GM Ted Thompson's Top 10 draft picks for the Green Bay Packers. No. 4 LB Clay Matthews.
Unfortunately as I rank these top 10 players, it's not a steady climb from 10 to 1. The first three posts were a group of younger players (Bulaga, Raji, Finley and Bishop) who have gotten off to a good start, but none of them has started more than one full season. Then there are a couple reliable veterans (Hawk and Colledge) who are reliable and have started a lot of games. Sitton is somewhere in the middle as a two-year starter who could be headed to the Pro Bowl a lot over the next few seasons.
Then there are the Big 4. With them, they're playing in the Super Bowl. Without them, they might be battling the Vikings for last place in the NFC North. Of those Big 4 players, Matthews comes in at number four because he's the youngest, so he's been playing at this level for one or two fewer seasons. That didn't make him any less important in 2010.
On the field, he is their pass rush. The offense must account for him, and four times last season they couldn't even lay a hand on him. He's perfect for Dom Capers's defense because he can rush the passer, hold the edge against the run, fight through blocks, and drop back into pass coverage. And many other compliments that I failed to mention.
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