Official 2008 NFL Draft Thread

[ReasonablySober]

Only two weeks away. I figure we can get a main thread going on here.

Who is everyone here hoping Green Bay takes? I honestly don't have a favorite. Barring a trade, I'm fairly certain I'm not going to be overly excited about whomever the team takes. I could give you a list of about twenty guys I'd be equally happy with. This is the first draft I can remember saying that about.

My first mock draft (also way late)

1 - Miami - Jake Long
2 - St. Louis - Glenn Dorsey
3 - Atlanta - Matt Ryan
4 - Oakland - Darren McFadden
5 - KC (expect a trade) - Ryan Clady
6 - NY - Vernon Gholston
7 - New England - Chris Long
8 - Baltimore - Branden Albert
9 - Cinci - Sedrick Ellis
10 - New Orleans - Keith Rivers
11 - Buffalo - DeSean Jackson
12 - Denver - Jon Stewart
13 - Carolina - Derrick Harvey
14 - Chicago - Jeff Otah
15 - Detroit - Chris Williams
16 - Arizona - Rashard Mendenhall
17 - Minnesota - Devin Thomas
18 - Houston - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
19 - Philly - Kenny Phillips
20 - Tampa - Mike Jenkins
21 - Washington - Limas Sweed
22 - Dallas - Felix Jones
23 - Pittsburgh - Gosder Cherlius
24 - Tennessee - Phillip Merling
25 - Seattle - Dustin Keller
26 - Jacksonville - Kentwan Balmer
27 - San Diego - Aqib Talib
28 - Dallas - Malcolm Kelly
29 - San Francisco - Jerod Mayo
30 - Green Bay - Brandon Flowers
31 - NY Giants - Dan Connor

[MickeyDavis]

While there will certainly be some stud players chosen this draft seems to have the least amount of talent in memory. Maybe it's because we are picking so low and I'm not paying attention but there aren't many of these guys that excite me.

[ReasonablySober]

I've never been impressed with any of the CBs in this class. Even the guy I see the Packers looking at, Flowers, has some character issues and isn't the greatest in coverage.

All of the offensive tackles will be gone by the time the Packers are on the clock.

Same with the three big RBs.

I like Groves quite a bit but he's more a 3-4 OLB. Lawrence Jackson and Calais Campbell simply didn't dominate like they should have.

Phillips would be a welcome addition, but I think he's going to be scooped up because of how thin this class is.

We have zero need for a WR unless a guy like Jackson falls to us. He could be a return guy/Wes Welker in our system, but I think he goes higher than most think.

Keller's been a hot name but he doesn't excite me, at all. I may even prefer Fred Davis. Neither will be a good blocker.

I have a feeling the two best football players on the board will be at linebacker (Mayo and Conner) and neither fit a need.

[Mags FTW]

I've never been impressed with any of the CBs in this class.

Are you only talking about guys we can actually get? I think Cromartie will be great.

[ReasonablySober]

-= original quote snipped =-


Are you only talking about guys we can actually get? I think Cromartie will be great.

The only thing I know about him is the measurables and clips of him against crummy competition. What makes you think he'll be great? I treat him as basically an un-known.

[notoriousTJ11]

Cromartie isn't as physical as you'd like in our bump and run type coverage

[Kerb Hohl]

The top of this draft is weak IMO:

Long is a very good T, will probably go to a few pro bowls...but he is not that elite franchise-changing tackle like Ogden or Pace.

IMO Ryan is vastly overrated. I'll probably get hounded by some people for that but I never really saw it with him. Reminds me of the Smith/Rodgers draft where(No offense to A-Rod) some non-elite QBs got into the top of the draft board because they were QBs in a weak class of QBs.

I do really like Dorsey and Mcfadden. Maybe Mcfadden isn't AP but I think he's going to be an elite back in the league...problem is, it isn't always worth taking a shot on any RB this high unless you know he will really be a stud for years at the RB position.

I also love Stewart. The injury downgrades him a bit but he is a freak and I think he will be a force down the road.

