What Is The Future of John Clay?

by Brandon on Mar 10, 2011 1:00 PM CST in Green Bay Packers Draft

Bucky Brooks at NFL.com reported on the Wisconsin Badgers Pro Day and had this to say about RB John Clay.

John Clay and John Moffitt also deserve a mention for their performances. While neither drew rave reviews, they showed signs of improvement from their combine performances. Clay, in particular, ran a better a 40 (4.72) than his combine time and was more consistent catching the ball in drills. Moffitt, who measured in at 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, performed in position drills only.

I'm not sure how most teams view Clay, but he's currently viewed as one of the last running backs to be drafted. He's going to have to do a lot of the little things well on special teams to make an NFL team, or he could switch to full back. Do you think he could make the transition?

There's also a little bit here on Moffitt, who appears to be sticking with his combine results. He's currently expected to go in round 4. I wouldn't be surprised if the Packers were interested in him as a future left guard, and both McCarthy and Thompson have now taken at least one up close look at him. I expect he'll be a good pro where ever he ends up.

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Clay converting to fullback? Don't think so.

He’s down to 233 pounds, which is the slimmest he’s been since high school. And he ran a 4.5 40 at the Pro Day, too.

Jake Harris over at Bucky’s 5th Quarter has a Pro Day recap up.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 1:15 PM CST reply actions

Where have you seen that he ran a 4.5 at the Pro Day

He ran a 4.72 according to everything I’ve read.

"What Would Jesus Do? You're damn right he'd do a wheelie" ~ Daniel Tosh

by stempke on Mar 11, 2011 10:15 AM CST up reply actions

Meant to add

The article you linked to says that Clay claimed to have run a 4.6 and hoped to run a 4.5

"What Would Jesus Do? You're damn right he'd do a wheelie" ~ Daniel Tosh

by stempke on Mar 11, 2011 10:17 AM CST up reply actions

Ron Dayne II

but worse.

slow and bad work habits.

by Acme on Mar 10, 2011 1:24 PM CST reply actions

Funny

Dayne was in far worse shape than Clay coming out of college, and I’m pretty sure Dayne had a 4.53 40 time at 250 lbs.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 1:43 PM CST up reply actions

No thanks

by Glenn'sYank13 on Mar 10, 2011 1:48 PM CST reply actions

I'd love to see us trade up in the 4th to get Moffitt (or if he fell to us a the end of the 4th)

He’d be real solid at LG, which would drastically improve the OL.

13.

by Wiedmann on Mar 10, 2011 2:04 PM CST reply actions

I think projecting Moffitt as a fourth round pick

is unrealistic. He’s a mid-3rd pick in my eyes.

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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 2:20 PM CST up reply actions

Says the WI homer.... ;-)

Most of the projections I’ve seen have been in the 4th or late 3rd. I don’t claim to know the best 150 players eligible to be drafted and their rankings, so I just take the supposed “experts” at their word.

13.

by Wiedmann on Mar 10, 2011 3:26 PM CST up reply actions

My best guess

The Packers need a big, physical OG, and Moffitt is definitely both of those things. I remember watching his play in the Senior Bowl, and Moffitt flat-out outperformed everyone else on his offensive line. That line that had possible first round picks Nate Solder and Anthony Costanzo on it.

He’s got a great body of work, getting named an All-American this past year and an All-Big Ten pick for the past two seasons (he took the starting center job in 2009, and moved out to LG in 2010 with the return of Peter Konz). Considering just where we pick in the 3rd round (dead last), I think Moffitt would be a good pick.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 3:38 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, I'm certainly not opposed to selecting him there

It’s just my inner miser telling me that we may be able to get him 20 picks later (using our 4th & 7th to move up), and we could use the 3rd on someone else.

13.

by Wiedmann on Mar 10, 2011 3:47 PM CST up reply actions

Clay is too slow.

Bottom line. Way too slow, lacks explosion. The running back position has been taken over by smaller players. The game is too fast for slower, bigger running backs.

Writing from deep inside the stomach of a rancor.

by PackerWingNut on Mar 10, 2011 2:36 PM CST reply actions

Been sayin it all year!

Clay will not be a good NFL RB! His best bet is to get back to 250 and try FB… Even before his abysmal combine workout he could tell just by watching he didn’t have any speed, quickness or elusiveness whatsoever… Don’t care if he did better at his pro day or not, he doen’t have the tools! I now have doubts about Moffitt too. He can probably be good for a power run scheme, but thats his only real strength. he’s all the way down into the 4th rd now after alot of guys wanted him in the 2nd!

