Bryan Bulaga

[Lurker64]

Wow, check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DYk6GzwHC4

Forget about him getting beat the first play, pretty sure that was first game of the year against Graham. There are at least 10 plays in there where he's pushing a guy 10 yards down the field. He looks nasty as hell, never stops. I bet his play will light a fire under Colledge's ass.

I haven't really watched much on Buluga only because I didn't think we had a chance at him.

I did root against them when they played Georgia Tech and I thought he completely stonewalled Derrick Morgan who I was rooting for to tare it up. That's when I just assumed he was a top 14 guy.

Not super sexy, was somehow hoping for Graham but you gotta like our depth on the line a lot more now. I wonder how the lineup will shake out...

Can't wait for tomorrow

I think Bulaga gets knocked too much for his bad play when he was coming back from Thyroiditis. I think the Bulaga from 2008 and the one that shut down Derrick Morgan in the Orange Bowl is a lot closer to the one that we're going to get. Unless this guy is somehow more susceptible to viral infections, somehow...

[CaliforniaCheez]

The guy is young. 21 last month. Younger than my son 21 in Feb.

He is still getting stronger. I don't expect too much as a rookie.
(Remember between April and August these "great prospects" turn into "dumb rookies")

A couple of offseasons of lifting weights and working on technique he will become great.

Mike Wahle came to the Packers this young and people hated him as a rookie. Finley was very immature as a rookie but made huge progress by year 2.

Let's not think he is too great now. Give him a year or two.

On the other hand the Packers got the only A+ at this site:
http://www.draftseason.com/live-2010...-round-grades/

[Gunakor]

On the other hand the Packers got the only A+ at this site:
http://www.draftseason.com/live-2010...-round-grades/

Most grades I've seen have the Packers as a B or a B+. All with generally the same explaination: The Packers get points for selecting a consensus top 10 pick of a few weeks ago, but there's a reason why his draft stock fell sharply in the crucial days before the draft.

I can't say I disagree with that assessment. Another thing they could have mentioned is that Bulaga isn't likely to be a regular starter for a year or two. But that said, I think Bulaga is going to really impress some people, especially having that year or two to learn the game from 2 outstanding veterans before becoming that regular starter.

[packrulz]

I love the pick, another hard working midwestern boy, but I would like to see him get all his snaps at LT, and give him a year or two to get in the weight room and also get his technique down. Some are saying he'll start at LG and back up at tackle, not sure I like that idea, I could see starting Lang at LG, and give Bulaga a chance to develop.

[vince]

I think Bulaga gets knocked too much for his bad play when he was coming back from Thyroiditis. I think the Bulaga from 2008 and the one that shut down Derrick Morgan in the Orange Bowl is a lot closer to the one that we're going to get. Unless this guy is somehow more susceptible to viral infections, somehow...

I think this is exactly right. I followed Bulaga closely at Iowa and saw his "struggles" when he came back from his thyroid problem. At the time, I thought he might be over-rated. But then as the year went on, he showed that he just needed to build up his strength, stamina, etc. He made Morgan a complete non-factor in the Orange Bowl.

I really never thought he was a realistic possibility to get to 23. Great intelligence. Great attitude. Great prospect. Someone else noted that his arms are longer than Joe Thomas', Jake Long's, Chad Clifton's, and a host of other great NFL tackles, so there is no reason to suggest that would be problematic, particularly when you look at his college performance when healthy. He cut his teeth in a zone blocking system, and does an excellent job in both run blocking and pass pro, so we got a complete player here who is still a pup.

AWESOME pick in my book. Can't wait for tonight now!

[vince]

Bulaga's Press Conference Transcript:

Q. You must be very excited to go to the Packers, tremendous tradition. Not even a question.

BRYAN BULAGA: No, it really isn’t. I’m ecstatic to be a Green Bay Packer. I grew up in Illinois and really familiar with the NFC North and familiar with what it’s all about. I’m a cold weather guy and it’s going to be good for me to play up there.

The fans are tremendous. The fan base is amazing. I’ve only heard great things about Lambeau Field so I’m ecstatic to be a Green Bay Packer.


Q. Did you root against the Packers growing up in Illinois?

BRYAN BULAGA: I was more of a college football fan growing up my entire life. Obviously you are rooting for the Bears when they are doing well so obviously I think my allegiance has suddenly changed.

