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Hawk flies high above
Ohio State star stands out in deep linebacker pool
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: April 19, 2006
The category? NFL Trivia.
The answer? Lavar Arrington, Brian Urlacher, Chris Claiborne, James Farrior and Kevin Hardy.
If this was a game of "Jeopardy" and you had just been presented those five names, could you get the correct question? The way NFL general managers have operated in recent drafts, it's doubtful even they could.
But if you said, "Who were the only linebackers drafted in the top 10 in the past decade?" give yourself a hand.
That's because the question was almost as tough as it's been for linebackers to draw attention at the top of a draft lately.
That figures to change next week, though.
When the 2006 NFL Draft begins next Saturday, Ohio State's A.J. Hawk is likely to go in the top five picks and could be selected as high as No. 2 by New Orleans. Chad Greenway of Iowa and Ernie Sims of Florida State are likely first-rounders. Alabama's DeMeco Ryans, Ohio State's Bobby Carpenter and North Carolina State's Manny Lawson all have a shot at cracking Round 1, as well.
Florida State's Kamerion Wimbley - a potential top-15 pick - was an undersized defensive end in college who could move to linebacker depending on which team drafts him.
All in all, the draft is extremely deep at linebacker, which bodes well for a team like Green Bay that has very few competent ones. And it wouldn't surprise anyone if the Packers used their first-round draft choice - the No. 5 overall selection - on Hawk.
"Inside linebacker is probably the strongest group I've seen in 20-some years I've done this," Pittsburgh director of football operations Kevin Colbert said. "It's strong at the top, strong in the middle and there are some kids on the second day that will be contributors if not starters."
As NFL offenses have become more pass-heavy in the last quarter century, defenses have adjusted with far more nickel and dime packages than ever before. For the most part, that's turned the majority of linebackers into part-time players and made many of them an afterthought on draft day.
Since 2000, only eight linebackers have been selected in the first round and there haven't been more than two first-rounders in any of those years. And since 1996, the only linebackers picked in the top 10 have been Arrington (No. 2 overall by Washington) and Urlacher (No. 9, Chicago) in 2000, Claiborne (No. 9, Detroit) in 1999, Farrior (No. 8, New York Jets) in 1997 and Hardy (No. 2, Jacksonville) in 1996.
The talent, though, in this linebacking class is superior to most seasons. And for one weekend, anyway, the position will receive more attention than it has in recent years.
"I think it's a good one," Houston general manager Charlie Casserly said of the linebacker class. "I don't know if I want to go back and look at other years without it in front of me, but I think you've got some good players in this one.
"You know, A.J. Hawk obviously is good. Greenway is good. Those are the two guys that got all the headlines during the year. But the Alabama linebacker, Ryans is pretty good. The Florida State linebacker Sims is pretty good. So you've got some, I think, real good linebackers in this draft."
The best of the bunch almost certainly figures to Hawk. And if Green Bay calls his name with its first-round pick, he could add an enormous boost to a position where the Packers have lacked an impact player for years.
In fact, Green Bay has had just three Pro Bowl linebackers in the past three decades - Bryce Paup in 1994, Tim Harris in 1989 and Fred Carr in 1975. And in recent seasons, Green Bay's linebackers have been woefully inept at forcing turnovers or making game-changing plays.
Hawk could certainly change all that.
In Hawk's three years as a starter at Ohio State, he averaged 5 sacks, including 9½ as a senior. He also had seven interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown.
Hawk was a tackling machine, averaging 122.7 tackles per season. He also averaged 12½ tackles for loss each season, including 16½ as a senior. Not only was Hawk a master at making big plays, he made them at critical times of the game, changing momentum countless times.
Hawk has ideal size (6-1, 248), fantastic instincts and tremendous anticipation. And he could play inside or outside and almost never leave the field.
There were some questions about Hawk's speed when he ran a 4.59 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in February. But he rebounded with a 4.47 on his pro day and most scouts believe his future will be filled with several Pro Bowls.
"This guy's a playmaker," Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel said. "He runs all over the place, and he runs to the ball. He's got some size, some speed, some production. I like all of those things."
Hawk is one of several linebackers the scouts like enough to possibly go in Round 1.
Sims is tough, physical and probably the toughest hitter at the position. A checkered past and a history of concussions could push him down, though.
Greenway is athletic and fluid, although he didn't run well at the NFL Combine (4.76). And Wimbley would be a perfect fit for Cleveland's 3-4 defense, if the Browns elected to go that way with the No. 12 pick.
Overall, the linebacking position should be far more popular this year than it has been in some time.
"There are some athletic guys, some talented guys," Kansas City coach Herm Edwards said. "There are some good kids coming out."
