OFFICIAL POSTDRAFT REVIEWS & POLLS

[TopHat]

DRAFT REVIEW: 2ND REEVALUATION

http://www.packernet.com/main/topstories.cfm?sn=118

SECOND REVIEW: Packers' Draft Review

I was like many other Packer fans I had more questions than drafted football players on whether who was drafted by Green Bay was right for the team. Now based on NOT going after the Dwayne Jarrett's or other wide receivers that would put dizzying thought of playoffs and even Super Bowl in my dreams at night. We as a Packer Nation had a reality check. The latest draft from Ted Thompson was a curve ball. But it was one that had to be thrown. It has come to light that this Draft in 2007 will be known for solidifying all of the special team units as well as depth on this football team. If we remember back in 2006 anytime we went up against a quality opponent we couldn't stop their running attack. I now believe that (TT) has taken the first step in resolving that issue. So even though Justin Harrell wasn't the pick of the fans. Harrell was the best move the Packers could have done in this draft. With Green Bay ranking 32 out of 32 NFL teams, Green Bay had to do something to improve those areas. So they selected players that played in special teams systems in college, like Virginia Tech. Both Packer selections David Clowney WR, and Aaron Rouse SS belonged on the special team units.
Lets review what the other teams in the NFC North did: Lions drafted Calvin Johnson WR, Viking drafted Adrian Peterson RB, and Chicago drafted Greg Olson TE. Now those are some athletes the Packers will have to face twice a year and they will give there fair share of headaches to Bob Sanders Defensive Coordinator. So if the Packers could not stop the run or pass last year what makes them better this year if the Packers draft a wide receiver or running back. Ted Thompson did address both the running back and the wide receiver positions in the draft and lets not forget that Koren Robinson is coming back from his years suspension and believe me Brett Favre couldn't be happier. So I believe (TT) really wasn't too interested in bringing in Randy Moss. With all the fan support on that issue, I won't go there...
The majority of the Packers draft, which includes the free agents have special teams ability in their resume. With this draft a huge difference in the depth is noticed. Green Bay will be able to make a run this year towards the playoffs. Sure the schedule this year is tougher but if the Packers improve in all of the special teams areas. Then continue to improve on defense, which should be the case. The only thing the Packers have to worry about is the offensive production. Offensively, Green Bay has really never had a problem scoring points. They still have Favre, Driver, Jennings, Robinson, Franks, Morency and Herron. With this draft look for help coming from Brandon Jackson RB, DeShawn Wynn RB, David Clowney WR, James Jones WR, Clarke Harris TE. In summary did I like the draft of the Packers, No. But do I understand that this direction taken to correct special teams and add depth was needed, Yes. Now the Packers should be able to look there opponent in the eye and believe they can compete. __________________________________________________ _____________________________________________

http://www.packernet.com/main/topstories.cfm?sn=117

FIRST REVIEW: BF SHOULD RETHINK DECISION. I know you can't really judge a team's draft until a couple of years have gone by. I don't think you'll need that long in the case of the Green Bay Packers' 2007 draft. Simply judging by the medical records of the players the Packers took this weekend; it will be a miracle if any of them are even able to participate in the rookie minicamp this week, much less be playing two years from now. If you were injured or hardly started in college, you had a pretty good chance of being picked by the Green Bay Packers this year. The Packers did nothing in the two days of the draft that will help them this year. If I'm Brett Favre, I change my mind and hang up my cleats right now.
I mean, really, why would you want to come back to a team that is not committed to helping you? By letting Randy Moss go to the Patriots, it is clear that Thompson doesn't care about Favre and probably wishes Favre had retired. My hope right now is that Favre does indeed decide to retire after all. I'd hate to see him have to play another year with offensive talent equivalent of a semi-pro team. I am simply stunned the Packers did nothing to improve the talent around Favre. Certainly that is a message to Favre saying you should have retired. I wish now that the Packers would have traded Favre to a contender and got something for him. Now all we will get is 10 touchdowns and 20 interceptions and a 5-11 record.

I'll say this. If these bozos the Packers picked this weekend turn out to be good players, than I will resign my position and close up Packernet. But that has about as much a chance of happening as finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. If I'm head coach Mike McCarthy I'm getting my offensive coordinator resume sharpened up. With only one year left on McCarthy's contract, he is now a fired man walking.
Adding Randy Moss would have made the Packers instant Super Bowl contenders. Adding James Jones makes them also-rans. Thompson appears to be on a ten-year plan with a one-year quarterback. If this two-day debacle turns out in Thompson's favor, I'll have myself castrated on the corner of Hollywood and Vine on primetime TV. My guess is Moss catches seven for a-buck-ninety in next year's Super Bowl while the Packers 5-11 team scatters throughout the country.
All confidence and enthusiasm from last year's final four-game winning streak just went down the tubes. I hope I am wrong. Certainly Thompson and his cronies know more than I do and it is there jobs on the line, but from a fan's point of view, this weekend cannot be viewed as a step in the right direction, in fact, it has been a great dissapointment.
It all comes down to Brett Favre. If you didn't plan to win this year, why did you invite him back? Why not develop Aaron Rodgers? Something is very wrong with this scenario. It appears Thompson either doesn't have the balls to tell Favre to retire or didn't have the balls to tell former team president Bob Harlan he was trading for Randy Moss. Either way, Thompson has lost some respect in my book. He is a Ron Wolf disciple but didn't act like one this weekend. He doesn't have the stones Wolf did. Harlan is still running the show just as he has since Wolf retired. John Jones or no John Jones.

[TopHat]

