Narrowing the Field

[AmishMafia]

Of all the drills run at the combine, the one I like the most is the gauntlet for receivers. It tests a trait of athleticism that no other testing can gage. The ability to run fast while twisting your upper torso and moving your arms and maintaining balance and concentration. Not everyone is that coordinated. A lot of guys run it slowly. Guys who can do the gauntlet fast and in a straight line get my interest. Justin Jefferson did an excellent job. Puka Nakua was the fastest last year. This year the best gauntlet? Keon Coleman. Fast, smooth and looked effortless.

I can't say he will be the best WR in this class. The top 3 are all special players. But I will predict he will be more successful than his draft slot would indicate.

 

[Dantés]

Of all the drills run at the combine, the one I like the most is the gauntlet for receivers. It tests a trait of athleticism that no other testing can gage. The ability to run fast while twisting your upper torso and moving your arms and maintaining balance and concentration. Not everyone is that coordinated. A lot of guys run it slowly. Guys who can do the gauntlet fast and in a straight line get my interest. Justin Jefferson did an excellent job. Puka Nakua was the fastest last year. This year the best gauntlet? Keon Coleman. Fast, smooth and looked effortless.

I can't say he will be the best WR in this class. The top 3 are all special players. But I will predict he will be more successful than his draft slot would indicate.

If they decide that they want to add to a crowded receiver room, Coleman would make a ton of sense. He's built to fill that big slot role in condensed sets and would have the physical ability to get dirty in the running game. He would also be the best catch-point ball winner on the team from day one-- a skillset that the group as a whole is a little deficient in.

A couple things I really like about him:

1) He's only 20 years old-- he put up 58/798/7 in the Big 10 as a 19 year old. That sort of early production really trends towards success.

2) He returned punts for FSU-- not that I would necessarily want him there in the NFL, but punt returning requires an integration of athleticism that tends to translate really well.

I will be pretty surprised if he's not at least a useful starter in the NFL. If he has his head screwed on straight, it's hard to see how he busts.

 

[tynimiller]

If they decide that they want to add to a crowded receiver room, Coleman would make a ton of sense. He's built to fill that big slot role in condensed sets and would have the physical ability to get dirty in the running game. He would also be the best catch-point ball winner on the team from day one-- a skillset that the group as a whole is a little deficient in.

A couple things I really like about him:

1) He's only 20 years old-- he put up 58/798/7 in the Big 10 as a 19 year old. That sort of early production really trends towards success.

2) He returned punts for FSU-- not that I would necessarily want him there in the NFL, but punt returning requires an integration of athleticism that tends to translate really well.

I will be pretty surprised if he's not at least a useful starter in the NFL. If he has his head screwed on straight, it's hard to see how he busts.

100% AGREE. He at WORST to me is a solid WR3 and red zone threat for teams by end of his rookie year so long as he can process the speed of the game at this level and digest a playbook.

 

[PikeBadger]

I highly doubt every name I crossed out is truly off their board.

Me too, but I'd bet that some you haven't crossed off are not on their board as well.

 

[Dantés]

Me too, but I'd bet that some you haven't crossed off are not on their board as well.

I think generally that they’re more likely to draft the names that remain and less likely to draft the ones that are crossed off.

 

[PikeBadger]

If this is an "average " draft class overall, you think there are going to be more than 150 players on their draft board?

 

[gopkrs]

If this is an "average " draft class overall, you think there are going to be more than 150 players on their draft board?

I would guess yes. I've been thinking about the trading up/down thing. Right now we have 5 picks in the first 2 days. I like that, especially if we don't do any reaching or wishful thinking. Save that for later if you must. I like the idea of getting 5 good players in the first 2 days that will make us a better team. If we trade down and then have 6 players in the first 2 days; I'd be all right with that. But I don't want to change having 5 down to 4. So I'm hoping Gute has all of a sudden become a very good drafter. And last year was not a fluke and mainly with receivers.

 

[DoURant]

My belief is Gute will trade up, and trade back, in the first 2 days

 

[DoURant]

One thing I've noticed, is the OT guys they have had visits with, or shown interest in are out of the normal thresholds they draft. I just read about a couple things: The Packers went to a ProDay in Canada ( University of British Columbia) as did 16 other teams, to check out Giovanni Manu, a 6'7" 352lb OL. This guy ran a 5.03 40 and had a 33.5" vert at that size... Holy Shizz!

