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Packers 1st Round Draft Choice: Iowa OT Bryan Bulaga

The Green Bay Packers selected Iowa OT Bryan Bulaga with their 1st round pick. From NFL.com:

Bulaga is a good, not a great, talent as a left tackle. Like most Iowa linemen he will come into the league with a good understanding of the game as well as the position he plays. He understands angles and blocking schemes and is quick to recognize and adjust to games up front. He is quick to set the edge and knows how to get a good fit with his hands but will struggle when speed rushers transfer that speed into power. He can be inconsistent with his footwork and is not an elite athlete for the position but there is enough there to make an eventual starter at left tackle.

While I'm disappointed they didn't draft a pass rusher (yet) to replace DE Aaron Kampman, offensive tackle is obviously a need position. He provides depth now and a left tackle for the future. I haven't written about him since the NFL combine because he seemed certain to be drafted in the top 10. I don't know why he slid down. Mocking The Draft says he's a top 10 prospect but "he lacks the upside and potential of other prospects." He's not a project, but maybe his ceiling was too low for many teams.

He's a great value for the draft slot and he certainly fills a need for a young tackle. He'll also improves the odds that QB Aaron Rodgers will avoid getting hit in the future which is something the team should always be focused on.