FanPost

My Packer Draftees 2012

I'm not up for predicting what Ted & Mike will do, but these are a few players at each major position in whom I think the Packers would be very interested. I'm a nerd, and these are my guesses - I'm sure you wont' agree with them all. :-)

At quarterback: BJ Coleman, GJ Kinne. There are enough scouting reports on Coleman to find, and he'd be an interesting late-round developmental guy. I saw Kinne play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and liked him - he reminded me of Aaron Rodgers a little. Quick decisions, relatively accurate, and not afraid to tuck and run when it was worth it.

At halfback: Doug Martin, Robert Turbin, Vick Ballard. They're all about the same build at 5'10"-ish, 220-ish - there's no small Packers halfback anymore, and there are few backs in this class over 200. (Starks is the lightest listed at 218.) I don't see the Packers drafting waterbug backs anymore (if they ever did) - they seem to want backs with the mass to be durable, to run in bad weather, and to pass-protect against angry linebackers. Ballard was a team captain, Turbin already knows zone running and cutbacks, and all three have good weight-room work ethics by report.

At wide receiver: Stephen Hill, Greg Childs. The Packers have tall guys and speedy guys at WR, but they don't have a tall speedy guy. There's no Randy Moss-ish (and sane) field-stretcher to whom the Packers can say, "You go deep to clear the safeties while Finley, Nelson, Jones, and maybe Gurley work underneath." That's not to say Greg Jennings or Randall Cobb can't make the other team worry, but having a 5'10" deep threat and a 6'3" or 6'4" deep threat isn't the same. Both Hill and Childs seem to have the speed and build to make people miss long, and it's the one sort of receiver the Packers really seem to lack. Whether they miss it or not is another matter.

At tight end: They might still draft someone, but with Finley, Crabtree, Williams, Taylor and eventually Quarless, I think McCarthy has enough toys at this position.

At offensive tackle: Tom Compton, Nate Potter. A pair of developmental tackle candidates to draft in the later rounds, both with the measurables to be the #4 tackle today and maybe, with work, starters.

At center/guard: Adam Gettis, Quentin Saulsberry. Both linemen from colleges with recent alumni on the Packers roster; they'll have even better ideas as to whether these guys are players given the existing close ties.

At defensive end: Kendall Reyes, Derek Wolfe. Both have the build and skills to be what teams seek in 3-4 DEs. Reyes is a captain of his team and a good athlete for the position with room to improve; Wolfe's scouting reports praise his work ethic and attitude as well. Neither has an injury history worth noting, unlike say Devon Still.

At defensive tackle: Hebron Fangupo, Alameda Ta'amu. Ryan Pickett isn't getting any younger, and eventually the Packers will need a young backup for Raji.

At outside linebacker: Shea McClellin, Vinny Curry, Bruce Irvin. I'm a little more taken physically with Curry and Irvin, personally - their burst off the snap is awesome. All three have worked hard to be good players, and Irvin's upside is worth the potential character risk in Round 2. McClellin I worry about, but he's a Packers-type of player in the work ethic.

At inside linebacker: Tank Carder, TCU. A late round pick, again with ties to existing Packers players.

At cornerback: Chris Greenwood, a size-speed prospect from the state of Michigan, and Coryell Judie, a 6' developmental guy from Texas A&M. Either could be this year's Davon House - a 6' developmental guy for the roster or practice squad.

At safety: Aaron Henry, Brandon Hardin. A pair of taller former cornerbacks with some level of skill to play in man when necessary, and to play deep regularly. Both are conversion prospects, but both have the athleticism the Packers seem to want in their safeties (Collins and Burnett were both sub-4.5 40 yard dashers).

Who are your "watch" players? :-)

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