POSITIVE DRAFT REVIEW

http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=2113

2007 Packer Draft Review by JC NewEraScouting

From the sounds of it, not too many Packer fans were happy with how GM Ted Thompson handled the 2007 draft. The biggest problem that the average fan or even "expert" has with this year's draft is that some of the more immediate needs were not filled as early as they would have preferred. What they fail to realize is that Thompson has never been the type to just address needs. Instead he drafts the player that is highest on his board at the given time. It is a hard concept for most to grasp when they see such glaring needs, but it is an approach that has been proven effective by multiple successful teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and even former Packer General Manager Ron Wolf. Fans will need to practice patience, because many of the players that were drafted this year are guys that stand to be solid contributors early on that should develop into quality players. Just because a player is not a household name or not known as well by media outlets, does not mean he was unworthy of being picked where he went. While it is understandable to be frustrated about the players that were chosen, lashing out at Thompson and the team is not the answer. He has proven in the previous two drafts that he knows what he is doing. I know there are fans out there that want to give aging quarterback Brett Favre one last shot at glory, but that is not how this team operates. It cannot be stressed enough that Thompson is the type that wants to build for the long haul, and not just live in the moment. That is his job. In the end, the only way to know just how good this draft was is to wait and see what these guys do on the field. Based on my knowledge of the players selected, I think that everyone will be pleasantly surprised in the coming months. The team did address most of their needs through this draft. Now it is just a matter of getting the players on the field to prove to everyone what they can do.
1st Round, 16th overall -- Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee
While I do agree with most that Harrell was a bit of a reach here, he does have the talent to justify this pick. The biggest question is the health of his surgically repaired bicep, but the fact that he did 24 reps on the bench press at the combine should ease your minds a little. Harrell is not going to wow anyone as a pass rusher, but him and Ryan Pickett should be able to take on blockers sufficiently enough to free up fellow defenders to make plays against the run. Was he an immediate need? That is debatable, but he has the ability to help make the run defense into one of the best in the league. Robert Meachem and Dwayne Bowe were still around and many believe that the team would have served themselves better going that route. Both players are very good, but the position is one of the more risky ones to draft. It should also be noted that the position rarely has immediate returns. Many people wanted tight end Greg Olsen to go to the Packers with this selection too, but make no mistake he was an even greater risk, having never really proven himself on the field. He was a workout warrior. Safety Reggie Nelson might have also been a popular pick, but the Packers may want to wait and see what happens with the young players currently on the roster at that position before investing such a high pick there. The only other player that people might have been upset to have passed on was one that played the same position in Alan Branch. There were some serious health and work ethic concerns with this player though. Harrell plays much harder and is a tough customer. If he can overcome his bad luck with injuries, he stands to be a fine player that could really make an impact for the whole defense.
2nd Round, 63rd Overall -- Brandon Jackson, RB, Nebraska
Jackson's health concerns are a bit overblown. He has proven his health on the field since the shoulder surgeries. While he did play in a committee backfield, he has the look and skill of a feature back. He is compact and runs with good power. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and displays the necessary vision as a runner to make him an excellent fit for the zone scheme. The Packers chose to trade down from their original spot in the second round. Had they held onto the original pick they could have selected running backs like Brian Leonard, Kenny Irons, or Chris Henry. Of those, Leonard is the only one that may have been worth selecting. Irons has size limitations and has not proven very durable. Henry is a character risk and has never really done much on the field. He is another guy that got drafted higher than he should have been based on workouts. Jackson probably would not have lasted much longer than where he was selected just based on who was picked at that point, so this pick value is acceptable.
3rd Round, 78th Overall -- James Jones, WR, San Jose State
There were quite a few fans that were not happy with this pick, but he is a guy that they will really come to like once they see him on the field. He may not be flashy or fast, but he will make the tough catches in clutch situations. He is reminiscent of Donald Driver as a prospect and he will give it all on the field. He should also be a great red zone threat with his leaping ability. While many do not believe that this pack represented great value, Jones is a guy that was rising up many boards prior to the draft based on great performances in his team's bowl game and an all-star game appearance. Given the fact that there was a run on the position at the time, it would not have been a shock to see Jones get picked soon after, had they passed on him. He is obviously a guy that Thompson did want on his team.
3rd Round, 89th Overall -- Aaron Rouse, SS/OLB, Virginia Tech
To me this was the most puzzling pick of the draft for the Packers. I know that quite a few fans liked this one, but Rouse has been very inconsistent on the field. He looks like a bigger, fast version of current starter Marquand Manuel. He looks more like a linebacker than a safety. He plays well against the run and is a very physical player when he wants to be. Against the pass he leaves a lot to be desired. This would have been an ideal spot to address the tight end position with a player like Scott Chandler. All I can figure is that maybe they are not as concerned about the position as outsiders are. Rouse should be a quality special teams player and he has the potential to develop into a quality safety or linebacker, but he left a lot to be desired on the football field as a senior.
4th Round, 119th Overall -- Allen Barbre, OT/OG, Missouri Southern
Barbre is a small school guy that got a lot of attention with an amazing physical performance at the Scouting Combine. He is a very athletic player that has drawn comparisons to former Packer Mike Wahle. Barbre will need some work, but has the tools and the skill set to be a perfect zone blocking lineman. He is versatile enough to play at any of the guard or tackle positions, but might be best off at left guard as a pro. Don't expect to see him get much playing time as rookie, but down the road he should be a quality player. He is a guy that had been rumored to be ranked in some teams' top 75 players overall and was expected to go in the first day, so this pick represents good value here.
5th Round, 157th Overall -- David Clowney, WR, Virginia Tech
Clowney will add some speed to the team's group of receivers. He is a bit raw, but he possesses the tools to develop into a quality receiver. Because Virginia Tech did not pass the ball much, Clowney's production suffered. He was also plagued by poor play at the quarterback position. He might not be able to contribute as much more than a special teams player and kick returner as a rookie, but his raw physical skills were enough to make him worthy of being picked here.
6th Round, 191st Overall -- Korey Hall, ILB/FB, Boise State
Hall is one of the hardest working guys in the draft. He will give his all on and off the field. He is a very instinctive linebacker that seemed to love to hit people. There was some word circulating prior to the draft that he would be open to switching to the fullback position. He has a good skill set for the switch and could compete for a roster spot there. At very least, he should be a standout special teams performer.
6th Round, 192nd Overall -- Desmond Bishop, ILB, California
Bishop is a guy that many people had rated a couple rounds higher. He fell down in the draft due to concerns about his speed. He is reminiscent of 2005 draft choice Abdul Hodge. Bishop is a hard worker and great locker room presence. He has the ability to play in the middle or on the strong side, but may be limited to only playing running downs. He should provide quality depth, but may have to fight Hodge for a roster spot.
6th Round, 193rd Overall -- Mason Crosby, PK, Colorado
Crosby was an interesting pick that was probably unexpected by most. While Dave Rayner did have a good season for the Packers, Crosby has the leg to be a special kicker. He was projected by many to be a first day pick. If he turns out, he could be a steal for the Packers. His ability to kick off and hit long distance field goals is something that cannot be ignored. He also has experience playing in colder weather at Colorado.
7th Round, 228th Overall -- Deshawn Wynn, RB, Florida
Wynn ended up going right about where he belongs. He is a talented back that has shown some flashes on the field, but has yet to really live up to his ability. He has great size and power. The question will be how hard he wants to play. If the coaches can get him to shed the underachiever label, he could end up being a steal. That may be a big "if" though.
7th Round, 243rd Overall -- Clark Harris, TE, Rutgers
Finally the team addressed the tight end position with their final pick of the draft. Many people would have liked to have seen this position addressed much earlier due to the perception that there are no real dependable players there at this time. Harris will need to add some weight and work on his blocking before he is ready to get much playing time. He has some nice ability as a receiver and could be a red zone threat. He has a good shot of making the team as the third tight end, but he will have to earn it. One other interesting note is that Harris also has experience as a long snapper.

In all, the team did a fairly good job addressing their perceived needs. They may not have chosen players in the desired order, but in the end they did chose quality players that fit the team well. Every player taken this year has a legitimate shot at making the team. It will be harder for some than others though. There may be a couple guys in the mix that could challenge for a starting position, but Harrell and Jackson are the only ones that look to be significant contributors as rookies. If Mason can win the kicking spot, he could also be a significant contributor, but that is not a given. The rest of the players should provide quality depth and help out on special teams.

[HarveyWallbangers]

FOX Sports

BEST PICK: GM Ted Thompson again resorted to some wheeling and dealing throughout the draft to stockpile picks, turning nine into 11. The quality of those selections doesn't jump out as a blue-chipper ensemble, especially at the team's positions of needs. In fact, rather than land a top-line player at running back, receiver, safety and tight end, Thompson surprisingly chose to first bolster the depth on the defensive line. Tennessee tackle Justin Harrell, though, can't be written off so easily as the No. 16 overall pick. If not for a season-ending arm injury sustained in the second game last season, Harrell probably would have been out of reach in the middle of Round 1 for Green Bay, which has drawn criticism for reaching for him. Yes, Harrell is injury prone. If he can find a way to stay healthy for an extended period, however, Harrell's natural abilities suggest he will become the Packers' best interior lineman before long. Harrell, an uncanny run stopper who gets off the ball well, and Ryan Pickett give the defense a formidable tackle duo on early downs. Harrell is raw as a pass rusher, but the team can get by in the interim with Corey Williams, who held down a starting job most of last season.

