The official 2009 DRAFT thread

[esoxx]

I'm thrilled with the pick. The Packers have the Midas Touch when it comes to B.J. picks. Why I remember just five yrs ago when a hot shot from OSU took the NFL by storm. B.J. Sander was the straw that stirred the drink. He could do more thi... er, never mind.

[Rastak]

Broncos take Knowshon Moreno - not a bad pick actually....but they need defense...


Overall Football Traits

Production 1 Redshirted in 2006. Played in all 13 games (six starts) as a redshirt freshman in 2007, when he rushed for 1,334 yards and 14 scores on 248 carries. Started all 13 games as a third-year sophomore in 2008, rushing for 1,400 yards and 16 scores on 250 carries. In two seasons combined, he hauled in 53 passes for 645 yards and two scores. Only the second Georgia running back to rush for 1,000-plus yards in consecutive seasons; Hershel Walker did it three consecutive season.

Height-Weight-Speed 3 Adequate height and bulk but will need to get bigger and stronger to hold up in the NFL. Is quicker than fast. Top-end speed is adequate but not great.

Durability 3 His reckless running style and undersized frame creates legitimate concern regarding his long-term durability in the NFL. Got nicked up at times and played through a knee injury early in 2008, but he did not miss a game in two seasons of carrying the load for the Bulldogs. Still lots of tread left on his tires.

Character 1 Immediately took over as a team leader when he cracked the starting lineup as a freshman in 2007. Not a vocal leader but leads by example. Great practice player. Ultra competitive. His relentless style of play is infectious.

Running Back specific Traits

Competitiveness 1 Competitiveness and effort is outstanding in every aspect of the game. Not very big or overpowering as a runner, but he runs hard, uses good pad level and bounces off of a lot of would-be-tacklers like a pinball. Feet are seemingly always moving. Displays good ball security. Plays the game with a non-stop motor.

Vision 2 Decisive runner. Doesn't dance in the backfield. Only issue here is that he tends to bounce some runs outside when it's unnecessary. He displays excellent peripheral vision in the open field, though. Knows when he has the angle as a runner and when it's time to cut against the grain.

Explosiveness 2 Very good initial quickness. Bursts through the line of scrimmage. Shows some elusiveness in space. Will make defenders miss more often than not when in one-on-one situations. Only concern in this facet of his game is the lack of an elite second-gear. He gets from 0-to-60 miles-per-hour very quickly but that's where he tops off.

Balance/Change-of-Directions 2 Is shifty. Displays a very good center of gravity. Doesn't give defenders much of a target to hit. His balance is exceptional. Shows rare ability to take a hit, recover before a knee/elbow touches the turf, and then quickly regain his burst heading north. (see: 3rd quarter TD run with 13:04 remaining versus Vanderbilt). Moreno also makes himself small behind the offensive line and is very difficult to find because he changes direction and gets up-the-field so quickly.

Passing Game 2 Underrated receiver. Good instincts as a route runner. Soft hands. Can adjust to poorly thrown ball. Can find the ball over his shoulder (see: TD reception versus Michigan State in Capital One Bowl) and also can catch the ball thrown over his head. Aggressive in pass pro. Looks to initiate contact. Is a bit undersized and will be overmatched physically on occasion, but he's willing and tough. Mixes in effective cut blocks and keeps blitzers guessing.

[BZnDallas]

BJs are GOOOOD!!... anybody that disagrees with this statement needs a new g/f or wife!!!

[Packnut]

Need

Ok Mr TT. Now that after all these drafts of me bitching about need, you FINALLY come around to my way of thinking................


OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

[Bretsky]

Re: Drink

Ok, anyone drinking with me raise your glass and toast Teddy!

One big group toast at exactly 4:30 pm CST

added a special finger towards TTT

Honestly this pick was alright; certainly better then Oher

[RashanGary]

This was the #1 guy on my board. I love this pick.


Raji has natural leverage
Of guys Raji's height and natural leverage, very few can carry this type of weight to anchor
Of the squatty, powerful guys that can carry the weight, even fewer can move the way Raji can


When you have a bad season, this is the exact type of rare piece that you need to add to make it worth it.

[gbpackfan]

TT talking live on packers.com

What did he say? He couldn't pass on a guy called BJ?

That's right. BJ he has to take! But he said he had no problems passing up a TJ!

[Joemailman]

Re: Drink

Ok, anyone drinking with me raise your glass and toast Teddy!

One big group toast at exactly 4:30 pm CST

Im cracking a beer now.

Nothing like a Fat Squirrel on draft day.

[Fosco33]

Forgot that Jag was the BC coach - something tells me there was some inside confidence with that pick.

TT just called the fans soft. He made a joke -


Now - get back to the work.

[Badgerinmaine]

What grade did Mel Kiper give TT?

Didn't see the grade, but in the coverage before the pick he was emphatic that Raji was the pick they should make.

