Abdul Hodge, Donald Lee may start

[Partial]

merriman is a fucking beast. he was 270 last year and ran 4.5? 4.4? this season, he put on 10 more lbs of muscle and lost fat and is also doing boxing cross training. i fear for AFC West runningbacks just ask priest holmes.

anyways, hodge may not be a merriman but i hope he gets on the field and smack around the opposing offense a bit

Merimann was like 252 and ran a 4.61 and a 4.66. He's great, and to think that Hawk is an even better prospect is just scary.

[PackerPro42]

I think the packers got a steal when they drafted Hodge in the third round. If he had some stronger combine numbers he would have been a first rounder no doubt. You have to remember he was one of the top middle linebacker prospects and had better stas the Greenway at Iowa. Greenway still got drafted in the first round and I think Hodge is way better than him, don't you?

[Rastak]

I think the packers got a steal when they drafted Hodge in the third round. If he had some stronger combine numbers he would have been a first rounder no doubt. You have to remember he was one of the top middle linebacker prospects and had better stas the Greenway at Iowa. Greenway still got drafted in the first round and I think Hodge is way better than him, don't you?

I agree he was a steal and a great pick for the Packers. Better than Greenway? I'm not sure, they don't exactly play the same role. Greenway is pretty good in coverage, I'm not sure that's his forte. It really depends on how you each team uses the player, plus success in college doesn't always equal success in the pros, so that goes for Greenway, Hodge and Hawk.

[Partial]

Lets make sure we don't forget that 6'0" 223 Jonathan Vilma is a pro-bowl quality player. He is a little faster than Hodge in the 40, but I don't think that translates to much success. I think Hodge is going to be an awesome MLB since he's just a bad dude that likes to hit.

[Tony Oday]

I love the players that play pissed off. The ones that get mad when the RB gets a yard! I love those hard nose biatches!!!

[PackerPro42]

I agree he was a steal and a great pick for the Packers. Better than Greenway? I'm not sure, they don't exactly play the same role. Greenway is pretty good in coverage, I'm not sure that's his forte. It really depends on how you each team uses the player, plus success in college doesn't always equal success in the pros, so that goes for Greenway, Hodge and Hawk.[/quote]


Hey everyone, you should listen to this guy. "Sucess doesn't equal sucess in the pros." Then why is everyone so excited about Jennings? He put up good numbers and no one is scipticle about him.

[wist43]

Hodge is 6' tall... how many 6' LB'ers are effective on the blitz??? Most good blitzers are tall and rangy with long arms, ala Shawn Merriman, et al.

Lawrence Taylor was 6'3", Bryce Paup 6'5", etc... Some shorter LB'ers can rack up some decent sack numbers, but those come about as a result of scheme and timing as opposed to just sending the guy off the edge and counting on him to defeat the block with a combination of speed, quickness, and strength. To accomplish that, a pass rushing LB needs long arms and height to present the threat of being able to get over the top. The Packers have no one that fits that description.

linebackers do blitz from the middle too, you know....

Don't confuse blitzing with a "pass rusher"... LeRoy Butler was an effective blitzer from the safety position, but I don't think anyone would argue he was a great "pass rusher".

Taylor, Paup, and Merriman are great pass rushers... they're all tall, rangy, and get over the top on Tackles. That's my point in making the differentiation between them and guys like Singletary or Hodge.

[The Shadow]

I also think Hodge was a very solid pickup. Before, any linebacker injury would mean the likes of a Paris Lenon, Hannibal Navies, Robert Thomas, etc.
With Hodge, Popinga, and Manning, I feel considerably better.
Lee, to me, has intriguing possibilities. He could turnout to be what Martin was SUPPOSED to be.

[mraynrand]

Wist,

Interesting point about the 49ers starting three rookies at DB. Lott Wright and Williamson were rookie starters if I remember correctly, and Hicks was in his thrid year (and what a year - 9 picks one for a TD and a fumble recovery for a TD). I know that the three rookies played in almost every game, but I don't think all three were starters until late in the season. Still, that has to be one of the biggest turnarounds at a single 'position' (db) ever.

Interesting trivia point - Ray Rhodes played his final season for SF in 1980 as a DB (orginally he was a WR) and had just one INT. I think he became an assistant secondary coach for all those rookies in 1981.

[SD GB fan]

Hey everyone, you should listen to this guy. "Sucess doesn't equal sucess in the pros." Then why is everyone so excited about Jennings? He put up good numbers and no one is scipticle about him.

cos he run good routes, catches well, and is pretty explosive

[Harlan Huckleby]

cos he run good routes, catches well, and is pretty explosive

he doesn't do nothin till he does it.

[woodbuck27]

I think the packers got a steal when they drafted Hodge in the third round. If he had some stronger combine numbers he would have been a first rounder no doubt. You have to remember he was one of the top middle linebacker prospects and had better stas the Greenway at Iowa. Greenway still got drafted in the first round and I think Hodge is way better than him, don't you?

From what I've seen of Abdul Hodge on video I feel we acquired a really fine player in Abdul Hodge. He is all about hustle and taking down the man with the ball.We IMO stole this fine football player and my guts tell me we will enjoy his play for many seasons.

wausaupackerpro42 you are now a member of a great Packer Forum and giverrrr man !

Welcome aboard.