COULD SURPRISE: Brandon Jackson was pegged to be a second-day draftee, but the Packers thought otherwise and grabbed the somewhat obscure Nebraska running back after trading down to the back end of Round 2. Jackson started only a third of the games he played in three years, but team officials deem him a suitable fit for the zone-blocking run scheme. Jackson and holdover Vernand Morency are shaped in the same mold, as shifty backs who can make the requisite cuts and slip defenders. Both will likely share the load at the outset as the offense goes forward without franchise back Ahman Green, who signed with the Texans in free agency. The hard-nosed Jackson, though, has considerable upside as an underused rusher in college. He is a multi-faceted player with solid receiving skills and is comfortable in the West Coast offense. If injury problems with both shoulders are behind him, Jackson might have the type of impact receiver Greg Jennings, another under-the-radar prospect taken in the second round, had as a rookie last season.

A closer look at the Packers' picks:

Round 1/16 -- Justin Harrell, DT, 6-4, 310, Tennessee

A surprise choice in the middle of the first round, given that the Packers didn't have a big need for a defensive lineman, but team scouts felt Harrell would have been a top-10 pick had he not suffered a torn biceps tendon early last season. Harrell is perhaps a medical liability, having suffered an assortment of leg and ankle injuries earlier in career. However, the team felt it couldn't pass on Harrell's starting-caliber promise as a pure run stuffer with rare explosiveness off the line.

Round 2/63 -- Brandon Jackson, RB, 5-10, 212, Nebraska

The selection of the part-time player (only 11 starts in three years) has to be considered a reach, but Jackson has the makeup to help fill the void left by the free-agent departure of another former Cornhusker, Ahman Green, to Houston. He averaged a gaudy 5.3 yards per carry last season and 92.8 rushing yards per game when given the chance to start. He brings added value as a capable pass catcher coming from a West Coast system. Jackson also has experience as a kick returner. There is cause for concern about his health, however, because he had both shoulders operated on in college.

Round 3/78 -- James Jones, WR, 6-2, 199, San Jose State

Jones doesn't fit the profile of the impact-type, deep-threat receiver Brett Favre covets. He's lacking big-time credentials, contributing as a receiver full time only last season, when he excelled with 70 receptions and 10 touchdowns to earn team MVP honors. Jones has desired size and is physical going for the football with good hands but isn't a blazer (40 times were in the 4.5s). He should be in the mix as a punt returner, after averaging 11 yards in 2006.

Round 3/89 -- Aaron Rouse, S, 6-4, 223, Virginia Tech

A prototypical strong safety who is a punishing hitter and closes fast in run support. The converted linebacker will be in contention with struggling incumbent Marquand Manuel and Marviel Underwood for the starting job alongside Nick Collins. Rouse, though, will have to regain the playmaking form of his junior season in 2005 after he was plagued by inconsistency and struggled in pass coverage last season.

Round 4/119 -- Allen Barbre, OT, 6-4, 300, Missouri Southern State

Division II product brings athleticism and quickness to a crowded offensive line. He was a fixture at left tackle for most of his four-year starting tenure and dominated from the spot last season with 94 knockdowns. Lean in physique, Barbre will need to bulk up in his early development. He will be given an opportunity to win a backup job at the tackle positions, as well as both guard spots.

Round 5/157 -- David Clowney, WR, 6-0, 188, Virginia Tech

Projected to be a first-day pick, Clowney's draft stock fell for one reason or another. The true speedster was slowed during his combine testing by a hamstring injury. Clowney, a sprinting standout for Virginia Tech's track team, is a dynamic straight-line, downfield runner coming off the line of scrimmage. Shortcoming, though, is he isn't overly physical and tends to get knocked off his route running.

Round 6/191 -- Korey Hall, FB, 6-1, 230, Boise State

The Packers plan to make a fullback out of the 2006 Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Hall was a running back in high school but made his mark as a three-time all-WAC first-team performer on defense, producing 105 tackles and a team-high six interceptions last season. He was a special-teams ace for Boise State, likened to "a head hunter" by Packers special teams coordinator Mike Stock.

Round 6/192 -- Desmond Bishop, LB, 6-2, 239, California

With Nick Barnett and backup Abdul Hodge, a third-round draft pick last year, at middle linebacker, Bishop will be moved to the outside in his indoctrination to the NFL. Bishop has questionable speed but is regarded as instinctive in pursuit. He was Cal's leading tackler his only two seasons after transferring from a junior college and led the Pac-10 Conference with 126 tackles in 2006.

Round 6/193 -- Mason Crosby, K, 6-1, 212, Colorado

The top kicker in the draft fell from a possible late Day 1 selection. Crosby should be stiff competition for incumbent Dave Rayner, who is coming off only his first season as a full-time kicker in the league. Crosby has as much leg strength as Rayner does, if not more. Crosby exited Colorado with 31 school records, including points (307) and longest field goal (60 yards). He connected on a 71-yard boot in practice. For all of his might, accuracy hasn't been compromised with Crosby, who made 75 percent of his field-goal attempts.

Round 7/228 -- DeShawn Wynn, RB, 5-10, 232, Florida

Big-bodied back gives the Packers some flexibility in seeing what he can provide at fullback. Wynn wasn't a workhorse ball carrier at Florida and endured a knee injury last season. Still, he averaged 5.1 yards per carry as the featured guy in 2006, primarily between the tackles. He's a decent pass catcher. Hanging over Wynn are character issues and a resistance to be a team player.

Round 7/243 -- Clark Harris, TE, 6-5, 261, Rutgers

Another big target for Favre, but not unlike incumbent starter Bubba Franks, Harris is a plodder running routes and will never be a deep threat. Blocking is a liability. Harris has experience as a long snapper.

[TopHat]

WSJ DRAFT REVIEWS

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/column/index.php?ntid=131761&ntpid=3

