Early mock draft.

[Deleted member 6794]

Dawson will be the fastest LB in this whole upcoming draft. Hes a sideline to sideline LB. A Chase-You-Down and Coverage type of LB.

I think he'll be very good and he has the frame to add a little more weight.

Dawson has to be protected by a great defensive line cause he won't be able to shed blocks in the NFL. As I've said repeatedly I don't see him being a great fit in a 3-4.

 

[Vrill]

Dawson has to be protected by a great defensive line cause he won't be able to shed blocks in the NFL. As I've said repeatedly I don't see him being a great fit in a 3-4.

TCU ran a lot of 3-4.......

Trust me, im a huge Frogs fan too. I watched them play every Saturday. He lead the Frogs in tackles and he had 4 INTs. He had 25 tackles in one game this year against Baylor....

He was TCU's defensive captain and it was his job to call plays on defense. Gary Patterson is known for coaching defenses up and he said that Paul Dawson was the best defensive player he ever coached.

I'm telling you, Dawson will be a stud in the NFL for some team. Anyone who drafts him in round two will be getting a STEAL. But I think he sneaks into the back half of round 1 honestly...especially after people see what he does at the combine.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Dawson will be the fastest LB in this whole upcoming draft. Hes a sideline to sideline LB. A Chase-You-Down and Coverage type of LB.

I think he'll be very good and he has the frame to add a little more weight.

That's why he's projected as a 4-3 OLB.

 

[RepStar15]

I don't know where you will find the Jamie Collins of this draft unless it's an OLB, because that's what Collins is I believe. The closest thing at ILB would be Eric Kendricks.

Kendricks is fast and explosive but not as stocky as Perryman. Perryman is the most physical ILB out there. Frankly I wouldn't be disappointed with either of these guys.

Going into the draft he was officially listed as "athlete" which is exactly what he is. The patriots have him officially listed as OLB but their packages move him inside often.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

TCU ran a lot of 3-4.......

Trust me, im a huge Frogs fan too. I watched them play every Saturday. He lead the Frogs in tackles and he had 4 INTs. He had 25 tackles in one game this year against Baylor....

He was TCU's defensive captain and it was his job to call plays on defense. Gary Patterson is known for coaching defenses up and he said that Paul Dawson was the best defensive player he ever coached.

I'm telling you, Dawson will be a stud in the NFL for some team. Anyone who drafts him in round two will be getting a STEAL. But I think he sneaks into the back half of round 1 honestly...especially after people see what he does at the combine.

By now I'm well aware of the fact that you're a huge TCU fan and like Dawson very much.

Taking an objective look at him though he doesn't fit the Packers needs. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying he can't be succesful in the NFL but I don't see it happening in Capers system.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I've been watching Benardricks film. If he's around I think he's our guy. Good tackler and very quick and hits the LOS with a pop. At 6'5" 250 ; 40+" vertical and Projected sub 4.5 speed. WoW! a little seasoning like most at a higher level with footwork etc.. but I'm seeing a lot of upside and seems to fit our needs. Mostly projections mid 1st round. Edge, do you think he has a decent shot of sliding #30?

A couple of us noted in the "What do we need going forward?" thread that McKinney lacks fluidity. He seems to lack quick twitch and chops steps in directional transitions. He looks like more of a straight-line-speed guy.

That's not uncommon in guys who are 6'4" - 6'5", as is McKinney. He might be better suited to 4-3 DE, but with the athletic measurables he'll probably end up as somebody's LB, inside or outside.

I don't think he's a top 30 guy.

 

[thequick12]

ILB has to be addressed in the first three rounds during the draft. With Adams emerging this season I don't see Coates as a good fit for the Packers. I don't feel the need spending a third round pick on a RB.

If we could get Gurley in the 3rd its a no brainer dude has top 15 talent and only May slide because coming off injury. Starks isn't gonna be around forever and seems like packers have moved on from harris so a number 2/3 running back with upside is a need. Adams is gonna be good, Coates is a different player though. He more closely compares to janis, who I remember you saying wouldnt make the team. They both have 4.3/4.4 speed which is something no other packer on offense has ( shields). That being said if we got McKinley in first and traded up for williams in 2nd I would not complain. Just not as sure about the early ILB as I am about Coates. Just like I was about Martavis Bryant last year.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

If we could get Gurley in the 3rd its a no brainer dude has top 15 talent and only May slide because coming off injury. Starks isn't gonna be around forever and seems like packers have moved on from harris so a number 2/3 running back with upside is a need. Adams is gonna be good, Coates is a different player though. He more closely compares to janis, who I remember you saying wouldnt make the team. They both have 4.3/4.4 speed which is something no other packer on offense has ( shields). That being said if we got McKinley in first and traded up for williams in 2nd I would not complain. Just not as sure about the early ILB as I am about Coates. Just like I was about Martavis Bryant last year.

Once again I don't see Gurley sliding past the second round. I don't like Coates and with Nelson and Adams outside there's no need for the Packers to draft him.