Carimi and Watt are sure fire 1st rd picks tho…

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Mar 10, 2011 2:46 PM CST reply actions

He's in the best shape of his life...

and now he’s supposed to get back into terrible shape, according to your estimation? Bull. Shit.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 3:32 PM CST up reply actions

I didn't say get back to being in terrible shape.

He was at 260 not long ago, and he could put good weight on to make the transition to FB. He has no fulure at RB in the NFL, IMO!! FB is his best option!!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Mar 10, 2011 5:07 PM CST up reply actions

Getting back to 260

is not realistic at this stage, unless he’s in bad shape.

I think Clay has a far better future at RB, as opposed to FB, which is becoming an obsolete position.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 5:41 PM CST up reply actions

Lol comon Schofield

FB is becoming an obsolete position? For the Packers it has…..but not for say……the Falcons, Ravens, Jaguars, basically any team that uses the I regularly. Some guys beast in college, then suck in the NFL. To me, John Clay is one of those guys that was really good (not great) in college, and won’t amount to much in the NFL. Also, a lot of you are failing to mention that he always had nagging injuries. I watched every game this year and there were very few that he didn’t limp off the field to see the trainer. Schofield, big, slow running backs don’t amount to much in the NFL. Michael Turner would be the only exception that I can think of, maybe…maybe Brandon Jacobs, but he is pretty much average. Another thing, it is much easier to run over a LB from Northwestern than the Patriots or the Giants. I’m saying 6th round for him for a team that needs depth.

"Flopped out my old fella."
-- New Zealand lawn bowler David File, on exposing himself to teammates because they were playing poorly

by Prince Fielder is Skinny on Mar 10, 2011 7:07 PM CST up reply actions

+1

Most of the time, big back’s just don’t translate. Unless, they have good feet and good quickness which is something that Clay doesn’t.

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Mar 10, 2011 7:15 PM CST up reply actions

The Packers are one of the few teams that still use a traditional FB...

A lot of teams (such as the Colts) use an H-back as a substitute for the traditional FB. Some teams do use a traditional FB, but it’s value has decreased over the past few years.

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Mar 10, 2011 8:25 PM CST up reply actions

Just curious,

what/who do you consider a traditional fullback?

"Flopped out my old fella."
-- New Zealand lawn bowler David File, on exposing himself to teammates because they were playing poorly

by Prince Fielder is Skinny on Mar 10, 2011 8:39 PM CST up reply actions

Think of the early 2000s

with Tony Richardson and Lorenzo Neal in their prime. They was definitely a traditional FB. Vonta Leach might also be considered one of them.

Since then, FB has seemingly become a pass catching position. One of the few teams that extensively uses that sort of FB is Baltimore, just look at how often they feed Le’Ron McClain the football.

The chief obstacles with “converting” Clay to FB are A) It’s a position he’s never played B) he was never asked to run block and C) For whatever reason, Paul Chryst hated to use him in the passing game.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 9:14 PM CST up reply actions

This

Thanks for answering that for me. I was mostly thinking of Neal and Richardson when I was thinking about “traditional” fullbacks.

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Mar 10, 2011 10:20 PM CST up reply actions

Dude, you’re letting the homer get the best of you. Yes, he dropped some weight but it’s not going to help as much as he needs it. His slow 40 time isn’t a huge deal because he’s a power back and he could have shown that he has some quickness but he timed slow in those drills as well. He doesn’t have the quickness to be a RB in the NFL.

And Stroh, I agree on Moffit. Seems like his stock has been dropping ever since all the bowls and combines. He didn’t look all that great to me in the Senior Bowl. He’s got a lot of power like you said but he didn’t always seem to have the quickness to get out to the second level of the defense.

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Mar 10, 2011 6:56 PM CST up reply actions

pad555

trying to come across as “unbiased”? Moffitt played the best of any offensive linemen ON that North team at the Senior Bowl.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 9:08 PM CST up reply actions

What makes you say that? I watched the game and wasn’t all that impressed, and after reading some evaluations of the games, people had questions about his ability to get out to the second level.

He’s a better fit for a man on man blocking scheme. I don’t know how well he’d translate in our zone blocking scheme.

Just trying to come off as realistic. I know you love your Badgers, as do I, but I think you pretty highly overrate some of them at times because of that love.

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Mar 10, 2011 9:23 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not overrating Moffitt.

