Packers sign fourth-round pick Blackmon

[green_bowl_packer]

GREEN BAY, Wis. The Green Bay Packers signed cornerback Will Blackmon today. He was the team's second of two fourth-round picks in the N-F-L draft.
Blackmon is coming from Boston College. He was the 115th overall selection in the draft. He sprained his foot during an optional workout with the team in May.

He's the fourth Green Bay draft selection to sign, joining defensive end Dave Tollefson, defensive tackle Johnny Jolly and safety Tyrone Culver.

A three-year starter and two-time all-conference selection, Blackmon began his collegiate career at cornerback before switching to wide receiver his senior season.

[Deputy Nutz]

There is a lot of talent in that young man's body, hopefully he can find a position and learn the skills to go along with that talent. Probably the best kick returner on the team

[Joemailman]

Cornerback | Senior | Boston College Will Blackmon
Height: 6-0 1/4 | Weight: 198 | 40-Time: 4.46

Official Bio

Strengths:
Very smooth and an outstanding natural athlete...Good speed and quickness with a burst...Has fluid hips and good feet...Aggressive and a solid tackler who isn't afraid to come up and support the run...Has excellent ball skills and is a major threat when he does get his hands on the rock...Versatile and can help a team in many ways...Is also a premier return man...Hard worker and team player.

Weaknesses:
Lost a year of development at corner as a senior and might need to prove himself to scouts again...Needs to get stronger...Is much better in man coverage than he is in zone...Needs to focus on one position and refine his overall technique...Will take too many risks and give up some big plays...Needs to be more physical.

Notes:
Moved to the offensive side of the ball in 2005 and was the teams leading receiver...His future at the pro level will likely be at cornerback...Interesting prospect who at the absolute least will be a big contributer on special teams.




You kind of wonder how high this guy might have been drafted if he had not been switched to WR last year. He is probably at best our #4 CB. However, his return skills should earn him a spot on the roster.

[woodbuck27]

There is a lot of talent in that young man's body, hopefully he can find a position and learn the skills to go along with that talent. Probably the best kick returner on the team

Yup. The video of him on yahoo sports 'the 2006 college draft' blows me away.

He really has some shake - ala Reggie Bush in alot of ways. Very athletic, versatile as well. CB/WR/KR/PR

I really love that pick.

[green_bowl_packer]

Obviously a very talented guy, hopefully he can heel up in time for camp.

According to ESPN's Len Pasquarelli the Green Bay Packers have signed cornerback Will Blackmon, a fourth-round draft choice from Boston College, to a four-year, $2.043 million contract.

Blackmon received a signing bonus of $433,500 and minimum base salaries for each of the four years of the contract. He can increase his base salary for 2009 through an "escalator" that is based on playing time and performance levels. Blackmon was the latter of the Packers' two selections in the fourth round and is the fourth of the team's league-high 12 picks in 2006 to come to contract terms.

The 107th prospect chosen overall, Blackmon had an unusual college career, playing cornerback for his first three seasons before switching to wide receiver as a senior. The Packers plan to use Blackmon at cornerback and feel that he can compete for the top nickel job as a rookie.

He did suffer a setback this spring when he sustained a foot injury that sidelined him for much of Green Bay's offseason program. But if he is healthy for the start of training camp, the staff expects Blackmon to vie for playing time in the secondary and perhaps contribute as a return man, too.

Blackmon has good size (6-feet-0 1/4, 198 pounds), has been clocked in the mid-4.4s in the 40, and seems to possess natural cover instincts.

On defense, where he started 22 games after playing in a reserve role as a freshman, Blackmon had 141 tackles, eight interceptions, 22 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two recoveries. In his senior season as wide receiver, he registered 51 catches for 763 yards and four touchdowns.

For his career, he returned 50 punts for a 10.1-yard average and one touchdown. He averaged 24.6 yards and scored one touchdown on 114 kickoff returns. Blackmon ranked in the top five players in NCAA history for kickoff return yards and the two-time all-conference performer finished his career with 3,995 all-purpose yards.