Just for the record, I never said Janis wouldn't make the team, my advice to some posters was not to get overly excited about two preseason plays and some receptions in practice. Taking a look at his production during the 2014 season it was a pretty good one.

 

[OldSchool101]

My guess is that Janis was developing slowly his rookie season and there are obvious concerns of his ability in adapting from DivII to the pros, which I presume is the reason for slipping to pick 230 in 2014.
2015 is going to be interesting because Janis will be gaining experience and his ball handling skills should feasibly improve. Boykin had a solid break out year in 2013 but Davante clearly edges Boykin for our 1,2,3 punch
I think in 2015 Janis may very well get more looks and he must take advantage of those opportunities again this year. Janis size and speed are remarkable if he can learn the system and increase his ball handling skills he could be a diamond in the rough

 

[Vrill]

I'm more excited about Jared Abbrederis than Janis.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

People focus on ILB becasuse the position has been a Packeres weakness for so long. One question I have, who is going to play NT for the Packers next season? In the grand scheme of things, a NT is WAY more important to the defense than an ILB. Currently the Packers have a barely replacement level NT in Guion (if he comes back) and a guy that's never shown the ability to play NT in Raji (training camp doesn't really count); Raji is also coming off injury so who knows how strong he is when he comes back.

The Packers could draft an amazing ILB but it won't really matter if they don't have a decent NT. Basically, what I'm saying, is that the Packers, looking at their current roster, have a far larger hole (literally and figuratively) at NT than at ILB.

 

[Ace]

Aaron Nagler said on Twitter that when he watches tape on Kendricks that he ends up watching Ellis McCarthy more. I know very little about either but is this a fair statement?

 

[TJV]

Currently the Packers have a barely replacement level NT in Guion (if he comes back) and a guy that's never shown the ability to play NT in Raji (training camp doesn't really count); Raji is also coming off injury so who knows how strong he is when he comes back.

I don’t know how Raji is doing injury-wise (he was injured in August of last year and has stayed in Green Bay to rehab) and even if he’s 100% healthy I worry about his motivation. But posting he’s “never shown the ability to play NT” is just flat wrong. In 2010 Raji was fantastic at the position. He recorded 39 tackles (29 solo), 6.5 sacks, and three passes defensed in the regular season. He also had 5 tackles, 2 passes defensed and an INT returned for a TD in the playoffs that season. The disappointment many of us feel about Raji is based upon the drop off in his play from that season.

 

[TeamTundra]

Raji played well at NT, as mentioned above, it was when he was moved
To DE due to Pickett playing the middle that he struggled.

I hope we bring Raji back for a reasonable price and also draft a
Another NT/DL within the first three draft rounds.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Aaron Nagler said on Twitter that when he watches tape on Kendricks that he ends up watching Ellis McCarthy more. I know very little about either but is this a fair statement?

I'll tell you the little I dug up on McCarthy. Highly recruited out of HS...one reporter had him at 330 lbs. then, with a 12 BMI. At UCLA, he had surgery on both knees and was critiqued for poor conditioning and stamina. He just finished his junior season as a backup.

Note the contradiction in Rob Rang's scouting notes:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1996571/ellis-mccarthy

Under "Strengths": "When healthy and in shape, McCarthy can stun opponents with his initial quickness and agility...."

Under "Weaknesses": "Heavy-footed...." "Possesses just average initial get-off and lacks refined pass rush technique...."

You just don't know what you'll get with this guy. Are the injuries the cause of limited snaps? Did the injuries contribute to his not being shape? Can he get healthy or is there a permanent impairment? Or is this a case of a guy with questionable motivation who ended up peaking early?

McCarthy is one of those guys who could move or down at the Combine depending on what kind of shape he's in, what the medical exams show, and the level of athleticism he displays.

Check out the high school clip at 0:38 in the following link, and you'll see how he might have been projected at that time. While these are high school boys, you can see the quickness and TE-like speed. Even the cheap shot is Suh-like.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

 

[Sunshinepacker]

I don’t know how Raji is doing injury-wise (he was injured in August of last year and has stayed in Green Bay to rehab) and even if he’s 100% healthy I worry about his motivation. But posting he’s “never shown the ability to play NT” is just flat wrong. In 2010 Raji was fantastic at the position. He recorded 39 tackles (29 solo), 6.5 sacks, and three passes defensed in the regular season. He also had 5 tackles, 2 passes defensed and an INT returned for a TD in the playoffs that season. The disappointment many of us feel about Raji is based upon the drop off in his play from that season.

Raji was good for a couple game in the playoffs and that's what people remember. His job as the NT isn't to rush the passer, it's to help stop the run and occupy blockers (pass rushing is a plus but not the major goal). He was terrible against the run in 2010 (-11.0 PFF grade against the run). Hooray, he'll be a decent pass rusher, is that going to help when teams are running the ball up the gut for 5 yards a carry because Raji is being stoned by one guard?

Please, show me some examples at any point in which Raji consistently demanded double teams. It's not possible because he's never been that type of player.