Our 3rd round pick is basically a 4th round pick because it’s the LAST pick of the draft.

Scott Wells isn’t going to last forever, and I really hope the Packers are done with Daryn Colledge because he was just that terrible. Considering how we have the monster better known as Ndamukong Suh in our division, where we have to play him twice a season, as well as Kevin Williams, we need a big, physical LG. A smaller guy is not going to hold up too well against those two.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 9:28 PM CST up reply actions

I actually think Clay will turn out to be decent

Everyone makes fun of his weight but he had double ankle surgery and it’s not easy for some guys to keep the weight off when they are layed up. He’ll always be a bigger back but I think he’s got a legit shot at being a solid short yardage back and decent 2nd stringer overall.

by combatsports4life on Mar 10, 2011 5:52 PM CST reply actions

He slimmed down to 233 lbs at the Pro Day.

That’s pretty good…

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 10, 2011 5:59 PM CST up reply actions

Moffit

i watched almost every badgers game this year and Moffit is probably the most under-rated gaurd in a long time hands down that offensive line for wisconsin was the best college football has seen ever….they averaged what? 50+ points a game running it without NFL backs clay ball white….those are NOT NFL backs….they arnt even special college backs….but back to Moffit the man is a maul inside GREAT push in the run game almost never commits false starts, can pull and get to the 2nd level like a much smaller gaurd, and is a good pass protecter…..smart if he makes it 2 the end of the 3rd the packers should draft him, he’d be our day 1 starter at RG or LG

by Robbie Henges on Mar 10, 2011 8:21 PM CST reply actions

Disagree...

Especially in regards to Ball and WHite! I need to see a little more of both, but I think both have NFL futures! Ball is about 235, but he’s got better speed and quickness than Clay… He’s got pretty nifty feet for a guy his size and can do enough to avoid tacklers and make guys miss, so he doesn’t have to lower his shoulder till its necessary! I think he’ll make a good RB, maybe not a starter but a spot player and contributor! White is a smallish RB w/ good speed and runs w/ great physicality for a RB his size! I can easily see him finding a home in the NFL as a 3rd down RB, returner, and backup RB! Really like what White brings to the table!!

Moffitt is a good heady player, but he doesn’t have the feet to get to the 2nd level, IMO… He’ll likely become a starter cuz he’s a guy that knows his strengths and weaknesses and is extremely smart and diligent worker! He’ll find a home in the NFL and be a starter in a year or so, but it has to be in the right scheme. He would be a horrible fit in the Packers zbs!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Mar 10, 2011 8:32 PM CST up reply actions

Not NFL backs?

White is already looked at as an NFL prospect, he’s 18. By the time he is out, barring injury, he will be a first or second rounder. Also, Moffitt would not be our day 1 starter, he is not a fit in the zone blocking scheme.

"Flopped out my old fella."
-- New Zealand lawn bowler David File, on exposing himself to teammates because they were playing poorly

by Prince Fielder is Skinny on Mar 10, 2011 8:38 PM CST up reply actions

Agreed

Clay’s has the least potential of the 3 at the next level. White could be a stud…

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Mar 10, 2011 10:21 PM CST up reply actions

Should have stayed in school

I read an article that said he might go undrafted. He should have stayed in school. If he thinks his carries were limited as a Badger, wait till you get to the NFL. The Badgers have two backs not entering the draft better than he is. Ball and White both catch the ball out of the backfield. I hate seeing kids make choices like this. He can’t even play the fullback and he bolted for the NFL.
I’ll get beat up for this, but I’m not a homer. I have friends who ever year think we should draft this Badger or that one. The O-line is good EVERY year for the Badgers. That doesn’t mean we need to grab one just because they played in Wi.. But if there is a year to add one, it’s now. Three good guys that have been coached up.

by Packer Green on Mar 10, 2011 11:31 PM CST reply actions

I don't think Clay'll be successful in the NFL,

but he wasn’t going to be overly successful in college next year anyways. Barring injuries, he was going to be utilized about as much next year as he was during the Rose Bowl. He made the right choice

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Mar 10, 2011 11:38 PM CST up reply actions

Meet ObrienSchofield is my hero... LOL

Total Wi Homer… Wants the Packers to draft every UW player!!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Mar 11, 2011 12:34 PM CST up reply actions

Yuck

I don’t want them to draft Washington or Wyoming players. Those schools have been a trainwreck.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
Fighting the Battle of Who Could Care Less since 12/29/09

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Mar 11, 2011 4:10 PM CST up reply actions