RealGM.com's First Mock

[ReasonablySober]

BP should love this one. I'd be cool with it (we need a return man) and I think Jackson might be BPA at #27. Rey Maualuga might be my favorite defender in the draft and I'd die a little inside if we passed him over though. Also a big fan of Justin King.

27. Green Bay Packers- DeSean Jackson, WR/KR, California

Jackson is a slightly slower version of Ted Ginn Jr. but also a slightly more refined WR. He disappears for games at a time on offense, but his dynamic return man abilities merits a 1st round look from the Packers, who cannot depend on the aging Charles Woodson or troubled Koren Robinson to fill that role.

[LUKE23]

Slaton is the guy I want, although he doesn't look like a realistic option given our projected record.

[El Duderino]

Slaton is the guy I want, although he doesn't look like a realistic option given our projected record.

I'd rather have Johnathan Stewart than Slaton,but Stewart will be long gone.Stewart is going to be a beast in the NFL.

[LUKE23]

-= original quote snipped =-



I'd rather have Johnathan Stewart than Slaton,but Stewart will be long gone.Stewart is going to be a beast in the NFL.

I'd be happy with either, I love Slaton's elusiveness in the open field and his pass catching ability.

[MikeIsGood]

I'd rather have Johnathan Stewart than Slaton,but Stewart will be long gone.Stewart is going to be a beast in the NFL.

Agree. And I'm not a fan of the pick.

[xTitan]

Give me a solid bump and run corner in the first round...I like Ike .........I think GB also needs to look at retooling the offensive line, either through free agency or the draft.

[El Duderino]

Corner is no doubt a need

Not only do i not trust that Bush could be good as a starter if either Woodson/Harris got hurt,both guys are close to reaching an age where they simply won't have enough speed to run with receivers all game.Of the two,i'm more concerned about Woodson.He's grabbing and clutching all the time and i doubt he could run a sub-4.50-4.55 40.He has great natural instincts and experience to help cover for his lack of foot speed,but eventually a corner just gets to slow to be able to be effective.My guess is Woodson has at most one year left as a quality starting CB.

[Nash13/Marion31]

[quote="xTitan"]Give me a solid bump and run corner in the first round...I like Ike :wink: .........I think GB also needs to look at retooling the offensive line, either through free agency or the draft.[/quote]

Ike hasn't had the greatest season yet, so it might be in his best intrests to stay in Madison for a senior season - JMO

[bigkurty]

Am I the only one who is surprised that Felix Jones isn't getting any love?

[SteveScheffler]

he gets 3rd or 4th round love from me. i think they should take a chance and draft the hometown hero beckum.

[ReasonablySober]

Am I the only one who is surprised that Felix Jones isn't getting any love?

Not really surprised. He's overshadowed by the best back in the country. Ronnie Brown once was "Cadillac Williams backup". Once the combine and workouts happen and people start to look at the stats (8.8 ypc, 32 yards and 2 TDs on kick returns) and his size/speed he'll be looked at as the #2 back in the draft.

[Flames24Rulz]

RB's are going to be a dime a dozen in this year's draft. I'd take a CB with our pick in the 1st round and draft a RB in the 2nd.

[El Duderino]

-= original quote snipped =-



Not really surprised. He's overshadowed by the best back in the country. Ronnie Brown once was "Cadillac Williams backup". Once the combine and workouts happen and people start to look at the stats (8.8 ypc, 32 yards and 2 TDs on kick returns) and his size/speed he'll be looked at as the #2 back in the draft.

Johnathan Stewart is 5'11 230-235 and reportedly runs around a 4.4.I've seen Oregon play a few times and he impressed me greatly.Big powerful back that runs through arm tackles,has speed,vision,and good hands catching passes.

If he has a good combine,i think he goes high.

[SteveScheffler]

i played against him in highschool. theres no chance we get him.

[BuckPack]

hey guys, hope alls well around here...

pack look great, but I'm still at a loss to explain how our D has given up so few points when they haven't played that well and we haven't gotten many turnovers. Tho, I think that's a good thing, b/c there are certain players (read Hawk and Collins) who haven't played well but if they do, the D could become scary, scary good. WRs look great...excited to see what Koren can do.

My thoughts on the draft and the Pack....

