Grade the Draft

[Smidgeon]

Now that the draft is in the books and a couple days have passed allowing tempers and euphoria to calm down, it is time to undertake the completely arbitrary task of grading the draft.

Whether you choose to grade it by best fit for Green Bay or by whether or not you like the players is completely up to you. But remember, please grade irresponsibly. Absolutely no one will use this as evidence against you ever. ...at least not anyone who isn't a Rat.

Feel free to extrapolate beyond the normal letter grades. If you want to add pluses or minuses do. If you want to explain why you're giving the "Trash gut" rating, I'm sure we'll all enjoy the thought out response.

Cheers.

[ThunderDan]

I have no idea how to grade this draft. I haven't even looked at all the game film highlights that are on the Packers website.

I am happy that we got 2 RBs that have a chance to get our running game back to some level of competence. I am glad we got two DL and OL. It would have been nice to get one of the top tiered S.

This looks like a solid draft class. We will find out in 2-4 years.

[ND72]

Obviously these are all what if's, and in 3 years it could be a terrible draft. BUT, I'm being optimistic. We got a DE that could be the pass rushing DL guy we've missed. He's got a high motor, physical, and big. Could take some pressure off of Clay or Nick. Then we draft, in my opinion, the best 2 RB's in the entire draft. Cut everyone else, keep Harris, keep these 2 guys. I think Teddy did a nice job with these 2 guys, I'm very excited. Then we also get 2 OL guys that aren't to bad either, and should be very solid backups for us, and maybe even push for a Tackle or Center position. The other guys are question marks...WR's are big fast kids, so you never know. The 2 LB's seem to fit our scheme, so we'll see how they shake out.

I'm happy with our draft.

[Smidgeon]

I'm going with a B. Not because I know anything about the class, but mostly because I'm not sold on everyone. Last year, I loved the draft. And if Worthy can finally show up and Manning's shortcomings were all parasite related, I may still be right.

I don't love this draft like I did that one, but I'm excited for the RBs. I'm sold on the WRs and Tretter. I just don't know about Jones (hard to separate the Kool-Aid from honest opinion), the OL, DB, or DT (most of what I'm reading on PR sounds like Kool-Aid or venemous rancor). I hope Jones is amazing like I hope for all the picks to turn out. But I'm giving it a B instead of an A because I'm just not sure.

[Smidgeon]

I have no idea how to grade this draft. I haven't even looked at all the game film highlights that are on the Packers website.

I am happy that we got 2 RBs that have a chance to get our running game back to some level of competence. I am glad we got two DL and OL. It would have been nice to get one of the top tiered S.

This looks like a solid draft class. We will find out in 2-4 years.

Of course nobody really has any idea how to grade it for reals. That's why I encourage the irresponsible side of you to pick a letter at random, then vehemently defend it into the ground. How else does one demonstrate his or her fandom of a professional sports team?

[3irty1]

I think of all the drafts my favorite was the Steelers.

1.17 Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia #14
2.16 Le'Veon Bell, RB, Michigan St. #90
3.17 Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon St. #100
4.14 Shamarko Thomas, SS, Syracuse #83
4.18 Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma #82
5.17 Terry Hawthorne, CB, Illinois
6.18 Justin Brown, WR, Oklahoma
6.38 Vince Williams, LB, Florida St.
7.17 Nick Williams, DT, Samford

That's a group I like a lot. 2nd favorite is probably the Pats although we can't all be on the right side of a hershel walker trade with the Vikings.

2.20 Jamie Collins, OLB, Southern Miss #67
2.27 Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall
3.21 Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers #79
3.29 Duron Harmon, S, Rutgers
4.05 Josh Boyce, WR, TCU
7.20 Michael Buchanan, DE, Illinois
7.29 Steve Beauharnais, ILB, Rutgers

Lots of picks right in the sweet spot of this draft and addressed some needs they've been neglecting for a long long time. Both of my favorite receivers in this draft!

So if those are A+'s I'll give us a B+

[Tony Oday]

A.

Love a 230 lb back that runs a 4.44 40.
MJD clone as his back up
Pass rushing DE to go along with Worthy, Perry, CMIII and Raji
2 WR that will be the replacements for JJ and Jordy when their next big contracts are up
O linemen....no idea but always nice to have some new blood there.

[packrulz]

B. TT got 2 of what many considered to be first round caliber players, then accumulated extra picks in the sweet spot of the draft to fill needs. However, Lacy's running style and injury history is a concern, but considering when TT drafted him, he could be the steal of the draft. I wanted an ILB who can cover TE's, but Brad Jones may be able to handle it, and there were some awesome FB & TE candidates this year, but I'm expecting a better pass rush and running game this year.

