PACKERS ONLY A+ DRAFT - THE SPORTING NEWS

[gbpackfan]

Green Bay Packers -- A+
With linebackers A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge, the Packers have the beginnings of a defense that could dominate the NFC North for years.

The rest of the NFC North graded out like this:

Vikings C
Lions B
Bears B-


Link:

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=88199

[swede]

What!

The Packers have never gotten that kind of respect in a draft grade! Now they have me worrying. When the "experts" say something good about the Packers it creates a paradigmatic shift that unnerves me.

They did name our two best defensive picks, but I like Darryn Colledge, too. He will be a star on the offensive line.

[gbpackfan]

I really like Colledge too! Brings some of the Mike Wahle mentality back to GB. Tony Moll is a converted TE too, he should develop nicely.

Jennings and Blackmon were VERY nice pick ups. I would have never thought that the Pack would have gotten Blackmon. It was a great spot to get him and he can be used in so many ways.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't think many of these are worth more than the paper they are printed on, but it's always nice to see accolades--instead of ripping.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AhzGehYkLUvR4ZfsP2_aqwCY2bYF?slug=gradingthedraft&prov=tsn&type=lgns

Green Bay Packers -- A+
With linebackers A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge, the Packers have the beginnings of a defense that could dominate the NFC North for years.

Minnesota Vikings -- C
Outside linebacker Chad Greenway should help, but the Vikings probably could have gotten center Ryan Cook and QB Tarvaris Jackson much later than the second round.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5561544

HUGE WINNERS…

GREEN BAY

Packers general manager Ted Thompson had a terrific draft. AJ Hawk will be a play maker at linebacker from day 1. The Green Bay defense has been fundamentally unsound and Hawk is an instant impact player. And Iowa linebacker Abdul Hodge was a steal for the Packers defense in round 3. He was the leader of the Iowa defense and is also knows how to wrap up ball carriers.

I loved the Greg Jennings selection in round 2. Jennings is an instant star as a returner. And he will dazzle as a receiver. At Western Michigan, he proved
his toughness going over the middle and also playing huge games in his career against non-MAC teams (UVA, Michigan State). Getting Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz on Day 1 added serious depth and a needed infusion of talent to the offensive line.

And how about the intrigue of grabbing Ingle Martin in round 5. The former Florida QB transferred to Furman when the Gators brought on Chris Leak. And Will Blackmon is a speed demon who played both receiver and defensive back at Boston College.

WHAT ELSE WE LIKED

VIKINGS

One of my favorite players in this draft was Chad Greenway. The Iowa linebacker dominated on Saturdays as a do-it-all defender. I never cared about his poor 40 time or workouts. Brad Childress filled a major need. Ced Griffin is physical and replaces Brian Williams.

And Alabama State's Tarvaris Jackson has a rifle for an arm. Childress could be the perfect coach for him.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-winnerslosers042906&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

THE WINNERS

Green Bay Packers – The Packers needed an infusion of talent, and just by sheer bulk alone, they may have had the best first day of the draft. Selecting five players in the first 75 picks is always a nice luxury, and Green Bay picked up some quality talent. The Packers added two of the best linebackers in the country in A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge to their porous defense, then accentuated their first-day picks with some lesser-known talent like Darryn Colledge, Greg Jennings and Jason Spitz – three players who could all contribute as early as next season either as starters or special-teams players.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AjuBvBL1XmlSAZbpNW9bzuJDubYF?slug=cnnsi-draftaftermath&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns

Green Bay's second round, and what it led to, was one of the most interesting things I saw this weekend. Green Bay GM Ted Thompson told me Sunday night he didn't set out to make five trades between the 36th and 109th picks, that it just happened that way.

"It was different, because every time a team called, it seemed the way we had our board set up, we either had a player we thought would be there if we moved down a few spots, or that there were a few players pretty close in value.''

In essence, Green Bay traded the 36th pick and a player who most likely was never going to play for them again, Javon Walker, and kept trading down three more times. At the end, the Packers had added two second-round picks, a third-, a fourth- and two sixth-rounders.

