First Round Pick 2019 #2, Darnell Savage

[pbmax]

Based on recent experience that the Steelers always take the guy I want the Packers to take, I have to believe they would have snapped him up if he dropped to them. After he was gone, I think they really went to the guy they thought was BPA/Best upside.

Would make me feel better if this is the case actually.

[mraynrand]

Would make me feel better if this is the case actually.

I think they were thinking "This is Kenny Clark on steroids" Well, maybe not steroids, but you get the point. He's an athletic freak with even more upside due to his age. We hope.

[bobblehead]

If you spent two fourth round picks and a first round pick on a guy, he'd better be Ed Reed or Earl Thomas.

Bobble hit the nail on the head. Gute better be right on at least one of these two first round guys, or he might have a shorter GM career than the other (ex) Packer execs who are now running teams.

As I just texted to a friend. You just lost 2...TWO chances at the next Lang or Bakhtiari to move up for Savage. You can't afford to miss on that move.

[bobblehead]

I think they were thinking "This is Kenny Clark on steroids" Well, maybe not steroids, but you get the point. He's an athletic freak with even more upside due to his age. We hope.

And lack of steroids or lifting regimen in general.

[3irty1]

I think it's long overdue that we stop thinking of drafting BPA and drafting need as ever being mutually exclusive.

[pbmax]

I think it's long overdue that we stop thinking of drafting BPA and drafting need as ever being mutually exclusive.

Sure, but you can only move around so much without losing value (and by that I mean pick value).

And its still better, no matter what your draft guidelines are, to get higher numbers of picks in a class.

[pbmax]

[pbmax]

[pbmax]

[pbmax]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/dougherty/2019/04/26/dougherty-packers-spring-surprises-further-bolstering-defense/3578261002/

Savage, in the meantime, is a center fielder at safety, which has been a hole in the Packers’ secondary for years in a league that becomes more passing oriented by the season. They might have had one on their roster in former first-rounder Damarious Randall but played him out of position at cornerback and then traded him away last year because former coach Mike McCarthy wanted him out of the locker room.

Though Savage wasn’t a big name in the media for much of the draft process, as the draft neared it became clear that teams regarded him highly and possibly even as a first-round pick. Gutekunst clearly targeted him, because a couple other free safeties of note (Virginia’s Juan Thornhill, Delaware’s Nasir Adderley and Florida's Chauncey Gardner-Johnson) were still on the board, too, and if nothing else the GM could have waited and gotten one of them at 30.

But Gutekunst felt so strongly about Savage’s speed (4.36 40) and playmaking (eight career interceptions) that he gave up two extra picks (fourth-rounders) to move ahead of a team or teams he suspected were going to draft Savage. It’s always good to have a safety who can outrun his mistakes, which Savage’s 4.36 speed suggest he can. In describing Savage, Gutekunst used a word, “rare,” that always jumps out coming from a scout.

“(Savage’s) athleticism, ability to cover ground and take the ball away we thought was rare,” the GM said.

[Fritz]

I think it's long overdue that we stop thinking of drafting BPA and drafting need as ever being mutually exclusive.

Well, after the Rashan Gary pick we now have a third way of thinking: drafting not BPA, not drafting need, but drafting stupid.

[mraynrand]

Savage is like a guided missile out there

[Fritz]

Savage is like a guided missile out there

[bobblehead]

I started thinking about this trade up. Its actually worse than I stated. He not only can't afford to be wrong, he also has to be better than right. Savage has to be better than Adderly/Thornhill and the rest. Gary has to be better than Burns/Sweat and others.

edit: In fairness he didn't give up other capital to take Gary though. If Gary turns into a really good pro and Sweat is an all pro its not so bad.

Last year I wanted Derwin James when we picked. We sure could have used him last year. In the end, Gutes was the winner though as Alexander was a stud and we get to have the conversation about how stupid he used the capital he acquired in that deal. Hope I feel humbled next year at this time.

[mraynrand]

...

wrong missile, wrong guide