The Bears, no, I was never a fan. Never.


Q. Can you talk about so many great skilled players on offense for Green Bay, can you talk about how much you are looking forward to learning from them?

BRYAN BULAGA: Yeah, absolutely. They are a prolific offense. You see what they can do when Aaron Rodgers is able to stay up. He set some records, some personal bests last year throwing the football, so if you’re able to give those guys time to catch the ball and throw the ball and give some leg room to the running backs, big plays can happen. I’m really excited to get around that type of organization and those type of guys because obviously they are going in the right direction and that’s the type of organization I want to be around, one that’s going up and one that I can learn from.


Q. What advice did Coach give you about taking it to the next level?

BRYAN BULAGA: You know, he didn’t give me too much advice. Besides that, it’s a big game of fundamentals, technique, because every guy is big and strong and fast. It’s the best of the best of college. It really comes down to who plays with the best technique, who really wins, it’s who is the lowest and who plays with the best hand placement. When you get to the next level, where the NFL, it’s all about who can be the most efficient with the technique, I think that’s the one thing that he’s really pounded home to me.


Q. You are known as an outstanding run blocker; do you look forward to playing with Ryan Grant?

BRYAN BULAGA: You know being from the Iowa system, we are really a run?first type team. We really like to run the ball and set up the play action off that. I think I’m going to be able to help out. I love to run block and get after it and he’s a downhill type guy, seeing him run the football on TV, he really likes to get downhill fast, so I’m really looking forward to it and just getting to work, you know. This whole draft thing is drawn out and I’m just ready to get to work and help out any way I can.


Q. Have you talked to the Packers, have they have talked about left or right side?

BRYAN BULAGA: I haven’t heard anything. Once I start working mini?camps and some OTAs and getting a feel where I’m going to fit I’m sure I’m going to find out more.


Q. Some people said you don’t have a great reach but what would you say are your strong points?

BRYAN BULAGA: The great reach, there have been plenty of guys who have been able to play with 33?inch arms, I think is what you’re talking about.

I think when it comes down to it, you have to put it on the tape and watch the guy play football. You can pick and choose on that but it’s a game of technique and it’s whoever plays the most efficient with that, I think is going to help out. I think I do that very well.

I pride myself on being a technician and I think being skilled in that aspect will help me out with my short reach, so to speak. (Laughter). (Editors note: he was hilarious when he said this – really sarcastic)


Q. Have you talked to Shonn Greene?

BRYAN BULAGA: You know, I haven’t ?? I talked to Shonn probably a couple weeks ago. He’s obviously been busy. He’s a big?time guy in this city. Everyone loves him and I still love the guy. He’s a tremendous person and maybe I’ve got a call from him on my phone or something like that, I haven’t been around it. But Shonn is tremendous, I love Shonn.


Q. Talk more about being a cold?weather guy and the division; you must be so jazzed up to be a part of those rivalries now, the Vikings and the Bears.

BRYAN BULAGA: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Growing up, those are the things, you know, in the NFC North that you watch and they hype up so much, those big rivalries. You see how hard they play when those games are going on, “The Black and Blue Division, ” you know what I mean, just going after it.

I’m just so pumped up to be a part of that, and being an Iowa guy and playing in that cold weather in Iowa, it’s cold in Iowa, believe me, when it starts to get cold, it’s cold.

I’m really looking forward to getting into that and just being back in the Midwest and let’s go, let’s go.


Q. When I say Jared Allen, Julius Peppers, and now Suh, what’s the first word that comes to mind?

BRYAN BULAGA: You know, can you even put that into words? That’s hard to put into words, you know what I mean? Scary.

But they are all tremendous, tremendous football players, and it’s going to be a great challenge. You’ve got to go into it being positive and looking forward and wanting to attack it, and then sitting here thinking, oh, man, who wants to go up against those guys. You have to be excited about it and look forward to the challenge. They are tremendous football players but there’s a reason why there’s an offensive line, to block those guys.

It’s going to be tremendous to go up against talent like that. Those are the best of the best right there.


Q. Excited about working with Coach McCarthy?

BRYAN BULAGA: Absolutely. I had a meeting with him at the Combine, and the staff is great. The style of play is very similar to Iowa. So I’m looking forward to making it as easy as a transition as I can.