The middle of the draft has a ton of guys that look like solid choices and won't bust but they aren't going to be superstars.

You know the WR class is weak when a return man(who does have some great over-the-top speed)(Jackson) and a guy that projects to be a solid 2nd option(Thomas) are the top dogs.

The first 2 rounds are littered with CBs. If a few drop and there are 2 or 3 we want when we pick, we could trade down and add an extra pick along with a corner that we are looking at.

[Mags FTW]

Cromartie isn't as physical as you'd like in our bump and run type coverage

We play bump and run because it's the style that best suits our Woodson and Harris. By the time they are over the hill (next year?) the Cromartie can be plugged in and the scheme could be adjusted to suit him.

[DelaneyRudd]

I want some depth at the grunt positions and a flyer at RB and QB that may turn out big.

[wichmae]

I was actually going to start a thread like this the other day but never did for some odd reason...


Im ready for the draft and i cant wait until draft day...


12 pack of beer, nachos, and annoying ass Chris Berman for 8 hours baby...

[aaprigs311]

anyone else going to the draft party at Lambeau this year? i've gone the last 3-4 years. great time.. lots of beer, lots of food, lots of football.

[ReasonablySober]

anyone else going to the draft party at Lambeau this year? i've gone the last 3-4 years. great time.. lots of beer, lots of food, lots of football.

I'm having DirecTV (NFL Network and ESPN in HD, whud-up!) installed on Friday. I will highly enjoying the entire thing from the comfort of my own couch

[aaprigs311]

i did my little mock draft simulator but don't know how to transfer it here. little help plllease. ya, i'm still a noob.

[ReasonablySober]

Be sure to give this article a read.

Nothing earth shattering, but it's cool to get perspective on mocks from someone who's been inside a lot of war rooms. I loved the story about Rice. I'd never heard that.

He also includes this little nugget:

6. The Giants, Raiders, Dolphins, Jaguars, Cowboys and Packers are size/speed teams. They will pick players that fit the size and speed profile for the position. So think "big and fast" before putting a name in for these teams.

[eagle13]

5. After the 10th pick in the first round, it is all about how well you know what each team needs. Study the team needs and forget about the "Best Player Available" theory. It no longer applies. The draft today is so even in terms of talent that teams just pick to fill their needs. Put the player in the spot that fits those specific team needs.

I tend to agree with this. Some exceptions for sure but generally it is easy for team officials to always call the player they pick the bpa. Never really know until after.

Speaking of bpa - how do different positions relate this year? Like we know its a deep year for RB, OT, DE and perhaps CB & TE. Not that deep at WR & QB. In other words - IS the 10th RB taken as good as the 4th WR taken?

So someone who knows rookie class well like DB - how would you compare -
best TE = 9th best RB = 6th best OT = 7th best DE = 6th best CB = 5th best LB etc.?

[Wade-A-Holic]

While there will certainly be some stud players chosen this draft seems to have the least amount of talent in memory. Maybe it's because we are picking so low and I'm not paying attention but there aren't many of these guys that excite me.

This draft isn't top-heavy, but it's deep with tons of quality guys. There probably aren't many great players in it, though.

[jakecronus8]

Upon examining the Packers roster, there is one thing that really stands out to me. We have a lot of very good players but not too many, if any elite level talents on the field. With our first round pick we have to try to nab someone that could potentially be a game-changing elite player. There are a few guys who are close, but no definites on this team. By elite, I mean top 5 or so at his position in the League.

Aaron Rodgers- I know there is not a lot of football to judge him by but I think his arm strength and ability to stay healthy are what will ultimately hold him back. He has decent arm strength and I think that part of his game IS underrated but certainly not in the class of a Peyton Manning. His durability will finally face the ultimate test this year, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the potential outcome.

Ryan Grant- He is still very unproven but has a very good chance to become one of the top backs in the NFL. His size, speed, and cutting ability are Taylor-Made for our blocking scheme, but obviously he is still unproven. One thing he has going for him is that he has a chip on his shoulder and not a ton of tread on his tires given his age.

