Will the rookies flop or not?

[Smidgeon]

It's fresh after draft time, and all the draft picks will either be first-day starters with electric ability or role players using a couple years to adjust to the NFL before becoming bonafide stars.

But in reality, it does not work like that. Reality undermines optimism.

So make your predictions: which players won't make it out of camp, which ones will never graduate from the practice squad, which ones will only ever be part time backups, which ones will become low-grade starters, which ones will become solid starter, and are there any stars in this class?

My predictions:

CB Alexander - star
CB Jackson - solid starter
ILB Burks - part time backup
WR Moore - solid starter
OL Madison - solid starter
P Scott - solid starter
WR Valdes-Scantling - low-grade starter
WR St. Brown - part time backup
DL Looney - camp cut
LS Bradley - solid starter
OLB Donnerson - practice squad only

I recognize I'm not really taking any risks with my predictions, but I'm not good at prognosticating anyway, so might as well be conservative.

[gbgary]

CB Alexander - starter
CB Jackson - backup, situational player, future starter
ILB Burks - backup, situational player
WR Moore - backup, future starter
OL Madison - backup, future starter
P Scott - starter
WR Valdes-Scantling - backup
WR St. Brown - backup
DL Looney - cut
LS Bradley - starter
OLB Donnerson - cut

[texaspackerbacker]

It was kinda unclear with both of you guys whether you mean THIS YEAR or EVENTUALLY. If you mean this year, then you're more optimistic than I am, and virtually nobody is that.

With the long time shitty record of drafting Corners that the Packers have, it's a real stretch for them to hit on two stars in this draft. I could really see that happening though - Alexander is NOT the reincarnation of Terrell Buckley or Damarious Randall, and Josh Jackson IS the reincarnation of Al Harris instinct trumping speed.

I see Burks as a OLB, not ILB. Maybe a future starter and member of the rotation this year, but shaky.

The Punter and the Long Snapper are good bets to do well - draft picks at those spots damn well better.

Madison seems like "just a guy", but the Packers for better or worse have been starting players like that for a long time. "backup, future starter" sounds about right.

I am thinking extremely positive about all three WR draft picks; I don't see why so many others are not. They seem to have the athletic ability to be better than anybody we've had in the Rodgers years. On the other hand, they were still available. If they flop, it ain't for lack of ability, and with the great advantage of Aaron Rodgers throwing to them, I doubt they flop. On the other hand, they could languish on the bench and have their talent wasted - like ya'all know who that so many in here inexplicably hated. I'll go with future starter for all three, and potential star for ...... maybe all three.

Looney seems to have good athleticism, same even more so for Donnerson. If either or both flop and get cut, it will be a surprise to me, and won't be for lack of talent.

[The Shadow]

Traded to Cleveland
Traded to Cleveland
Waived, claimed by Cleveland
Cut, signed by Cleveland

[pbmax]

Traded to Cleveland
Traded to Cleveland
Waived, claimed by Cleveland
Cut, signed by Cleveland

Don't forget Philadelphia.

[gbgary]

Traded to Cleveland
Traded to Cleveland
Waived, claimed by Cleveland
Cut, signed by Cleveland

lol

[Deputy Nutz]

My prediction after year 3

Alexander: Starter in the nickle package
Jackson: Starter
Burks: backup and special teams
Moore: backup cut
Madison: backup
Scott: Starter
MVS: Cut
Brown: Backup
Looney: Cut
Bradley: Starter
Donnerson: backup special teams

[run pMc]

Waaay too early to tell -- gotta see them in pads vs. NFL players -- but I suppose the pure speculation is fun.

Rookie year:
CB Alexander - starting slot corner
CB Jackson - backup outside corner
ILB Burks - backup base/nickel ILB, starting dime ILB
WR Moore - backup, ST player
OL Madison - backup RG, starter by end of season
P Scott - starter
WR Valdes-Scantling - PS
WR St. Brown - backup, ST player
DL Looney - PS
LS Bradley - starter
OLB Donnerson - PS

Year 3:
CB Alexander - starting slot corner
CB Jackson - starting outside corner
ILB Burks - starting ILB
WR Moore - backup/starter
OL Madison - starter/gone
P Scott - starter
WR Valdes-Scantling - backup/gone
WR St. Brown - backup/gone
DL Looney - gone
LS Bradley - starter/gone
OLB Donnerson - gone

Some of these guys are a coin flip -- they either make it or they are gone. By Year 3 there usually isn't much middle ground.

[smuggler]

I have to think Burks has a better than average chance to bust. Hope I'm wrong.

[Zool]

I’m sticking with maybe.

[Fritz]

I have to think Burks has a better than average chance to bust. Hope I'm wrong.

TT drafted some tall rangy athlete who couldn't play a lick of football. Third round, I think. A safety. Virginia Tech, maybe? Burks is that guy, I think.

And Jaire "The Oft-injured" Alexander will be hurt and unavailable for three years, until they mercifully let him go.

[pbmax]

TT drafted some tall rangy athlete who couldn't play a lick of football. Third round, I think. A safety. Virginia Tech, maybe? Burks is that guy, I think.

And Jaire "The Oft-injured" Alexander will be hurt and unavailable for three years, until they mercifully let him go.

Aaron Rouse?

[Cheesehead Craig]

I'm going with that Burks is going to be the surprise of the draft, in a good way. He's just being written off too much.

[MadScientist]

CB Alexander - solid slot starter.
CB Jackson - Backup and eventually serviceable starter outside. Nothing special.
ILB Burks - ST for a year then cut year 2. Never learns how to tackle.
WR Moore - #3 wideout in year 1, building hope. Doesn't progress, not re-signed after rookie contract.
OL Madison - backup and eventually adequate starter
P Scott - Ok, but not as good as advertised. More consistent than Vogel
WR Valdes-Scantling - ST player, eventually a #3 wideout
WR St. Brown - ST player, breaks out and becomes a #2 in a year or two.
DL Looney - PS for 2 years with a couple of games on the roster. Eminently forgettable.
LS Bradley - solid starter
OLB Donnerson - PS for half a year then cut

I'm probably being too optimistic with this list.

[George Cumby]

I’m sticking with maybe.

Waffler.

Real men risk all by voicing their ill-informed opinions on anonymous on-line forums. Real men espouse on subjects they know fuck-all about save that they gleaned from the magazine they grabbed at the grocery store when their wife wasn’t looking. Real men speak in absolutes because by God if I look like I’m slightly thoughtful or deliberative that will be construed as weakness by my Internet Friends.

So be a man why don’t you?

I say it’s a distinct possibility but then again there is a chance it could go the other way but you know USA Today said it was a good draft but if I don’t criticise Managemrnt I’m just a tool-homer-fanboy and boy I just don’t know imsoconfused. So maybe.