SOME GRADES/COMMENTS ON PACK DRAFT

[vince]

just a quick clarification - TT is the only GM in the league who has every player he drafted still on an NFL roster - now with the exception of Thompson. That includes his less-than-stellar 2007 draft. Brandt noted that a number of teams have as many as 7 draftees from the last three years out of the league.

[Lurker64]

just a quick clarification - TT is the only GM in the league who has every player he drafted still on an NFL roster - now with the exception of Thompson. That includes his less-than-stellar 2007 draft. Brandt noted that a number of teams have as many as 7 draftees from the last three years out of the league.

Every player he drafted over the last 3 years or something? Since Terrence Murphy is retired and I don't think Will Whittacker is tearing it up elsewhere.

[vince]

Oops. I try to clarify and just make it more confusing. Sorry. Yes Brandt covered the last 3 years' drafts - '07, '08 '09.

[cheesner]

just a quick clarification - TT is the only GM in the league who has every player he drafted still on an NFL roster - now with the exception of Thompson. That includes his less-than-stellar 2007 draft. Brandt noted that a number of teams have as many as 7 draftees from the last three years out of the league.

Every player he drafted over the last 3 years or something? Since Terrence Murphy is retired and I don't think Will Whittacker is tearing it up elsewhere.

Whittacker was drafted in 2005. But we did get a full season of starts from a 7th round pick.

Murphy was drafted in 2005 in the 2nd. He was looking really good until an injury ended his career.


so what your point?

[Lurker64]

just a quick clarification - TT is the only GM in the league who has every player he drafted still on an NFL roster - now with the exception of Thompson. That includes his less-than-stellar 2007 draft. Brandt noted that a number of teams have as many as 7 draftees from the last three years out of the league.

Every player he drafted over the last 3 years or something? Since Terrence Murphy is retired and I don't think Will Whittacker is tearing it up elsewhere.

Whittacker was drafted in 2005. But we did get a full season of starts from a 7th round pick.

Murphy was drafted in 2005 in the 2nd. He was looking really good until an injury ended his career.


so what your point?

I wasn't saying that TT was bad or anything, I was just trying to clarify Vince's point since my initial reading of it (and presumably the most obvious reading of it) was refuted by those two counterexamples, among others.

[retailguy]

Comparing Neal to James Lee? Are you kidding?

That is not what I was doing. What I said is that you could substitute everything he said about what WAS said about James Lee when drafted. Everyone has high hopes the day after the draft. Over 50% of the time those high hopes fizzle.

I have no idea if he's going to be good or not, or if he's a reach or not.

I'm concerned that so many folks think he's a "bad fit" for the 3-4. (We had a Defensive End that wasn't so great of a fit for the 3-4 too, after being told that it "would not be a problem", so the concerns have some merit, as those same meaningless talking heads were saying that too)

I have watched almost universal criticizm of the pick as a "reach". That being said, I watched almost universal criticism of the Nick Collins pick also, and that one worked out ok. That's why I want to see what Neal does with his opportunity. I hope he gets on the field for meaningful snaps this year after being teased for multiple seasons with Justin Harrell and Mike Montgomery.

Neal has character going for him, so that's good. If he translates to the 3-4 we might have a winner, if not, then what do we have? Maybe we can "train him up" for Jacksonville.

Cleft - I've watched the tape. I watched tape on Ryan Leaf too when he came out. That looked surprisingly good too.

TPB - Your post was so ridiculous I'm not even responding, except to say you need to read more threads. I've said some very complimentary things both regarding the team and my good buddy Ted Thompson concerning this draft.

I really like the burnett pick, but I like Ted Thompsons candor related to it even better.

[vince]

TT is the only GM in the league who has every player he drafted [in the last 3 years] still on an NFL roster - now with the exception of Thompson. That includes his less-than-stellar 2007 draft. Brandt noted that a number of teams have as many as 7 draftees from the last three years out of the league.

Actually, Aaron Rouse and Deshawn Wynn are now out of work (althought there's a decent chance they could catch on somewhere yet), in addition to Thompson's injury-shortened career. I looked up the drafts because I thought Clark Harris, the 7th round pick in '07 from Rutgers who was cut in training camp by the Packers his rookie year, must be out of the league, but he's now with the Bengals as a long snapper/TE.

And Thompson has drafted 28 players in those three years too, which has to be right up there near the top just in quantity as well as quality throughout the drafts.

Going further back, an impressive 10 out of 12 from 2006 are still in the league. Cory Rodgers and Ingle Martin are out of the league from that year.

A more average 5 out of 11 from 2005 are in the league, but that year is highlighted with the two pro-bowlers at important positions (Rodgers and Collins) at the top of it. And there is an argument to be made that Murphy would still be playing if not for his career-ending neck injury.

