Hawk, Victim of V-Bob's Scheme? Hero under Dom?

[Tarlam!]

I looked back at this thread: http://packerrats.com/ratchat/viewto...=16880&start=0 and asked myself, why was Hawk so successful at Ohio and coveted when he was drafted, but in the words of WIST became, a JAG for the Packers. http://football.about.com/od/nationa...e/p/ajhawk.htm

One would expect a #5 overall to at least sniff around a Pro Bowl berth, but no, A.J. is a long way away.

Was Vanilla Bob's role for A.J. to blame? As I understand it, the OLBs were expected to flush runners into the middle for the Mike to eventually tackle.

Wasn't A.J. used in a lot of Ohio blitz packages really successfully? IIRC, he was praised for his instinctive play in college.

And will Dom Capers be able to get A.J.'s level of play to where we fans expected it to be? What needs to happen for A.J.'s lights to go on?

[pittstang5]

Hawk and Kampman are two players I'm really interested in seeing how they do in this new scheme. I think all the reports I've seen have Hawk playing one of the middle positions, which may not have as much glory compared to an OLB that rushes the passer. But I'm more interested in seeing if Capers uses him in blitz packages.

[wist43]

I'm thinking he will be better... and it's no secret I absolutely despised that POS scheme they were running.

That said, Hawk is what he is... an average, to maybe slightly above average LB. He'll make the tackles in front of him, but don't expect him to make many plays.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think Hawk was good (not great but better than average) his first two years--just wasn't asked to do a lot of different things. He had a bad year last year. The reason? I'm guessing it had a lot to do with his two injuries.

[Dylan McKay]

Injuries to the defensive line also had a lot to do with the poor play of the linebackers this year. Barnett took a beating before he got hurt, and Hawk was playing extremely well the first weeks of the season and then everything fell apart for him and the defense.

I have no idea how well Hawk is going to play in the new system.

[Tarlam!]

I think Hawk was good (not great but better than average) his first two years--just wasn't asked to do a lot of different things. He had a bad year last year. The reason? I'm guessing it had a lot to do with his two injuries.

OK, but Hawk was dominant in college, a game winner, an impact player. Why hasn't it translated to the pros? I mean, not at all.

He's "only" above average.

[Gunakor]

I think Hawk was good (not great but better than average) his first two years--just wasn't asked to do a lot of different things. He had a bad year last year. The reason? I'm guessing it had a lot to do with his two injuries.

OK, but Hawk was dominant in college, a game winner, an impact player. Why hasn't it translated to the pros? I mean, not at all.

He's "only" above average.

For being a guy who was routinely asked to eat up blocks so that Barnett could run free to make plays in the old system, he sure racked up alot of tackles. That tells me he's better than average at both eating up blocks and shedding them to make plays himself.

He did the job he was asked to do and then some, it just wasn't the job the FANS asked of him (being the #5 overall pick). In this new aggressive scheme Capers brings, and figuring that his chest/groin injuries are healing properly this offseason, I expect Hawk will be a beast to gameplan around this season. He's better than average against the run, and he can blitz. The difference between Hawk last year and Hawk this year is going to be staggering, so long as he stays healthy.

[rbaloha1]

Hawk was overrated in college along with an overrated Big 10.

Another example of an athlete with great combine numbers that does not transfer to consistent pro bowl performance.

AJ is best running sideline to sideline not taking on blockers. What a disappointment.

[Tarlam!]

Well, there is clearly no agreement on Hawk if i take the last two posts in isolation.

I am very, very confused on Hawk now.

[Dylan McKay]

Hawk was overrated in college along with an overrated Big 10.

Another example of an athlete with great combine numbers that does not transfer to consistent pro bowl performance.

AJ is best running sideline to sideline not taking on blockers. What a disappointment.

I could say the same about Ray Lewis. Just saying.

[Gunakor]

Hawk was overrated in college along with an overrated Big 10.

Another example of an athlete with great combine numbers that does not transfer to consistent pro bowl performance.

AJ is best running sideline to sideline not taking on blockers. What a disappointment.

And yet taking on blockers is exactly what he's done so well since he's been drafted. He's never been a sideline to sideline player as long as he's been here. I'm not sure what you were looking at. Taking on blockers was his primary responsibility since the day he was drafted, and he did a fantastic job at it. Just look at Nick Barnett's total tackles in 2006 and 2007 (when he and AJ were both healthy) to realize just how well AJ ate up blocks.

Are you that unwilling to accept the possibility that AJ's lack of impact plays for our team could very well be an unfortunate result of the role he was asked to play? That being asked to do grunt work like eating blocks so other players could make impact plays might have something to do with the lack of impact plays Hawk himself made? That a change in role might just allow Hawk to meet and exceed the expectations of a #5 overall pick?

[cheesner]

Re: Hawk, Victim of V-Bob's Scheme? Hero under Dom?

Hawk still has a chance to be a great player. He is good now, above average, but I am hoping he makes more of an impact this year.

This is a guy who has it all. He is more athletic than this years superstud rookie Curry. He has great instincts, and loves the game. Why this hasn't translated to more impact plays on the field, I am not sure why. Is it the way he was being used? Did he need a few years to adapt? Not sure, but I hope he steps up to the next level this year.

[Noodle]

One thing that Hawk does not get enough credit for is how sure he is in the tackle. He almost never whiffs, and when you have to face AD/AP at least twice a year, a sure-tackling LB is huge.

I think Hawk has the same "problem" that fans see in Barnett: They never blow anybody up. These guys wrap up and usually hit at the waist or below, but you rarely see them just destroy some guy, separating man from ball, helmet, and will to live.

But I'm ok with that. Let Bigby do the smacking. I want my LBs to make a sure, sound tackle at or near the LOS.

[The Leaper]

Hawk is a solid player...and I think he will have more ability to make plays in this scheme than the old one. We need some stout bodies up front to let him and Barnett run wild though...plenty of stout bodies.

[Fritz]

Ideally, I'd like to see two early round d-linemen drafted, and maybe a "project" guy later. That would shore things up, provide competition and be insurance in case of injury.