Grade this draft

[bigbubbatd]

That's the problem I have. I hear all these reports about how DE is his best fit, and all he does is bull rush and show little to no athleticism other than decent straight line speed. If he's not cut out to be a NT, I'm questioning this pick. Space occupier is really the only thing his tape suggests.

Actually reports say he will be a very good nt. Some disagree but that doesn't mean it is the majority think he is a DE. Saw quotes like perfect nt prospect and plug and play nt. It will be interesting to see

 

[Packerlifer]

http://www.packersnews.com/story/sp...ted-rookies-could-fit-packers-needs/84024490/

 

[Einstein McFly]

That's the problem I have. I hear all these reports about how DE is his best fit, and all he does is bull rush and show little to no athleticism other than decent straight line speed. If he's not cut out to be a NT, I'm questioning this pick. Space occupier is really the only thing his tape suggests.

While Clark is capable of playing nose tackle his best fit is most likely as a defensive end in a 3-4. Reed and Billings are better suited to line up directly across the center.

Can someone explain to me why they think that he's not cut out to be a 0-1 tech? It's not like he's too tall, he's already very strong and he's only going to get bigger as he ages. It may be the case that he can ALSO line up outside, but from what I've read people are high on him as a blood and guts rock in the middle.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Can someone explain to me why they think that he's not cut out to be a 0-1 tech? It's not like he's too tall, he's already very strong and he's only going to get bigger as he ages. It may be the case that he can ALSO line up outside, but from what I've read people are high on him as a blood and guts rock in the middle.

Clark is capable of playing nose tackle but I think he's better suited to play defensive end as he gets moved off the spot by double teams way too often and doesn't offer a lot rushing the passer as a 0 tech.

 

[easyk83]

While Clark is capable of playing nose tackle his best fit is most likely as a defensive end in a 3-4. Reed and Billings are better suited to line up directly across the center.

I don't think either projects as well as Clarke in 0/1 tech. Billings might have a short career with that shoulder, and they're both smaller men.

 

[tynimiller]

Here's how I grade a draft:

You cannot know how a pick will play out long term...you have more expectations with higher pick but it for everything consider is a crap shoot...

So did this draft attempt to plug needs the team had and acquire talent above or at the expectation given the pick:

-ILB was chosen...at a round everyone thought was either appropriate or slightly surprising. A+ pick
-DL....Clark was picked at a time where it seems split 50/50 on touch high or right on....and Lowry many feel was for the most part drafted as projected. A picks
-WR...with the injury to Nelson it showed outside WR depth could be better...enter Trevor Davis at a spot many were surprised at for his skillset and ability. A+ pick
-OL...Spriggs to me was the pick of the draft...rated as the best Tackle by some it was shocking for nearly everyone he was still there in the mid 2nd round. A+ Pick (Murphy a ball busting head knocker in the 6th was a good pick as well)
-OLB...good potential high motor and depth replacement in Fackrell. Many say solid pick for the spot. A pick.

We saw an attempt to fill the present needs (ILB, DL) and some future needs (WR & OLB & OL). Now whether these picks all pan out (chances say they won't) the attempt and the apparent success is present. Hence why I don't see why anyone would go below an A- personally....let alone dip below a B. At this point it is all speculative. In 4 years we can look back and truly appreciate or hate this draft...for now I see far more of a case to be made for an A than a C.

 

[Patriotplayer90]

I don't think either projects as well as Clarke in 0/1 tech. Billings might have a short career with that shoulder, and they're both smaller men.

I believe they picked him to play NT, and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since they've done relatively well recently. I doubt he goes on to be better than everyone drafted after him that we wanted, but he should at least be solid.

 

[easyk83]

Clark is capable of playing nose tackle but I think he's better suited to play defensive end as he gets moved off the spot by double teams way too often and doesn't offer a lot rushing the passer as a 0 tech.

There's a lot of tape of him getting moved off the spot, there's also a lot of tape of him stacking up well against double teams. Clark problem, as identified in his scouting reports is that he gets sloppy with his technique at times. He has unique body control for a man of his side but he cheats too much and he gets beat when he does it. You can teach Kenny Clark to improve his technique in order to anchor more consistently, you might not be able to teach cats like Jarran Reed or Andrew Billings to become bigger stronger men.

 

[easyk83]

I believe they picked him to play NT, and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since they've done relatively well recently. I doubt he goes on to be better than everyone drafted after him that we wanted, but he should at least be solid.

That's a fair assessment, I think they selected the most steady player for a position of need in the first and picked a guy who could turn into a + player at the position but probably will never be a star. In contrast I think they grabbed guys with some real upside and potential in rounds 2-3 and then rounds 5-6. Martinez and Clark look like high floor relatively low ceiling types.

I like the way Wolf seemed to pick guys with knocks that might have artificially lowered their value.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

ILB was chosen...at a round everyone thought was either appropriate or slightly surprising. A+ pick.

I honestly don't believe addressing the Packers most dire need with only a fourth rounder and passing on a potential superstar at the position in the first round is deserving of an A+ rating.

 

[tynimiller]

I honestly don't believe addressing the Packers most dire need with only a fourth rounder and passing on a potential superstar at the position in the first round is deserving of an A+ rating.

I am not rating the degree of need vs weight of pick. I am grading the pick specifically and the player chosen where they were chosen. You are grading something entirely differently Capt.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Not getting into a debate on grading a draft, but why even associate a teams name with a draft class if team needs aren't factored in? Some teams say Dallas had a good draft, but would their draft be considered equally as good for the Packers? Doubt it. IMO.....have to look at who you draft and how they may or man not address team present and future needs, as well as many other things.

