Vote for packerrats 2010 mock draft second round selection

[Bretsky]

I don't think anyone will be upset if we end up with a LT and SS in the first two picks. That fills two needs with apparent best players available.

I will be disappointed. Disappointed that Skin and the other doubters of Bigby and Bush (the Dynamic Duo - Injured and Invidious) will have another arrow in their quiver of scorn. But I won't be upset, since I have NO IDEA if any of these OLBs can actually play and rush the passer at this level. Same with the safeties.

I'm with da Skin on this one

[OS PA]

Enough is enough. I can't watch Ricky Sapp run away with this vote. The video on the guy is poor. He plays with decent enough leverage, but he does not get any push. He is stout at the point of attack, but is lacking in his ability to get to the quarterback. He is also a DE who has played some in a two-point, but that doesn't necessarily translate to a good LOLB. Brad Jones may not be the future, but he wasn't bad. What he lacked in run support and pressure he made up for in pass D. I worry that if we put a collegiate DE back there we'll just have another Kampmanesque liability.

Yes, I too would like another all-pro to be a bookend linebacker with Matthews, but we have to look at other fixes. Capers did not do a great job disguising Matthews blitzes, nor did we get much impact from our DL. The linebacker blitzes are the heart and soul of the 3-4 D, but if your DL is not getting any push then your linebackers behind them won't be doing much. Cullen Jenkins had 4.5 sacks last season and consistently beat his man, which caused them to focus more attention to him. This then allowed Matthews to get by and cause more pressure. The middle and the left side of the DL simply did not hold up their end of the bargain. We did have the best run defense in the league, and up until Al Harris went out we were giving our front 7 enough time to get to the QB, but our nickle and dime defenses simply sucked once we lost a starting corner.

With all this said. We drafted a solid OL in the first. I am not disagreeing that we need an LOLB, but there are more important matters to address.

Atari Bigby is decent when he plays, but we just can't trust him. So we need a competent SS.

It used to be the case that it was important to have competent cornerbacks. Then it was the case that you needed three competent cornerbacks. It's getting to the point where you need four. Last year we had three, and then we had two. The fall off behind Tramon Williams was absolutely horrid. When we had three starting quality corners on the field we were able to put Chuck on the slot and let him wreak havoc. It also let us protect our safeties and gave our front 7 more time to get to the QB. After Al went down we suffered because of it. So we need another competent CB.

Our DL depth is decent, but if one of the big boys goes down, that means one less body to keep everyone else fresh. So we need another competent DE.

We only have two running backs on the roster and neither of them have much in the game-breaking department. So we need a third RB.

We have depth at center, guard, we're developing depth at tackle, we finally have fullbacks that will allow us to keep two instead of three, we have a star tight end and depth behind him, we have star quarterback, but no depth behind him. So what are we left with in the need department?

Lets Recap.

One Corner
One Strong Safety
One Left Outside Linebacker
One Defensive end
One Running back
One Quarterback
One Tackle

I simply don't like Ricky Sapp with this pick. We just missed out on Dexter McCluster, sadly. If we're lucky, we can get a player like Roddrick Muckelroy in the third, but a player that won't last until the third, and a player that will help us in more than one area is flying under the radar right now for some reason.

So I suggest -

Javier Arenas - CB - Alabama

Arenas is a short, well-built player with good athleticism for the position. He is an aggressive player that is a willing run support defender as well as an effective blitzer off the edge. Not a physical tackler due to lack of size but will get ball carriers down. Javier uses his hands well to ward off blockers but again can be inconsistent in this area. He shows great instincts in coverage but lacks good balls skills to make the interception consistently. Arenas understands route progressions well and anticipates break points to make plays on the ball. Arenas will likely be best suited as a nickel back and special team’s contributor as a returner.

[packrulz]

With 27 votes in Ricky Sapp, OLB, Clemson is the winner, time to continue the draft, mission is on the clock...

Overview
After 22 career starts, Clemson had Ricky Sapp play more of a linebacker role in 2009 despite the fact that he was coming off a partially torn ACL in his right knee.

The position switch paid off. Sapp posted career highs in tackles (60) and tackles for loss (15), registering five sacks (tying his career high) and a forced fumble.

The rangy and explosive Sapp has flashed playmaking ability since backing up former the late Gaines Adams. He appeared poised for a breakout season in 2008, tying his career high with 10 tackles for loss at defensive end, before partially tearing the ACL in his right knee. Sapp's 10 tackles for loss in 2008 came in just 347 snaps, as opposed to the 620 at the same position in 2007.

Though he had 16 career sacks, Sapp's explosive first step makes him one of the more intriguing pass rushers of the 2010 draft. He'll struggle to add the weight necessary to remain at defensive end in the 4-3 scheme and isn't experienced enough for most teams running this alignment to project him to linebacker. He's best suited to be a rush linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. Only his injury history may keep him out of the top 50 selections.

