Way, Way Too Early Draft Crushes

[Frozen Tundra]

On first watch I thought he was a concussion waiting to happen. YouTube shows him both giving and receiving some hard shots, but he's got a lot of talent and potential. I'm starting to come around on him. In a stable with Jones and another RB he could be something. He runs violent and has very good speed.

in other news: Dane Brugler is reporting that Cooper DeJean will not test at the Combine, as he's still recovering from a late season leg injury. Probably helps him slide down into the 20's; my guess is Quinyon Mitchell and the 2 Alabama corners leapfrog him.

I heard some draft guy interviewed the other day speaking very highly of Quinyon Mitchell, but the scouting reports I've read say his strength is playing off coverage. Better fit for a zone scheme, where he can watch the route develop in front of him. Hopefully we've seen enough of that crap here for one lifetime.

[Joemailman]

If people are thinking the Packers are going to be playing press man all the time, they're mistaken. Everybody plays zone. You can play zone in a much more aggressive way than we saw with Joe Barry.

[bobblehead]

I heard some draft guy interviewed the other day speaking very highly of Quinyon Mitchell, but the scouting reports I've read say his strength is playing off coverage. Better fit for a zone scheme, where he can watch the route develop in front of him. Hopefully we've seen enough of that crap here for one lifetime.

Nothing wrong with that style if you are put in a position to succeed. That is exactly the kind of safety we need to be honest. A guy who is smart and can watch it unfold, then accelerate and make a play. I still like DeJean in that role, but just like everyone here says "why make tom a guard when he is a good tackle", DeJean can be a good CB so I'm not sure anyone wants to make him a safety.

[texaspackerbacker]

If people are thinking the Packers are going to be playing press man all the time, they're mistaken. Everybody plays zone. You can play zone in a much more aggressive way than we saw with Joe Barry.

Exactly, and I hope they do play that more aggressive style of zone a LOT - because our best D games last season were when we played a lot of umbrella zone, and also because I don't have much confidence in Jaire to get back to being a shutdown Corner.

[Frozen Tundra]

If people are thinking the Packers are going to be playing press man all the time, they're mistaken. Everybody plays zone. You can play zone in a much more aggressive way than we saw with Joe Barry.

True, but press is going to be Hafley's bread and butter. It's his religion. I've googled some seminars he's given over the last few years on defensive backs, and saw a Youtube video of him talking to his players at Ohio State. He sounded like George C. Scott in the opening speech in "Patton" - "attack, attack, attack!" His defense is centered on harrassing, frustrating, and interfering with every single thing the recievers try to do; punch him at the line, keep your hands on him, block his path, fight him every single step of his route so that he can't run his planned route, make it so that only a perfect pass can beat the coverage, and the QB has to choose between throwing a risky pass he doesn't want to throw or not throwing the ball at all.

Obviously we won't see that on every play, but it's what he's going to keep going back to on the majority of pass plays. If you're taking a CB in the first round, when there are still a lot of players to choose from, it seems smarter to take one whose strengths fit the coverage you're going to be using the most often.

But that's just my opinion. I don't have a lot invested in it.

[Deputy Nutz]

Actually just watched footage of Cole Bishop. I think he moves really well. I don't think he as instinctive as a Hunter Woehler from the Badgers, but he has a real fluid back pedal and understands positioning as a deep safety whether that's in the post or playing Cover 2. He is a good effort guy, chases stuff down and has a burst doing it. Its all a real crap shoot until after the combine on some of these guys. I like the safety class this year. One guy I keep coming back to is Calen Bullock of USC. He has some range as a deep safety. His tackling isn't top notch, but he can get over the top in a hurry.

[Deputy Nutz]

True, but press is going to be Hafley's bread and butter. It's his religion. I've googled some seminars he's given over the last few years on defensive backs, and saw a Youtube video of him talking to his players at Ohio State. He sounded like George C. Scott in the opening speech in "Patton" - "attack, attack, attack!" His defense is centered on harrassing, frustrating, and interfering with every single thing the recievers try to do; punch him at the line, keep your hands on him, block his path, fight him every single step of his route so that he can't run his planned route, make it so that only a perfect pass can beat the coverage, and the QB has to choose between throwing a risky pass he doesn't want to throw or not throwing the ball at all.

Obviously we won't see that on every play, but it's what he's going to keep going back to on the majority of pass plays. If you're taking a CB in the first round, when there are still a lot of players to choose from, it seems smarter to take one whose strengths fit the coverage you're going to be using the most often.

But that's just my opinion. I don't have a lot invested in it.

