With the 9th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft....

[Partial]

Anybody want to post their boards for the Packers of players who are plausibly available at #9?

I'm high on Orakpo, Oher, Curry, and Jenkins. I don't think Maualuga or Monroe are good fits. Raji is an intriguing fit, although I think he's better as a 3-4 nose. Moore and Smith are interesting picks as well. I'm sort of afraid we'll pick Michael Johnson who is in the classic "freakish athlete who just never has performed like he should" mold.

Why don't you like 'luga?

[Partial]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGUc3UL64f0
THIS

Is there any reason not to like the guy? He's got to be up there with Luga, but I don't know anything about his character.

[Lurker64]

Why don't you like 'luga?

He's got a lot of warts. Too often he looks to kill somebody instead of making a tackle and misses a lot of tackles this way. He's too aggressive a lot of time, he essentially always bites on pump fakes and play action. He's not particularly fast and he doesn't have a knack for taking great angles. In my opinion, he's made to look better than he his by playing in a great defense.

He's also not a great fit. Mike is really his only position in the 4-3 given his range. For a 3-4 team he'd be a great fit, as he could play either ILB slot (and have less coverage responsibility as a result). But I don't think he could show up here and be ready to make an impact right away.

He has the potential to be great, I just don't think he's a good fit. Of course, if we change the defensive scheme between then and now, this all might change.

But honestly, the only LB I'd be willing to draft in the first this year is Aaron Curry. Curry can play all three LB positions in the 4-3 and his game is similar to Maualuga's, but better in virtually every way. If we were picking around 17-20 I would see Maualuga as a reasonable pick, but the only LB worthy of top 10 consideration in my opinion is Curry (who's probably top 5, honestly).

Curry, Barnett, and Hawk make this LB corps amazing. Poppinga/Chillar, Barnett/Maualuga, Hawk doesn't wow me.

But, if you're a 3-4 team picking in the top half of the first round, there's a lot to look forward to. Maualuga is a great fit for 3-4 ILB and B.J. Raji is one of those rare 3-4 NTs that are needed to run the scheme effectively.

[Partial]

Why don't you like 'luga?

He's got a lot of warts. Too often he looks to kill somebody instead of making a tackle and misses a lot of tackles this way. He's too aggressive a lot of time, he essentially always bites on pump fakes and play action. He's not particularly fast and he doesn't have a knack for taking great angles. In my opinion, he's made to look better than he his by playing in a great defense.

He's also not a great fit. Mike is really his only position in the 4-3 given his range. For a 3-4 team he'd be a great fit, as he could play either ILB slot (and have less coverage responsibility as a result). But I don't think he could show up here and be ready to make an impact right away.

He has the potential to be great, I just don't think he's a good fit. Of course, if we change the defensive scheme between then and now, this all might change.

But honestly, the only LB I'd be willing to draft in the first this year is Aaron Curry. Curry can play all three LB positions in the 4-3 and his game is similar to Maualuga's, but better in virtually every way. If we were picking around 17-20 I would see Maualuga as a reasonable pick, but the only LB worthy of top 10 consideration in my opinion is Curry (who's probably top 5, honestly).

I'm not trying to be a dick, but I don't think you watch enough USC (they're nationally broadcast ALOT) or you don't know what to look for, because Maulaluga is the best college LB I've seen in years.

To me, his size/speed/thickness combination is exactly what I look for. He's huge for an LB. I wouldn't be surprised for him to weigh in at 260-270. He's really fast, really instinctive, and was clearly born to be a middle linebacker.

[SkinBasket]

I'm not trying to be a dick, but I don't think you watch enough USC (they're nationally broadcast ALOT) or you don't know what to look for, because Maulaluga is the best college LB I've seen in years.

To me, his size/speed/thickness combination is exactly what I look for. He's huge for an LB. I wouldn't be surprised for him to weigh in at 260-270. He's really fast, really instinctive, and was clearly born to be a middle linebacker.

