Our 2006 Draft in Review.

[woodbuck27]

Re: Our 2006 Draft in Review.

From what I've read, there are concerns about his upper body strength ... e.g. bench press

But this article just said he's a record-setting weight lifter! You can't tell me guy does power cleans without strong shoulders! As Dr. Henry Lee said in the OJ trial, "Something wrong here."

It goes back to my other rant about how summertime profiles and camp reports on players mean very little.

Honestly, I can't remember which is was, but all the scouting reports concern over DC was he wasn't strong enough in upper OR lower body. Can't remember which one though, but I'd concur I read the same reports

Here is a Scouting Report on Darryn Colledge

Pros: Nimble senior tackle bulked up from 235 pounds as a freshman. He is an intense athlete with good movement and the size and intangibles to be an early pro starter. In pass protection, he shows very good hand use and fine footwork with the wingspan to push rushers wide of the pocket. As a drive blocker, he gets into defenders quickly with the ability to move them off the line consistently. Over his career he increased his strength significantly with several school records. He has an aggressive attitude that will flash nastiness. Has the ability to retain his blocks and finish strong. He moves well in traffic and displays the ability to block on the second level. He maintains sound positioning consistently, getting good use of his frame, long arms and good functional strength.

Cons: He needs some work on his technique to keep his pads down and get full use of his big, strong frame. He needs to prove he can better handle the bull rush against top defenders. His level of competition is a concern after having a huge physical advantage in the WAC.

Numbers: At the Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 5.04 seconds and did 21 reps of the 225-pound bench press. He had a 32.5" vertical jump and a 9’2” broad jump. His three-cone drill was among the best.

[the_idle_threat]

Re: Our 2006 Draft in Review.

From what I've read, there are concerns about his upper body strength ... e.g. bench press

But this article just said he's a record-setting weight lifter! You can't tell me guy does power cleans without strong shoulders! As Dr. Henry Lee said in the OJ trial, "Something wrong here."

It goes back to my other rant about how summertime profiles and camp reports on players mean very little.

Basically, you are correct that the profiles which labeled him "weak" were off base, but he is relatively weak in the bench press, and that is the only strength test measured at the combine. 300 pound linemen are supposed to do somewhere between 20 and 30 reps of 225 lbs on the bench ... anything under 20 is considered very weak, and anything above 30 is outstanding. Colledge came in at the low end with 21 reps at the combine and 22 reps at his pro day, according to NFL.com. This led to the conclusion in some circles that he had "weak playing strength."

Now, my point is this: he obviously paid more attention to other lifts when he worked out in college, given his achievements in the cleans (which are technique lifts that require time and repetition to learn) and the squat. Both types of lifts target primarily the back and legs, and focus on explosiveness. These are probably the reason he has such "amazing knee bend" as Cliff Christl keeps mentioning in his OTA blog. If Colledge puts in even half the effort on the bench, which focuses on the chest and triceps, then he will be plenty strong in no time. (Note that none of these lifts primarily target the shoulders.) Thus it is a non-issue. Which means we basically agree.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I just hope the fricker can play against NFL talent.

The thing that concerns me the most is that he played against - Mountain Conference? What conference was that? - lesser players in college.

Damn, those defensive tackles at Minnesota are strong and quick. Maybe they'll make a fool out of him!

Well, he's practicing against big boys in camp this summer. But it's not the same as game conditions. It's really a lot to ask a rookie to start in the offensive line.

[woodbuck27]

I just hope the fricker can play against NFL talent.

The thing that concerns me the most is that he played against - Mountain Conference? What conference was that? - lesser players in college.

Damn, those defensive tackles at Minnesota are strong and quick. Maybe they'll make a fool out of him!

Well, he's practicing against big boys in camp this summer. But it's not the same as game conditions. It's really a lot to ask a rookie to start in the offensive line.

Well HH, if you compare OUR situation on the OL today, with what it was before the draft and having the additions of a 2nd Rd. pick, (Darryn Colledge) and 3rd rounder (Jason Spitz), all I can offer is sort of a Yogi-ism.