Wilde: High or low grade? JASON WILDE

GREEN BAY - Grading your favorite NFL team's draft right after it ends is akin to reviewing a restaurant after sitting down, sipping the water and placing your order off the menu. You haven't even dug into your house salad or the complimentary breadbasket yet, and already you've decided that Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson's cooking stinks. Thompson, like his mentor Ron Wolf before him, said Sunday he believes "it takes three years" to decide if a draft is a success or failure.
Thompson also admitted that even when your rookies contribute right away - like last year, when linebacker A.J. Hawk, wide receiver Greg Jennings and offensive linemen Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz and Tony Moll all started - you can't judge your draft. "Because initially, you can (get) really excited and then by the end of the first season you think, 'Boy, this is a great draft.' And then over the course over the next couple of years, it doesn't really work out," Thompson said. "Then (other) times guys are a little bit slower starters."
Of course, while we won't be giving you any grades, we're happy to pass along the insta-graders' analysis. Sports Illustrated's Paul "Dr. Z" Zimmerman and ESPN's Mel Kiper each gave the Packers a C-plus. The Dallas Morning News' Rick Gosselin gave them a C. The three highest grades came from CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco, who correctly predicted that the Packers would take defensive tackle Justin Harrell at No. 16 and might have let that color his judgment a little, as he gave the Packers a B; The Sporting News, which gave the Packers a B-minus; and the Chicago Tribune's Don Pierson, who gave the Packers a B and praised Thompson because he "continued his pattern of quantity without trying to impress anybody with flashy picks." The Washington Post's Mark Maske wasn't quite as impressed, giving the Packers a D grade because "the 16th pick was too high" for Harrell, and Thompson "couldn't complete a trade for wide receiver Randy Moss as many around the league - and within the organization - expected." Even on the team's Web site, opinions were mixed. As of Monday night, almost 24,000 fans had voted in the club's online poll, and the Cs had it (35 percent) over the As (5 percent), Bs (27 percent), Ds (18 percent) and Fs (12 percent).
But if you insist on criticizing Thompson for something - and actually want to have a strong argument - complain about this: The Cleveland Browns, desperate to take free-falling Notre Dame quarterback (and Ohio native) Brady Quinn, called and offered their 2008 first-round pick, plus to flip-flop picks with the Packers in Rounds 2, 3 and 4, for the Packers' first-round pick at 16. "I thought it was going to work," Cleveland GM Phil Savage told SI's Peter King. "But (the Packers) thought about it, called back and said no." The Browns ended up sending their second-round pick (No. 36) and their first-round pick next year to the Dallas Cowboys to move into Dallas' No. 22 spot to take Quinn.
No offense to Quinn and University of Wisconsin left tackle Joe Thomas, whom the Browns drafted No. 3 overall, but how much better are the Browns really going to be with a rookie quarterback and rookie left tackle in their lineup this year? Their 2008 first-round pick could be in the top 10 - as could the Packers' if they fall back from their 8-8 finish - and with some hard-line negotiating, Thompson (who has traded back all 15 times he's swung a deal during the eight drafts he's run) could have extracted an even greater price from Savage this year, such as the Browns' second-round pick at No. 36, plus flip-flopping in the later rounds. But Thompson apparently was committed to taking Harrell, and he admitted he's against trading for future picks - something he's never done.
"I don't know (why). I've never really been able to figure that one out, quite frankly," Thompson said when I asked him about it. "I normally don't do that." In this instance, he should have. At least then he'd have a better chance at a high grade next year.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________________________

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/column/oates//index.php?ntid=131696&ntpid=1

Oates: Packers didn't get the big one TOM OATES

Admit it, you were waiting for Ted Thompson to hit a home run, weren't you? As the NFL draft wound its way through seven rounds over two days, you hoped sooner or later the Green Bay Packers general manager would jack one out of the park. Alas, Thompson kept hitting singles. Lots of singles. Good, solid singles that yielded 11 players who will solidify the roster and, in all likelihood, make the Packers better.
There were, however, no long balls. No franchise-altering moves. No infusion of offensive playmakers. No reason to think the team will be dramatically improved in 2007. Mostly, there was no Randy Moss.
Moss, the troublesome yet supremely talented wide receiver, has been on the Packers' radar screen for months. Everyone knew Oakland had to trade Moss after two unproductive and unhappy seasons and Green Bay looked like the likely landing spot for him. When Thompson kept making safe, by-the-book moves to improve his 8-8 team Saturday, the Packers GM appeared to be operating under the assumption he had a good chance of adding Moss to his punchless offense when the festivities began again Sunday. Thompson even admitted he went home Saturday night thinking he would have a shot at trading for Moss in the morning.
Instead, Thompson turned on the television Sunday and discovered that New England had beaten him to the punch. The Raiders traded Moss to the Patriots for a paltry fourth-round pick (No. 110 overall) after Moss agreed to a restructured contract for one year and a dirt cheap $3 million. The best pick the Packers had to offer at that point was No. 112, but this wasn't a question of getting aced out by two spots in the middle of the draft. No, this was a question of how aggressive one must be to build a team. Patriots coach Bill Belichick, stung by two title-free seasons after winning three Super Bowls in four years, was swinging for the fences. Thompson, as we have discovered, doesn't step to the plate with that mentality.
A league source told the Wisconsin State Journal the Packers offered only a fifth-round pick for Moss, which probably meant they finished last among the handful of teams with an interest in him. Indeed, Green Bay's refusal to pursue Moss with the vigor of the Patriots revealed a fundamental flaw in the way Thompson operates. At some point when building a team, a general manager has to take a chance or two. He can add draft picks in large numbers to his roster and make his team competitive, as Thompson has done, but that will only take a team so far. To get a team to the elite level - which, incidentally, is where the Patriots are - he has to make some bold personnel moves.
Thompson has refused to do that since January even though the Packers appeared to turn the corner late last season. He declined to trade up for much-needed halfback Marshawn Lynch in the first round of the draft. He has declined to pursue unrestricted free agents. And he made only a cursory attempt to acquire Moss. "What we try to do is everything in our power to try to help make this team as good as it can be," Thompson said. "You have to take a lot of things into consideration. Sometimes it's an aggressive move, sometimes that aggressive move is not the appropriate time. But you just keep doing everything you can to make the team better and that's all you can do."
The Patriots aren't acting like that's all you can do, which is why they've become the favorites to win the Super Bowl next season. With no quality receivers on his roster, Belichick attacked the problem, adding Moss, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker and Kelley Washington, veterans with 156 catches, 2,080 yards and 10 touchdowns among them last season.
Meanwhile, the Packers, who need playmakers in the passing game even more than the Patriots, added James Jones and David Clowney, the 13th and 21st wide receivers taken in the draft, respectively. Jones was considered undraftable by most NFL teams, yet Thompson used a third-round draft pick on him. Better he had taken that pick and traded for Moss. After all, who would you rather have catching passes next year, Moss or Jones? Belichick answered that question by landing Moss. Thompson answered it by hitting singles. Or it is possible he just struck out?

[Fritz]

I'll be ready to grade the draft - the 2005 draft - at the end of this season.

I also intend to clip that Packernet guy's promise to emasculate himself - literally - if this year's draft class turns out "in Thompson's favor." I intend to keep it for three years and if the guy is still around, and the Packers have three very good starters from this draft, send his promise back to him. I will also offer to supply the equipment for him to perform the deed.

[Charles Woodson]

Hey tophat its nice to have you back. So i take it that your back from ur 2 month thing?

[Joemailman]

I wonder how much different the "experts" would grade the Packers draft if Brett had retired, and they weren't obsessed with "getting Favre some weapons."

