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Draft Grade

So far this looks like a good draft and a thumbs up. GM Ted Thompson reached for a few players and reaching is bad because it misses an opportunity to acquire more draft choices, but it doesn't matter if he is reaching for the right guy. No matter how bad a player looks at this point, currently 3rd round pick S Aaron Rouse looks as bad as the 3rd round pick Mike Sherman blew on P B.J. Sander, no one knows what these guys will really do and you just never know. We have to wait until 2008 or 2009 to see how these guys really work out.

Thompson filled all the positions he needed to fill in this draft. He waited until the 6th round to draft a fullback who is a major project and until the 7th round to add a tight end who can't block, but at least he addressed both positions. He needed to draft a wide receiver and a safety and he got both in the 3rd round. He needed a running back to compete with RB Vernand Morency and he got him in the 2nd round and maybe he found a steal in the 7th round. He upgraded at defensive tackle in the 1st round and added a backup offensive tackle in the 4th round. He drafted three players in the 5th and 6th rounds who can help upgrade a poor special teams unit. The only positions he didn't draft were cornerback and quarterback, but the Packers have good depth at both positions already. Technically he didn't draft an offensive guard, center or defensive end, but I'm considering offensive line as one position and defensive line as another.

It wasn't a dream draft where obviously great players kept falling to the Packers or Thompson made big trades to grab some star talent. But he got a variety of players to help fill holes leading into the 2007 season. It will be interesting to see how these rookies practice and play over the next few months. A couple of them, like DT Justin Harrell, will help immediately in some capacity. There will not be a final grade on this draft for at least a couple of years.