Rating The Packers' Draft Choices 2011

[SkinBasket]

6.5

[MadScientist]

Fritz, as long as M3 keeps winning he can do what he wants AFAIC. He'll need to be creative with that monster D-Line in Detroit. Those guys scare me to the limit!

No kidding. Detroit really looks like they've got the right guy in as GM. If they can keep Stafford healthy, they are close to competing for a playoff. Can they bring back Matt Millen now before it's too late?

[TennesseePackerBacker]

Good thread there, Aussie.

Nutz's comment times a few million. We think we know, but we don't know, ya know?

I was hoping to come on here and find out what all the trades to net one pick was all about. Given our bottom position, (which I hope we draft from forever) I'd think we did pretty freakin' good. If we hit on one of the JAGS, we did great.

Thought I'd toss in a few Cobb comments in here. I'm fired up about getting him. He's not big, but man, he's all business and all football. When you hear him talk, you'll see he's Packer football. I was so impressed with him after KY beat Charleston Southern (who?) in a late season game. Cobb commented immediately that the team didn't play hard against a lesser and he was dissappointed in the team's play on the field and effort. This kid has coach written all over him. He won't say much as a rook, but you can't buy his outlook in this day and age. He's exactly like Driver in his infectious personality and attitude.

He is a solid return man, good slot receiver, and he can really pass accurately. He's left handed and I sure MM will use that in some situations to roll him back with a run/pass option.

We'll have to see, but I really feel the Packer organization really did the job in this draft

I came here to post about Cobb and you beat me to it. It'll be fun to finally cheer for the Alcoa native (just outside of Knoxville), seeing as how the Tennessee Volunteers really could have used him those years he was playing for our beer-barrel enemies.

He has enough heart and leadership for several players.

[Gunakor]

I really like Cobb as a player. And I know full well he'd have gone somewhere else had we not taken him where we did. But, given the strength of our WR corps, I'd have liked to have seen another pass rusher taken @ 64.

Cobb will most likely never become better than a #3 WR on this roster. He has great potential as a returner, and it's okay to draft a return man in the 2nd round when you're drafting Devin Hester. If that's what Cobb is, then I'm ecstatic about this pick. But if he's just a middle of the road NFL returner, and a #3 WR at best on our roster, I'd have much rather have seen Houston or Reed taken there. Either of those guys would start on day 1 and provide a significant upgrade to Frank Zombo, Eric Walden, Brad Jones, or whoever we throw out there this year. IMO there is more value there than a talented WR fighting with other talented WR's for playing time.

[Tarlam!]

Love the sound of Cobb!

[Bretsky]

I really like Cobb as a player. And I know full well he'd have gone somewhere else had we not taken him where we did. But, given the strength of our WR corps, I'd have liked to have seen another pass rusher taken @ 64.

Cobb will most likely never become better than a #3 WR on this roster. He has great potential as a returner, and it's okay to draft a return man in the 2nd round when you're drafting Devin Hester. If that's what Cobb is, then I'm ecstatic about this pick. But if he's just a middle of the road NFL returner, and a #3 WR at best on our roster, I'd have much rather have seen Houston or Reed taken there. Either of those guys would start on day 1 and provide a significant upgrade to Frank Zombo, Eric Walden, Brad Jones, or whoever we throw out there this year. IMO there is more value there than a talented WR fighting with other talented WR's for playing time.

I would not argue with this; although Brooks Reed was long gone. I think they could have looked at either Dontay Moch or Justin Houston

[Pugger]

Ask me again in a couple of years. All of these kids sound good but until we actually see them play, who knows? I remember how everyone was excited about Brohm until he got under center and looked like a deer in headlights.

[Tarlam!]

I would not argue with this; although Brooks Reed was long gone. I think they could have looked at either Dontay Moch or Justin Houston

Well, they picked Cobb and I'm rooting for him. I certainly aint playing the woulda shoulda coulda game.

[Brandon494]

I really like Cobb as a player. And I know full well he'd have gone somewhere else had we not taken him where we did. But, given the strength of our WR corps, I'd have liked to have seen another pass rusher taken @ 64.

Cobb will most likely never become better than a #3 WR on this roster. He has great potential as a returner, and it's okay to draft a return man in the 2nd round when you're drafting Devin Hester. If that's what Cobb is, then I'm ecstatic about this pick. But if he's just a middle of the road NFL returner, and a #3 WR at best on our roster, I'd have much rather have seen Houston or Reed taken there. Either of those guys would start on day 1 and provide a significant upgrade to Frank Zombo, Eric Walden, Brad Jones, or whoever we throw out there this year. IMO there is more value there than a talented WR fighting with other talented WR's for playing time.