[TopHat]

PC PATTY'S DRAFT REVIEW: GOOD DETAILS

http://www.packerchatters.com/draft/pattys_report/view.php?id=2123

Patty's Draft Review, Not bad draft at all

Wow what a day. First we get a selection that I had heard was going to happen on Thursday if Marshawn Lynch was not on the board. The question comes did the Packers have a chance to trade down and receive something extra and still be in position to select Harrell? I ask that myself but the explanation was they feared Harrell was going to go off the board before the area where most of the teams selected that wanted pick 16. I am not privy to this information so who knows if the Packers are telling false information or not. I tend to believe them.
Round one: Justin Harrell: some teams actually had Harrell ranked above or equal to Amobi and almost every team had Harrell ahead of Alan Branch. If healthy Harrell is the answer to our run defense inside. He is a big presence and is no weak player. I like the pick; I believe the other players being considered by the Packers were Marshawn Lynch – Darrelle Revis Cb – Jeffn Harrell – Leon Hall CB and Robert Meachem WR. The Packers did fine with this selection.
Round 2: I was shocked that the Packers traded down off of pick 47 as far as they did. I thought for sure they would possibly trade this selection but I thought they would move down about 4 to 6 picks. So when I saw it was 17 selections I felt the Packers had pretty much lost out on the players that had been attributed to the Packers as interested But when you watch the 2nd round there were not that many players taken that I believe the Packers were interested in. Kenny Irons went off the board and I k new they were interested but they cited he does not have good receiving skills.. Brian Leonard I believe would have been my selection but they had some reservations with him as well. Some teams according to Sporting News and PFW had said Jackson was ranked higher than any other Rb in this draft after Peterson and Lynch. I suppose the Packers were among those teams they were talking about. They say he has excellent foots peed and great hands and fits their system. While he is no speed merchant he can get and turn the corner and break off some runs. I stand by Thompson's decision. Jackson was a decent selection for 63. I wonder about all the reports that the Packers were hoping to nab Sidney Rice at 47. Seems that 3 or 4 people including Gil Brandt said so yesterday during the draft. So when they went off the board the Packers decided their RB would be either Jackson or Pittman and they made the trade down and acquired another day 1 pick which turned out to be Aaron Rouse .
Round 3 pick 78: I believe the Green Bay Packers tried to get cute here and pull off a slight of hand thing. I talked with several people this past week about Jones and not a 1 of them said he was a day 1 receiver. In fact many thought he was a 5th rounder at best. All he is basically is a chain mover. Short yardage receiver who is good at those hitch routes. Only average sped and not that great of a route runner. He also ha problems getting knocked around off his routes . I think this choice as Ted Thompson just trying to make a statement that he is smarter than any9on else. A definite gamble. There were better receivers on the board. I do not like this selection based solely on the fact that there were much better receivers. James Jones does not excel in any area of the game. An average receiver at best. I am sorry but I cannot get on board with this pick. Especially all the people that I talk to said he was a 5th rounder at best.
Round 3 pick 89: Okay Aaron Rouse is a big powerful safety who might have to move to LB. I felt the Packers were interested in better safeties than Rouse and a different kind of safety. Evidently Ted Thompson has it in his mind to go after the Marquand Manuel type of safety where coverage is not asked for by the team. Rouse gets turned around too much and he is unsure of himself in coverage. I thought for sure all the signs pointed to a FS type of player. I really thought they liked John Wendling and Josh Gattis.
I only have to give the Packers a decent grade for this pick. He will be a Special teams dynamite player and hopefully learn to trust his instincts. He is faster and quicker than Manuel so there is hope he can take Manuel’s position soon. I do believe I would have gone a different direction
Not the draft I was expecting and I really was expecting the Packers to trade a 3rd for Randy Moss. Like I said I believe I would have taken Brian Leonard over Brandon Jackson but if I did I would not have had pick 89 either. Maybe Aaron Rouse develops into a player and a starter. I will say I prefer Jackson over Michael Turner and the price he would have cost the Packers.
Heading into day 2 I have 21 good players remaining on the board and the Packers pick 13. I am sure the Packers might get a good player in round 4 unless Ted Thompson decides to weaken his draft class by trading down again. Some names left are : Ben Patrick TE – Scott Chandler TE – Brian Robison DE – Jay Moore DE – Tanard Jackson CB (despite character issues) – Rufus Alexander OLB…. The Packers could likely find a player that could eventually be a good player and a starter in round 4.
Round 4: While not the glamour pick Allen Barbre might be a good player for the Packers. I was dismayed that Ted Thompson traded down because I felt the Packers were going to miss out on a good player – It was scary as Jay Moore and Brian Robison and Tanard Jackson went off the board and the player I liked A J Davis went off. Still there were some players still on my top 21 list and Barbre was not among that 4 round preferred list. I would have taken Aundrae Allison WR or Josh Gattis FS – What did we get in Barbre. We got a pick that is better than Croston and Moll. And some packer fans liked the Moll selection. Barbre is a work in development and has some talent. Not a bad slide and shuffle OT in pass protection. The athleticism , power and quickness is evident. Now the Packers need to work on the mental aspects of the game with him. Not a student of the game and many times he flies out and whiffs because he did not make the necessary read.
Round 5: The Packers got a WR in round 5 that I would have taken before the receiver they took in round 3. I think Clowney could become a better receiver than Jones. 4.35 speed but more impressive was the 6.68 3 cone drill. Excellent break away speed and a complete deep threat. Might be the fastest and quickest receiver on the Packers. I might would have taken Ben Patrick TE – Clowney sinks his pads with fluidness and is deceptive with his acceleration, I have to ask what has happened to John Wendling ??
Round 6: by this time the players that matter are generally off the board. At the start of round 6 I made a list of players still on the board that I thought had a chance to make the team. Interject right about now: Minnesota Vikings has had a tremendous draft. Might be the draft best. Dan Santucci – Mike Otto – John Wendling – Jared Zabransky – Darius Walker – Mason Crosby PK – and in somewhat I might take a gamble on Korey Hall ILB – My pick though would be Clark Harris TE – Mason Crosby PK and John Wendling
Well round 6 came and was I surprised again. Two ILB taken. Why??? Desmond Bishop is a 2 down LB at best. Maybe we added him for special teams. – Kerrey Hall is an interesting addition. I would have taken Clark Harris TE instead of Desmond Bishop. I like the Mason Crosby selection. Korey Hall is an extremely smart player with great instincts. A very aggressive player who does not screw up assignments. Plays fast and gets to the ball quickly – Good in coverage getting deep on his drops. A rough and tough competitor/ The best compliment on Hall is from his coach who described him as always around the ball and always under the bottom of the pile. He is just simply a football player. But according to the Packers he will work at FB. Cool – he has the athleticism for it
Like I said I like the PK Crosby even though Nick Folk might have been overall better. Crosby has the strong leg. I just do not understand the Desmond Bishop selection. We have Barnett and Hodge at MLB and then we go and draft 2 more???? Hall I think can be a good special teams player and has enough athleticism that he could play some outside as well. They say Bishop will move outside and take the place of Ben Taylor. The only question I have about that is Bishop is good versus the run but lacks range. If they wanted an OLB then why not a different player? Bishop just does not have any backpedal ability and very little coverage ability. He lacks suddenness and has stiff hips. But he is a tackling machine.
Round 7: well well well – round 7 brought the Packers 2 good players in DeShawn Wynn RB and Clark Harris TE – both of these players carried 4th round grades from most of the draft services. Wynn is a gifted RB who really needs to be more mature. Not very coach-able player. Pretty good athleticism. Might develop into an H-back. Clark Harris is a decent TE who will not break deep at all. Slow but he works the under belly good. Has good hands and good size. He is a chain mover.
Packers selections ----------------My Selections