Obviously it’s not going to be easy, but you know it’s going to help out, that I can recognize maybe some style of play and technique that could help me relate back to Iowa.


Q. When did you think that maybe there was an inkling that Green Bay was going to pick you? Did you think that there was any chance of you going to the Packers before the Draft?

BRYAN BULAGA: You know, I never really thought about kind of where I was going to go. I mean, that was really up to my agent. I thought that, hey, there’s a couple of teams that needed tackles and I thought, you know, depending on the run on them, I can really fall into any one of the slots and I fell into the slots of the Green Bay Packers.

You know, I couldn’t really have told you two months ago, hey, I’m going to end up being in Green Bay or I’m going to end up being here or there. I wouldn’t have known. A lot of trades happened today during the middle of the draft that really mixed up some orders and they just so happened that I wound up as a Green Bay Packer and I wouldn’t want it any other way.


Q. Do you think sometimes it might be better to be picked down the Draft and be with a team that has a better chance to win now?

BRYAN BULAGA: Yeah, I think having that potential is all great and being a Top?10 guy, that’s all great, but when you get to go to an organization like Green Bay where they already have a good thing going, they have great tradition and the coaches are great and the players are great; I think it’s going to help me out tremendously being around a system like that, that we have things figured out here and if you jump into the system, they will be able to jump along, too. I’m very happy that that’s where I’m going to be playing.

[Maxie the Taxi]

This draft is deep, but it isn't deep in elite talent, just above average guys.

Yup.

[Fritz]

In the reading I've done this morning on the JSO, a couple articles mentioned that Bulaga's stock dropped in the days leading up to the draft. In one article, the reason given was that his arm length was found to be shorter than what people thought.

Did the guy's arms shrink over the last few weeks or something? Is this a viral condition that will result in him having "baby arms" by the time the team hits training camp?

How strange that a guy projected - from what I saw - somewhere between 11 or 12 and 18 should fall suddenly due to a physical measurement that you'd think everybody would have had for quite some time.

[pbmax]

The reviewers are just getting their timing wrong. Buluga's arm length has been known since the Combine.

The instant analysts over at Pro Football Weekly have a key fact wrong. They list his arms at 32 1/4, which would be shortest in the league at Left Tackle.

But NFL.com lists the combine measurement as 33 1/4.

[Joemailman]

On the other hand the Packers got the only A+ at this site:
http://www.draftseason.com/live-2010...-round-grades/

Most grades I've seen have the Packers as a B or a B+. All with generally the same explaination: The Packers get points for selecting a consensus top 10 pick of a few weeks ago, but there's a reason why his draft stock fell sharply in the crucial days before the draft.

I can't say I disagree with that assessment. Another thing they could have mentioned is that Bulaga isn't likely to be a regular starter for a year or two. But that said, I think Bulaga is going to really impress some people, especially having that year or two to learn the game from 2 outstanding veterans before becoming that regular starter.

The same thing was said about Aaron Rodgers.

[vince]

"I love it! I'm so happy right now. Green Bay is a great fit for me. Growing up in the Midwest I always admired Green Bay and everything they did, so I'm ecstatic to be a Packer.

I love the cold...Love the cold!"

[Tony Oday]

I still dont think many rookies have a huge impact on a playoff team. That being said I hope Bulaga doesn't see the field this year cause Cliffy is dominate!

[mission]

I still dont think many rookies have a huge impact on a playoff team. That being said I hope Bulaga doesn't see the field this year cause Cliffy is dominate!

That's largely because playoff teams are picking in the latter half of the round and most of the immediate impact guys go top 10.

I think by the end of the season, Buluga will be filling in somewhere along the line and playing admirably.

[Tony Oday]

I still dont think many rookies have a huge impact on a playoff team. That being said I hope Bulaga doesn't see the field this year cause Cliffy is dominate!

That's largely because playoff teams are picking in the latter half of the round and most of the immediate impact guys go top 10.

I think by the end of the season, Buluga will be filling in somewhere along the line and playing admirably.

I agree and I hope he doesnt play, save for blowouts, because that means the top 5 are doing well.

[Deputy Nutz]

They filled a big need with a player that dropped to them. Be excited but really, who gives a shit. If he does his job you won't ever bother with him. but if he screws up you will all have Thompson's head on a platter.