Who Should TT Pick at #9?

[Kyle.McCarroll]

Curry for me. We have a huge need for OLB help now and he's the best on the board. Raji is 2nd.

We have a need for 3-4 OLB's. Curry is far from a 3-4 OLB. No thanks.

[sheepshead]

Do you guys really watch this much college football to have an opinion on everyone of these guys? If so, how do you watch wake, baylor and ol miss enough to make a judgment or am I missing something?

I always think the same thing.

There is no way I could keep track of all this shit.

Some of these guys do it, though.

It's more a question of making a value judgment of what position we need, then going by scouting reports as to who is the best at those spots. A lot of people have had access to these guys, though--Raji in the Senior Bowl, Brown against the Badgers, Jenkins, Vontae Davis, and Maybin in the Big Ten, etc. I have seen Baylor, and their guy wasn't all that impressive. I have seen Orakpo 4 or 5 times, and was not impressed at all. We also have all had the opportunity to see the USC players.

I'd have to say, most of these big names didn't exactly distinguish themselves when I saw them. Raji is the exception, but with him, you have to ask, was he just super-motivated that day to move up and get a lot more money? If so, it worked.

Well, i could see that, except if TT has scouted a guy, met his mom etc etc, who am I to say that wasnt the right pick? I know lots of guys enjoy this time of year, but I dont get it and wont pretend to know more than TT and in particular his staff. I can name guys that I liked in college but I had no way of knowing if the guys that were picked ahead of him were better. So you go to some guys scouting report online and then go to boards and say he's the guy!! Seems like a lot of speculation and you cant possibly make a better pick than TT can. But, thats just me.

[TennesseePackerBacker]

Curry for me. We have a huge need for OLB help now and he's the best on the board. Raji is 2nd.

We have a need for 3-4 OLB's. Curry is far from a 3-4 OLB. No thanks.

Explain. Every site I've seen says he could do both relatively easily.

[Freak Out]

I have no idea.....someone great should be chosen. Any position.

[Joemailman]

The latest McShay mock had Jason Smith going #2, and Raji going #4. That would rattle some assumptions in our little poll. Curry, Jenkins, and Andre Smith were gone as well.

For what it's worth, he had us taking Eugene Monroe - ahead of all the pass rushers. I'd be happy enough with that.

A lot will depend on whether the 2 top QB's (Stafford and Sanchez) get picked early. If they do, then only 4 of the players in this poll will have been picked when the Packers turn comes. The top 3 teams, Detroit, St.Louis and Kansas City, would be the ones likely to be looking for a QB.

[The Shadow]

I am beginnin to get the vague sense that to get BJ (if that's Thompson's intention), he might have to slide up a couple of notches, perhaps at the cost of one of those #3's.

[Lurker64]

I am beginnin to get the vague sense that to get BJ (if that's Thompson's intention), he might have to slide up a couple of notches, perhaps at the cost of one of those #3's.

I would be disappointed if Thompson traded up to get somebody, I dont' really see there as being anybody worth trading up for in this draft. If Raji's there at 9, great. If he's not, then somebody else will be there at 9.

[PackerPro42]

I voted to trade down. I would like Raji at the pick, but in all likely hood he'll be gone. I also wouldn't mind seeing Jenkins, but once again he'll be gone. The only OL of the "top 3" I would like to see the Packers get is Oher, and he has a good chance of being gone too. I'd like to see them trade down a bit, not too far, and pick up Rey. I think he's a bit of a stretch at #9, but from the 15-20 range he'd be a great pick up. Then we could move Barnett to OLB and that would eliminate the need for that position... Just a thought.

[texaspackerbacker]

sheepshead, I didn't mean to suggest I favored taking Raji--just that his great game in the Senior Bowl moved him way up on a lot of charts--which probably means a lot more money for him. I still favor Jenkins or Vontae Davis, and I really don't have a good handle on who Thompson might have in mind. I'm not sure he does at this point, but I agree, he does his homework, and will make a good choice.

