Official 2018 3rd round pick: Oren Burks, LB

[PackerDNA]

Or up to 8 year projects as in the case of Janis. Cant believe we gave up just before the big payoff

LOL! Amish, you're beautiful.

 

[XPack]

I wrestle with this every year. You see guys like Burks rated as "late round or priority free agent" on a few sights and then your team grabs them in the 3rd round (after a trade up). First reaction is "WTF?". But you have to trust the guys doing the work know a hell of a lot more than us and they have a rhyme and a reason behind the madness.

Just watch this. For a highlights video, it really is quite underwhelming!

He has speed and (mostly) reads plays well but has atrocious tackling ability for a linebacker. He gets there most time makes the tackle, but rarely brings down the guy. Also looks susceptible against fast cutbacks. Also in a couple of players where he was rushing from the outside, didn't fare well.

Perhaps he has potential to be refined, but ...I would not start him this season.

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[AmishMafia]

This getting weapons for Aaron thing is wayyyy out of hand. In my opinion, the biggest weapon the Packers can give Aaron Rodgers is a defense that can actually stop some team ... ANY team ... before they get to the Packers' side of the 50.

Exactly! Whats the difference between getting a couple of offensive players who can pick up 10 yds per average per drive, or a defense that can stop a defense and get 10 yds additional field possession per drive?

LOL! Amish, you're beautiful.

Sigh . . ..


From the thread on "Things said way too often on this forum"

1. Amish is the smartest, best looking poster (flattered and all but it's getting embarrassing)

https://www.packerforum.com/threads/things-said-way-too-often-in-this-forum.79139/

 

[GleefulGary]

Ya, I read something about Atlanta wanting him in that round, but I really don't like the idea of using a 3rd on a special teamer. I know he'll be groomed for more, but the Alabama tape on him is easily one of the worst tapes I've seen of a prospect this year. Time will tell though.

The Bama tape is bad, in regards to run fit.

Burks is a raw ILB. He's still learning angles, disengaging blocks, etc. And he might never be good at that either. What he is good, and he showed this is the Bama game too, is coverage. That's what we drafted him for. He'll fit in well with a dime package. But very raw. And this isn't an excuse, but watch his DL in the Bama game. They got destroyed. If you've got hog mollies engaging you all game long, all LB's are going to struggle getting off. He won't have as much of a problem with that here.

It's definitely a project pick, but I like it. At least we're gambling on athleticism.

 

[hallzi43]

He doesnt have to start this season. You have Martinez and Ryan. Also Clay will be in the middle some as well. This is a guy that is going to take some developing.

 

[7thFloorRA]

I think he drafted him to be the new strength coach. He looks better than anyone that has ever stepped out of Lovat's gym.

 

[HardRightEdge]

But if it turns out that Burks, Ryan and Martinez are your #1, #2, and #3 ILBs that's ok. Redundancy is necessary for security /smile.

Oh, I expect Ryan to be around this year. 2019 is another matter.

 

[sschind]

I was not following the draft today, but I saw speculation the Packers really wanted Arden Key and the Raiders traded for the pick right in front of the Packers and got him?

Its possible Key was the target but I'm not sure for a couple of reasons. First of all it seems to me that you trade up to take the guy you want not trade up just to move up and see who is still there. Unless the Raiders expected the Panthers to grab Key they would have no reason to feel the need to move up two spots. I suppose they could have just felt it was time to make the move just in case the Panthers wanted him or the value was too great that they feared another team would do exactly what we did.

Second, was our trade up with the Panthers announced before the Rams and Raiders made their swap and if so why. Why would we trade up and then make it known before we were on the clock giving the Raiders or any team now behind us time to swing the deal with the team just ahead of us if they figured we were after their guy. Knowledge beforehand or at least a strong suspicion is the only thing that makes sense to me for the Raiders to feel the need to move up when they did. Wait until the Panthers are on the clock and then finalize the trade. I realize there is not a lot of time but you can have the deal in place and just not make it official until its a sure thing your guy is still there. Which brings me to my next question.

If in fact we were after Key can you make a trade contingent on our guy being there. Could we have told the Panthers We will make the trade as long as no one before us take Arden Key. If he is off the board the trade is voided. I suspect that would be perfectly legal.

I suppose Key could have been our target and Gute figure the Panthers pick was high enough to get him but why wouldn't he take steps to avoid just what the speculation said happened. I do think Key would have been the better pick there but I have know idea what Gute was thinking. I think Burks was the target all along. It's not like it was completely out of left field as some "experts" did have him as a third round talent even if most of us didn't.

If he was indeed the target then I am totally fine with the move. He likely would have been our day 3 first pick and while some will say he would have been there anyway so we wasted the 5th round pick Gute essentially gave away a 5th rounder to make sure he got the guy he most wanted. I have no problem with that sort of move by a GM and him being there on day 4 was not a guarantee despite what the forum experts believe.

 

[7thFloorRA]

I can't imagine they were targeting Key. It would be incredibly weird to want one of the lowest character guys in the draft and then take the absolute highest character guy in the draft after key was gone. They immediately picked after the raiders too....they didn't use up all the time.

 

[GleefulGary]

At minimum, Burks is probably a better Joe Thomas. In a league that passes the majority of the time, that is important.

At maximum, he's a great cover guy who can fill gaps and inside pressure. High ceiling medium floor imo. To get to that ceiling takes a lot of projection though. He certainly won't start this year.

