like he doesn't get a lot of tackles anyways). He also doesn't miss many tackles.

What also doesn't go into the stats is the character that Hawk has brought. The work in the weight room. The chemsitry he has with Barnett and Poppinga. The fact he never misses a practice--let alone a game. Those can't be quantified, but are very important.

Of course, like nutz said, I don't want to get into another argument with bulldog. We've already created a poll on this.


BTW, most scouts think Hawk is a good LB--bordering on Pro Bowl level. Just because somebody who was drafted later may or may not be better (I'm not getting into the Barnett vs. Sims argument again) doesn't mean Hawk was a bad pick. He wasn't.

[cheesner]

Re: NFC North : Top 10 draft picks 1997-2007

Benson is latest NFC North bust



Green Bay — LB A.J. Hawk, No. 5, C: Solid, but is solid good enough for a No. 5 pick? Whether it’s Hawk or it’s the scheme, he simply hasn’t been the stud he was at Ohio State.

Detroit — LB Ernie Sims, No. 9. B-minus: Some experts think Sims has been the better draft pick between him and Hawk. He’s drawing some comparisons to fellow Florida State product Derrick Brooks.

'SOME' experts? Does this mean that 'MOST' experts think Hawk was a better pick? If so, why would Hawk be a lower grade than Sims?

Not sure I follow the logic here.

The element to the equation on Sims vrs Hawk is durability. Sims comes with a concussion history and for truly judging the two, we will have to watch their entire careers and factor in the risk of loosing the player to early retirement or at lest injury risk. Personally, I am very happy with Hawk As someone stated above, there is no way to judge Hawk's 'locker room effect' in improving the team.

[Patler]

Some experts think Sims has been the better draft pick between him and Hawk. He’s drawing some comparisons to fellow Florida State product Derrick Brooks

Better than Hawk because he has 34 more career tackles than Hawk? or because he has 3 fewer sacks, 7 fewer passes defensed and 2 fewer interceptions than Hawk in just two seasons?

Sims being compared to Derrick Brooks? Ridiculous. Brooks is known for his pass defense in addition to his solid play against the run. Hawk is a better comparison to Brooks than Sims is.

[Lurker64]

Sims being compared to Derrick Brooks? Ridiculous. Brooks is known for his pass defense in addition to his solid play against the run. Hawk is a better comparison to Brooks than Sims is.

Didn't you get the memo? We can't compare Hawk to Brooks because A.J. is white and Derrick is a black guy. This is the same reason Jordy Nelson is the spitting image of either Ed McCaffrey or Wes Welker, depending on who you ask.

[sheepshead]

The NFL first round is the biggest crap shoot in sports and this guy is just typical of the hyped up media feeding it. We need a rookie salary cap so these "time-bombs" aren't as big of an issue.

[b bulldog]

All I'll say is that this is obviously up for debate in regards to Sims and Hawk and most know where I stand on this. One more thing, to say that people who disagree with you have no knowlwdge about football is very ignorant. I feel that Sims would get more votes as the better player between the two if all NFL GM's were voting but I can't prove this so arguing about this would be pointless. Sims imo, will be a probowler this year, Hawk, I hope the same.

[b bulldog]

As unspectacular as Hawk has been, looking down the list of 2006 first rounders I can't really see anybody there who really would have been more spectacular wearing Green and Gold. My goodness does that draft look overhyped two years later.

Mario Williams and Cromartie will be star players in this league for along time. As far as LB goes, you could probably take the first 5 or 6 picked and be happy with any of them.
Hawk, Sims, Greenway, McIntosh, Ryans and Howard.

[Lurker64]

As unspectacular as Hawk has been, looking down the list of 2006 first rounders I can't really see anybody there who really would have been more spectacular wearing Green and Gold. My goodness does that draft look overhyped two years later.

Mario Williams and Cromartie will be star players in this league for along time. As far as LB goes, you could probably take the first 5 or 6 picked and be happy with any of them.
Hawk, Sims, Greenway, McIntosh, Ryans and Howard.

Mario Williams was gone by the time we picked, Cromartie turned out well (but people would have thrown a fit if we drafted him at #5 at the time). I agree though that nobody has really separated themselves from the LB pack at this point.

I'm just saying that the 2006 draft got a lot of hype and almost nobody has lived up to his hype. Williams and Cromartie really are the only ones that did, because Williams was so universally panned for going #1 over "the Next Gale Sayers" Reggie Bush, and Cromartie had so many question marks (that he has since answered.)