They traded the 36th pick to New England for the 52nd and 75th. They traded Walker to Denver for the 37th pick. Then the gamble came in. Green Bay wanted a tackle from Boise State named Daryn Colledge, who was one of the best little factoids of this draft. He's from North Pole, Alaska, which is 140 miles northeast of Anchorage, 140 miles west of the Yukon Territories, and, according to mapquest.com, is a 41-hour drive north from Seattle. (And, according to weather.com, is supposed to have a wind-chill temperature of 22 degrees Fahrenheit at dawn today.)

Thompson thought the Packers could trade down from 36 and still get him. So they got the two picks from New England, then turned the 37th pick from the Walker deal and their 139th pick into three picks from Atlanta, one of which was turned into two more picks from St. Louis, one of which was turned into two picks from Philadelphia. The bounty: Colledge at 43, wideout Greg Jennings at 52, center Jason Spitz at 75, wideout Will Blackmon at 115, quarterback Ingle Martin at 148, defensive tackle Johnny Jolly at 183, free safety Tyrone Culver at 185. "I believe this team needed to add core players for the future, and I think we're better today than we were at the start of the weekend,'' Thompson said...

Minnesota dealing two third-round picks for the last pick of the second round -- so it could take Tarvaris Jackson, a quarterback out of Alabama State. NO ONE BUT HIS MOTHER had him going in the first two rounds. Silly, silly move.

MEL KIPER

Green Bay Packers: GRADE: B

The Packers had a lot of picks (12) and definitely some reaches. Linebacker A.J. Hawk will give the Packers a much-needed face on defense. Offensive tackle Daryn Colledge needs to get stronger and become a better run blocker. I really like wide receiver Greg Jennings, linebacker Abdul Hodge and and Jason Spitz. I gave Green Bay an A after the first day.

Minnesota Vikings: GRADE: C+

Linebacker Chad Greenway was a very good pick, while Cedric Griffin is a solid defensive back who needs to play the ball better. Ryan Cook is a versatile center who could be moved elsewhere on the offensive line. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson went a bit high, but has a chance to be the Vikings future quarterback. Defensive end Ray Edwards struggled as a junior and I thought he needed another season at Purdue.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5559064

5. Green Bay: The Packers went for intelligent, all-around football players starting with all-everything linebacker A.J. Hawk, who can play the middle and also be a nickel linebacker. Boise State offensive tackle Daryn Colledge could end up being a starting guard this season while Jason Spitz of Louisville was another critical need at center. Green Bay lost its three best interior linemen from the 2004 season. Cory Rodgers of TCU and Will Blackmon of Boston College will be shooting to break the lineup as a receiver. The only knock on the Packers was giving up on Javon Walker, a former first-round pick and a Pro Bowl player, for a second-round choice. They could end up regretting that trade. Grade: B+

31. Minnesota: They took Iowa linebacker Chad Greenway in the first round and many teams thought he didn't have the sudden burst necessary to be a big-time NFL linebacker. Then they took a sixth-round center Ryan Cook with the 51st overall choice and traded up to select Alabama State quarterback Tarvaris Jackson with the 64th pick. Most teams had Jackson in the 7th round. Georgia safety Greg Blue will be a special teams' demon, but doesn't have good coverage skills and may be moved to weakside linebacker. Finally, if they wanted to select Oregon's Kellen Clemens in the second round, they were out-foxed by the inexperienced Jets. New personnel chieftan Fran Foley has more headaches than quite a few biographical mistakes in his resume. Grade: D

[HarveyWallbangers]

Best line (by Peter King):

"Minnesota dealing two third-round picks for the last pick of the second round -- so it could take Tarvaris Jackson, a quarterback out of Alabama State. NO ONE BUT HIS MOTHER had him going in the first two rounds. Silly, silly move."

[swede]

Interesting perspectives, Harv.

I will have to write down and tape to my wall that impressive list of players that have come from the Walker trade.

Start with the fact that if we HADN'T traded him he would have almost certainly been a pain in the ass for months. Follow up with that list of players. Keep track of their contributions to the team, and this could be the footbal equivalent of the Sexon trade!

[MadtownPacker]

Nice to read some positive thought on the Packs draft. So much different from last seasons terrible reviews. TT went off and made the team deep like an ocean.

[Rastak]

Nice to read some positive thought on the Packs draft. So much different from last seasons terrible reviews. TT went off and made the team deep like an ocean.

