The best Defensive players the Packers can hope to land...

[Bruce]

#1 Mario Williams DE from No. Carolina State -- in my book he is the 2nd best player in the draft (on some days I put him #1) but there is a real chance he will be gone when we select on draft day. He is shooting up everyone's charts, but drafts are unpredictable -- position runs start and teams start begin to panic. We see this pattern year after year

Tied for #2 A J Hawk OLB Ohio State and Michael Huff S/CB Texas both were dominant players in college in Big Time Programs and both are exceptional athletes with great upsides. I have them rated tied for the 4th best players in the draft. If Mario is gone, either choice would be solid -- though Ted Thompson may want to consider trading down a position or two and taking which ever one is left if both are there when the Packers clock starts if the price is right. Huff, like Williams is rocketing up the charts as more and more teams assess his skills and watch the film. This is the best safety since Ronnie Lott to come into the league.

If the Pack wants to gamble and trade down to the 8th spot they might miss out on these three players, but next in line (rated 8th on my board in the entire draft is Haloti Ngata DT Oregon.

If the Pack wants to trade back just out of the top 10 Tamba Hali DE Penn State is the next best defender in the draft followed by Chad Greenway OLB Iowa and then Mathias Kiwanuka DE Boston College

I am really hoping the Packers can land Mario, but if they cannot it is not exactly slim pickings after that.

 

[HatestheEagles084]

Kiwanuka's stock is falling later in the first...if we trade down I think Greenway is a much better option than Hali...however my ideal draft is Williams and draft a LB in the second round (plenty out there)--that could change, I'd still like to see Haloti Ngata in green and gold (again) and would consider spending the 5th pick on him over Hawk if Mario Williams is taken

 

[Bruce]

Kiwanuka's stock is falling later in the first...if we trade down I think Greenway is a much better option than Hali...however my ideal draft is Williams and draft a LB in the second round (plenty out there)--that could change, I'd still like to see Haloti Ngata in green and gold (again) and would consider spending the 5th pick on him over Hawk if Mario Williams is taken

I agree, but Kiwanuka is still a very good player, but note I did list him last in my ratings. I also have Mario as my top pick. I vascilate on A.J. (which is driving me nuts) one day I think he is great, the next simply very good. I like Ngata an awful lot, but you fail to consider just what an exceptional talent Huff is.

I guess overall you are supporting my point, that if we cannot get Mario (whom we both agree would be our top choice) there are some damned good defenders and options to choose from.

 

[porky88]

"Kiwi" is definately a late first round pick at best. In fact I see him falling to round 2 where we could get him. I wouldn't use any pick on him. Overrated and is a boom or bust.

Include Haloti Ngata DT of Oregon to that list.

 

[HatestheEagles084]

I guess overall you are supporting my point, that if we cannot get Mario (whom we both agree would be our top choice) there are some damned good defenders and options to choose from.

yes...still some blue chippers out there if we can't get Mario...and my thing is...still some blue chippers even if we trade down (Greenway at...10-15?), pick up an extra 2nd and maybe another pick...and draft to fill the holes that free agency isnt filling thus far

 

[Bruce]

"Kiwi" is definately a late first round pick at best. In fact I see him falling to round 2 where we could get him. I wouldn't use any pick on him. Overrated and is a boom or bust.

Include Haloti Ngata DT of Oregon to that list.

Totally disagree with you on Ngata, but am humored by both of your lead offs with the last guy I listed last Mathias Kiwanuka. Maybe if I write it in BOLD CAPS MARIO is my top choice, followed by HA:K and HUFF, who is followed by HALOTI NAGATA.

If Ted Thompson follows script (past performance) he may decide to trade down even more (I would not) if he does IMO HALI and GREENWAY are the best bets. If he drops further the only guys I have rated ahead of Kiwanuka on defense play CB -- not a position the Packers should be investing a top pick in this year.

 

[gopackgo4]

Maybe if Mario is gone we could trade down to mid 20s and take Bobbye Carpenter, then get another pick as well.

 

[Bruce]

Maybe if Mario is gone we could trade down to mid 20s and take Bobbye Carpenter, then get another pick as well.

I like Bobby Carpenter and think it is possible that we could nab him with our early 2nd round pick.

I don't think trading down that far would be a wise move, it is rare when a team gets a legit shot a Blue Chip talent -- that is what you get with a top 5 pick.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Re: The best Defensive players the Packers can hope to land.

Maybe if Mario is gone we could trade down to mid 20s and take Bobbye Carpenter, then get another pick as well.

I like Bobby Carpenter and think it is possible that we could nab him with our early 2nd round pick.

I don't think trading down that far would be a wise move, it is rare when a team gets a legit shot a Blue Chip talent -- that is what you get with a top 5 pick.

Ki-Jana Carter was the first name followed by Tony Mandrich when I read the last few words lol

 

[porky88]

Re: The best Defensive players the Packers can hope to land.

"Kiwi" is definately a late first round pick at best. In fact I see him falling to round 2 where we could get him. I wouldn't use any pick on him. Overrated and is a boom or bust.

Include Haloti Ngata DT of Oregon to that list.

