One Year Into Their Careers

[Partial]

Knowing what you know now, would you rather have AJ Hawk or Mario Williams as a Packer? It is still very early in their careers, and certainly too soon to tell, but what do you think today and why?

[Bretsky]

Throw Need out the Window

I just like AJ Hawk

at worst he'll be a good LB for many years to come

But I expect the Hawkster to see some Pro Bowls as a Packer

[Partial]

I still think Mario has great potential. Hawk is the right player for the team though. While Mario may be the better talent, to this point Hawk displays the attitude that I want on and off the field(not that Mario hasn't; I don't know if he does or not).

[the_idle_threat]

I think Mario will probably be at least a very good pro DE, which is a tough position at which to find a difference maker. There's no denying his physical talent, and he was productive enough in college to be more than just a combine wonder.

However, I also think Hawk already is a very good pro linebacker, and has the talent and makeup to be an All-Pro as soon as this season. So far, Hawk has produced at a higher level than Mario at every level too.

Mario is more boom-or-bust. "Boom" because a difference maker at DE can singlehandedly carry a defense better than a difference maker at outside linebacker, especially in our kind of scheme. "Or Bust" because Mario is further away from reaching that high ceiling than Hawk is right now.

I go with Hawk.

Give Hawk (and Barnett) a good defensive line to eat up blockers, and I think we see teams struggle to move the ball on the ground. Keep up the pass rush (last year the Pack was 4th in the NFL in sacks with 46) and the INTs (3rd in the NFL with 23), and we might have a very tough defense. Of course, they need to fix the little issue with big plays in the secondary. But they took a big step in the right direction when they shit-canned Carroll, and I think a year playing together in the scheme will help the remaining guys.

Pardon me for being drunk in public (on kool-aid ), but I think there are some very good things to build upon with our defense.

[MadtownPacker]

Hawk, by a longshot. WTF did "Super" Mario do last season? He might turn out to be good or even great but Hawk has already started his way down that road. I think he is gonna serve notice this season that he is one of the NFC North's premier LBers.

[Merlin]

I don't think it's a fair comparison because they don't even play the same position. They are on different teams, yadda yadda yadda.

There are a lot of "whatif's" in that senario as well.

[wist43]

The rules are different for potential franchise DE's and QB's...

They're the two most difficult positions to project to the NFL - but, if you have a shot at one, and you believe they'll reach, or at least have the potential to reach the franchise level - you have to take them.

Huge risk/reward at those two positions...

Hawk was good last year, and he showed improvement as the season wore on... still, he's just a chase/cover/tackle LB - those guys are much easier to find than franchise DE's and QB's.

[The Leaper]

The rules are different for potential franchise DE's and QB's...

They're the two most difficult positions to project to the NFL - but, if you have a shot at one, and you believe they'll reach, or at least have the potential to reach the franchise level - you have to take them.

I disagree to an extent. Look at Kampy and how effective he is despite not having "franchise level" physical talent. There are other pretty good DEs around the league that aren't "franchise level" either.

I do agree the positions are the hardest to project to the NFL...because the college game at those positions is vastly different.

However, with the current structure of the NFL (hard cap, high cost of premium rookie talent) I would probably take the guy who is virtually a sure thing, even if his upside wasn't as high, in the top 10-15 picks of the draft. After that, I would be far more willing to take a chance on high-end potential...because the cost isn't as high.

To some extent, I think that is precisely why Thompson took Harrell at #16. He isn't a sure thing, but he has tremendous upside. At that point in the draft, it is probably a good place to do that. Not so sure about that at #5.

[The Leaper]

I would also take Hawk going away right now. While Mario still could become a better player in the long haul, I think Hawk has already shown he has greater leadership potential on and off the field. That would easily make up any difference in play and then some IMO...because Mario hasn't shown that leadership potential, either in Houston or in college at NC St.

[Merlin]

One could argue that any player taken in the first round, even in the second has a "tremendous upside". You could also argue that any player invited to training camp or to workout has a tremendous upside. It's a very generic warm fuzzy term that gets thrown around when there are too many unknowns about a player. Why can't anyone just say "we are taking a gamble because of x,y,z"?

[BallHawk]

Holy homerism, Batman!

27-0 for Hawk. Damn.

[MJZiggy]

Well, to be fair, it is a pretty easy call.

[BooHoo]

The Hawkster, oh course.

[Bretsky]

Holy homerism, Batman!

27-0 for Hawk. Damn.

Bulldog has not voted yet

[ny10804]

I'll take Captain America/Superman/Captain Planet/A.J. Hawking/A.J. Hawk