 

[RRyder]

Not getting into a debate on grading a draft, but why even associate a teams name with a draft class if team needs aren't factored in? Some teams say Dallas had a good draft, but would their draft be considered equally as good for the Packers? Doubt it. IMO.....have to look at who you draft and how they may or man not address team present and future needs, as well as many other things.

Who's saying the Cowboys had a great draft? As far as I'm concerned they lit their top 2 picks on fire. I loved it. No RB is worth the #4 slot in today's day and age and they took a LB at the top of the 2nd that won't play this year and I wouldn't have touched till the back end of the 3rd.

But they're the Cowboys so I loved it. Screw the Cowboys

 

[AmishMafia]

I like the way Wolf seemed to pick guys with knocks that might have artificially lowered their value.

Did anyone within the Packers say Wolf is now running the draft or is this one of those things somebody wildly speculated on and somehow gets retold after a bit as fact?

I saw the feed from the Packer war room. Sure looked like TT was calling the shots.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Did anyone within the Packers say Wolf is now running the draft or is this one of those things somebody wildly speculated on and somehow gets retold after a bit as fact?

I saw the feed from the Packer war room. Sure looked like TT was calling the shots.

I think you are correct. One of those situations were some see Eliot in draft room, where he has been for a long time and jump to conclusions that fit their story of "TT is on his way out and Eliot is on his way in".

Even at the end of this press conference, Eliot refers to Scout Sam Seals reporting to TT.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/377691471.html

 

[Vrill]

When you get right down to it, grading your draft before a player even plays is kind of asinine, LOL.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

When you get right down to it, grading your draft before a player even plays is kind of asinine, LOL.

But people still love to do it. A little bit like preseason polls in both college and the Pro's, no trophy's but good food for fodder. The grade of a player/draft in year 1 (before the season starts) historically can be a lot different then the grade that same player/draft will receive at the end of the year and beyond.

Polls, draft grades, all the things that come down to speculation, opinions and predictions are just more fun to talk and debate about. The reason for that, because they deal with things that may or may not happen. If you happen to hit on one, you look smart. If you miss, you were just guessing.

Grading and ranking players/drafts after they have "played out" are better suited for statisticians, historians and the man in charge of firing the person who didn't do to good of a job. How many GM's are fired immediately following a draft because they drafted poorly?

 

[AmishMafia]

When you get right down to it, grading your draft before a player even plays is kind of asinine, LOL.

Never understood that sentiment. Craziest ever was a few years back when an espn guy commented on every pick praised some ridiculed others. Recommended guys for upcoming picks and the whe works. At the end of the draft they asked him who got an A. He said he had no idea. 'Its silly to grade a draft before they ever play'. So why did he comment on every pick if there was no way to tell if a player was any good until they play a few years in the NFL?

 

[Half Empty]

Because they paid him to do it?

 

[Vrill]

But people still love to do it. A little bit like preseason polls in both college and the Pro's. I can imagine the grade of a draft in year 1 (before the season starts) historically can be a lot different then the grade that same draft will receive in year 4.

Oh yeah, I know. Fans are fans. We love discussing our teams. The good, bad and the ugly. Along with drafts and FA signings and who we did and didn't sign etc, LOL. Honestly, every fan base has fans that think their team did awful every single off season. Then you have fans who think their team did awesome every off season etc. Fans are fickle

 

[easyk83]

Did anyone within the Packers say Wolf is now running the draft or is this one of those things somebody wildly speculated on and somehow gets retold after a bit as fact?

I saw the feed from the Packer war room. Sure looked like TT was calling the shots.

I've heard that Wolf was heavily involved in deciding who was taken. He was widely interviewed in terms of what he thought of the players.

 

[AmishMafia]

Because they paid him to do it?

But he was basically admitting he never had a clue about what he was talking about. As soon as teams get rid of their scouting departments and the do away with the draft and just randomly assign players to teams I will believe there is no way to form an opinion on if a player might be good or not.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I've heard that Wolf was heavily involved in deciding who was taken. He was widely interviewed in terms of what he thought of the players.

Hearing that from who? While there is no doubt Wolf is involved in draft decisions, I have never read anything contrary to the fact that TT makes the final decision.

Wolf has spent more than two decades in official and unofficial capacities working as a talent evaluator. He has contributed to the Packers’ draft preparations since 1993, 23 consecutive drafts overall. He has held nine NFL scouting internships – five with the Packers, three with the Falcons and one with the Seattle Seahawks.

 

[AmishMafia]

Hearing that from who? While there is no doubt Wolf is involved in draft decisions, I have never read anything contrary to the fact that TT makes the final decision.

Other posters here probably. Wolf recieved 2 promotions in the last year, I think that is a clear signal they value him and his opinion. But there have been other directors before Eliot providing similar draft input and I dont see any reason to think TT's level of responsibility is any different then it has been in the past.

 

[PackerDNA]

Other posters here probably. Wolf recieved 2 promotions in the last year, I think that is a clear signal they value him and his opinion. But there have been other directors before Eliot providing similar draft input and I dont see any reason to think TT's level of responsibility is any different then it has been in the past.

It looks likely that Wolf takes over when TT retires, but I've seen nothing to indicate that TT isn't the guy calling the shots in the draft.