Official 2023 NFL Draft Thread

[red]

Are you sure? I thought Jim Taylor was a 4th or 5th rounder.

15th pick of the second round according to wikiland

edit, wait no

it was the 15th pick overall, which back then was in the second round (13 picks per round)

#66 was taken in the third round #36 overall and #68 was taken in the 4th with the 39th overall pick

now thats how you draft

[Joemailman]

Taylor was the 15th pick, which in 1958 was in the 2nd round.

[Joemailman]

Recent #15 picks:

2022: Houston - Kenyon Green

2021: New England - Mac Jones

2020: Denver - Jerry Jeudy

2019: Washington - Dwayne Haskins

2018: Oakland - Kolton Miller

[bobblehead]

I have no clue what to expect in the first, but I am convinced they go TE in the 2nd, probably trading up.

[run pMc]

I have no clue what to expect in the first, but I am convinced they go TE in the 2nd, probably trading up.

I like Dalton Kincaid, a bit of an oversized WR type, but he can run, get down the seam, has good hands, and can even get some YAC. Mayer is the most complete TE in the draft, but taking him in R1 feels rich to me.
Sam LaPorta or Tucker Kraft in R3-4? No idea, but I think TEs are risky picks. Take a while to develop, few really do, and you can sometimes develop a guy off the PS a la Tonyan.

I think they'll look at DL, EDGE or maybe a falling OT in R1. I suppose a DB is a possibility too, if they can play safety or in the slot (or they move Rasul to safety).

R3-4 will be when (if?) they start looking at a WR. Maybe Xavier Hutchinson?

One thing is for sure -- I'm glad they didn't trade their R2 for Chase Claypool.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm fine with bringing back the OL, as is. With Bakh and Jenkins healthy, it's a good group with some young guys who could still develop (Myers, Runyan, Tom). If they get rid of Bakh, then we'd need to look for another OT, but Bakh, Tom, Nijman, and Jenkins (if they get in a pickle) is fine. I'm a big fan of Tom though. Nijman is really good third OT.

[run pMc]

I'm fine with bringing back the OL, as is. With Bakh and Jenkins healthy, it's a good group with some young guys who could still develop (Myers, Runyan, Tom). If they get rid of Bakh, then we'd need to look for another OT, but Bakh, Tom, Nijman, and Jenkins (if they get in a pickle) is fine. I'm a big fan of Tom though. Nijman is really good third OT.

Agree, although Myers has had shaky moments.
To play devil's advocate - you take a tackle the year before you'll need one, and I think in 13.5 months time both Njiman and Bahk could very well be gone.

[texaspackerbacker]

We have plenty of quantity at TE. If you're not gonna take a sure thing superstar (such a thing may not exist at TE) in the first round, we don't really need another of what we have four or so of.

Myers has been probably the best we have in the OLine. Nijman did good against most pass rushers and wasn't horrible at run blocking. He had a bad game against a speed rusher last night, a guy that Tom was more suitable to match up with. Given the terrible uncertainty when it comes to drafting OLine early, I'd say just go with what we have - Nijman and Tom as the Tackles, Jenkins and Runyan as the Guards, and Myers. Arguably the line was as good pass blocking and a lot better run blocking when Bakhtiari was out anyway.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Agree, although Myers has had shaky moments.
To play devil's advocate - you take a tackle the year before you'll need one, and I think in 13.5 months time both Njiman and Bahk could very well be gone.

True. Same with EDGE. EDGE looks slightly more dire than OT. It's going to be EDGE, OT or possibly CB or DT.

[smuggler]

Good post from Nutz, but I'll add concerning the safeties that Amos is gone next year, isn't he? Realistically we need two safeties.

[texaspackerbacker]

Is there any clear indication that Amos will be gone? I don't think so, and I certainly hope not. I agree, though, we do need one Safety - early, possibly even first round.