Partial, it is possible to say you disagree with a person without insulting their intelligence. It's not like you've got a lot of football knowledge capital to spend anyway, but it looks like we've got an entire offseason of Partial the Pro Scout to look forward to. What website are you stealing player evaluations from this year and claiming as your own?

[imscott72]

I'd like to see the Packers get Malcolm Jenkns. He may be gone, though, and I would almost prefer Vontae Davis anyway.

None of these DEs mentioned are sure things to be playmakers or even upgrades from what we have. We don't need a first round pick to be our strong side OLB, and the ones mentioned are also not sure things to become star quality players. A super safety, maybe, although there too, what we have when healthy is more than good enough.

The piece of the puzzle we need the most his a Albert Haynesworth-class DT. The best would be to actually get Haynesworth, though, as nobody in the draft is sure or even probable to be that good. B.J. Razi? I don't think so. Draft a couple of oversize guys later, and hope one of them shows more than expected.

The Titans aren't going to let Haynesworth get away. He anchors that defense. They'll either tag him or re-sign.

[sheepshead]

As some of you know I advocate getting out of the first round if possible. But is this the year where we might just be a player or two away? Does TT look at moving up from 9? Is this the year he sees someone to write a big check to in Free Agency? Maybe gets 3 or so defensive starters. Just wondering.

[swede]

i'll tell you one thing about wells. he walked right past me today coming out of the tunnel

he's way to small to be an offensive linemen. he looks like a linebacker

he's not tall, and he has almost no gut

I think Spitz is the starting center next year. He has tons of line experience now and some game experience at center.

If the coaches do any quality control work at all I think it may occur to them that we need to get bigger on the line.

Wells would have made a good lineman in the 60's. This ain't the 60's. You don't buy big fat ounces for fifteen bucks anymore and you don't put a 260 pound player at center in the 21st century NFL.

[swede]

As some of you know I advocate getting out of the first round if possible. But is this the year where we might just be a player or two away? Does TT look at moving up from 9? Is this the year he sees someone to write a big check to in Free Agency? Maybe gets 3 or so defensive starters. Just wondering.

First option is to keep this pick and spend it on D-line, I suppose. The failure of the Harrel pick almost demands this action.

The blown first round pick on Jamaal Reynolds had bad echoes that just kept reverberating. The Jamaal Reynolds pick led to desperate free agency moves (Say it ain't so, Joe!), tons of bad d-line picks, and a stupid contract for Clitidius that hamstrung us further.

Let's hope TT doesn't screw up the draft trying to fix the Harrell problem.

On the bright side, this is NOT TT at the combine:

[BallHawk]

What website are you stealing player evaluations from this year and claiming as your own?

He and about the other half of the forum......

(in b4 mathematically incorrect)

[LL2]

I really do not care who we pick, as long as we get a day 1 starter that is a difference maker. I do not want a player sitting on the bench getting groomed or recovering from a college injury. I will say the player should be on defense, and preferable a DE or DT. Getting a great player in the secondary would good, but we should be fine there the next few years with Woodson, Collins, Williams, and hopefully Rouse will get better.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I really do not care who we pick, as long as we get a day 1 starter that is a difference maker. I do not want a player sitting on the bench getting groomed or recovering from a college injury. I will say the player should be on defense, and preferable a DE or DT. Getting a great player in the secondary would good, but we should be fine there the next few years with Woodson, Collins, Williams, and hopefully Rouse will get better.

Word.

[sheepshead]

I'm just thinking the Lions need about 49 new bodies and I think we need a few starters. Depends who's there, I dont follow the draft and have no opinion on who. Just seems like we are much better then 6-10 , I think we would all agree on that.

[hurleyfan]

ESPN projects the Packers take Gerald McCoy DT from Oklahoma @9

[rbaloha1]

ESPN projects the Packers take Gerald McCoy DT from Oklahoma @9

Any one with info on this guy.