The Packers Select Everette Brown

by Brandon on Mar 29, 2009 11:34 PM CDT

Over at my fellow SB Nation website Mocking The Draft, the NFL writers of SB Nation are conducting a mock draft of round 1 and 2 over the next couple weeks. I selected Florida State DE/LB Everette Brown:

The Packers really need a player like Florida State's DE Everette Brown. The pass rush has struggled the last couple seasons and the complete collapse (and eventual release) of DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila left them with little pass rush from the weak side. They really need a DE/LB Terrell Suggs type player who can provide double digit sacks, line up as a down lineman, and be able to drop back in pass coverage when needed. Brown had 13.5 sacks last season at Florida State and is one of the top pass rushers available in a draft that isn't loaded with them. The Packers would be very fortunate if he was still available with the ninth overall selection.

I did mention the dreaded DE Jamal Reynolds jinx in the next paragraph and admitted he was no slam dunk. But Mocking Dan concurred with my pick:

Brandon hit the reasoning perfectly. For the 3-4 the Packers plan on using, finding someone to get after the quarterback is key. Brown is arguably the best 3-4 outside linebacker in this class and could end up being very similar to Suggs.

There is something to like about all the players picked ahead of Brown, although Georgia QB Matthew Stafford would make no sense for the Packers. I hoped Boston College DT B.J. Raji would fall to the Packers, but he went number 8 to Jacksonville in our mock draft. The Packers have to improve the run defense and Raji would certainly help with that. But adding a talent like Brown, and moving LB Brady Poppinga to the bench, would help too.

With Raji and Brown off the board, Dan said the top remaining prospects were CB Malcolm Jenkins, OT Michael Oher, RB Knowshon Moreno, MLB Rey Maualuga, and WR Jeremy Maclin. Another player frequently mentioned on this site is DE/OLB Aaron Maybin, and although Buffalo took him with pick number 11, he isn't expected to go that high. Which of those six players would you prefer instead of Brown?

Poll

Which of these six players would you prefer instead of Everette Brown?

CB Malcolm Jenkins

127 votes

OT Michael Oher

116 votes

RB Knowshon Moreno

50 votes

LB Rey Maualuga

102 votes

WR Jeremy Maclin

10 votes

DE/OLB Aaron Maybin

221 votes

626 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

No love for Orakpo?

dont worry i`ll change that! As i am almost done with my angery mob selection. But with all nonsense aside Brown would probably be my second thought past Orakpo. I know there are some Maybin fans but do we really know what Maybin has? He started only one year! I think he will go first round but will be middle to late, not top 10! I think Maybin will be good eventually but he should have stayed in school one more year to prove himself even more.

by bizzle4 on Mar 30, 2009 3:05 PM CDT reply actions

Gone at 5

If both Brown and Orakpo had been available, then that would have been a dilemma. But in the mock draft, he went to Cleveland at number 5.

by Brandon on Mar 30, 2009 10:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Pick

Brown was absolutely the best pick you could have made! Other than a possible trade down, which I don’t see happening, Brown is the most likely player to be in a Packer uniform next year! Raji would be the BEST pick, but that ultimately comes down to who the other teams pick ahead of us! Raji, Orakpo or Brown (depending who you like) or an OT are the most likely choices! Personally I like Brown just a bit more than Orakpo. Even though I love Orakpo’s physicality, his injury history, due to Harrell, makes me think Brown will be the guy. Plus Brown will be better in coverage than Orakpo, who I think would make a better 4/3 DE.

You got the pick right this year!!!

by Strohman on Mar 30, 2009 6:00 PM CDT reply actions