[run pMc]

Is there any clear indication that Amos will be gone? I don't think so, and I certainly hope not. I agree, though, we do need one Safety - early, possibly even first round.

They added void years rather than extending him, same as Lowry. His play took a dip and to the eye test he looked slower. Might not be a good fit in Barry's scheme. Love the dude but I wouldn't count on him returning. Safeties can be found in later rounds but if there's a difference-maker you take one. Savage is on his 5th year and will be playing for a long term contract. I think they will look at 2 safeties; Rudy Ford is a nice ST player but he shouldn't be starting. It's possible though unlikely one of Micah Abernathy, Tariq Carpenter, or Innis Gaines could become a starter...but I'm not sure any would be a high quality starter.

[RashanGary]

All these void years stink. Takes away the comp pick when they leave. The bill for mortgaging the future is coming due. Best case scenario might be having an all time down year or two and lucking into the next HOFer

[Deputy Nutz]

Not sure about the dire need for edge. With Gary going down it gave a couple of young guy the ability to get valuable game reps. Preston is above average, getting up there in age. You can always add edge rushers because every team needs them, but I like what I saw from Engabare and if Smith doesn't come back then I would think the Packers would have to draft an edge player. I would like to see Quay Walker used more off the edge though. I think he could actually be a special player on the edge or in space. There is a lot going on in the middle for him trying to see through all the traffic.
The issue I have is that Gary and Preston Smith are basically small defensive ends without the ability to actually give much in the way of coverage so if they are in the game most likely they are rushing and you probably want them to since they are your best pass rushers but then the offensive line and QB can usually pin point who the 4 rushers are. The two DTs and the two stand up ends. its not brain surgery for christsakes.
I like the combination of Reed, Wyatt, and Clark as the 3 for 2 in the Packers nickel scheme and those three should get the majority of the reps in the Packers base 3-4. The rush schemes are ridiculously simplistic.

[run pMc]

We have plenty of quantity at TE. If you're not gonna take a sure thing superstar (such a thing may not exist at TE) in the first round, we don't really need another of what we have four or so of.

Myers has been probably the best we have in the OLine. Nijman did good against most pass rushers and wasn't horrible at run blocking. He had a bad game against a speed rusher last night, a guy that Tom was more suitable to match up with. Given the terrible uncertainty when it comes to drafting OLine early, I'd say just go with what we have - Nijman and Tom as the Tackles, Jenkins and Runyan as the Guards, and Myers. Arguably the line was as good pass blocking and a lot better run blocking when Bakhtiari was out anyway.

You and I see the roster differently.
They have one TE under contract as of Mar 1 - Deguara. Many would argue GB will have neither quantity nor quality at TE on that day. Tyler Davis, Tonyan, and Big Dog could all be gone.

As for OL - Myers got schooled by Isaiah freaking Buggs in Week 18, and by several other IDL this year. IMO the decision to draft him over Creed Humphrey was a gamble that hasn't paid off. He's not bad but he's no Linsley. He was probably the healthiest of the OL this year, but I wouldn't say he was the best. I'm willing to give him a break since he was hurt for a lot of last year, but next year he has to show growth. I don't think Rodgers was cursing him out to snap the ball on time this year at least.

Overall I think GB OL was in the top 5 if not top 10 in most metrics, but there are some weaknesses. Like many teams, they have trouble with dominant DTs like Quinnen Williams. They are mostly big athletes who can pull and get to the 2nd level for blocks; they aren't big road graders. That's how zone schemes generally are though. They will have trouble running some power scheme plays.
Their pass pro is pretty good, Rodgers release time this year was .1 seconds longer than last and his pressure rate was lower. The ground game was pretty good overall, even when they went away from giving 33 the ball. The blocking improved by mid-season once they had Bahk and Jenkins on the left with Njiman at RT. Also needed time for them to recover from the ACLs.

Getting Hanson and Newman out of the lineup took too long and affected their stats and their season.