I'm not sure there's another team in the league who comes close to that drafting productivity and efficiency. I'd say Ted Thompson has proven to be elite if not the best at projecting NFL talent.

[vince]

Here are all of TT's draft picks assessed based on what they've done so far. I'm giving weight to the round in which they were drafted (in parentheses) in my assessment. A high pick that doesn't pan out is a worse pick than a low-round pick that doesn't pan out and vice-versa.

Home Runs - 8
Aaron Rodgers (1)
Clay Matthews (1)
Nick Collins (2)
Greg Jennings (2)
Jermichael Finley (3)
Josh Sitton (4)
Johnny Jolly (6)
Brad Jones (7)

Solid Picks - 17
BJ Raji (1)
A.J. Hawk (1)
Daryn Colledge (2)
Brandon Jackson (2)
Jordy Nelson (2)
James Jones (3)
Jason Spitz (3)
TJ Lang (4)
Brady Poppinga (4)
Will Blackmon (4)
Quinn Johnson (5)
Mason Crosby (6)
Desmond Bishop (6)
Korey Hall (6)
Brandon Underwood (6)
Matt Flynn (7)
Brett Swain (7)

In the League - 15
Aaron Rouse (3)
Abdul Hodge (3)
Allen Barbre (4)
Jamon Meredith (5)
David Clowney (5)
Breno Giacomini (5)
Tony Moll (5)
Michael Hawkins (5)
Mike Montgomery (6)
Jarius Wynn (6)
Tyrone Culver (6)
DeShawn Wynn (7)
Clark Harris (7)
Dave Tollefson (7)
William Whitticker (7)

Injured - 2
Terrance Murphy (2)
Jeremy Thompson (4)

Out of the League - 6
Cory Rodgers (4)
Marviel Underwood (4)
Ingle Martin (5)
Junius Coston (5)
Craig Bragg (6)
Kurt Campbell (7)

Potential Busts - 3
Justin Harrell (1)
Brian Brohm (2)
Patrick Lee (2)

Busts - 0

TBD - 7
Bryan Bulaga (1)
Mike Neal (2)
Morgan Burnett (3)
Andrew Quarless (5)
Marshall Newhouse (5)
James Starks (6)
C.J. Wilson (7)

[MichiganPackerFan]

Really enjoyed your post, Vince. A couple points of discussion:

Home Runs - 8
Brad Jones (7) WAY to early. One season is not enough to label as a home run here

Solid Picks - 17
Daryn Colledge (2) Got some work to do
Brandon Jackson (2) serviceable at best
Quinn Johnson (5) We'll see more this season
Mason Crosby (6) Depends on which version we get
Desmond Bishop (6) Needs to bring pre-season game to the regular season
Brandon Underwood (6) Haven't seen enough
Brett Swain (7) Haven't seen enough

In the League - 15
Michael Hawkins (5) Just a training camp tease.
William Whitticker (7) Out of the league since 2006.


Potential Busts - 3
Patrick Lee (2) One season to prove he's got something. The injury was tough

[retailguy]

Really enjoyed your post, Vince. A couple points of discussion:

Home Runs - 8
Brad Jones (7) WAY to early. One season is not enough to label as a home run here

I wonder how many folks labled Whittacker as a "home run" after the first year?

[Scott Campbell]

Here are all of TT's draft picks assessed based on what they've done so far.

That looks a like a lot of work Vince. Thanks.

[Patler]

Really enjoyed your post, Vince. A couple points of discussion:

Home Runs - 8
Brad Jones (7) WAY to early. One season is not enough to label as a home run here

I wonder how many folks labled Whittacker as a "home run" after the first year?

I agree that Jones certainly is not a homerun yet. At best, a "to-be-determined".

As for Whitticker, I doubt anyone listed him as a homerun after his rookie year. He struggled mightily, and lost playing time toward the end of the season. He played because the cupboard was bare.

[vince]

I don't disagree that it's too early to call Jones a home run. My thinking is that the criteria for a homerun for a 7th round pick is different than a 1st rounder. If Jones can be a good starter in the league, and it appears that he can be, that's a homerun for a 7th rounder. A little early yet though.

Similarly, if a 7th round pick makes the team (Swain) and contributes anything, that's a "solid pick" at that spot in the draft IMO.

[Fritz]

So Donald Driver must be a grand slam!

[vince]

Thanks for the correction on Whitticker MPF. For some reason, I googled him and I had him with the Redskins, but whatever page I went to appeared to me to be current but it was out of date. I wondered why I had an extra guy in that category from my original count.