While I love DeSean Jackson and what he could do for this team as a returner/WR (he'd be a helluva weapon), I think we have far more pressing needs. I obviously want(ed) Moss, but our young WRs have been great thus far and portend some big time success down the road. They've been better than I imagined--YAC ability has been incredible--so to those of you who expected that this year (Ayt, DB, a few others) particularly by someone like Jones, boy I'm glad you were right.

Yet, I still think we need some more explosiveness out of out offense, particularly the backfield. Grant's been solid, Wynn is a good backup, Jackson would be a fabulous 3rd down back but we already have one in Morency--so basically, just a bunch of guys who fill different roles, but nobody with the ability to take the bull by the horns in a tight playoff game and make the play that turns the game around. That's really what this team needs more than anythign in my opinion.

So, that in mind, I'd love to get a Stewart, Slaton, or Jones in the first round next year. They'd be my first choice.

As for positions of need, here's how I'd rank them:
1) RB

2) DB--we really need another corner. As much as I like Blackmon, we really don't know if he's goign to stay healthy enough to be a starting corner in the NFL...I don't like the sound of recurring foot injuries. Hopefully he can get healthy, b/c he's got the most ability of any of our young corners.

3) Tackle--this position has skyrocketed up my positional needs. Clifton's age/injury history is starting to rear it's ugly head, and he still doesn't seem to be getting the ZBS. Tauscher has been dependable, but still I think he's faded a bit. Maybe we've got something in Barber, but I'd like to look here in rounds 3-5.

4) TE--Lee's been solid, and Franks has been a veteran, but I still think we could inject some talent and playmaking ability into our passing game with another TE.

5) WR--Take one if Sweed or Jackson is sitting there at the end of the first round and you don't have a top corner/RB there as well. But otherwise, I'm fine heading into next year with Driver/Jennings/Jones/Robinson...

6) OLB...Poppinga may need to be replaced if he doesn't learn how to cover. Also, I wouldn't rule out switching Barnett and Hawk. Hawk just doesn't seem to be making nearly as many plays as he should for being the #5 pick in the draft.

On another draft related note, how do you guys like my boy Matt Ryan now? As many of you know, I've been pumping him for two years here and many of you have claimed you had yet to see him play...boy, you gotta love him now. Without a doubt, the best QB in the draft, IMO...

[xTitan]

hey guys, hope alls well around here...

pack look great, but I'm still at a loss to explain how our D has given up so few points when they haven't played that well and we haven't gotten many turnovers. Tho, I think that's a good thing, b/c there are certain players (read Hawk and Collins) who haven't played well but if they do, the D could become scary, scary good. WRs look great...excited to see what Koren can do.

My thoughts on the draft and the Pack....

While I love DeSean Jackson and what he could do for this team as a returner/WR (he'd be a helluva weapon), I think we have far more pressing needs. I obviously want(ed) Moss, but our young WRs have been great thus far and portend some big time success down the road. They've been better than I imagined--YAC ability has been incredible--so to those of you who expected that this year (Ayt, DB, a few others) particularly by someone like Jones, boy I'm glad you were right.

Yet, I still think we need some more explosiveness out of out offense, particularly the backfield. Grant's been solid, Wynn is a good backup, Jackson would be a fabulous 3rd down back but we already have one in Morency--so basically, just a bunch of guys who fill different roles, but nobody with the ability to take the bull by the horns in a tight playoff game and make the play that turns the game around. That's really what this team needs more than anythign in my opinion.

So, that in mind, I'd love to get a Stewart, Slaton, or Jones in the first round next year. They'd be my first choice.

As for positions of need, here's how I'd rank them:
1) RB

2) DB--we really need another corner. As much as I like Blackmon, we really don't know if he's goign to stay healthy enough to be a starting corner in the NFL...I don't like the sound of recurring foot injuries. Hopefully he can get healthy, b/c he's got the most ability of any of our young corners.

3) Tackle--this position has skyrocketed up my positional needs. Clifton's age/injury history is starting to rear it's ugly head, and he still doesn't seem to be getting the ZBS. Tauscher has been dependable, but still I think he's faded a bit. Maybe we've got something in Barber, but I'd like to look here in rounds 3-5.