[Spaulding]

As already well publicized, the grading of drafts the day after (although fun) mean little to nothing where true value isn't known until a few years out. In the spirit of the thread though since I only know as much as I gather from review of others thus given the reviews on the web I'm going to view the draft as pretty good and rate it a "B."

A more object method though would be to look at the past history of TT and his success rate to provide a better idea of the potential success of the 2013 edition. From my viewpoint he's done the following over the years (where I rate busts if drafted in the first two rounds and not panning out):

2005 - 1 elite (Rodgers), 1 pro-bowl (Collins), 1 jury out due to injury (Murphy) and otherwise junk or at best role players
2006 - 1 pro-bowl (Jennings), 2 average starters (Hawk and Colledge), 1 prior good starter (Jolly) and otherwise average or backups/scrubs
2007 - 1 good starter (James Jones), 2 slightly better than average starters (Bishop and Crosby), 2 busts (Harrell and Jackson)
2008 - 3 good starters (Nelson/Finley, Sitton), two busts (Brohm and Lee)
2009 - 1 elite (Matthews), 1 good starter (Raji), 1 average starter (Lang), 1 backup (Jones)
2010 - 1 good starter (Burnett), 4 average starters (Neal, Bulaga, Newhouse, Wilson), 1 prior starter and soon to released (Starks)
2011 - 1 good starter (Cobb), 3 unknowns due to injuries (Sherrod, Green, House)
2012 - 1 good starter (Heyward), many unknowns due to too young yet to rate (Perry, Worthy, McMillian, Daniels, Manning, etc.)

So, running the numbers through the flux capacitor I expect at least one good to excellent starter from this draft and one or two more at least average starters. Factoring in TT's success rate for position tends to reduce the chances of a good running back but increase the chance of a decent receiver, but then factoring in draft position I believe the following will hold true:

Jones - average starter (based on high draft position versus bust with Harrell but good starter with Raji and potential with Worthy)
Lacy - good starter (based on draft position versus marginal past RB's drafting history but where he's exhibited three down back potential if healthy and so if healthy then the good starter rating)
Tretter - average starter at center

Looking forward to finding this thread in a few years and seeing how off I was

[MadScientist]

C - This has the markings of a draft that won't pan out:
1) Jones - I think he will be pretty good
2) Lacy - I think he will make Justin Harrell look like a specimen of perfect health. (I really hope I'm wrong, but the more I read the less I like him).
4a,b) OL projects are only useful if there is a decent OL coach. The Packers didn't draft a good coach, so I expect nothing from them.
4c) Franklin - an upgrade from Harris, but nothing earth shattering.
5a) Hyde - The best we can hope for is a cheaper replacement for Bush.
5b) Boyd - One of those DL guys that stick around for a year or 2 but never amount to much.
6) Palmer - camp body or ST guy
7a) Johnson - Good 7th round flier, maybe the next DD. Will take a year or two to develop.
7b) Dorsey - Worth a shot at that point, but not expecting anything.
7c) Barrington - Yikes, keep him away from anything that has wheels, including the kid bikes at camp.

[Patler]

Well, per the rankings of Bob McGinn they drafted

the #1 RB
the #2 DE
the #5 RB
the #7 OT
the #11 OG


Beyond that, they got:

the Big Ten "Defensive Back of the Year" in 2012.
an OLB prospect that Greene really liked after spending a day with his coach and having the kid visit GB.
a big, very fast WR prospect
another WR just as big and almost as fast,

The draft is all about prospects, kids that MIGHT have the potential to make it in the NFL. It's not an open field, the teams are limited to those players who are draft eligible. Given the limitations of the endeavor, looks like there are some players there to work with.

[Patler]

4a,b) OL projects are only useful if there is a decent OL coach. The Packers didn't draft a good coach, so I expect nothing from them.

I've forgotten, what day is "Fire Campen Day" on here?

[pbmax]

I've forgotten, what day is "Fire Campen Day" on here?

Its been pushed aside for Fire Slocum but we bring it back if there is a fifth Wednesday in the month.

[MadScientist]

I've forgotten, what day is "Fire Campen Day" on here?

Every day should be "Fire Campen Day", but traditionally it is held the day after the first regular season game, during which the OL looks out of sync and totally unprepared for the life in the NFL.

[Joemailman]

B. I like the RB's, Jones, the WR's and the LB's. But TT didn't draft anyone in my mock draft, so I can't give him an A.