Ohio State star stands out in deep linebacker pool
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: April 19, 2006
The category? NFL Trivia.
The answer? Lavar Arrington, Brian Urlacher, Chris Claiborne, James Farrior and Kevin Hardy.
If this was a game of "Jeopardy" and you had just been presented those five names, could you get the correct question? The way NFL general managers have operated in recent drafts, it's doubtful even they could.
But if you said, "Who were the only linebackers drafted in the top 10 in the past decade?" give yourself a hand.
That's because the question was almost as tough as it's been for linebackers to draw attention at the top of a draft lately.
That figures to change next week, though.
When the 2006 NFL Draft begins next Saturday, Ohio State's A.J. Hawk is likely to go in the top five picks and could be selected as high as No. 2 by New Orleans. Chad Greenway of Iowa and Ernie Sims of Florida State are likely first-rounders. Alabama's DeMeco Ryans, Ohio State's Bobby Carpenter and North Carolina State's Manny Lawson all have a shot at cracking Round 1, as well.
Florida State's Kamerion Wimbley - a potential top-15 pick - was an undersized defensive end in college who could move to linebacker depending on which team drafts him.
All in all, the draft is extremely deep at linebacker, which bodes well for a team like Green Bay that has very few competent ones. And it wouldn't surprise anyone if the Packers used their first-round draft choice - the No. 5 overall selection - on Hawk.
"Inside linebacker is probably the strongest group I've seen in 20-some years I've done this," Pittsburgh director of football operations Kevin Colbert said. "It's strong at the top, strong in the middle and there are some kids on the second day that will be contributors if not starters."
As NFL offenses have become more pass-heavy in the last quarter century, defenses have adjusted with far more nickel and dime packages than ever before. For the most part, that's turned the majority of linebackers into part-time players and made many of them an afterthought on draft day.
Since 2000, only eight linebackers have been selected in the first round and there haven't been more than two first-rounders in any of those years. And since 1996, the only linebackers picked in the top 10 have been Arrington (No. 2 overall by Washington) and Urlacher (No. 9, Chicago) in 2000, Claiborne (No. 9, Detroit) in 1999, Farrior (No. 8, New York Jets) in 1997 and Hardy (No. 2, Jacksonville) in 1996.
The talent, though, in this linebacking class is superior to most seasons. And for one weekend, anyway, the position will receive more attention than it has in recent years.
"I think it's a good one," Houston general manager Charlie Casserly said of the linebacker class. "I don't know if I want to go back and look at other years without it in front of me, but I think you've got some good players in this one.
"You know, A.J. Hawk obviously is good. Greenway is good. Those are the two guys that got all the headlines during the year. But the Alabama linebacker, Ryans is pretty good. The Florida State linebacker Sims is pretty good. So you've got some, I think, real good linebackers in this draft."
The best of the bunch almost certainly figures to Hawk. And if Green Bay calls his name with its first-round pick, he could add an enormous boost to a position where the Packers have lacked an impact player for years.
In fact, Green Bay has had just three Pro Bowl linebackers in the past three decades - Bryce Paup in 1994, Tim Harris in 1989 and Fred Carr in 1975. And in recent seasons, Green Bay's linebackers have been woefully inept at forcing turnovers or making game-changing plays.
Hawk could certainly change all that.
In Hawk's three years as a starter at Ohio State, he averaged 5 sacks, including 9½ as a senior. He also had seven interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown.
Hawk was a tackling machine, averaging 122.7 tackles per season. He also averaged 12½ tackles for loss each season, including 16½ as a senior. Not only was Hawk a master at making big plays, he made them at critical times of the game, changing momentum countless times.
Hawk has ideal size (6-1, 248), fantastic instincts and tremendous anticipation. And he could play inside or outside and almost never leave the field.
There were some questions about Hawk's speed when he ran a 4.59 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in February. But he rebounded with a 4.47 on his pro day and most scouts believe his future will be filled with several Pro Bowls.
"This guy's a playmaker," Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel said. "He runs all over the place, and he runs to the ball. He's got some size, some speed, some production. I like all of those things."
Hawk is one of several linebackers the scouts like enough to possibly go in Round 1.
Sims is tough, physical and probably the toughest hitter at the position. A checkered past and a history of concussions could push him down, though.
Greenway is athletic and fluid, although he didn't run well at the NFL Combine (4.76). And Wimbley would be a perfect fit for Cleveland's 3-4 defense, if the Browns elected to go that way with the No. 12 pick.
Overall, the linebacking position should be far more popular this year than it has been in some time.
"There are some athletic guys, some talented guys," Kansas City coach Herm Edwards said. "There are some good kids coming out."
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