The theme for this year seems to be smart, athletic players. We are going to be faaaast. I mean, Burks is probably as fast as what Burnett was last year and he's playing dime LB for us plus 20 pounds. That's a good thing. Burks does really well in space...playing downfield, not so much. So if you like stereotypical LB's, you aren't gonna love him...but it's a new era men.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Just watch this. For a highlights video, it really is quite underwhelming!

Yup watched film on Burks, saw some bad and if you look outside the Bama game, saw some good. But as JJ pointed out, you really have to look past some things. Burks plays on a team that was totally mismatched against Bama. Put Saquon Barkley on a terrible team and he probably looks equally bad. The Packers had Burks in for a pre-draft visit, so the interest was obviously there. Like I said previously, by my "standards", he looks like a reach. However, the Packers obviously didn't think so by trading up to get him.

 

[PackerDNA]

We've heard Ted and other GM's in the past say they wanted a lesser rated guy but had info that other teams were going to pick him, so they had to trade up. Been a great draft, this could be the one glitch. Obviously, our guys liked him , so I'll defer to them. Seems like a bit of a project, could pay off. But if you're gonna spend a 3rd- and trade up to do it- for a surprise pick, you better be right.

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

I just think one of those OL would have been a pick better used and used possibly sooner. Again, we'll see.

 

[Zartan]

Just watch this. For a highlights video, it really is quite underwhelming!

He has speed and (mostly) reads plays well but has atrocious tackling ability for a linebacker. He gets there most time makes the tackle, but rarely brings down the guy. Also looks susceptible against fast cutbacks. Also in a couple of players where he was rushing from the outside, didn't fare well.

Perhaps he has potential to be refined, but ...I would not start him this season.

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Sigh... another "Project" pick. Out of the many project picks Ted got how many of them actually worked?

 

[GleefulGary]

I just think one of those OL would have been a pick better used and used possibly sooner. Again, we'll see.

Definitely still a need.

I think we really needed a coverage LB though. Martinez and Ryan are good against the run, but awful in coverage. Burks fits in with them. Plus it allows Josh Jones to play at SS. That's a good thing too.

I'm honestly fine with McCray at RG. Would like to get an OT like JaMarco Jones. Maybe we trade up again.

 

[GleefulGary]

Sigh... another "Project" pick. Out of the many project picks Ted got how many of them actually worked?

Ted isn't drafting.

 

[ExpatPacker]

Definitely still a need.

I think we really needed a coverage LB though. Martinez and Ryan are good against the run, but awful in coverage. Burks fits in with them. Plus it allows Josh Jones to play at SS. That's a good thing too.

I'm honestly fine with McCray at RG. Would like to get an OT like JaMarco Jones. Maybe we trade up again.

That's my thought. Bulaga is one injury away from the Packers being done with him and relying on Spriggs is too scary.

 

[Zartan]

Ted isn't drafting.

I know but in the past drafts. In my opinion this pick smells like a Ted pick. From what I am seeing this guy doesnt have much upside.

 

[gbgary]

Just watch this. For a highlights video, it really is quite underwhelming!

yeah. that WAS a pro team he was playing. didn't watch the whole thing but seemed good in coverage though. i think they mentioned that that would be how they use him initially. said he needs to put on some weight too.

 

[XPack]

you really have to look past some things

said he needs to put on some weight too.

In general I'd agree, but look past a linebacker who can't tackle is a bit of a difficult ask. Obviously those are fixable problems and all he needs to bulk a bit and add more strength...but can he do that without losing speed and athleticism. Debatable!

I think Martinez will be primary on inside with Ryan on run downs and Burks on pass downs....That is assuming he improves his tackling.

Other advantages is that we can move Jones as safety fully with Burks filling that hybrid role. A good rotation player, but as am impact player..I reserve my decision.

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

Definitely still a need.

I think we really needed a coverage LB though. Martinez and Ryan are good against the run, but awful in coverage. Burks fits in with them. Plus it allows Josh Jones to play at SS. That's a good thing too.

I'm honestly fine with McCray at RG. Would like to get an OT like JaMarco Jones. Maybe we trade up again.

I agree it's a need, but I thought we could grab someone like Avery in the 5th. I also think Noteboom, Okorafor, and Cappa were better prospects at an equal need. I do hope we grab either Jones or Crosby. Possibly grab Greg Senat in the 7th/UDFA.

 

[GleefulGary]

I know but in the past drafts. In my opinion this pick smells like a Ted pick. From what I am seeing this guy doesnt have much upside.

- Incredibly athletic
- Smart
- Played ILB for one year
- 4 year starter at 3 different positions

How does he not have upside? Explain it to me.

 

[sschind]

Sigh... another "Project" pick. Out of the many project picks Ted got how many of them actually worked?

what picks in the 3rd round are not really projects?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

what picks in the 3rd round are not really projects?

Saquon Barkley...oh wait, he was taken a few picks before.

Hard to find an immediate impact player in the 3rd round for sure, unless you grab a Kicker or Punter. Even Morgan Burnett took a few years to develop. Mike Daniels (4th round) the same. Packers seem to see their quickest production out of mid to late round picks with O-lineman. I see a few of them being picked today just for that purpose.

 

[906Fan]

I hope this guy can rotate out Jake Ryan in the next couple years. Ryan is so average I think it's time to look to upgrade.