[Bretsky]

Crabtree at 10 is by far the best pick in the draft so far...

How can you be excited about Raji as a 5 snap a game player?!? Starting NT only plays 20ish snaps a game according to Waldo. Awful pick imo.

right, just because he's a monkey wearing glasses doesn't mean he is setting our depth chart

So you have Pickett, a very solid player, as a 5 snap a game player? I don't understand this logic at all.

This guy doesn't fit. We don't have a huge need at NT. We had a glaring need at DE. We've made a rich position richer, but passed on a rare talent in Crabtree.

Again, Pickett is gone next year. Buh bye. Then what?

Why is the assumption Pickett is gone ??????/

[wist43]

So... how many snaps a game do you expect out of this pick? I expect about 5. Awful awful awful pick.

Partial...

Raji can play anywhere on the line... assume they'll be in a four man line in a lot of passing situations - Raji will be lined up at one of the DT spots...

This is a very good pick... Raji is more than just a NT.

Brace on the other hand... he is strictly a NT... IMO, I doubt Raji has to come off the field much at all, except to get a blow.

Love this pick...

I'm not confident Raji can excel as a DE

Not talking about Raji as a 4-3 pass rushing End... he can certainly play DE in a 3-4, although not full time.

Raji is great pick IMO.

[Rastak]

Skins take Orakpo....




Overall Football Traits

Production 1 2004: Orakpo redshirts. 2005-'07: Orakpo plays in 47 career games (21 starts) and notches 90 tackles, 19 TFL, 10.5 sacks, 32 pressures, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. 2008: Orakpo starts all 12 games in which he plays, missing one (Baylor) due to knee injury. He registers 42 tackles, 19 TFL, 11.5 sacks, two passes defended, 30 pressures and four forced fumbles. Earns first team All-American honors, as well as first team All-Big 12 honors during the 2008 season. Also awarded the Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player) and the Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman) last season.

Height-Weight-Speed 2 Possesses adequate height and bulk for a DE. Absolutely chisled physique and looks the part of an elite NFL DE/OLB. Top-end speed is in upper echelon of his position, as well.

Durability 4 Sprained right knee during 2007 opener (Arkansas State) was an early setback. He missed the next four games as a result but did finish the season strong, including two sacks vs. ASU in Holiday Bowl. 2008: Misses Baylor game and plays sparingly versus Kansas due to left knee sprain. Also suffered hamstring strain at the Combine but recovered fully in time for late-March Pro Day workout.

Character 3 No off-the-field issues. Works hard off-the-field, particularly in the weight room. Is a confident player but would like to see his motor run more consistently.

Defensive End specific Traits

Agility/Quickness 2 Very good agility and foot quickness. Excellent first-step quickness and closing burst. Shows good body control. Fluidity is good for his size but not elite for a potential 3-4 OLB.
Strength/Toughness 2 Stronger in the upper body than he is in the lower body. Explosive upper-body power. Can bench press 500-plus pounds and notched 31 reps (standard 225lbs) at the combine. Lacks ideal lower-body strength, though. Struggles to anchor at times versus bigger OL that can get into his body.

Instincts 2 Snap anticipation is inconsistent. Otherwise, he shows good overall awareness as a player. Seems to find the ball quickly in the backfield. Also does a good job of getting his arms up as a pass rusher in order to bat passes down when he doesn't get to the QB in time.

Pass Rusher 1 Technique needs some refining. But he has elite natural pass-rushing skills. Explodes off the line and bends the corner nicely. Displays excellent closing burst to the QB. He's agile and can smoothly change directions on double moves. Also shows jarring punch to knock OT's off balance.

Run Stopper 2 Lacks ideal base and will occasionally struggle when teams run at him. Bigger OT's can move him if they get into his body. However, he is an effective run stopper when he stays on the move. Much improved in this area. Does a good job of using his strong arms and quick hands to keep blockers off his pads temporarily. Shows awareness and is a strong tackler.

[retailguy]

Hey, who remembers the last 1st round QB that was drafted and sat for 1 or 2 years that flopped? Are the odds better?

[Bretsky]

Crabtree at 10 is by far the best pick in the draft so far...

How can you be excited about Raji as a 5 snap a game player?!? Starting NT only plays 20ish snaps a game according to Waldo. Awful pick imo.

right, just because he's a monkey wearing glasses doesn't mean he is setting our depth chart

So you have Pickett, a very solid player, as a 5 snap a game player? I don't understand this logic at all.

This guy doesn't fit. We don't have a huge need at NT. We had a glaring need at DE. We've made a rich position richer, but passed on a rare talent in Crabtree.

Raji can play DE. Or is your man crush on Crabtree blind you?

You have no more evidence to suggest he can play DE than somebody who says he can not ; if you look at him physically a guy of his size is not normally a DE in the 3-4