We're OK now because, before the draft we had nothin', then we added somethin', which is better than nothin'.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I wish they would have picked-up a vet for one of the guard positions. Well, this has already been mentioned many times.

[woodbuck27]

I wish they would have picked-up a vet for one of the guard positions. Well, this has already been mentioned many times.

Yes and so many recognize this area as OUR greatest weakness.

Running the new ZBS means the window of opportunity to add the vet @ guard is narrowing and that is a real concern. The June 1 cuts gave out little at any position, and there's little remaining in FA.

TT will have to either make a trade and that's not his style, or wait for a TC cut and locate a really good option at guard in the new scheme via that route. Are we today going with a wish and a prayer approach, despite all the downplaying, that this scheme is not to hard to learn and that the lineman work together?

We'll see.

[BooHoo]

I wish they would have picked-up a vet for one of the guard positions. Well, this has already been mentioned many times.

My feelings as well. We had the cap money. Evidently, TT felt there was no one available at the right price. I would feel more comfortable beginning the year with a proven vet at guard. Now it is wait and see if the rooks and 2nd year players will play. The same approach as last year (which didn't work out that well).

[Harlan Huckleby]

Hell, bring back Ruegamer. I suppose he signed somewhere. They almost need a guy just for leadership purposes.

[packerpete]

Hell, bring back Ruegamer. I suppose he signed somewhere. They almost need a guy just for leadership purposes.

Reuggie is in NY Giant camp

[The Leaper]

Now it is wait and see if the rooks and 2nd year players will play. The same approach as last year (which didn't work out that well).

Well, this year's rookie crop was selected higher in the draft than guys taken last year...so that SHOULD mean they are more ready to contribute in year one.

There is no need to bring in veterans. This team isn't challenging for a title right now...so figuring out whether or not the kids can play is paramount. Bringing in veterans only inhibits the development of the young guys who need to gain experience. I admit, it is a scary prospect...but it is really the only one that makes sense at this point. If a couple kids pan out, then this team is set to make a very quick recovery.

[woodbuck27]

"Bringing in veterans only inhibits the development of the young guys who need to gain experience. I admit, it is a scary prospect...but it is really the only one that makes sense at this point. If a couple kids pan out, then this team is set to make a very quick recovery." The Leaper

Yes, I think you hit the nail on the head with that assessment 'The Leaper'.

TT is going to use this as more his assesment season, then expect any real positive results. This is only year two of his PLAN that may be 5-7 seasons in duration. He doesn't speak to us about that. What exactly his plan is, as to be open about that, certainly may not be a wise choice.

TT plays his cards close to his chest, and is in my observation guarded in his personality. That isn't a criticism.Yet that does have a tendency to make some nervous. He is what he is. I sense as fans, we have to develop patience with TT's PLAN.

TT is a team development specialist - the guy to choose the pieces of the puzzle for the coaching staff to work with - get game ready. He himself is in the development process as an NFL GM. In all honesty I expect, learning as he goes.

Imagine what this team would be today, if Brett Favre had said good bye.

[woodbuck27]

For the complete picture . Other off season moves by the Packers.


Packers report: Strategy and personnel June 10, 2006


FRANCHISE PLAYER
None.

TRANSITION PLAYER
None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers): S Todd Franz; NT Grady Jackson; WR Andrae Thurman.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
None.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED: OT Kevin Barry; DT Colin Cole; DL Cullen Jenkins; RB Najeh Davenport; LS Rob Davis; WR Rod Gardner; RB Ahman Green; FB William Henderson; CB Jason Horton; DE Aaron Kampman; DL Kenny Peterson.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED
DT Kenderick Allen; WR Marc Boerigter; PK Billy Cundiff; S Marquand Manuel; NT Ryan Pickett; LB Ben Taylor; LB Tracy White; CB Charles Woodson.

PLAYERS LOST
WR/KR Antonio Chatman; LB Na'il Diggs; RB Tony Fisher; C Mike Flanagan; LB Paris Lenon; PK Ryan Longwell; WR Terrence Murphy; QB Craig Nall; G/C Grey Ruegamer; LB Robert Thomas; WR Javon Walker; DT Donnell Washington.