4) TE--Lee's been solid, and Franks has been a veteran, but I still think we could inject some talent and playmaking ability into our passing game with another TE.

5) WR--Take one if Sweed or Jackson is sitting there at the end of the first round and you don't have a top corner/RB there as well. But otherwise, I'm fine heading into next year with Driver/Jennings/Jones/Robinson...

6) OLB...Poppinga may need to be replaced if he doesn't learn how to cover. Also, I wouldn't rule out switching Barnett and Hawk. Hawk just doesn't seem to be making nearly as many plays as he should for being the #5 pick in the draft.

On another draft related note, how do you guys like my boy Matt Ryan now? As many of you know, I've been pumping him for two years here and many of you have claimed you had yet to see him play...boy, you gotta love him now. Without a doubt, the best QB in the draft, IMO...

This is a very solid post, especially your opening comments about the defense, lack of any type of explosive plays from Hawk or Poppinga simply amazes me, they really do play bend but don't break, the only negative is that they give up field position alot.

As far as next years draft goes I would probably put RB 3rd on my list behind DB and OL.......its possible the OL could be looked at in free agency since GB is quite young there for the most part with depth. I also think you will see GB look to obtain a RB 225lbs or more, they have there share of smallish guys already (Brandon Jackson will be the third down back) and a big slashing/pounding mudder is what has worked very well here in the past. I like Stewart out of Oregon as well, but I always worry a little bit about RB's who run soley out of the spread, next years draft will be RB heavy.

[ReasonablySober]

hey guys, hope alls well around here...

pack look great, but I'm still at a loss to explain how our D has given up so few points when they haven't played that well and we haven't gotten many turnovers. Tho, I think that's a good thing, b/c there are certain players (read Hawk and Collins) who haven't played well but if they do, the D could become scary, scary good. WRs look great...excited to see what Koren can do.

My thoughts on the draft and the Pack....

While I love DeSean Jackson and what he could do for this team as a returner/WR (he'd be a helluva weapon), I think we have far more pressing needs. I obviously want(ed) Moss, but our young WRs have been great thus far and portend some big time success down the road. They've been better than I imagined--YAC ability has been incredible--so to those of you who expected that this year (Ayt, DB, a few others) particularly by someone like Jones, boy I'm glad you were right.

Yet, I still think we need some more explosiveness out of out offense, particularly the backfield. Grant's been solid, Wynn is a good backup, Jackson would be a fabulous 3rd down back but we already have one in Morency--so basically, just a bunch of guys who fill different roles, but nobody with the ability to take the bull by the horns in a tight playoff game and make the play that turns the game around. That's really what this team needs more than anythign in my opinion.

So, that in mind, I'd love to get a Stewart, Slaton, or Jones in the first round next year. They'd be my first choice.

As for positions of need, here's how I'd rank them:
1) RB

2) DB--we really need another corner. As much as I like Blackmon, we really don't know if he's goign to stay healthy enough to be a starting corner in the NFL...I don't like the sound of recurring foot injuries. Hopefully he can get healthy, b/c he's got the most ability of any of our young corners.

3) Tackle--this position has skyrocketed up my positional needs. Clifton's age/injury history is starting to rear it's ugly head, and he still doesn't seem to be getting the ZBS. Tauscher has been dependable, but still I think he's faded a bit. Maybe we've got something in Barber, but I'd like to look here in rounds 3-5.

4) TE--Lee's been solid, and Franks has been a veteran, but I still think we could inject some talent and playmaking ability into our passing game with another TE.

5) WR--Take one if Sweed or Jackson is sitting there at the end of the first round and you don't have a top corner/RB there as well. But otherwise, I'm fine heading into next year with Driver/Jennings/Jones/Robinson...

6) OLB...Poppinga may need to be replaced if he doesn't learn how to cover. Also, I wouldn't rule out switching Barnett and Hawk. Hawk just doesn't seem to be making nearly as many plays as he should for being the #5 pick in the draft.

On another draft related note, how do you guys like my boy Matt Ryan now? As many of you know, I've been pumping him for two years here and many of you have claimed you had yet to see him play...boy, you gotta love him now. Without a doubt, the best QB in the draft, IMO...

Nice post. I agree with nearly all of it. I'd also include guard up there are as well if we could get the best in the draft late in round one.