Blackmon signs, but Packers must wait

By Mike Vandermause
PackersNews.com

Fourth-round draft choice Will Blackmon signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers on Friday, but when the Boston College cornerback will be ready to practice remains uncertain.

Blackmon broke a foot on May 21, the final day of the Packers’ second offseason minicamp, and there’s been speculation he won’t be able to work out with the team until the middle of August at the earliest.

The 6-foot, 198-pounder is the fourth of 12 draft picks to sign with the Packers. He looked impressive in the Packers’ first minicamp in early May after being drafted 115th overall as the second of two fourth-round picks.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy disclosed Blackmon’s injury 10 days after it occurred. At the time, McCarthy said he hoped Blackmon would be ready to practice by the start of training camp on July 28.

“He had foot surgery and there’s a little, I’ll say, debate as far as how long he’s out,” McCarthy said at the time. “He had a break of his fifth metatarsal and he’s in rehab.”

Blackmon didn’t practice during the Packers’ organized team activities from May 31 to June 21, and there were indications he might miss a significant portion of training camp.

General Manager Ted Thompson was out of the office late Friday afternoon and unavailable for comment. Terms of Blackmon’s contract were not immediately available.

Blackmon, a cornerback and wide receiver in college, will play cornerback for the Packers.

The Packers’ other signed draft picks are defensive tackle Johnny Jolly and safety Tyrone Culver, both sixth-rounders, and defensive end Dave Tollefson, a seventh-rounder.

[Carolina_Packer]

I hope he heals quickly. The Packers WR corps could really use him.

[swede]

I hope he heals quickly. The Packers WR corps could really use him.

... I think Charles Woodson has the cornerback that takes snaps at WR spot all sewn up. Mr. Blackmon needs to impress at d-back.



I am so very ready for fresh faces and fresh new attitudes on defense and special teams.

Brewers are slumping again for the 14th season in a row. Training Camp cannot come too soon.

[PackerPro42]

The packers will be using Blackmon at Corner and punt returner because he only played one season as a WR and it wasn't vey sucsessful.

[green_bowl_packer]

He was second team all-conference in only his first year at WR, but getting back to the team quickly and returning some punts is what we really need. We need him to be someone who can do more than fair-catch the ball and return one for a TD more than once in 3 years like Chatman.

http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112905aac.html

[Patler]

The packers will be using Blackmon at Corner and punt returner because he only played one season as a WR and it wasn't vey sucsessful.

The Packers have said he will be a DB, but I wouldn't say his one season as a WR wasn't very successful. He was the leading receiver on the team with 51 receptions for 763 yards four touchdowns.

Perhaps the Packers will finally have a corner who will come up with more than just a couple interceptions. In college he started 22 games on defense, deflected 14 passes and had 8 interceptions. He seems to have some ball skills that we don't see in the other DBs.

[Bretsky]

It's easier to find a ballhawk than appearances. I think Butler and Sharper were the last two really good ballhawking safeties we had. Nick Collins seems to play the ball well and get a great jump on the ball but he wasn't making the catches last year. Harris is alright at CB; I think Woodsen might have the natural skills. If Carroll had those skills he'd be much closer to a legit CB.

[privatepacker]

Premium Returner

Since Rolle, we haven't had that guy who could break open a tight game with a return. That's where he comes in. Doesn't have to be considered a starter as CB. First post, and enjoy your website.

[privatepacker]

Premium Returner

Since Rolle, we haven't had that guy who could break open a tight game with a return. That's where he comes in. Doesn't have to be considered a starter as CB. First post, and enjoy your website.

[MJZiggy]

Re: Premium Returner

Since Rolle, we haven't had that guy who could break open a tight game with a return. That's where he comes in. Doesn't have to be considered a starter as CB. First post, and enjoy your website.

Welcome to the Madhouse. Hopefully he can give us a spark 'cause we need one.

[4and12to12and4]

Is there a site that you can see year by year stats of individual players from past years? Like, for instance, I want to see what Leroy Butler did each year in terms of interceptions. Is there any sites that will show me this information? In Packers.com I saw the interception leaders year by year, but I'm looking for a site where I can punch in any current or past packer players and see all their stats on a year to year basis. Does anyone know where I can get this info?