Packer Draft Prospects: 2012 Senior Bowl Recap

by Brandon on Jan 30, 2012 12:00 PM CST in Green Bay Packers Draft

WRs steal the thunder, boost stock in Senior Bowl - CBSSports.com. Unfortunately I don't expect the Green Bay Packers will have any interest in using a high draft pick on a wide receiver, so the 2012 Senior Bowl might not have as much to offer them as other teams.

The "most talented player" was a pass rusher, which is probably the Packers single biggest need. But at 6-6 and 281 lbs., North Carolina's DE Quinton Coples might be better suited as a 4-3 defensive end. Also, he's currently the No. 5 overall prospect according to ESPN, so the Packers should have no shot at him anyway.

WalterFootball.com: 2012 Senior Bowl Game Recap. Here's another excellent recap that said, of the talented pass rushers on the South squad, Marshall's DE/LB Vinny Curry was "more impressive than all of them." The recap mentioned the Packers as one possible destination at the end of the 1st round, and Packers.com was discussing just that possibility last week.

Did anyone watch the game? Anyone grab you're attention as a player who'd fit for the Packers?

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Two guys people aren't talking about enough

Derek Wolfe – Cincinnati
Shea McClellinc – Boise State

Look them both up.

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by dieapack on Jan 30, 2012 12:27 PM CST reply actions

Here's more on Shea McClellin

From CBS Sports. If he can really play outside LB, he’ll be a player to talk about.

by Brandon on Jan 30, 2012 3:08 PM CST up reply actions

I watched it.

Vinny Curry has some moves to him – I think the Packers would be interested. I imagine with the uncertainty at C, Ben Jones of Georgia would be another candidate fitting the standard Thompson default draft MO: healthy seniors from big schools.

At running back, Vick Ballard of Mississippi State and Doug Martin of Boise State could be of interest – and there’s a link to Ballard through Derek Sherrod (same school). Any additional intel the team might need, they’ve got an in-house source. I’d be surprised if the Packers found them the BAP when their picks roll around, but stranger things have happened.

In QBs, I imagine the Packers will draft one late, and strangely I thought that GJ Kinne of Tulsa looked pretty good at the NFLPA Bowl last weekend, and frankly looked as good or better in some ways as the boys at the Senior Bowl (against lesser competition, I grant you). He’d make for an interesting prospect on the Packers developmental track.

I won’t pretend to know what the Packers are seeking in WRs or TEs, and they have no glaring needs at either spot. Likewise along the offensive line other than center, they have a pipeline of players, but I can seem them drafting boys late for those.

On the D-line, I heard good things about Reyes (UConn) and saw both Winn (Boise State) and Wolfe (Cincinnati) play, but didn’t find them grabbing my attention. Winn doesn’t even make the stat line. Ta’amu (Washington) was a big boy and blew the frell out of a screen pass, but I think the Packers have greater needs than NT. I thought Courtney Upshaw (Alabama) was okay, but not fabulous/dominant – the one sack he got was a cleanup from pressure up the middle. From what I saw, I’d be more interested in Curry.

McLellin (Boise St.) showed some hustle downfield on a jailbreak completion, so he has that going for him.

I thought both secondaries were nothing to write home about in-game. Brandon Taylor’s INT was a gift-pick and if he’d blown it, OMG – but he took what he was given.

by Ebongreen on Jan 30, 2012 1:29 PM CST reply actions

Thanks for the post

Another Vinny Curry fan: he appears to be a guy to watch.

I expect Scott Wells to be re-signed, but I could see them drafting a backup interior lineman or center anyway. They drafted a guard in the 6th round last year, but he couldn’t beat out Dietrich-Smith, and they traded him to the Jets. Since D-S has already been released once back in 2010, I doubt the Packers think a lot of him.

Nice note on Upshaw, he’s a certain 1st round selection, but I don’t know much about him.

by Brandon on Jan 30, 2012 3:06 PM CST up reply actions

From what I hear on Upshaw, he’ll be gone long before the Packers can draft him – and I’m not sure he’s what they want anyway. I’ve heard that (a) he’s a gifted pass rusher, and (b) that’s all he’s good at. Even though it’s a very valuable trick, I don’t think TT&MM want a one-trick pony opposite CM3. I think some 4-3 team is going to try to make him a weak-side end a la Freeney or Umenyiora – I just don’t know if it’ll work.

On EDS, I may think a little more of him than you do. C is both the most and least important position on the line – he’s gotta be maybe the sharpest mentally, but gets the most help of anyone. My question is not, “Is Wells better than EDS?”, but “Is EDS good enough?” I don’t know if Wells is going to fit under the cap, or fit the price Ted wants to pay for his center. With Clifton being off-books and no-one else beyond Sitton eating much cap as a starter, maybe that’ll be his splurge for this year.

As always, it’ll be interesting. :-)

by Ebongreen on Jan 30, 2012 4:06 PM CST up reply actions

Mario Williams

I think Ted might go after him in FA and get an OLB and SS in the draft. That’s what I want him to do anyway. : ) Regarding WalterFootball.com, he has the Packers taking Nick Perry OLB from SoCal in the first round. Does anyone know how good he is?

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by Pack1512 on Jan 30, 2012 3:48 PM CST reply actions

He’s got a highlight reel on YouTube from 2010. When I watch it, I see mostly speed, but not super-speed.

I admit, it would be kind of cool to have two ex-Trojans bookending the linebackers, but I’m okay with finding a better player instead. :-)

by Ebongreen on Jan 30, 2012 4:11 PM CST up reply actions

Fuck USC.

13.

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by Wiedmann on Jan 31, 2012 10:45 PM CST up reply actions

Certainly a possibility

but, if TT were to go after Mario Williams, that may preclude drafting a OLB high. Remember, Williams successfully made the switch to OLB from 4-3 DE this season (at least until he got injured).

I do not know how Williams would fair as a 3-4 DE. or if that distinction even matters with how many different fronts d-coordinators throw out there. The Packers rarely were in the base 3-4 defense this past season due to personnel and offense.

The price will be high for Williams as both 3-4 and 4-3 teams would be after him. I don’t think Houston will franchise him due to the emergence of Brooks Reed, Connor Barwin, and JJ Watt. Although certainly a good player, Williams is somewhat of a luxury for the Texans and they may have to allocate the $9-10 M someplace else.

by bpatrickJD on Jan 30, 2012 5:33 PM CST up reply actions

About 9 days ago or so

I said,give us Vinny Curry and Kendall Reyes and we jump to a top 5 defense.
Kevin Greene is begging TT for Curry and drooling over what he will do opposite CM3.
Reyes will allow Raji to be Raji again.

by Tarynfor12 on Jan 30, 2012 4:25 PM CST reply actions

I could live w/ those

as our 1st and 2nd roud picks. Tho I don’t see any chance that Curry or Reyes falls to the Packers in the 2nd. If we could find a way to pull it off I would be more than happy!!