OLB and safety is up there on my list.

It all depends on who's around. I'm essentially 100% for BPA in this draft, seeing as we're likely picking near the end of round one. I'd love to get a guy like Connor or Laurinitis, both of whom I think could be Pro Bowl quality SLB's. Reggie Smith could also be the best fit at D-Back for the Packers. He's got experience at every position in the backfield.

As for Ryan, here's what I posted on the draft board a few days ago:

Until Matt Ryan made that final throw against VT, I didn't think he looked like he even belonged in the first round. When there was a defender in his face he panicked. If he had to step up in the pocket he rushed his throws and often threw bouncers to his targets.

Not sold on him yet.

My brother and I watched the entire game and we couldn't understand the hype. He made plays at the end, but he looked lost in the pocket for the first three and a half quarters.

[BuckPack]

It all depends on who's available in the backfield (both defensive and RB). I do think we have the flexibility to take BPA...guard is certainly an option, but you gotta hope that 2/3 of the Colledge/Spitz/Coston group can start. I don't want to waste an early round pick on a guard....


agreed on a bigger back titan, but I think if someone like Slaton is there, you gotta take him. he's just too much of a weapon not too (ala Brian Westbrook). but if it's between Stewart and Slaton, I may go Stewart (on a side note, did you guys see the stiff arm he had against USC? He tossed a trojan safety to the ground).

I gotta see mroe from the DBs before I know who to take...

As for the o-line, I think we need to figure out if we're going to stick to the ZBS or not before the draft (I think we will). that will dictate if we take a lineman in round 1....

-= original quote snipped =-
As for Ryan, here's what I posted on the draft board a few days ago:

DrugBust wrote:
Until Matt Ryan made that final throw against VT, I didn't think he looked like he even belonged in the first round. When there was a defender in his face he panicked. If he had to step up in the pocket he rushed his throws and often threw bouncers to his targets.

Not sold on him yet.


My brother and I watched the entire game and we couldn't understand the hype. He made plays at the end, but he looked lost in the pocket for the first three and a half quarters.

I'll say this...for 3.5 quarters that was the worst I've seen him play. And I've seen every one of his snaps in his career. That said, did you see the monsoon out there??? I mean, I don't care who your quarterback is (whether it's Joe Montana or Tom Brady or Brett Favre), to throw the ball in that kind of weather is very, very difficult, then throw in the pressure that he was under all night (by Chris Ellis in particular) and you can understand why he looked shaky for 3+ quarters--he was rattled inthe pocket, didn't have anyone making plays to bail him out (or when he made a solid throw), and the weather was just atrocious.

In the last couple minutes, he started to buy some time with his feet and throw the ball with confidence (and was also aided by the diminishing downpour as well as the receivers holding onto the ball). I'm not sure what throw was more impressive: the TD to Gunnell--which Flowers (one of the best CBs in the country) called the "best" throw he's ever seen as he had perfect coverage, OR the TD ad-lib to Callendar across his body into the seam in the end zone. End of the day, it's how you make plays when the game is on the line. He did that. You really can't say the same for guys like Brohm and Woodson this year.

He's not there yet, but like I've said all along, he really reminds me of Tom Brady. He doesn't quite have the killer accuracy of Brady jsut yet, but his arm strength is far superior to what Brady had coming out of college. He sees the field better than any college QB I've seen in a while; his accuracy and arm strength are NFL caliber today; his pocket presence is tops in college footbal; and he jsut makes plays to win games. And finally, look what he does with average talent at WR and TE. Gunnell, challenger, Robinson...only Robinson would start for any other top 25 program in the country.

Honestly, if he isn't a top 5 pick in this draft (I originally predicted top 15 at the beginning of the year, but I didn't think he'd garner this much hype) and doesn't turn into being a Pro Bowl QB in the NFL (one caveat: that he goes to the right team), I will be absolutely shocked. Since the NFL is such a crapshoot, I almost never make these predictions, but with this kid, I'm positively sold.

Watch him some more DB, I promise you, you won't be disappointed.

[xTitan]

I am not sure what Clifton's contract situation is next year but I would not be shocked if GB looked at that position....not sure Barbre or College is the answer.

[ReasonablySober]

I think he's got three more years left.