Greg Jennings- I think he has the best chance of anyone on the roster to become elite. He has really improved his route running and hands, and is faster than perceived coming out of college. I think the development of Rodgers will be key to Jennings developing into an elite player.

Aaron Kampman- He is close to being elite, but he really slowed down at the end of the year and looked completely exhausted at times. I know that the other end position was a non threat at rushing the quarterback and Kamp was routinely double teamed, but elite level players find ways to be productive. Don't get me wrong, I like Aaron and he is a pro bowl level end but I would not put him in the same category as a Mario Williams, Julius Peppers, in that teams don't really game plan for him.

A.J. Hawk- He has been very disappointing to me so far. Yes he has been a solid backer so far, but given his draft position he is not even close to living up to the hype. I was against the pick at the time and have been proven right so far. To me, if you are going to draft a linebacker top 5, you better be 100% convinced that he is Urlacher or Ray Lewis. I think a trade down in that draft would have been a better option. Just like last year, people are going to expect a breakout year from A.J. and I just don't see it happening. I hope I am completely wrong.

Nick Barnett- He is as close to being elite as anybody on this team but again, I don't quite put him in that category. He is a tad undersized for the middle and his coverage skills are only solid. He will lay the wood as good as any backer in the league, but I also see him miss a lot of tackles because of poor technique. He is the best defensive player on the team IMO, and is a good leader.

The CBs- I still think we have one of the top 3 CB duos in the league, but age is inevitably going to catch up to them sooner rather than later.

Aaron Rouse- I know he played sparingly his rookie year, but I absolutely love this kid, and he has a chance to become elite. His size and speed at the safety position are a rarity in the league. He also has a nose for the ball and is always in the general vicinity of the plays when he is in. I don't want to jump the gun, but I think he will be one of the starters next year.

Now as far as the draft goes, our biggest priority for round one should be targeting someone with a good chance to become an elite level talent. Obviously at 30 that will be a lot tougher but their are a few that might be available.

Kenny Phillips- I really don't understand why his stock has dropped so much. He is big and strong for a safety, was extremely productive, and can play either safety spot. I would love for him to be our pick. He and Rouse could be an unbelievable safety combination for the future.

Desean Jackson- I think he is very underrated not only here but everywhere. Outside of McFadden he was easily the best playmaker on offense in college football last year. He really reminds me of Steve Smith with his return ability, but just needs to work on becoming a better receiver. Like someone previously stated, I think he could become Wes Welker x10 in our offense.

James Hardy- I love his athletic ability and size combination. He is huge which will instantly make him a red zone option and could become a Keyshawn or Plaxico type receiver. I would like him better in the second round, but I could live with him in the first.

[ReasonablySober]

5. After the 10th pick in the first round, it is all about how well you know what each team needs. Study the team needs and forget about the "Best Player Available" theory. It no longer applies. The draft today is so even in terms of talent that teams just pick to fill their needs. Put the player in the spot that fits those specific team needs.

I tend to agree with this. Some exceptions for sure but generally it is easy for team officials to always call the player they pick the bpa. Never really know until after.

Speaking of bpa - how do different positions relate this year? Like we know its a deep year for RB, OT, DE and perhaps CB & TE. Not that deep at WR & QB. In other words - IS the 10th RB taken as good as the 4th WR taken?

So someone who knows rookie class well like DB - how would you compare -
best TE = 9th best RB = 6th best OT = 7th best DE = 6th best CB = 5th best LB etc.?

Tough question to answer without ranking the top 60 or so guys. Maybe I'll do that later. It's a Friday afterall...

I'll say that after the first seven picks or so that guys are going to start getting picked off based on need rather than overall rank. You might see the first cornerback go as high as #7, when I wouldn't have one ranked in the top twenty. I'm really not a fan of the DBs, WRs and TEs in this class.

So when you see mocks that have the Packers taking the fifth or sixth CB, you can imagine my lack of excitement.

