SI NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD...DRAFT IS COMING...YO RATS.....WHO DO YOU LIKE

[pbmax]

rb, you need to stop posting entire articles off JSO. Mad has gotten communication before about reposting their material without consent.

Quote a small bit or paraphrase and then link to the article. Much safer.

[Freak Out]

A 6 foot 8 inch 300 pound thrower from Estonia that plays DE...has Packers written all over him.

[RashanGary]

Like Bretsky, I have a broner for Montee Ball. I think he's going to run faster and get drafted higher than he's projected now. He was a big guy coming in, and not in the greatest shape. Since coming to Wisconsin, he's made as much improvement as just about anyone. That shows a great work ethic and determination. His TD numbers show he has a nose for the endzone and a nose for those couple tough yards in short yardage. If he runs 4.50 or less, he should be a 1st round pick IMO. He played like one. Only problem is he ran behind Wisconsin's line. That makes him a tough projection on the next level. I could be way off.

[mraynrand]

Like Bretsky, I have a broner for Montee Ball. I think he's going to run faster and get drafted higher than he's projected now. He was a big guy coming in, and not in the greatest shape. Since coming to Wisconsin, he's made as much improvement as just about anyone. That shows a great work ethic and determination. His TD numbers show he has a nose for the endzone and a nose for those couple tough yards in short yardage. If he runs 4.50 or less, he should be a 1st round pick IMO. He played like one. Only problem is he ran behind Wisconsin's line. That makes him a tough projection on the next level. I could be way off.

If he's what you say he is, he won't get past the Steelers

[rbaloha1]

If he's what you say he is, he won't get past the Steelers

Always skeptical of Wisconsin running backs from Dayne to Clay.

How is Ball different?

[Bretsky]

Always skeptical of Wisconsin running backs from Dayne to Clay.

How is Ball different?

Ron Dayne....bless his sould...but the dude lacked ambition and used plenty of funny stuff in the offseason. He was terribly gifted thought but never had anyting as a receiver to blocker. He had to be in the perfect system to have a shot, and when you get to the NFL you can't just succeed off talent...the heart has to be there.

John Clay is a terrible comparison. He didn't improve one bit since his freshman year. Very gifted again, but offseasons for Clay involved no work and often pounds gained. Not a team player.

Ball, each off season, would go through some legit regiments to try to improve himself. Betweent his sophomore and junior season he had a Donald Driver like routine and came bach stronger and faster. Dude has a nack for the end zone and he's a legit blocker and receiver.

[Bretsky]

I do think there is a shot Ball slips to us in round two based on how the drills go for him. I don't think he falls to us in round three though

[Deputy Nutz]

Ball has improved his game each season. He is a dedicated football player. Clay was a classic underachiever from his senior year at Racine Park to the end of his college career. He came in to Wisconsin with much fan fair, but by the end of his junior year he was third on the depth chart and wasn't going to be a factor his senior year. Dayne was a classic running back for the college game. He ran in front of the best offensive line his junior and senior year and he could be a step slow behind the line of scrimmage and then get up to speed at the second level where he dominated linebackers and defensive backs. In the NFL the holes are smaller and close faster. Dayne had the vision of an Adrian Peterson, but just didn't have the reaction time to get through the hole fast enough. Like Bretsky said, Dayne wasn't nearly as dedicated enough at the next level to improve his game to be a competent starter in the NFL.

Ball is never going to be AP, but he is going to be good at the next level because he can block, and catch the ball out of the backfield and has a quick enough first step to get to the second level. He did have trouble his senior year with his vision and getting through the line of scrimmage. That could have been the product of an under performing offensive line, and a lack of organization across the offense.

[woodbuck27]

It will be interesting to see what Thompson is going to do with Rodgers. Rodgers is going to command a 120 million dollars and that is going to hold the Packers to a very tight budget even to sign their own players. Thompson better draft his ass off the next couple of years otherwise the Packers will quickly fall back to the rest so the pack.

I don't mean to shock or otherwise surprize the membership but I see a concern.