Press man can turn into Cover 2 and Cover 2 can look a lot like press man. Ohio State used to love sitting in cover 1 tempting teams to beat them with better athletes outside. It rarely happened until the College Playoffs because Ohio St has had some phenom type corners in the college ranks. College is so much different than the NFL. You can't breath on a receiver in the NFL after 5 yards. It really limits how aggressive you can get with the outside receivers. You can't live in one type of coverage in the NFL, the receivers and QBs are too good and will pick it apart. It's not even so much about multiple coverages its disguise and changing who has what zones.

[texaspackerbacker]

This sort of a relief to me. Press man coverage is great if you have shutdown Corners and/or adequate Safety coverage. Press man with a single high Safety, even a good one, is a disaster waiting to happen.

[run pMc]

I heard some draft guy interviewed the other day speaking very highly of Quinyon Mitchell, but the scouting reports I've read say his strength is playing off coverage. Better fit for a zone scheme, where he can watch the route develop in front of him. Hopefully we've seen enough of that crap here for one lifetime.

I heard Mitchell did very well at the Senior Bowl and might be CB1. Sounded like he held up in man coverage against those receivers just fine.
Agree with Joe that Hafley won't be in press man all the time, but we'll definitely see it more than with Barry.

As others have mentioned, every team plays zone, usually the majority of coverage is some kind of zone. It will be interesting to see how much zone Hafley calls, what kinds of zone he calls, and how it's disguised. (Execution is another question) I didn't get a sense that Barry disguised his coverages a lot, there were times it felt like it was varying degrees of prevent defense.

[Fritz]

True, but press is going to be Hafley's bread and butter. It's his religion. I've googled some seminars he's given over the last few years on defensive backs, and saw a Youtube video of him talking to his players at Ohio State. He sounded like George C. Scott in the opening speech in "Patton" - "attack, attack, attack!" His defense is centered on harrassing, frustrating, and interfering with every single thing the recievers try to do; punch him at the line, keep your hands on him, block his path, fight him every single step of his route so that he can't run his planned route, make it so that only a perfect pass can beat the coverage, and the QB has to choose between throwing a risky pass he doesn't want to throw or not throwing the ball at all.

Obviously we won't see that on every play, but it's what he's going to keep going back to on the majority of pass plays. If you're taking a CB in the first round, when there are still a lot of players to choose from, it seems smarter to take one whose strengths fit the coverage you're going to be using the most often.

But that's just my opinion. I don't have a lot invested in it.

Punch 'em in the nuts!

[run pMc]

Punch 'em in the nuts!

Is that the new "Bite Em In The Kneecaps"?

[Fritz]

It's even more effective than that!

If Guter drafts nothing but safeties, corners, linebackers and offensive linemen, I will be just fine.

[run pMc]

Don't forget running backs, they need someone better than Emanuel Wilson or Patrick Taylor.

And before someone says "they're fine" or "re-sign Dillon", try to remember how many explosive plays those guys had, and then think about how many Jones had despite missing half a season. You need to replicate Jones, not keep JAGs.

[Joemailman]

Don't forget running backs, they need someone better than Emanuel Wilson or Patrick Taylor.

And before someone says "they're fine" or "re-sign Dillon", try to remember how many explosive plays those guys had, and then think about how many Jones had despite missing half a season. You need to replicate Jones, not keep JAGs.

Agreed. There's some pretty good ones between rounds 3-5.

1 51 Trey Benson Florida State 6'0" 221

2 61 Blake Corum Michigan 5'7" 210

3 72 Jonathon Brooks Texas 6'0" 207

4 78 Bucky Irving Oregon 5'9" 194

5 83 Will Shipley Clemson 5'10" 205

6 93 Audric Estime Notre Dame 6'0" 227

7 107 Braelon Allen Wisconsin 6'2" 235

8 138 MarShawn Lloyd USC 5'9" 210

9 143 Frank Gore Jr. Southern Miss 5'7" 199

10 160 Cody Schrader Missouri 5'9" 214

11 162 Ray Davis Kentucky 5'9" 205

12 167 Emani Bailey TCU 5'9" 207

[Fritz]

Don't forget running backs, they need someone better than Emanuel Wilson or Patrick Taylor.

And before someone says "they're fine" or "re-sign Dillon", try to remember how many explosive plays those guys had, and then think about how many Jones had despite missing half a season. You need to replicate Jones, not keep JAGs.

I did forget - thanks for the reminder. Yes, they need to draft a couple RB's.

But please, not Blake Corum. He scored a lot of touchdowns because he got a lot of carries, and really, to me, was not super strong nor shifty nor did he have awesome vision. Got rode hard and put away wet.