1 (16) Justin Harrell DT -----------Justin Harrell DT
2 (63) Brandon Jackson RB --------Marcus McCauley CB
3 (78) James Jones WR-------------Antonio Pittman RB
3 (89) Aaron Rouse SS --------------Jay Moore DE
4 (119) Allen Barbre OT --------------Scott Chandler TE
5 (157) David Clowney WR ----------John Wendling FS
6 ( 191) Korey Hall ILB -------------Jared Zabransky QB
6 (192) Desmond Bishop ILB --------Courtney Taylor WR
6 ( 193) Mason Crosby PK -----------Mason Crosby PK
7 (228) Deshawn Wynn RB -----------DeShawn Wynn RB
7 (243) Clark Harris TE --------------Rory Johnson OLB


Final Summation: Justin Harrell - Brandon Jackson – Aaron Rouse Allen Barbre – David Clowney were good selections. Korey Hall could develop into a decent player at FB – Desmond Bishop is a 2 down LB but is a good run stopper. I think Mason Crosby could beat out our kicker. DeShawn Wynn might stick and Clark Harris will stick as a TE. The only player I did not like was James Jones. Slow and average skills.
Players taken this weekend who could become difference makers 1: Justin Harrell DT. Players taken who will make plays and will become above average starters: 4: Aaron Rouse – Allen Barbre David Clowney and of course Brandon Jackson. Players taken that might be players to contribute: 2 Hall and Crosby. This leaves Jones WR – Bishop LB – Wynn RB and Harris TE that I am not sure about. Hey any time you can get 7 players you think makes your team with 5 of them eventually starting then I do not see how you can not give a grade of B on the surface. Of course time will tell and the final grade will come. But right now the Packers did not have that bad of a draft....Noticed the Packers signed Rory Johnson an OLB and Patrick Murray the OL I have talked about. Also Juwan Simpson OLB as well.

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CW

Hey tophat its nice to have you back. So i take it that your back from ur 2 month thing?

YUP...ANNOUNCEMENT IN ROMPER ROOM.

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DRAFT REVIEW: ALTERNATIVE SCENARIOS & REFLECTIONS...OK.

http://www.packerchatters.com/draft/pattys_report/view.php?id=2125

Now that the draft is over - Regrets and no regrets

The 2007 NFL Draft is in the books and the Packers have signed 7 rookie free agents with maybe an 8th player signed as well. We added 19 players. Are there any regrets or wishing the Packers would have done things a little different? Sure. I do not believe it possible for me or anyone to be exactly pleased with all 19 moves. You have to be realistic and realize when you select a player in a round there are usually 31 names that you passed on before you get another chance to select again. So there are going to be players you miss out on that you may have liked as much as the player you selected. So gathering from what I have read and have heard some glimpses on what might have been.
1st: all the rumors of Randy Moss were not that far off. The Packers were indeed talking with the Raiders but never at any time was Aaron Rodgers brought up by the Packers. Neither was KGB. It seems that the best the Packers were offering was a 5th round selection in the 2007 draft. I have no regrets that the Packers did not go any higher. From most of March and April I was on record a saying the Packers needed to add a CB and a FS both. We actually did neither. I believe this clearly indicates that a CB has to be a primary choice in the 2008 draft. Lets step back for a minute and look at Veteran FA. Was there a player available that the Packers might should have gone after. Forget Nate Clements because the 49er's took him out of the picture with a ridiculous contract. All the others would have been stop gap veterans that would not have been more than a season of return. As stated the team felt there were 3 maybe 4 corners in this draft that represented an actual promise of being the CB needed. I believe in the final rankings for the Packers when it came to their pick at 16 it was Justin Harrell - Leon Hall and Reggie Nelson FS in that order. Just speculation on my part but I believe it came down to Harrell or Hall and the upside of Harrell outweighed that of Hall. I could have lived easily with Leon Hall as the selection.
I do not think the Packers felt that either Harrell or Hall was going to last past pick 20 and we already have been told that Denver was highly interested in Harrell and that we know the Giants were said to be trying to move up for Hall but Cincy wanted him as much. I actually think the Packers were among the teams that had the cutoff point being around 21 players in round 1 and I do not believe they felt good about what they were being offered to get out of the 16 spot. I do believe Darrelle Revis would have been the selection if the Jets had not traded up to take him before the Packers. I have heard too much to think otherwise.
The Packers only had 1 more shot to get a CB and that was in round 2 and Marcus McCauley. One of the few name players the Packers brought to GB for a visit. I heard it was a great visit and the Packers were convinced the kid had heart and drive. Too bad the Vikings liked him as much as the Packers. But why did they pass on him in round 2? What I found interesting is that in 1st round the Packers had 4 positions that were on their hit list: CB - WR - FS and DT (Revis - Hall - Meachem - Nelson & Harrell)
Round 2 pick 47 : CB (McCauley) and WR's Dwayne Jarrett and Sidney Rice) -- I have to wonder if the Packers are secretly wishing that they pulled a trade with the Falcons to move up to get Jarrett? I think it is no surprise how much I like Jarrett. I made him my 1st mock draft selection in March and gave all the reasons why I felt this player was perfect for the Packers. I also had grown to appreciate Sidney Rice as well. Just like in round 1 I believe it came down to 2 players: Revis or Harrell in 1 and WR (either Jarrett or Rice) in 2.
When that crumbled before them I think it was quite clear the Packers turned to RB and they saw 4 RB's still on the board and felt they could trade down. Despite others on this board who said the packers were interested in Chris Henry I am not of that opinion. I think the RB's they liked were in order (Leonard - Jackson - Irons and Pittman). This trade was beneficial for the Packers. I do not believe there were a single player taken between 47 and 62 that bothered the Packers with the exception of Brian Leonard. But I think the Packers figured he would go off the board when they made the trade but figured the upside was they were going to get a good player in round 3 to moot the loss. Besides I believe they had Jackson ranked up as high as Leonard. Of course the media writers and draft experts are looking at the glitz factor and see that we passed on Leonard and Irons and are being critical of the Jackson selection. I believe you factor in the thinking that Brandon Jackson is exactly the kind of RB the Packers wanted and that they were also going to get a good player in round 3 and this was a 4 star move for Ted Thompson.
Now we come to round 3 and at first I was extremely disappointed with this round. I had resigned myself to the fact we were not going to get a CB in this draft so I wanted that FS. (even though McCauley was still on the board I knew he would go off quickly and I had little hope) But the Packers still think of Collins as a FS so a SS it be. Here is the interesting tidbit. Ted Thompson said it twice that I know of that he thought Marquand Manuel is a good SS and that injuries kept him from displaying what he felt is a good SS. But why then were the Packers interested in 3 SS's in this draft? Eric Weddle (2) - Sabby Piscitelli (2) and Rouse (3)
First off we have pick 78 to think about. The Packers really feel this kid was under coached at San Jose St. and that he plays much faster than he times. Personally I see a kid who has just average skills. Poor hands and poor route running and not that great at blocking. What he does have is toughness and great leaping ability. I think they drafted him to take Fergy's position. The only thing they do not like about Fergy is he has lost that ferocious mentality and toughness since that career ending hit to the head.
I think the Packers got stunned when McCauley was still on the board at the start of round 3. I had heard from listening to the ticket rebroadcast of the draft that the Packers were attempting to trade up in round 3. This would have represented the first trade up for Ted Thompson and I believe Ted Thompson is regretting that he did not make it. Evidently no one wanted to move. I believe without any doubt the Packers were going to select Marcus McCauley CB in round 3.This is one of my regrets that the Packers failed to get an island corner and athletically McCauley is one of the better corners in quite some time. He had some maturity issues that hurt him his senior year that and the big head from all the high praise he got before the start of the year. I certainly believe James Jones could have been taken at 89. Despite what the Packers are saying - they have to say that to justify taking him as early as they did. Adam Sheffter said he knows of no team that had him any higher than round 5 other than the Packers.
I realize that this is cheap talk but I would have preferred on us passing on a WR in round 3 and addressed the secondary. Jonathan Wade was on the board and even though the Packers I believe were not sold on him I think Wade is more than average in skills and has the mental makeup to develop into a solid nickel back and maybe more. I would have taken Wafe at 78 since we did not make the rumored trade up heard on KTCK the ticket here in Dallas.
When the Packers selected Aaron Rouse I was not impressed. The more I delve into his bio the more enamored I become. Like I said I have adopted Aaron as the player I am going to root for hard in training camp. I believe he has fluid hips and can develop. We all know about his power and hard hitting. Now we got to get him tuned in for the whole game and slap him out of stretches where he becomes a pacifist and disappears. I will be honest right here and admit I would have made a mistake. I would have taken John Wendling FS with this selection. I have thought Wendling was a solid player worthy of a late 2nd and certainly a 3rd round pick. But he lasted to round 6 for a reason. I might have taken Josh Gattis. I guess what I regret the most from the draft was that we did not address coverage. We took a hard hitting run defense SS but did not address the island coverage corner nor the centefielding type of safety. But we addressed WR with a questionable player.
I would have given this draft a grade of A- if we had come away with Justin Harrell DT - Dwayne Jarrett WR - Marcus McCauley CB ( 3 very athletic players all worthy of round 1 consideration including McCauley) And it could have came about. Just conjecture on my part but i believe it would have cost us KGB and pick 47 to move up in round 2 to have gotten Jarrett. and our 4th and 7th to move up in round 3 ------- Of course that would have meant no Aaron Rouse in late 3rd and Allen Barbre round 4 and Deshawn Wynn RB in 7th and of course KGB.
But it would have given this team 3 possible difference makers 2 on defense and 1 on offense. Add to that David Clowney and Mason Crosby and Clark Harris and I believe we might have hit silver (maybe not gold but certainly silver) And of course with the trade of the 4th we would have missed out on the extra 6th from a trade down which would have meant either Korey Hall or Desmond Bishop would not have been drafted. But in getting 3 possible difference makers is factored in I believe you do it. For RB we would have to go with Morency and signed a veteran for 1 year.
This would have meant RB for 2008. But you know something. The more I look at this draft the more pleased I am with it. Not a bad draft. Yes we could have done better and maybe made a trade up to have gotten a much better player but we drafted some players that have a lot of upside to them and who knows they could develop into solid players. Yep sure do have some regrets that some players did not fall into place but overall we may have done okay.