Aaron Rodgers will cost the maximum to keep unless he makes the Packers a deal of himself. I'm watching this carefully. I believe it'll take alot of Green Bay Packer eggs to fill that basket. Then there's this mans ego and certain desire to write his name in NFL history. He won't be any different than our last QB and want to have a realistic shot at his second Super Bowl.

Next season will certainly be a telling one in terms of Aaron Rodgers legacy in Green Bay. It seems to me that he likes it neat or the pieces already in place.

GO PACKERS !

[rbaloha1]

Ball has improved his game each season. He is a dedicated football player. Clay was a classic underachiever from his senior year at Racine Park to the end of his college career. He came in to Wisconsin with much fan fair, but by the end of his junior year he was third on the depth chart and wasn't going to be a factor his senior year. Dayne was a classic running back for the college game. He ran in front of the best offensive line his junior and senior year and he could be a step slow behind the line of scrimmage and then get up to speed at the second level where he dominated linebackers and defensive backs. In the NFL the holes are smaller and close faster. Dayne had the vision of an Adrian Peterson, but just didn't have the reaction time to get through the hole fast enough. Like Bretsky said, Dayne wasn't nearly as dedicated enough at the next level to improve his game to be a competent starter in the NFL.

Ball is never going to be AP, but he is going to be good at the next level because he can block, and catch the ball out of the backfield and has a quick enough first step to get to the second level. He did have trouble his senior year with his vision and getting through the line of scrimmage. That could have been the product of an under performing offensive line, and a lack of organization across the offense.

Nice stuff -- okay I am on board.

Did the off season incident affect Ball's performance?

[RashanGary]

I'm a Matt Elam fan too. Collins ran a 4.38. For Elam to be great, I do think he'll have to be very fast. He's tough, like Collins, but not an animal like Pollard for Baltimore. They say he has excellent range. If he shows his speed at the combine, I think it would be great to have a FS who can cover sideline to sideline similar to the way Collins did. Expecting anyone to be as good as Collins is a stretch, but at this point I'd take 90% of Collins over anything we have, and that's by a long shot.

[Joemailman]

I'm a Matt Elam fan too. Collins ran a 4.38. For Elam to be great, I do think he'll have to be very fast. He's tough, like Collins, but not an animal like Pollard for Baltimore. They say he has excellent range. If he shows his speed at the combine, I think it would be great to have a FS who can cover sideline to sideline similar to the way Collins did. Expecting anyone to be as good as Collins is a stretch, but at this point I'd take 90% of Collins over anything we have, and that's by a long shot.

I want to see what Jerron McMillian can do to upgrade his game next year. One thing I'm unsure of is his top end speed. He ran a 4.59 40 at the Combine, but a 4.35 at his Pro Day. Which is indicative of his speed? If he really has 4.35 speed, he could have quite a bit of upside with a little more experience.

[rbaloha1]

I want to see what Jerron McMillian can do to upgrade his game next year. One thing I'm unsure of is his top end speed. He ran a 4.59 40 at the Combine, but a 4.35 at his Pro Day. Which is indicative of his speed? If he really has 4.35 speed, he could have quite a bit of upside with a little more experience.

JM is agressive but misses too many tackles.

Maybe once the game slows down for JM the packers d has an in the box safety.

[denverYooper]

A 6 foot 8 inch 300 pound thrower from Estonia that plays DE...has Packers written all over him.

LOL!

Then all of the fans will kill him for a year while he draws a ridiculous number of penalties learning the ins and outs of pro OL play. We'll all be moaning about the questionable pick on a raw developmental prospect until the last quarter of 2014, when he goes on a tear to lead the Packers to SB 49.

[pbmax]

I want to see what Jerron McMillian can do to upgrade his game next year. One thing I'm unsure of is his top end speed. He ran a 4.59 40 at the Combine, but a 4.35 at his Pro Day. Which is indicative of his speed? If he really has 4.35 speed, he could have quite a bit of upside with a little more experience.

I mostly agree, but from an eyeball standpoint, I saw more play at 4.59 speed than 4.35. Mostly it seemed to be change of direction as he looked for more comfortable going forward. But as he is young, some of that slowness might be reaction time and assignment identification.