 

[TJV]

Raji was a disruptive force in the middle of the DL in 2010. He led the DL in TFL with 4.5 and had a tackles per snap rate of one every 13.7 plays. He led the DL in batted balls and he tied Jenkins for sacks. He had 33.5 pressures. He was not an immoveable fat guy at NT but if the Packers had the 2010 Raji at NT we wouldn’t be talking about it as a position of need.

 

[7thFloorRA]

I knew I had read something earlier this year about Paul Dawson having character concerns. Nothing I want more than a guy who openly admits he was late to a lot of meetings and lifting sessions and seems to have no problem with it.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/12/paul-dawson-says-character-concerns-are-hurtful/

Its clearly not the worst thing I have heard about a prospect but being late is never acceptable.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

1) I would be shocked (shocked!) if Gurley lasts past the first couple picks in round two (pending medical evals at combine). He'll probably go in the first. Prior to his injury he was, by far, the best running back in this class and probably the best running back to come out of college football in the past few years. Gurley is the size of Eddie Lacy with the speed and cutting ability of Matte Forte (not quite the receiver Forte is now but Gurley will probably get there). He's a slightly larger version (but no slower) of Marshawn Lynch coming out of college.

2) Dawson may very well play ILB in a 3-4 in college but that's a far cry from playing ILB for the Packers in the NFL who don't have a quality NT to keep guards off him. I don't care how fast he runs. If guards are constantly getting to the guy then he's going to have to run five yards sideways just to get around them and vacate his spot. If he went to a team with a great NT, then he'll probably be amazing.

3) I really don't want the guy from Oklahoma. He has terrific size but I don't think you should trust a 330lb guy with back issues to play a physically demanding spot. Oh, and his motor is apparently a huge question mark.

Raji was a disruptive force in the middle of the DL in 2010. He led the DL in TFL with 4.5 and had a tackles per snap rate of one every 13.7 plays. He led the DL in batted balls and he tied Jenkins for sacks. He had 33.5 pressures. He was not an immoveable fat guy at NT but if the Packers had the 2010 Raji at NT we wouldn’t be talking about it as a position of need.

Agreed. However I wouldn't put a whole lot of hope on Raji recapturing a form from five years ago when he's probaly been about 40% of that player since then. Seems wildly optimistic to think that 2010 is normal Raji but 2011, 2012 and 2013 Raji are aberrations.

 

[ExpatPacker]

1)

3) I really don't want the guy from Oklahoma. He has terrific size but I don't think you should trust a 330lb guy with back issues to play a physically demanding spot. Oh, and his motor is apparently a huge question mark.

.

If the Packers don't take Jordan Phillips in the 1st round, then they probably won't take any DT. Chances are very good that Leonard Williams, Danny Shelton and Malcolm Brown, the top 3 DTs will all be gone by #30. That leaves Phillips, who is the kind of DT the Packers needs. After that you have Carl Davis. He has bigger motor and attitude issues than Phillips. Then there's Eddie Goldman. Opinions on him vary the most. Some have him mid-1st round, others a 2nd rounder. After that there's Michael Bennett, who's basically Mike Daniels take 2 and less of what the Packers need.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

If the Packers don't take Jordan Phillips in the 1st round, then they probably won't take any DT. Chances are very good that Leonard Williams, Danny Shelton and Malcolm Brown, the top 3 DTs will all be gone by #30. That leaves Phillips, who is the kind of DT the Packers needs. After that you have Carl Davis. He has bigger motor and attitude issues than Phillips. Then there's Eddie Goldman. Opinions on him vary the most. Some have him mid-1st round, others a 2nd rounder. After that there's Michael Bennett, who's basically Mike Daniels take 2 and less of what the Packers need.

I think it's possible Philipps will be gone at #30 as well.

 

[ExpatPacker]

I think it's possible Philipps will be gone at #30 as well.

It's interesting that like Bernardrick McKinney, Eddie Goldman's stock seems to be falling. Only Drafttek has him as a 1st rounder. Mayock has him as his #6 guy in a virtual tie with Phillips.

 

[OldSchool101]

It's interesting that like Bernardrick McKinney, Eddie Goldman's stock seems to be falling. Only Drafttek has him as a 1st rounder. Mayock has him as his #6 guy in a virtual tie with Phillips.

I've noticed that also. It seems as though his position is either top 1/2 of 1st round or bottom 1/2 of 2nd. I know we don't typically go after guys through FA,
but it would be a bonus to get a fit with substantial ILB or DT firmed up early.

 

[TeamTundra]

I'm currently hoping for ILB Eric Kendricks/Denzel Perryman in round one
And DL Carl Davis/Ellis McCarthy in round two. However, if Malcolm Brown,
Texas DT, is still on the board at pick #30, he would be tough to pass up.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'm currently hoping for ILB Eric Kendricks/Denzel Perryman in round one
And DL Carl Davis/Ellis McCarthy in round two. However, if Malcolm Brown,
Texas DT, is still on the board at pick #30, he would be tough to pass up.

Ellis McCarthy would be a huge reach in the second round.