[sheepshead]

sheepshead, I didn't mean to suggest I favored taking Raji--just that his great game in the Senior Bowl moved him way up on a lot of charts--which probably means a lot more money for him. I still favor Jenkins or Vontae Davis, and I really don't have a good handle on who Thompson might have in mind. I'm not sure he does at this point, but I agree, he does his homework, and will make a good choice.

I know a lot of guys have fun with the draft. I was in NYC 2 years ago during it. It's a big deal and that's fine. It's one of those things I can't contribute to except maybe by position, but even then I think there is so much more that goes into those decisions that we dont see. Not trying to hijack the thread or anything or harsh anyone's gig.

[SnakeLH2006]

Monroe OT. We need some fresh blood and a mauler to open up the holes at tackle. By 2010, we'll need 2 new OT's anyway.

[Lurker64]

I'd like to see them trade down a bit, not too far, and pick up Rey.

Personally, I think Rey is a 2-down linebacker in this league. He's a run specialist who's going to be a liability in the passing game, and he's pretty much exclusively an inside thumper. He's a fiery physical intimidator, but we already had a very similar player on the roster in Abdul Hodge and couldn't find a place for him to play, even after he was healthy. Plus 2-down run specialists can be found in the later rounds (like Hodge), not ones as good as Maualuga, but guys who are about 75%-90% as effective as run stoppers (Bishop may be close and he's already on the roster). Considering that our ILBs in this scheme are going to be Hawk and Barnett, neither of which have the size to be an OLB in this defense but have perfect size, quickness, and athleticism to play ILB in this scheme, Maualuga just doesn't seem to be a great fit. Not saying he's not going to be a great player, but I don't think he's a great fit here. Particularly since ILB is one of the lowest priority needs on the defense for this offseason, NT, DE, and OLB are significantly higher priorities since we don't need three guys who are first round picks for two ILB spots.

He ought to get drafted by a 4-3 team as a Mike with a scheme that won't give him coverage responsibilities, and then he'll be an amazing player. In terms of "USC Linebackers" Cushing would be a better fit in the Capers defense, in all honesty, but he has all sorts of red flags and is more of a second round guy.

If we were going to trade back into the 15-20 range, I'd think a guy like Tyson Jackson (DE), Peria Jerry (DE), Aaron Maybin (pass rushing OLB), or Knowshon Moreno (who has a chance to be a truly amazing ZBS RB) would be better.

Personally, I hope we just stay at 9 and get the best player there. Of Smith, Smith, Monroe, Raji, Jenkins, and Curry we have a sizeable chance of landing one of them (since one of the QBs and Crabtree are virtually guaranteed to go before we pick, and it's not improbable that somebody takes a DE before we pick, too.) If Smith, Smith, Monroe, Raji, Stafford, Jenkins, Curry, and Crabtree are picks 1-8 (in some order) though, that's a tough position and it would probably be worth trading down with somebody who needs a DE if Thompson isn't high on Oher or one of the pass-rushers. Knowshon might not be an insane pick at that point, though it kind of goes against the ZBS's main advantage of "not requiring premium picks for RBs".

[TheRaven]

I am beginnin to get the vague sense that to get BJ (if that's Thompson's intention), he might have to slide up a couple of notches, perhaps at the cost of one of those #3's.

I would be a bit disappointed if TT traded up just to get a BJ.

[Zool]

I am beginnin to get the vague sense that to get BJ (if that's Thompson's intention), he might have to slide up a couple of notches, perhaps at the cost of one of those #3's.

I would be a bit disappointed if TT traded up just to get a BJ.

Waffle

[Pack-man]

I picked Michael Oher. I've read McShay & Kiper both say he projects more to a solid Guard in the NFL than an OT. Colledge is a tackle, so we move him, and draft Oher and put him at LG.

These guys are crazy, this guy is a LT plain and simple. 6'6 330 beast with quick feet.