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DETAILED DRAFT REVIEW

http://www.mytvisonfire.com/packersnation/

Review of the Green Bay Packers Draft.

1st round
Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee
D-Line gets stronger, Deeper with Harrell
When Justin Harrell was selected by the Packers I was wondering what in the world was Thompson thinking. After researching him more I am pretty happy with the pick. I think Justin Harrell will be a great DT as long as he stays away from injuries. I have heard from several people that he would have been a top 10 pick if he didn’t get hurt in his senior season. Justin Harrell is a dominant run stuffer because of his size and strength. He completed the bench press 27 times with his injured arm not even totally healed. He will be a monster in the midde. I think he could also become a good pass rusher. Along with being a good football player he is a good person. He is a great teammate and will sacrifice himself for the team. With the Justin Harrell pick I am happy with the player but not happy with the position since DT wasn’t one of our biggest needs. Overall a good but surprising pick. Grade B.

2nd Round
Brandon Jackson, RB, Nebraska
Before researching him I knew very little about Brandon Jackson. After researching him I love the pick. Brandon Jackson played in a zone blocking scheme in college so there will be less transition. He has great field vision which is necessary for the zone blocking scheme. He is very shifty, meaning he is good at jukes and cutbacks which is also important for a RB in the zone blocking scheme. Watching highlight films of Brandon Jackson I think he will be a great RB. He looks a lot like Barry Sanders in his shiftyness and deceptive speed. I think Brandon Jackson will surprise everyone and have a huge impact this year. Grade A-

3rd Round
James Jones, WR, San Jose State
I think James Jones is by far Thompson’s worst pick so far. He will be a huge project and I think he will take a couple of years to develop. I would rather have had Randy Moss. James Jones has been jumping up draft boards lately a lot like Greg Jennings last year. After watching a highlight video I feel better about this pick. I think he will be a good position receiver and will be dominant at the jump ball and good in the end zone. I still think we picked him early. Grade: C

Aaron Rouse, S, Virginia Tech
Aaron Rouse is a average prospect. He is a hard hitter and good teammate. He needs to work on his coverage skills though. He will be a monster on special teams and many believe he could take the starting job from Marquand Manuel part way through the season. I know little about ROuse so I can’t really judge him at this point. Grade: C

Day One Grade: B-

Day Two

4th Round
Allen Barbre, OL, Missouri Southern
Overall I think Allen Barbre will be a good Packer. He is a developmental prospect who I believe could become a starter in a couple years. He is strong, athletic, and fast for an offensive weapon. He was so fast he played on kick and punt coverages and actually was pretty good. His speed and athleticism will be perfect for the zone scheme. I think he will replace Chad Clifton when his knees finally give out. A developmental prospect who I believe can start in a couple of years. Grade: B+

5th Round
David Clowney, WR, Virginia Tech
Overall I think Clowney could be a steal of the draft. He has the speed, route running skills, and hands to be a good deep ball threat. He will need time to develop though. This year he will probably be a returner and the occasional target of the deep ball. In a couple of years I believe he will be a good #2 or great #3 receiver. Grade B+

6th Round
Korey Hall, LB (we are switching him to FB), Boise State
Korey Hall was a strange pick. The Packers are planning on switching him to FB. He is also a special teams monster. I think Korey Hall will have to be pretty successful with his new position in order to make the Packers roster. He will deffinently help us in special teams though. This is a questionable draft pick. It will be a good pick if he adjusts well to his position but otherwise it will be a wasted pick. With this pick we will have to wait and see. Grade C-

Desmond Bishop, LB, California
Desmond Bishop was a questionable pick. The Packers are already deep at LB so I don’t know why the Packers needed to draft another one. I think Bishop will have to fight for a spot on this team. From what I have heard he seems a lot like Hodge. He is a run stuffer who isn’t very fast. The only way Bishop plays this year is if one of our starters get hurt. He will most likely play special teams which he excelled at in college. Bishop will have to fight hard in training camp to get a spot on the team but I think he could develop into a good backup in time. Grade C

Mason Crosby, K, Colorado
At this point in the draft the Packers made the right decision. Dave Rayner didn’t do bad last year but we could deffinently improve the position. Mason Crosby was ranked as the best kicker in the draft by most people. Crosby has a really strong leg. He will deffinently get good hangtime on kickoffs. He also has pretty good accuracy. The two concerns with Crosby is that he might not kick as well outside Colorado (many think the altitude helped his kicks), and some think he fails under pressure. Crosby will be in direct competition with Rayner this year. Whoever wins the competition will get the job. I think Crosby could be something special at the kicking position. Round wise I think Crosby will be the steal of our draft. Grade A.

