Round 2: Pick 62; Josh Myers, C Ohio State

[Joe]

30 minutes ago, OneTwoSixFive said:

I thought I'd heard somewhere his (Wagner's) body was starting to break down. I can't attribute it to any article, though, its just a dim memory.

It was an issue when we signed him. He had significant injury issues in Detroit and we signed him while he was rehabbing. Part of me thinks that if he doesn't go to Detroit and that horrible culture he'd still be a better-than-average Tackle in the league today. As such, however, those nagging injuries hurt his performance and ultimately got him cut.

[CWood21]

2 hours ago, incognito_man said:

I wonder if we had Myers in our sights when we passed on Linsley. It kinda feels that way to me.

I'm sure Green Bay had already made peace with moving on from Linsley at least a year ago.  And when the Chargers made him the highest paid C (until the Lions extended Frank Ragnow), it was done.  I think the disappointment comes with the fact that it's not a sexy position to invest a high draft pick on AND the fact that the Packers had a TON of success with Day 3 picks including Scott Wells (7th), JC Tretter (4th), and Corey Linsley (5th).

[Refugee]

6 hours ago, incognito_man said:

I wonder if we had Myers in our sights when we passed on Linsley. It kinda feels that way to me.

I feel like he had to be one of a very short list, probably figured we could get one of the top 3 centers and we were right. Hope he’s the cream of the crop and plays well here for a long time. 

[mikemike778]

On 6/26/2021 at 8:32 PM, CWood21 said:

I'm sure Green Bay had already made peace with moving on from Linsley at least a year ago.  And when the Chargers made him the highest paid C (until the Lions extended Frank Ragnow), it was done.  I think the disappointment comes with the fact that it's not a sexy position to invest a high draft pick on AND the fact that the Packers had a TON of success with Day 3 picks including Scott Wells (7th), JC Tretter (4th), and Corey Linsley (5th).

They had a crack at it the year before with Hanson, he ended up on the PS so guess with the need increased they had to go earlier

[vegas492]

On 6/26/2021 at 6:53 PM, Refugee said:

I feel like he had to be one of a very short list, probably figured we could get one of the top 3 centers and we were right. Hope he’s the cream of the crop and plays well here for a long time. 

I agree to the fact that we had a list of centers that we would draft.  Now, the draft had to fall a certain way to get one.

I still don't think a center is a good use of a second round pick.  But, in the Packers eyes, the player was worth it, so I'm expecting big things. 

And the thing I like about Meyers is his size and foot quickness.  If center doesn't pan out, he has the size and I think the footspeed to flip somewhere else.  Versatility.  And that is why I think we took him in the second round, he has the versatility that they are looking for.  Moreso than a pure center.

[Joe]

On 6/27/2021 at 6:52 PM, mikemike778 said:

They had a crack at it the year before with Hanson, he ended up on the PS so guess with the need increased they had to go earlier

Injuries played a heavy role in that situation IIRC.

 

On 6/28/2021 at 11:52 AM, vegas492 said:

If center doesn't pan out, he has the size and I think the footspeed to flip somewhere else.  Versatility.  And that is why I think we took him in the second round, he has the versatility that they are looking for.  Moreso than a pure center.

This alone is why we selected him. Like Royce Newman, he wasn't always a Center having been recruited as an OT but anchor and speed rush issues forced him inside, which turned out to be a much better pathway to the league giving him a better chance for longevity given his foot speed. My issue with him has always been getting out of his stance and playing in control rather than throwing his body around; on the other hand, that's not to say an NFL level strength-n-conditioning program couldn't help him in these areas. Aaron Jones didn't exactly have much of a burst when he came into the league, but he sure found a burst and an extra gear in space towards the end of his rookie year that you really didn't see on his college tape.

[craig]

On 6/28/2021 at 10:52 AM, vegas492 said:

And the thing I like about Meyers is his size and foot quickness.  If center doesn't pan out, he has the size and I think the footspeed to flip somewhere else.  Versatility.  And that is why I think we took him in the second round, he has the versatility that they are looking for.  Moreso than a pure center.

Myers was drafted to become a good starting center, not to play guard.  That he has the physical qualities to also play guard is a natural consequence of having the physical qualities to be worth a 2nd-round selection.  The versatility is more "effect" than "cause". 

He was drafted to play center, and to play it well.  *IF* he ends up playing NFL snaps at guard, that will likely reflect that he failed at center, which would reflect a failed draft pick.  

Basically any lineman who is evaluated as having the size/feet/quickness to be worth a 1st or 2nd round pick will be evaluated as having the potential to hypothetically use those qualities at more than one position.   Any tackle worth a high pick could play guard.  Any interior guy worthy of a 2nd round pick is likewise viewed as having tools for a 2nd position.  

[squire12]

10 minutes ago, craig said:

He was drafted to play center, and to play it well.  *IF* he ends up playing NFL snaps at guard, that will likely reflect that he failed at center, which would reflect a failed draft pick.  