Analysis
Read & React: Appears to have the instincts to handle the transition to linebacker. Has been asked to primarily rush the passer as a defensive end, but quickly locates the ball and has the agility and acceleration to change direction. Hustles downfield in pursuit.

Run defense: Lacks the bulk necessary to stack and shed as a defensive end. Can get bulled over in the running game and relies on his lateral agility and swim move to get past blocks, but too often takes himself out of the play. To his credit, Sapp hustles downfield and makes many of his plays in pursuit, showing the straight-line speed and agility necessary to move to linebacker.

Pass defense: Intriguing potential, despite his limited experience in coverage. Has a rare combination of straight-line speed and agility for his size. Drops into coverage as a zone defender from his defensive end position and shows good balance and the agility to re-direct in space. Good straight-line speed.

Tackling: Effective drag-down tackler from behind. Wraps up securely when taking on ballcarriers laterally or head-on. Flashes explosiveness as a hitter, but too often is a catch tackler. Needs to add strength, especially in his upper body.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Natural pass rusher. Experienced standing up and with his hand on the ground. Explosive burst and good flexibility to get under the tackle's reach and around the edge. Active hands and a good swim move to get past the initial blocker. Lacks strength to bull rush NFL offensive tackles. Relies on his agility to get past the blocker. Struggles to disengage once tied up.

Intangibles: Better athlete than football player. Will require an extensive Combine medical check after multiple injuries while at Clemson, including a partially torn ACL in his right knee in 2008. Top prep prospect who signed with Clemson over Oklahoma, Florida State and Georgia. Three-year South Carolina regional champion in the 100 meter (10.76), 200 meter (21.0), and 4x100 meter relay in high school.

Positives: Lanky build with plenty of room for additional muscle mass, especially in his upper body.

Negatives: Often generates pressure off the edge, but only has 12.5 sacks in 33 games. Lacks strength at the point of attack. Lacks the bulk to stack and shed blocks when properly engaged.

NFL Comparison: DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys

[Brandon494]

Lets Recap.

One Corner
One Strong Safety
One Left Outside Linebacker
One Defensive end
One Running back
One Quarterback
One Tackle

I simply don't like Ricky Sapp with this pick. We just missed out on Dexter McCluster, sadly. If we're lucky, we can get a player like Roddrick Muckelroy in the third, but a player that won't last until the third, and a player that will help us in more than one area is flying under the radar right now for some reason.

So I suggest -

Javier Arenas - CB - Alabama

Check out this draft, it covered every position you mentioned.

http://packerrats.com/ratchat/viewtopic.php?t=20331

[bigcoz75]

Yippee an arm tackling OLB who shys away from contact. I'd love to see how the Barnett haters would react after seeing this guy if he was really the pick.

[mission]

Where are you guys getting your info Morgan Burnett?

NFL.com gave him a grade of 2.8 on their site.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2010/tracke...sition-input:s

From living about 3 minutes from the Georgia Tech campus, going to three games and watching a few more on television. The guy is everywhere around the ball on one of the shittiest defenses I've seen on a "major" team. Him and Morgan were by far the only players they had.

[RashanGary]

Good thing Ted is our GM, not us.

[Brandon494]

Good thing Ted is our GM, not us.

No kidding, drafting a FS in the second round when we already have a pro bowl FS we just resigned to a mutli year deal.

[Fritz]

If we were the GM we'd lose our picks because we couldn't agree.

[packrulz]

If we were the GM we'd lose our picks because we couldn't agree.

Just think what the real "war rooms" are like.

[Fritz]

Good point. And can you imagine you crappy you'd feel if you were a scout and you pounded the table for player X, and after a big blowup and fight you got your way - and then in his first year it becomes embarrassingly apparent the guy sucks? And what if the guy the other scout wanted bad played really great his first year?

Man, if you were a young scout and that was your first big "influence" your career would almost be over before it began.

Speaking of young scouts, I wonder how Evan Wolf is doing? I bet the kid was watching and breaking down game film when he was three.

[swede]

If we were the GM we'd lose our picks because we couldn't agree.

Just think what the real "war rooms" are like.

My impression has been that the TT war room plans out any acrimony.

There may be acrimony and table-pounding as the draft board is set and adjusted. I'm guessing TT listens to his scouts and explains why he wants to put one player over another. Their input is critically important and their views need to be trusted and respected, but in the end--and before the draft--players have to be stacked in a vertical order that makes sense according to some agreed-upon logic. When there are clusters of players the team has decided hold a similar value then TT will consider trades that allow more picks but ensure that he will get at least one player from the cluster of potential picks.

Make a plan. Stick to it. No table-pounding.

I don't know what happened in 2007. But I'm guessing that either TT listens to his scouts a lot more or a lot less since then.

[Fritz]

You're pretty smart for a primate, Swede. Heck, you're pretty smart for a person.

[swede]

I eat right, exercise, and get monolithic now and again.

[Fritz]

I thought you got paleolithic sometimes, too.