Another guy, who says he met with the Packers at his Pro Day, and then had a meeting scheduled with them, but something came up, so he is attempting to reschedule, is Georgia St OT Travis Glover. 6'6" 338lbs

Maybe with the athletism these big guys are showing, those thresholds will be moved up a little. Sean Rhyan and Walker both pushed that a little already.

 

[PikeBadger]

I would guess yes. I've been thinking about the trading up/down thing. Right now we have 5 picks in the first 2 days. I like that, especially if we don't do any reaching or wishful thinking. Save that for later if you must. I like the idea of getting 5 good players in the first 2 days that will make us a better team. If we trade down and then have 6 players in the first 2 days; I'd be all right with that. But I don't want to change having 5 down to 4. So I'm hoping Gute has all of a sudden become a very good drafter. And last year was not a fluke and mainly with receivers.

Why do you think there will be more than 150 names on their draft board?

 

[gopkrs]

Why do you think there will be more than 150 names on their draft board?

I guess they would have a board of players to cover the entire draft. With a few extra for a position that runs out. And also to have names for the undrafted.

 

[Schultz]

Why do you think there will be more than 150 names on their draft board?

So that they don't have to pull out the dart board for their 7th round picks.

 

[GB2016]

I updated to include Darius Robinson. He's a very similar prospect to Arik Armstead, who has been a staple of the 49ers defense-- part of Hafley's background.

https://tinyurl.com/5n7wpm6x​

 

[Voyageur]

With combine results rolling in, I think we can start to winnow the field and narrow the list of potential picks at #25. The Packers famously pick players in the first round who tend to have high RAS scores, are on the younger side, and meeting certain size thresholds. Taking that into consideration along with who is likely to be off the board, I think we can get a pretty short list together.

Assumed Gone (by me, as of today):

1. C. Williams, QB, USC
2. D. Maye, QB, UNC
3. J. Daniels, QB, LSU
4. J. McCarthy, QB, UM
5. B. Bowers, TE, UGA
6. M. Harrison, WR, OSU
7. R. Odunze, WR, UW
8. M. Nabers, WR, LSU
9. B. Thomas, WR, LSU
10. J. Alt, OT, ND
11. J. Latham, OT, UA
12. O. Fashanu, OT, PSU
13. T. Fuaga, OT, ORST
14. A. Mims, OT, UGA
15. B. Murphy, DT, UT
16. D. Turner, ED, UA
17. J. Verse, ED, FSU
18. T. Arnold, CB, UA
19. Q. Mitchell, CB, TOL

Not Packers "Types" (doesn't mean they won't, but it would be off-brand):

-J. Powers-Johnson, C, OR: Hard for me to see the Packers taking a iOL only type in round one.

-N. Wiggins, CB, CLEM: 173 lbs is crazy small for a 6'1" corner; I don't think they would take him.

-L. Latu, ED, UCLA: I'm not writing him off, but his medicals make him a big mystery.

-T. Fautanu, OL, UW: Turns 24 this year; they took an older guy recently (Wyatt), but generally prefer younger guys.

-J. Morgan, OL, AZ: Turns 23 in August; again-- not impossible, but I don't think he's a compelling enough talent to compromise.

-E. Cooper, LB, UNC: Turns 23 in November and doesn't play a premium position.

-B. Fiske, DT, FSU: Already 24 years old.

No Testing:

-J. Newton, DT, ILL
-K. McKinstry, CB, UA
-C. DeJean, DB, IA

Packer Targets:

-A. Mitchell, WR, UT
-K. Coleman, WR, FSU
-T. Guyton, OT, OK
-G. Barton, OL, DUKE
-C. Robinson, ED, PSU
-D. Robinson, DL, MIZZ

I assume that DeJean will end up on this list. McKinstry isn't as much of a slam dunk, but I would assume him too. If you add them to the list, you're looking at 8 guys. Always possible someone falls or someone rises into consideration that we aren't thinking of in this range right now (e.g. Kamari Lassiter). When you consider how unlikely it is that the Packer will take a receiver, the list gets even smaller!

If you asked me to bet money today, I would say it's one of these players: Barton, Chop, Robinson, or DeJean.

Excellent research. My thoughts are that we're looking at Barton and McKinstry, if they're on the board. Both are instant help, and that's what they need at both locations. Others would make nice upgrades in places, but not nearly as much immediate impact, and when your team is on the cusp of being a top contender, you need to plug those holes just like the Little Dutch Boy did. The whole thing implodes without those two needs being filled.