I think that that Talib, McKelvin, DRC, Flowers and Jenkins may end up becoming solid cornerbacks in a couple years, but I wouldn't take any expecting them to be more than a good #2 down the line.

Same with the wide-receivers. I think there's going to be a run on them starting with Buffalo, but there isn't a single one I'd take in the first round with the possible exception of Jackson, and that's only because of what he offers in the return game.

It's another bad group of tight ends, as well. There isn't a Heath Miller or Shockey to be found. Keller and Davis are the two guys you hear most about at the top, but both are just large wide receivers or h-backs in the Chris Cooley mold. Neither offer a thing in the way of blocking. If Carlson from Notre Dame is there in the second round I'd jump all over taking him. Martellus Bennett from A&M was a huge blue chipper and left without realizing his promise, but he's an intriguing prospect because unlike Keller and Davis, he's got the size for the position and will at least attempt to get in front of a defensive end. Think Marcedes Lewis of Jacksonville.

In terms of where the Packers are picking, if they simply wanted to get the best possible football player, I think you could look at a few guys at undervalued positions.

- Brian Brohm: Everyone knows how high I am on Rodgers, but with nobody behind him I think Brohm would almost too good a talent to pass up. Good size, adequate arm, great accuracy, lots of starting experience. Rodgers wouldn't be happy, but a little competition isn't going to hurt anyone. Best case scenario we never need to play Brohm, he looks good in preseason and mop-up time and in two years we deal him for a high first rounder or multiple pick.

- Jerod Mayo, Keith Rivers, Dan Connor: Take your pick. I think all three are outstanding football players and will be leaders on their defenses for years to come. This obviously wouldn't be a need position pick for the Packers but if you're talking about BPA, any one of these guys would have to be in the discussion. Last season, had any one of our linebackers gone down, the Packers would have been screwed. Look at the Bengals. They were giving auditions off the street last season to anyone who could play the position. Even with the addition of Chillar, I don't think it would be the worst idea in the world to bring another talented linebacker in from the top two rounds. Curtis Lofton will also be a starter for some team next season, and a good one at that. I wouldn't put it past Adibi and Highsmith to become impact players in the NFL either. Despite the possibility that not a single linebacker goes until the twenties, I think it's one of the two strongest positions in the draft.

- Sam Baker: He's my darkhorse for the Packers. He can play inside or out, has the physical traits for any position on the line and has loads of experience. Not the greatest in space and it wouldn't seem like he's the prototypical zone blocking type, but I think his versitility will get him a serious look from Green Bay.

- Kenny Phillips: I think he's been downgraded due to a sever lack of talent at Miami. He's still a very good football player, a great athlete and has the experience and leadership Thompson likes.

- Runningback is the other really strong position in the draft. After the big three go, it's a crapshoot where the next few will go. Chances are Dallas takes one with one of their first round picks, but after that my guess is you see a run on backs starting at the top of round two where teams will look to get that complimentary runner, and there should be a good number of them in the draft. Unlike cornerback, there are plenty that will probably come in and make an impact right away. I really like Jamaal Charles and Felix Jones. Matt Forte is versitile enough to play in the same backfield as Grant. If Jonathan Stewart happens to fall because of his injury, the Packers have to take him.

[xTitan]

First off there is NO question about A-Rodg's arm strength...just want to say that from the start.

If you look at what Thompson seems to think, its building from the inside out, the lines are very important. I think the perfect example of this was the Giants, a run the ball, stop the run team....the Giants had a dominant defenisve line, who could also pressure and questionable d-backs. I would not be shocked if GB added a d-lineman, a big defensive end type who can stay on the field in run/pass downs. Chillar was added because he has a reputation of being a run stopper who can cover a little....i think you see a pattern here. I would not be shocked if a TE was drafted but I will promise you he will be a very good blocker who can catch (Carlson from ND comes to mind). The Packer formula seems to work, at least the Wolf/Thompson version.

[eagle13]

Thanks DB - very interesting.