Totally disagree with you on Ngata, but am humored by both of your lead offs with the last guy I listed last Mathias Kiwanuka. Maybe if I write it in BOLD CAPS MARIO is my top choice, followed by HA:K and HUFF, who is followed by HALOTI NAGATA.

If Ted Thompson follows script (past performance) he may decide to trade down even more (I would not) if he does IMO HALI and GREENWAY are the best bets. If he drops further the only guys I have rated ahead of Kiwanuka on defense play CB -- not a position the Packers should be investing a top pick in this year.

I missed Ngata.. My bad I also never made mention about your top choice. I hit on the "Kiwi" choice.. and that was it..

How far down do you expect us to trade?

Mario Williams top 5 pick
Mike Huff top 10 pick
AJ Hawk top 10 pick
Haloti Ngata top 15 pick
Chad Greenway top 10-20 pick (pending needs)
Tamba Hali top 20 pick
"Kiwi" late first round to early 2nd round pick.

Interesting trend... Is my point.

Green Bay could land Ernie Sims before Kiwi if we decide to trade down out of the top 20. Sims fits are scheme pretty good and is higher up on boards than “Kiwiâ€

 

[GakkofNorway]

"Kiwi" is definately a late first round pick at best. In fact I see him falling to round 2 where we could get him. I wouldn't use any pick on him. Overrated and is a boom or bust.

Include Haloti Ngata DT of Oregon to that list.

Totally disagree with you on Ngata, but am humored by both of your lead offs with the last guy I listed last Mathias Kiwanuka. Maybe if I write it in BOLD CAPS MARIO is my top choice, followed by HA:K and HUFF, who is followed by HALOTI NAGATA.

If Ted Thompson follows script (past performance) he may decide to trade down even more (I would not) if he does IMO HALI and GREENWAY are the best bets. If he drops further the only guys I have rated ahead of Kiwanuka on defense play CB -- not a position the Packers should be investing a top pick in this year.

I have to ask you a question, have you watched a lot of tape of Ngata playing after his injury? If not, here's what I saw:

Slow off the snapcount, even for a big fat guy he was slow.
Didn't seem as strong as before his injury, even though he was doubleteamed a lot and considering this he didn't look all that strong. But he has very raw talent, and his reputation made them doubleteam him and he opened up the game for his fellow defensive tackle to get to the QB. That won't happen in the NFL. He has to get stronger and quicker, and at the moment he doesn't look like a top 15 pick.

 

[porky88]

Re: The best Defensive players the Packers can hope to land.

"Kiwi" is definately a late first round pick at best. In fact I see him falling to round 2 where we could get him. I wouldn't use any pick on him. Overrated and is a boom or bust.

Include Haloti Ngata DT of Oregon to that list.

Totally disagree with you on Ngata, but am humored by both of your lead offs with the last guy I listed last Mathias Kiwanuka. Maybe if I write it in BOLD CAPS MARIO is my top choice, followed by HA:K and HUFF, who is followed by HALOTI NAGATA.

If Ted Thompson follows script (past performance) he may decide to trade down even more (I would not) if he does IMO HALI and GREENWAY are the best bets. If he drops further the only guys I have rated ahead of Kiwanuka on defense play CB -- not a position the Packers should be investing a top pick in this year.

I have to ask you a question, have you watched a lot of tape of Ngata playing after his injury? If not, here's what I saw:

Slow off the snapcount, even for a big fat guy he was slow.
Didn't seem as strong as before his injury, even though he was doubleteamed a lot and considering this he didn't look all that strong. But he has very raw talent, and his reputation made them doubleteam him and he opened up the game for his fellow defensive tackle to get to the QB. That won't happen in the NFL. He has to get stronger and quicker, and at the moment he doesn't look like a top 15 pick.

He's amazing against the run though. There's no way the Browns pass on him at pick #12. They're said to love him and with a 3-4 he'd be a perfect NT.

I rather have AJ Hawk than Ngata though but if we got to trade down for someone then Ngata makes a lot of sense.

 

[all about da packers]

Nagata would be a wasted pick, IMO, because we now have Pickett to replace Grady.

 

[porky88]

Re: The best Defensive players the Packers can hope to land.

Nagata would be a wasted pick, IMO, because we now have Pickett to replace Grady.

Sanders is running Bates' scheme though and in that scheme they like bigger DT's. Pickett and Ngata in the middle would be pretty good fit. Worse part of our defense last year was the run. Getting 2 big guys would solve that.

 

[tabojc03]

truthfully the system needs smaller DT, in Miami their DT were around 300-310 lbs....just because Grady played in it doesn't mean he's the prototypical DT for the system....at this time last year, people were wondering if Grady would fit in the system because he was too big, but his quickness off the snap made up for his size (I know that sounds strange but that's what they said last year)

 

[classicpack]

w/ Pickett & Colin Coles in the middle, don't want the IFfiness of a Nagata

 

[gopackgo4]

if carpenter isnt there 2nd round who are some good possible CB's

 

[carlos]

Re: The best Defensive players the Packers can hope to land.

How about this. If Williams is gone pick Hawk and Carpentor in the 2nd if he's still available.

 

[gopackgo4]

oh really i havent heard that before.