La'Raven Clark

[HardRightEdge]

This guy's a project, kind of a mess. I put him down for the 3rd. round on raw potential, given his quick feet, appropriate height (6'5"), and massive arms (36 1/8") and hands (11 7/8"). At first glance one might be concerned with those 20 lifts, but that number is not bad for a guy with arms that long.

Looking at the tape I thought I was watching the rookie Sherrod. He looks good one minute, then the next he might be 1) riding a guy to the back of the pocket then inexplicably letting him go; or 2) showing vulnerability to the inside rush; or 3) showing bad leverage in the run game; or 4) firing out to the second level and whiffing.

And as with Sherrod when he got to the Packers, they were working Clark at OG at the Senior Bowl, evidently with equally inconsistent results.

To digress, I went back to look at some of Sherrod's college tape...totally different player from what we saw with the Packers. What happened to him? Maybe the step up in competition rattled his confidence. Maybe it was adjusting to the scheme and thinking too much. He was just starting to show he might be coming around when he got "Joe Theismanned". We'll never know.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Shouldn't LaRaven be playing for Baltimore? Kind of a natural fit.

 

[AmishMafia]

This guy's a project, kind of a mess. I put him down for the 3rd. round on raw potential, given his quick feet, appropriate height (6'5"), and massive arms (36 1/8") and hands (11 7/8"). At first glance one might be concerned with those 20 lifts, but that number is not bad for guy with arms that long.

Looking at the tape I thought I was watching the rookie Sherrod. He looks good ne minute, then the next he might be 1) riding a guy to the back of the pocket then inexplicably letting him go; or 2) showing vulnerability to the inside rush; or 3) showing bad leverage in the run game; or 4) firing out to the second level and whiffing.

And as with Sherrod when he got to the Packers, they were working Clark at OG at the Senior Bowl, evidently with equally inconsistent results.

To digress, I went back to look at some of Sherrod's college tape...totally different player from what we saw with the Packers. What happened to him? Maybe the step up in competition rattled his confidence. Maybe it was adjusting to the scheme and thinking too much. He was just starting to show he might be coming around when he got "Joe Theismanned". We'll never know.

I think Sherrod was "Campened" into mediocrity.

 

[Mondio]

Who knows with Sherrod. It's a jump no doubt. A lot of these guys get by on talent and most college schemes are not like running an NFL offense. If they're out of position, they just out athlete the guy across from them most times. Get in the NFL they can't. they must know exactly where to be, when to be there, how many steps, how far to space for which sets and line protections and then they think rather than play. That slows them all down for a little bit at least. and his injury was no joke, i felt bad for the kid.

But of all the coaches left, Campen is one I have not held in very high regard for quite a while now.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

This guy's a project, kind of a mess. I put him down for the 3rd. round on raw potential, given his quick feet, appropriate height (6'5"), and massive arms (36 1/8") and hands (11 7/8"). At first glance one might be concerned with those 20 lifts, but that number is not bad for guy with arms that long.

Looking at the tape I thought I was watching the rookie Sherrod. He looks good ne minute, then the next he might be 1) riding a guy to the back of the pocket then inexplicably letting him go; or 2) showing vulnerability to the inside rush; or 3) showing bad leverage in the run game; or 4) firing out to the second level and whiffing.

Le´Raven Clark has a ton of upside but his pass protection fundamentals aren´t anywhere near ready for the pro level and he struggles mightily against speed rushers. In addition he doesn´t know how to block linebackers in the run game.

I´m not convinced Campen is capable of teaching him the proper technique to be successful in the NFL.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I think Sherrod was "Campened" into mediocrity.

That argument can be made. But you'd then have to throw him some credit for having Bakhtiari and Linsley ready by week 1 of their rookie years. I don't think it's entirely fair to say in one case it's the coach on the downside and in another it's the player on the upside.

There's been an organizational decision to stick with the zone scheme, which by its nature entails a steep learning curve for college guys who didn't play it; some guys will take to it faster than others.

Also in Campen's defense, since he was installed as O-Line coach in 2007, only Bulaga and Sherrod were drafted above the 4th. round. Bulaga has missed a lot of time and seems to be heading down the same road as Clifton...playing through serial knee injuries. We don't know where Sherrod would have been at the conclusion of 2 healthy seasons.

The Cowboy's line, the presumptive current gold standard, started 3 first rounders and it looks like Collins will take over at LG, a 1st. round talent until he was involved in a murder investigation.

In one respect it is fortunate that 4 of the top 6 O-Linemen are in contract years. It forces Thompson to bring in some higher graded talent now for a year of seasoning, as opposed to the "as needed" approach in spending draft capital that we've seen in the past.

I'd expect two O-Linemen from rounds 2-4, maybe even three given the fact the Packers have those three 4th. round picks and the fact 9 O-linemen made the 53 man roster last season, an uncharacteristically large group.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Shouldn't LaRaven be playing for Baltimore? Kind of a natural fit.

Then you believe Thompson should have brought in Green instead of Cook?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'd expect two O-Linemen from rounds 2-4, maybe even three given the fact the Packers have those three 4th. round picks and the fact 9 O-linemen made the 53 man roster last season, an uncharacteristically large group.

With Tretter and Taylor locks to make the team there are only two spots on the roster available even if the Packers decide to keep nine offensive linemen again. Therefore I don´t see Thompson using three picks within the first four rounds on the position.

 

[HardRightEdge]

With Tretter and Taylor locks to make the team there are only two spots on the roster available even if the Packers decide to keep nine offensive linemen again. Therefore I don´t see Thompson using three picks within the first four rounds on the position.

I evidently have a brain lock and/or blind spot with respect to Taylor, thinking of him as a guy on the bubble. Make it 2 in the top 4 rounds then.

I can sort of get the risk aversion in signing Taylor to that two year deal when considering the question, "what if a replacement just doesn't fall into place in the draft?" However, that seems like an awfully low level risk.