7th Round
Deshawn Wynn, RB, Florida
Deshawn Wynn is a risky pick. He could either be a good power back or he could be a quick cut from the team. In the 7th round you need to take risks like this. Deshawn Wynn made it to the 7th round because he has in the past not listened to his coaches and he is supposedly really lazy. If McCarthy can keep Wynn motivated and listening to him I think he will be a very good pick. He is a power back and the Packers drastically needs one. He will be good in short yardage and goal line situations. He will be a nice compliment to Jackson and Morency. I think Wynn will either be an early cut or he will make a big impact in short yardage and goal line situations. It all depends on if he is willing to be coached and willing to work hard and quit being lazy. If he can we got a steal in the 7th. If he doesn’t we just lost a 7th rounder who rarely turn out. A risky pick but worth it in the 7th round. Grade B

Clark Harris, TE, Rutgers
As one of the last picks in the draft I think Clark Harris was a good pick. Some experts had him going in the 3rd to 4th round range. Clark Harris is a pass catching TE and that is it. His biggest weakness is that he can’t block at all. What the Packers need the most is a pass catching TE so he fits in. He will have to fight for a roster spot with Alcorn, Humphrey, and Lee. Overall a good pick. Grade B

Overall I think Thompson had a good but not great draft. Thompson added many rookies that will eventually help this team. I think Harrell, Jackson, Jones (in time), Rouse, Barbre, Clowney, and Crosby should make the team. I think Harrell and Jackson will have an immediate impact on this team. I think the rest of the picks are more of projects. Most Packer fans are upset that Thompson didn’t address the offense enough and didn’t give Brett enough weapons. I agree to a degree. I think Thompson should have added a WR and TE earlier in the draft. Moss would also have been a good addition. I think Thompson wanted to address the future along with the present with this draft. A lot of his picks are prospects that could turn into very good players if they are given some time to develop. I think some of these rookies will surprise some people. Thompson didn’t make any big moves in order to make a push for the Super Bowl. It would have been nice but we wouldn’t have made the Super Bowl anyway. We are too young. Thompson is building a team which I believe will make a push for the Super Bowl next year. This year I expect the Packers to be close to where they were last year. The Packers will challenge for the playoffs and might actually make them this year. Overall Grade B

[HarveyWallbangers]

Re: INDIVIDUAL PICKS DRAFT REVIEW

Aaron Rouse, S, Virginia Tech
Aaron Rouse is a average prospect. He is a hard hitter and good teammate. He needs to work on his coverage skills though. He will be a monster on special teams and many believe he could take the starting job from Marquand Manuel part way through the season. I know little about ROuse so I can’t really judge him at this point. Grade: C

Kind of funny. I know little about him, but he grades as a C and he's an average prospect. I like the fact we got a S that goes 6'4" 225 and runs a low 4.4s 40. I don't know if he'll be good, but if you are going to take a chance in the midrounds, do it on a guy with ridiculous measurables, who has good character, and started for 4 years in a major conference.

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DRAFT REVIEWS: SI & ESPN

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/05/01/postdraft/1.html

Peter King's funny response to fan's email:

PACKER NATION IS NOT PLEASED. Q. "I think the Packers flunked this draft for failing to address any of their needs and giving Brett a chance to win now. Your thoughts?''

A. I don't like having a major need at receiver and drafting the 13th and 21st wideouts in the draft. I said to someone after the first three rounds: "Favre's got to be throwing a shoe through his TV right now.''
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2858916

ESPN John Clayton's view: Can Brett Favre be happy with the Packers' offseason? Favre had a great time last season. The Packers went 8-8. Favre liked his young offensive line and his young receiver, Greg Jennings. Optimistic about the chances of going to the playoffs, Favre returned for another season. So far, he's been greeted with an offseason in which cornerback Frank Walker was the only acquisition in free agency. He lost his backfield mate, Ahman Green. The running game enters the unknown with rookie Brandon Jackson and Vernand Morency. Nothing was done at tight end. Everyone remembers how Favre struggled mentally and emotionally in the 4-12 season in 2005. He wondered why he came back. Favre hates to lose. He wants one more chance at a Super Bowl, but at the very least, he wants another shot at the playoffs. Football is fun for Favre, but he needs to have more winning to make it fun enough to stay motivated.
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ESPN MEL KIPER'S SUMMARY & GRADE: Green Bay Packers: GRADE: C+

Defensive tackle Justin Harrell didn't fill need, but the Packers chose the best available player over need. Harrell was hurt most of his senior season, but that didn't hurt his stock much. RB Brandon Jackson, if he can build on his strong finish to 2006, has a chance to be Green Bay's starting running back. James Jones was a decent third-round pick, a good wide receiver with natural receiving skills; safety Aaron Rouse is just an OK third-round pick; offensive tackle Allen Barbre is a bit overrated because he doesn't play as well as he tested during workouts. WR David Clowney has a lot of speed, and inside linebackers Korey Hall and Desmond Bishop should make it in the NFL as backups. Place-kicker Mason Crosby was a really good find in the sixth round. He has a great leg and has kicked in all kinds of weather playing at Colorado and in the Big 12. Crosby is not a product of the altitude in Colorado. I also liked the Packers' seventh-round picks: RB Deshawn Wynn from Florida and Rutgers tight end Clark Harris

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'll trust Thompson's opinion on a WR over Peter King's opinion. Jones was rated anywhere from a 3rd or 4th round pick to undrafted. So, even the experts couldn't agree.

It's similar to Greg Jennings last year. Or, even more appropriately, Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson was ranked as a 4th or 5th round grade by the "experts." Minnesota took him in round 2, and was roundly criticized. Then, you find out that a lot of teams actually liked him. When these "experts" say a team could have waited to draft a guy, most of the time they are wrong. The "experts" said Donte Whitner shouldn't have gone in the top 10 last year. He did to Buffalo, and he was good. They say that the Packers should have traded down, and they could have still gotten Harrell. Then we find out that Denver likely would have taken him. I don't buy any of them. I think you can get a feel for a prospect by reading the scouting report. I think trying to figure when and where a guy should have gone is fruitless--since a lot of the stuff from the scouts is misinformation and most of the stuff from the "experts" is a joke.

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DRAFT REVIEW

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDraft/Draft+Day/2007/draftanalysis.htm

Green Bay: DT Justin Harrell’s stock had steadily been climbing in the postseason, but the Packers very likely could have traded down and still landed him ahead of the Chiefs. Second-rounder Brandon Jackson and seventh-rounder DeShawn Wynn both fit their stretch running game. San Jose State WR James Jones was a reach in the third round. Fifth-rounder David Clowney could have a better chance of contributing than Jones. Landing a placekicker as strong-legged as Mason Crosby in the sixth round could turn out to be a steal. The best thing the Packers may have done, as they tend to do every year, was trade down several times and acquire value in the form of more picks. Missouri Southern OT Allen Barbre fits their zone blocking scheme and could be a versatile backup. Overall, considering how many picks they secured, they tended to increase their chances of hitting on at least three starters. Grade: Good