Who really gets the credit for drafting Matthews & other Defensive players?

[armand34]

I gotta believe that Dom Capers knew he had to acquire some important pieces for his defense, RAJI-no brainer, Clay almost a reach at the time based on his short experience as a starter in USC, but someone had to have noticed that ability, could the credit go to both Kevin Green and Dom Capers? Mike Neal? CJ? Burnett? Zombo? Shields? As much as TT is the architect to our potential success, I would have to say Dom Capers is making some important decisions as well in the drafting department. Curious to see how these newer players pan out this year, gonna see what we got TONIGHT!!! GO PACK GO!!!!

 

[Mr. StyleZ]

TT wanted Clay even before we were switchin to a 3-4. At least that's what I've read.

 

[Aaron rodgers is god]

I think it was mainly TT who drafted him but I also think Capers and kevin greene had a little say in it.

 

[PackersRS]

I gotta believe that Dom Capers knew he had to acquire some important pieces for his defense, RAJI-no brainer, Clay almost a reach at the time based on his short experience as a starter in USC, but someone had to have noticed that ability, could the credit go to both Kevin Green and Dom Capers? Mike Neal? CJ? Burnett? Zombo? Shields? As much as TT is the architect to our potential success, I would have to say Dom Capers is making some important decisions as well in the drafting department. Curious to see how these newer players pan out this year, gonna see what we got TONIGHT!!! GO PACK GO!!!!

CM3 is ALL on Thompson. You can't even pinpoint on his scouts.

Mike McCarthy Press Conf. Transcript - Sept. 23

Did you have any idea on draft day two years ago what kind of impact Clay could have?)
Well, anytime you pick someone in the first round, you want him to have an impact on your football team, and going to the 3-4, watching his athletic ability, his production on special teams, too. I feel like I answer this question the same way every time it’s asked, but it’s the facts that when Ted Thompson came back from his USC visit, and with so many excellent players coming out that year, he talked a bunch about Clay Matthews

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. He thought he had a chance to be something special in the league, and it was no secret that come draft day we were going to step up and get him. That trip, that was back in the fall. That’s usually when Ted takes (trips). Ted’s out on the road right now, down in Texas. He’ll come back in at the end of the week and we’ll talk about players he’s seen and so forth, and he was real excited about Clay Matthews.

TT had his eyes on CM3 since fall 2008. He wasn't even a starter.

 

[ivo610]

I know for a fact (heard this mid last season from someone on the staff) that Kevin Greene's first choice of linebacker was clay matthews. Then Cushing. He was pushing pretty hard for him before the draft.

 

[armand34]

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HERE COMES THE "CLAY" BABY WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[packerbob]

I gotta believe that Dom Capers knew he had to acquire some important pieces for his defense, RAJI-no brainer, Clay almost a reach at the time based on his short experience as a starter in USC, but someone had to have noticed that ability, could the credit go to both Kevin Green and Dom Capers? Mike Neal? CJ? Burnett? Zombo? Shields? As much as TT is the architect to our potential success, I would have to say Dom Capers is making some important decisions as well in the drafting department. Curious to see how these newer players pan out this year, gonna see what we got TONIGHT!!! GO PACK GO!!!!

Thompson scouts the top 100 players which usually would make up the first 3 rounds. He relys heavily on his scouts for rounds 4-7 and FA's. He has his scouts write up reports and if he is intrigued by a glowing report he will watch tape and evaluate the player himself and then let the coaches interview the player either at the combine, their individual workout or they are allowed to fly a certain number of players to Green Bay for worouts and interviews. When Thompson scouts a player he likes he sometimes keeps it to himself. Mathews is Thompson's guy all the way. No doubts, 100% sure. He wanted him bad and would have done anything short of selling his soul to the devil to get him. Neal is a different story. Things went on in the draft room. Usually Thompson will set his board and won't waver from it. This may be an exception. This was a knee-jerk reaction pick. I would say Mike Trgovac has his fingerprints all over the Neal pick. I think Thompson had a 3/4th round grade on him but sometimes there's panic and coaches can become overly persuasive. Sometimes you need to throw them a bone just to shut them up. Burnett being a top 100 player would have been well scouted by Thompson. I'm sure he asked Capers and Perry for their 2 cents. Most of the later picks and FA's are strickly scouts evaluation and doing a hard sell to Thompson.