I'm not completely sure but I believe we were top 5 in sacks last year and near in bottom in the return game. You also add the fact that we are most likely letting Jones walk and with Driver in the decline it was a no brainer pick for me, especially with the intangibles this guy brings.

[Lurker64]

I really like Cobb as a player. And I know full well he'd have gone somewhere else had we not taken him where we did. But, given the strength of our WR corps, I'd have liked to have seen another pass rusher taken @ 64.

Cobb will most likely never become better than a #3 WR on this roster. He has great potential as a returner, and it's okay to draft a return man in the 2nd round when you're drafting Devin Hester. If that's what Cobb is, then I'm ecstatic about this pick. But if he's just a middle of the road NFL returner, and a #3 WR at best on our roster, I'd have much rather have seen Houston or Reed taken there. Either of those guys would start on day 1 and provide a significant upgrade to Frank Zombo, Eric Walden, Brad Jones, or whoever we throw out there this year. IMO there is more value there than a talented WR fighting with other talented WR's for playing time.

You say "#3 receiver" as though that's not a starting position on our offense. It's like "nickelback"... even if that guy isn't technically a starter, he's really going to contribute more than some guys who actually start.

Remember, that much of MM's plan in the passing games is to overwhelm secondaries with so many qualified receivers that somebody in the secondary is going to screw up. If you can't maintain a stable of talented receivers like that you're not going to be able to do what this offense does best. Going forward it looks like all we can really count on is Jennings, Nelson, and Cobb. So expect TT to spend at least one more reasonably high pick on a WR next year.

[HarveyWallbangers]

And Nelson is a FA soon.

[Gunakor]

I'm not completely sure but I believe we were top 5 in sacks last year and near in bottom in the return game. You also add the fact that we are most likely letting Jones walk and with Driver in the decline it was a no brainer pick for me, especially with the intangibles this guy brings.

Like I said, if it's a Josh Cribbs/Devin Hester type return man, I love the pick. If it's some 12th best NFL return man, while an improvement over last year I don't think it's enough to justify passing on Houston. 5'10" wideouts with some return ability are available in every draft. There would be one next year too. So if Cobb isn't better than the average return man available in every draft then I don't see where his value would be higher than that of a legitimate pass rusher.

Besides, what happens after Cullen Jenkins is gone? Are we still top 5 in sacks? I think that's a fantasy if CMIII is the only guy getting to the QB. I think that was evident in the games Jenkins missed last season as well.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think Mike Neal and/or C.J. Wilson can replace Jenkins, but Neal has to stay healthy. That's the concern. Then again, Cullen got injured a lot. Often, it affected his play. When healthy though, he was one of the best 3-4 DEs in the NFL.

[Guiness]

I think Mike Neal and/or C.J. Wilson can replace Jenkins, but Neal has to stay healthy. That's the concern. Then again, Cullen got injured a lot. Often, it affected his play. When healthy though, he was one of the best 3-4 DEs in the NFL.

Jenkins is/was a rare talent in that he played well no matter where he was on the line, and how the D was lined up.

Early in his career he was an effective 4-3 DT. He and Corey Williams both got those rare DT sacks.

When KGB faltered, he replaced him on running downs, as a 4-3 DE, and played well there.

Then the Pack went to a 3-4 alignment, and he's been a very effective DE.

He just plays well no matter where he is. Of course he was the DL in the psycho package. It was great when he got a sack from that alignment!

[Gunakor]

You say "#3 receiver" as though that's not a starting position on our offense. It's like "nickelback"... even if that guy isn't technically a starter, he's really going to contribute more than some guys who actually start.

Remember, that much of MM's plan in the passing games is to overwhelm secondaries with so many qualified receivers that somebody in the secondary is going to screw up. If you can't maintain a stable of talented receivers like that you're not going to be able to do what this offense does best. Going forward it looks like all we can really count on is Jennings, Nelson, and Cobb. So expect TT to spend at least one more reasonably high pick on a WR next year.

Don't count out Finley, who was AR's favorite target before going down last season. So that's 4. And he's gotten by with a Brett Swain as the #5 guy, so I don't see any reason whatsoever for TT to spend any more reasonably high picks on WR's.

The 8 sacks we'd have likely gotten out of Houston seems more valuable IMO than the 600 yards and 4 TD's we're going to get out of Cobb. That's my take on it.