On kfan this morning Vikings radio voice Paul Allen thought Green Bay had a very solid draft .
Thought Millan F'd up again by letting Leinert go to Arizona....liked the Vikes draft.

[Joemailman]

Best line (by Peter King):

"Minnesota dealing two third-round picks for the last pick of the second round -- so it could take Tarvaris Jackson, a quarterback out of Alabama State. NO ONE BUT HIS MOTHER had him going in the first two rounds. Silly, silly move."

Why does this move remind me of B.J. Sander?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Of course, PA likes the Vikings draft. He works for them.


I love Paul Allen, but he and Puffy are homers.

I realize you know that, but others on here my not.

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://nfl.com/draft/story/9407945

I thought eight teams had very good drafts.

Let's start with Green Bay, which finished the day with five picks and ended up with two linebackers -- A.J. Hawk (Ohio State) and Abdul Hodge (Iowa). Cleveland did a very good job, and so did Carolina.

New England was really outstanding in that it got a very good running back and traded up to get Florida receiver Chad Jackson, who can be a topflight pass catcher. The Patriots also got tight end David Thomas (Texas) in the third round, and where they got him was a real steal.

Baltimore and Arizona did very well. The Jets did extremely well considering they picked up a second-round pick in the 2007 draft. Pittsburgh filled its needs.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Draft Analyzer

Green Bay
Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
1 5 A.J. Hawk OLB Ohio State

Vic Carucci's Analysis
Hawk was widely seen as the "safest" pick of the draft because he combines elite playmaking ability with the sort of work ethic and overachieving mentality normally found in less talented players. Although it would have made sense to provide Brett Favre with the draft's best pass catcher in tight end Vernon Davis, this is the perfect cornerstone player for the new era of coach Mike McCarthy. Hawk is a strong leader and will make his presence felt immediately on a defense that needs plenty of upgrading.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
2 47 Daryn Colledge OT Boise State

Gil Brandt's Analysis
He is a player from North Pole, Alaska; there's not too many players from there. He is a very athletic tackle who was a four-year starter. His speed and athletic ability are good, but he needs more strength.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
2 52 Greg Jennings WR Western Michigan
Gil Brandt's Analysis

Jennings is a big-play guy. He's a very good return man, and might be a prospect at cornerback. He has good size and speed for a receiver.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
3 67 Abdul Hodge ILB Iowa

Gil Brandt's Analysis
A three-year starter who has been very, very productive. I don't think he can play outside linebacker; he is a middle linebacker.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
3 75 Jason Spitz C Louisville

Gil Brandt's Analysis
When you look at his body, you don't expect him to be good. He can play guard and center, and is a very good pick here.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
4 104 Cory Rodgers WR Texas Christian

Vic Carucci's Analysis
Rodgers' most likely early contribution would be as a kick returner. He did catch a lot of passes in his college career, he shows good patience on his routes and does a good job of finding creases in the zone. However, he is a very raw talent whose speed is unimpressive and whose hands are inconsistent.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
4 115 Will Blackmon WR Boston College

Gil Brandt's Analysis
He was the Rhode Island high school player of the year and also holds sprint records at his school. He's versatile; he can play wide receiver and cornerback.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
5 148 Ingle Martin QB Furman

Gil Brandt's Analysis
He was a quarterback. He started college ball at Florida, but left when Ron Zook was fired and a new system was installed. He looked very good at the Combine, especially with his throwing skills; he has good arm strength.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
5 165 Tony Moll OT Nevada

Gil Brandt's Analysis
He is athletic, but undersized. Green Bay must put weight on him. He has good strength.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
183 Johnny Jolly DT Texas A&M

Gil Brandt's Analysis
He was a three-year starter who played as a true freshman. He played especially well against Texas in the team's final game of the season. He continues to play well against tough opponents.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
6 185 Tyrone Culver FS Fresno State

Gil Brandt's Analysis
I like him, and I think he is a good, solid football player.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
7 253 Dave Tollefson DE Northwest Missouri State

Gil Brandt's Analysis
Tollefson (6-4¼, 265) ran well at his Pro Day (4.75) and has some pass-rush skills thanks to his speed.