Copyright (C) 2006 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[woodbuck27]

Materal taken from an article appeared on Football Outsiders, in which Tim Murray, an analyst, graphed every NFL starter in 2005 and in which round he was drafted, to determine which round produces the most players at each position.

In essence, skill positions like QB, WR, RB, and OT show very top-heavy graphs, with 40 percent or more of the starters selected in round 1, and around 60 percent of starters at each of these positions from either rounds 1 or 2.

Meanwhile, other positions (such as LB), show far more even distribution curves. At both ILB and OLB, only around 40 percent of all starters were from rounds 1 and 2. Fewer than 50 percent of TEs were from rounds 1 and 2.

Here are Murray’s conclusions most pertinent to GBP Draft 2006:


Address your needs at "Top-Heavy" positions first and foremost, particularly QB, DT, and DE.

Spend late-round picks and undrafted free agent bonuses to collect prospects on offensive line, one dimensional defensive tackles, fullbacks, and special teams. A few of these will work out, and allow you to use your more valuable resources elsewhere.

Linebacker is a position where there never seems to be a shortage of talent. I’m not saying there are 6-foot-2, 230 pound guys that can run a 4.5 on every street corner in America, but there seem to be 10 to 20 in every draft class. The elite guys are set apart by instinct, desire, and hard work. That’s not always easy to identify, so there will be some bargains late in the draft and even some that don’t get drafted. The gifted guys who were extremely productive at the big time programs are the ones that go early and seldom disappoint, so there’s no reason not use an early pick to fill a need at linebacker – just don’t do it at the expense of filling a need at a top heavy position.

“Flat” histograms are found at guard, fullback, and special teams. These are the positions where starters have been found with similar success in all rounds of the draft as well as via undrafted free agents. These are the positions where teams would clearly be better off filing needs with a training camp battle royale of sixth and seventh round picks and UFAs.

(The Planet Theory, in case you don’t know, is recently deceased and longtime Giants GM George Young’s way of describing a freak of nature ) —as in, there are only one or two of these specimens on the planet at any one time, so you have to draft them early. Thus Mario Wiliams went #1 overall.

One thing I haven’t seen mentioned about Murray’s analysis is that it’s as much a portrait of a social phenomenon—football people value certain positions and types of athletes more, therefore they tend to pick and play those athletes more readily.

In fact, TT behaved exactly as Murray recommends—holding a camp battle for guard last year on the assumption that it takes merely a brain stem to play the position, which turned out not to be the case under Sherman and Beightol.

The blowback from that thinking was catastrophic. Brett Favre without two decent guards played to a lower QB rating than Joey Harrington.

Does the picking of OT/G Darryn Colledge and later C/G Jason Spitz = lesson learned?

At the #5 pick, TT may have elected to choose Matt Leinart. I’m not saying Hawk was a bad pick—there are a number of reasons to pick him. But if he turns out to be even merely a very good player, it might still be a chance lost, especially since very good LBs are far more common than QBs or even - 'a special TE' such as Vernon Davis.

When Favre retires — we still just have Rodgers, still at his level of development. So wasn't QB still a need?

[woodbuck27]

Go to this link if you want all the good stuff - 'the dits' on all OUR draft picks,including complete profiles and an overview on each selection:

http://joe.bowman.net/

[Fritz]

One issue people are forgetting is that having higher draft picks does not ensure successful draft picks. By having more picks you've got more chances to find talent. If you made a team out of one year's first round draft, say 1999, here's what some of your team would be:

QB: Tim Couch
RB: Edgerrin James
WR: Torry Holt
WR: David Boston
T: John Tait
T: Luke Pettitgout
G. Damien Woody
G: Matt Stinchcomb

DE: Javon Kearse
DE: Ebenezer Ekuban
DT: Anthony McFarland
DT: Reggie McGrew\
CB: Champ Bailey
CB: Chris McAllister
LB: Chris Claiborne
LB: Andy Katzenmoyer
and your free safety....Antuan Edwards

So how enamoured would you be with that team???