Rating The Packers' Draft Choices 2011

[Tarlam!]

OK, the personal grouping possibilities aside, what's up with trading all over the joint and "only" getting one additional pick? I tried to see a benefit. Appart from cost, I don't see any. The roster is now 85 strong, he can only take 80 into camp.

Look, TT has always been the man for me, since he got there. But two TEs and all that trading has me, well, scratching my head. The TEs have been expained, so, I'm good with those now.

Any of you got any ideas about the trades?*

*Edit: Thanks Vince!

[Scott Campbell]

Shaky is ok. I got to see him play here, and he periodically impressed. But he's a great kid.

[Smeefers]

I think overall it was a good draft. If I'm going to pull a letter grade out of my ass it would have to be in the B range. I really just don't feel qualified to grade the talent we pulled in. I like the Sherrod pick. Everyone after that, all I have are little snippets that you guys have posted on here. If what JH says about what TT said about Green is true, then I'm pretty pumped about that guy. I like the Cobb addition and of course I'm a fan of Sherrod. Everyone else, I don't know. This is a in TT I trust moment, but it just feels a little disappointing that I know we drafted at least one of those TE's knowing full well that there's no way in hell that they're making the team. I really don't see us keeping any TE's on the practice squad either. Bah. Bobblehead's right though, who knows? And so, I'll just end this post by mumbling to myself and shaking my head.

[swede]

I think the thing about drafting two TEs is that in the offseason Ted and Mike decided to re-invision the role of the fullback in McCarthy's otherwise multiple offense. Considering how many different things we want to be able to do when we're on offense we had a curious number of limited players on offense. Crabtree can block in-line but not out of the backfield and he's little threat to catch a pass. Quinn Johnson can block in the backfield, but can't catch or run with the ball. John Kuhn is the closest to complete of this set, but you can't exactly switch them wide. In otherwords, MM decided he would like to add an H-Back position to the offense. Specifically a player who can line up in the backfield to block or catch outlet passes, can be lined-up in line to block or run routes, and can be split out wide. The ability to motion between those roles adds to the multiplicity of the offense.

I would not be at all surprised if next year the roster has something like this:

TE/WR: Finley, Quarless
TE/H-Back: Williams, Taylor
Blocking Guy: Your favorite two of Crabtree, Kuhn, and Quinn Johnson (but not all three).

This allows us to keep one more player at a different roster spot, and makes us generally more versatile. We could honestly keep only one dedicated blocker in the H-Back/TE/Fullback mold and keep two more players at other positions. Taylor could be an easy cut, after all late round picks aren't guaranteed to make it on the superbowl champions, but I think Williams sticks as an H-Back and takes the partial place of one of the fullbacks. No way we go 4 TE and 3 FB again.

But last year having Crabtree, Kuhn, Hall, and Johnson on the roster was probably too many limited players for MM's taste.

Damn, Lurker...you are doing some fine posting lately. I'm stealing this material to sound smarter.

I really like your point about the Kuhn/Hall/Johnson/Crabtree limitations and the likelihood that MM is looking for ways to utilize more versatile blockers and receivers out of multiple formations.

Green also fits in with this emphasis on versatility.

[Packgator]

NBC Sports gives the Pack an "A"

http://drafthq.nbcsports.com/team_picks.aspx

[HarveyWallbangers]

Too early to grade, but I'll give my initial thoughts. It would be nice to read the "What the scouts said" articles on JSO Insider. (Hint to Bretsky.)

I really liked the first four picks, but I was disappointed in the rest of the draft. I would have made the trade that netted the extra 7th round pick, and I'm okay with the last trade, but I wouldn't have made the first trade. So, if I were doing the draft, here's who the Packers would have:

1 (32) - OT Derek Sherrod
2 (64) - WR Randall Cobb
3 (96) - RB Alex Green
4 (129) - TE Julius Thomas
4 (131) - CB Davon House
6 (179) - WR Ronald Johnson
6 (197) - OLB Ricky Elmore
7 (204) - CB Justin Rogers
7 (218) - OLB Cliff Matthews
7 (233) - DE Lawrence Guy (also considered S Jimmy Wilson or CB Josh Gatlin)

I realize this has the benefit of hindsight, but with the players on the board at the time that's who I would have taken.

It would be interesting to see how some of these guys are doing three years from now.

[Cheesehead Craig]

The Fonz gives them an "AYYY" as well.

[Lurker64]

NBC Sports gives the Pack an "A"

http://drafthq.nbcsports.com/team_picks.aspx

The funny thing is, I strongly suspect that if three years ago if TT had delivered an identical draft, he would have got panned for it. We'd here things like "why no pass rushers until so late" and "Alex Green was a reach?", and "why two TEs for a team with one of the best young TEs around?"... but instead since Ted got a ring by doing basically nothing except drafting, he gets the benefit of the doubt.

I wonder if the people who write these grades just take teams that are reportedly brilliant drafters and just assume that all of their moves were brilliant and move on to the other teams. I mean, that would explain why New England always gets good draft grades due to their maneuvering, despite the fact that after garnering all of those picks, they don't exactly seem to use them particularly well.

[steve823]

I really like the pick of Alex Green. While RB might not be a glaring hole, Green is one of those people that can turn into a Steven Jackson type of runner or end up not being horrible. He didn't play a lot in college and is really an unknown so I like TT taking the risk on this kid. I honestly like every pick..at first I thought 2 TE's was dumb but if I'm not mistaken one is more a FB hybrid.

Also, I bet everyone feels great now that we got a returner in Cobbs. If he pans out he can be the first good return the pack had in a longgggg time.

Random note, but I hope Tauscher doesn't retire so he can help mentor Bulaga more and can possibly bring Sherrod under his wing. (I remember Bulaga saying Tauscher helped him a LOT)

[Lurker64]

Random note, but I hope Tauscher doesn't retire so he can help mentor Bulaga more and can possibly bring Sherrod under his wing. (I remember Bulaga saying Tauscher helped him a LOT)

If he retires, and he has any interest in coaching (or in continuing to collect a paycheck from 1265) they can probably hire him on as an offensive line quality coordinator or something in that role.

[Guiness]

Hard to tell with Tauscher, he's definitely a wild card to add to the mix.

If he doesn't play, I think coaching is in his (near) future. He stuck around to help out Bulaga last year, and I think the team would like to keep him in the fold.

[KYPack]

Hard to tell with Tauscher, he's definitely a wild card to add to the mix.

If he doesn't play, I think coaching is in his (near) future. He stuck around to help out Bulaga last year, and I think the team would like to keep him in the fold.

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

[Fritz]

What I think this draft tells us, in part, is that MM is at the forefront of his profession in terms of creativity. I think that he's willing to try out new and seemingly odd roster combos - three fullbacks, before, and maybe now four tight ends regularly, in order to create more mismatches. He's not sticking to the same old roster formulas.

[Tarlam!]

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!

[Packgator]

I wonder if the people who write these grades just take teams that are reportedly brilliant drafters and just assume that all of their moves were brilliant and move on to the other teams.

Probably!