Minnesota
Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
1 17 Chad Greenway OLB Iowa

Vic Carucci's Analysis
Brad Childress is an offensive-minded coach, but he understands he must foritify his defense. And this is a good draft to supply that sort of talent. Greenway doesn't have great size, but he has superb technique and instincts that make him an outside linebacker who can contribute rushing the passer, dropping into coverage, and defending the run. He'll need to add some bulk and strength to be even a greater force.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
2 48 Cedric Griffin CB Texas

Gil Brandt's Analysis
I think this is a real good pick. He was a three-year starter and made lots of good plays, including an interception in the Rose Bowl. Really improved in the past year, and can play safety or cornerback. I think he will play for a long time in the NFL.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
2 51 Ryan Cook C New Mexico

Gil Brandt's Analysis
He was a walk-on player who started all four years but might be better suited for tackle in the NFL. It is easier for a 6-foot-6 man to play offensive tackle than center. He can play both positions, and that is a plus.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
2 64 Tarvaris Jackson QB Alabama State

Gil Brandt's Analysis
Jackson started at Arkansas and then transferred to Alabama State. At the East-West Shrine Game, he surprised a lot of people with his ability. He throws very few interceptions.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
4 127 Ray Edwards DE Purdue

Gil Brandt's Analysis
He had a very good junior season, but off-the-field problems with the coaching staff put him on the bench halfway through the season. Lots of skills if he can get his mind in the game.

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
5 149 Greg Blue FS Georgia

Pat Kirwan's Analysis
He can't catch 'em, but he can tackle 'em. He'll be a good special-teams player.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Interesting note from a Vikings friend of mine who I respect:

"I think Hawk is a freak and will be a force for the Packers for years to come. They had a great off season! Funny how much difference a month can make.

Greenway seems like such a good guy. Raised on a pig farm in Mt. Piliear South Dakota, popualtion 450, when he's in town. The thing I like about him is that his weakness can be improved. His weakness is that he's not very strong, but with profesional trainers and facilities I think he can improve in that department.

Still don't like round 2 for us. I don't mind that the like Cook and Jackson, but part of the draft is knowing when to pick these guys up. I think they honestly could have got both in the 3rd and taken someone other than Cook with their 2nd second. Of coarse they will say that they got word that neither would be available for them because some other team way eyeing them.

IMO
Vikings = c

rookie coach = rookie draft

Packers = a-

TT had a great spot to draft in and made several moves to bring in a bunch of players...solid job.

Do you know much about the Hicks (oline philly) guy the Vikings traded for?"

[No Mo Moss]

Nice to read some positive thought on the Packs draft. So much different from last seasons terrible reviews. TT went off and made the team deep like an ocean.

On kfan this morning Vikings radio voice Paul Allen thought Green Bay had a very solid draft .
Thought Millan F'd up again by letting Leinert go to Arizona....liked the Vikes draft.

I'm listening to that right now. Are you suprised they liked the Vikes Draft? I'll bet Dave Senecan likes the PAckers draft when he comes on at 10:30. Those guys are Rubes, I believe is the term.

[Rastak]

Interesting note from a Vikings friend of mine who I respect:

"I think Hawk is a freak and will be a force for the Packers for years to come. They had a great off season! Funny how much difference a month can make.

Greenway seems like such a good guy. Raised on a pig farm in Mt. Piliear South Dakota, popualtion 450, when he's in town. The thing I like about him is that his weakness can be improved. His weakness is that he's not very strong, but with profesional trainers and facilities I think he can improve in that department.

Still don't like round 2 for us. I don't mind that the like Cook and Jackson, but part of the draft is knowing when to pick these guys up. I think they honestly could have got both in the 3rd and taken someone other than Cook with their 2nd second. Of coarse they will say that they got word that neither would be available for them because some other team way eyeing them.

IMO
Vikings = c

rookie coach = rookie draft

Packers = a-

TT had a great spot to draft in and made several moves to bring in a bunch of players...solid job.

Do you know much about the Hicks (oline philly) guy the Vikings traded for?"

Just like Hawkins and Collins last year....guys I though went early. Actually I think they could have gotten Cook later but he's pretty solid 6' 7" and did something like 28 reps on the bench press...very strong and motivated.