If a player .... let's say Hanson, or some 2022 7th round pick/UDFA... comes in and displays the ability to be equal/nearly equal to Meyers at center and moving Meyers to guard puts the best OL on the field, how is that a failed pick?

[vegas492]

17 minutes ago, craig said:

Myers was drafted to become a good starting center, not to play guard.  That he has the physical qualities to also play guard is a natural consequence of having the physical qualities to be worth a 2nd-round selection.  The versatility is more "effect" than "cause". 

He was drafted to play center, and to play it well.  *IF* he ends up playing NFL snaps at guard, that will likely reflect that he failed at center, which would reflect a failed draft pick.  

Basically any lineman who is evaluated as having the size/feet/quickness to be worth a 1st or 2nd round pick will be evaluated as having the potential to hypothetically use those qualities at more than one position.   Any tackle worth a high pick could play guard.  Any interior guy worthy of a 2nd round pick is likewise viewed as having tools for a 2nd position.  

I think he could have the size and feet to flip out to tackle in the case of an emergency, ala Flanagan.

And yes, he was drafted to play center.  No doubt.  But the Packers are going to play their best lineman, regardless of position.  If someone else is better than him at center, great.  Meyers has the size to flip elsewhere and make that line strong.  Similar to Jenkins.

But, I too hope that he locks down the center position for the next 7-10 years.

[R T]

6 minutes ago, squire12 said:

If a player .... let's say Hanson, or some 2022 7th round pick/UDFA... comes in and displays the ability to be equal/nearly equal to Meyers at center and moving Meyers to guard puts the best OL on the field, how is that a failed pick?

If Hanson displays equal ability to Myers, it is a failed pick. 

[vegas492]

7 minutes ago, squire12 said:

If a player .... let's say Hanson, or some 2022 7th round pick/UDFA... comes in and displays the ability to be equal/nearly equal to Meyers at center and moving Meyers to guard puts the best OL on the field, how is that a failed pick?

Bingo.  It isn't a failed pick.  It was a wise pick because Meyers will make us stronger at a different position, because he appears to have the size and feet to do other things.

Like, Scott Wells.  If he couldn't be a starting center, there's no place else to put him at 6 feet tall.  My Dad stood next to him once at practice.  Dad was 5'11''.  He was taller than Wells.  

You aren't drafting a pure center like Wells, with little position flexibility, in the second round.  You take him late in the draft and hope he pans out.

[vegas492]

1 minute ago, R T said:

If Hanson displays equal ability to Myers, it is a failed pick. 

Depends on how you look at it.  I'm assuming Myers is going to be a very good center.

If Hanson or some other lower drafted player can play at that level, that's a great late pick.  It isn't a knock against Myers.  You simply flip Myers to a different spot.  Gotta love versatility.

(And yah, that scenario isn't happening.  We know who is penciled in at center.)

[15412]

It's nice that Myers may have versatility, but it isn't why he was drafted.  He was drafted to lock down the center position, period.  He was a better fit in the Packer system at center than Creed was, who went with the next pick.  As far as choosing a center in the 2nd round, why not?  Talent dictates more so than position.  Granted had he been a left tackle with the same expectations he goes a round sooner, but in the end they are all football players.

[craig]

24 minutes ago, squire12 said:

If a player .... let's say Hanson, or some 2022 7th round pick/UDFA... comes in and displays the ability to be equal/nearly equal to Meyers at center and moving Meyers to guard puts the best OL on the field, how is that a failed pick?

I agree with the logic of your hypothetical.  Sure, if Myers is a great center and a great guard, and Hanson proves to be a super-great center, it's a win to end up with two great/super-great interior guys.  Not a failed pick in that unlikely scenario.  

But given the probabilities, the odds are remote.  Myers is being given a clear first-opportunity to win that spot; he's the intended starter, he's the rare case of a rookie who's given the opportunity of a tenured starter.  The odds that Hanson or some UDFA are SO impressive that they push a high-performance Myers over to guard are very low. 

It's his job to lose.  For Myers to move off of center probably reflect that Myers didn't look very good at center.  It was his job to lose, and he lost it.  

[Old Guy]

23 hours ago, R T said:

If Hanson displays equal ability to Myers, it is a failed pick. 

I guess Elgton Jenkins was a failed pick then as well. He was a center as Miss St. 

Elgton Jenkins Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com 

Green Bay Packers Draft Results 2019 | Sporting News

23 hours ago, vegas492 said:

Depends on how you look at it.  I'm assuming Myers is going to be a very good center.

If Hanson or some other lower drafted player can play at that level, that's a great late pick.  It isn't a knock against Myers.  You simply flip Myers to a different spot.  Gotta love versatility.

(And yah, that scenario isn't happening.  We know who is penciled in at center.)

You are correct. It is not a failed draft pick. If you get a starter in round 2 in year one, it's a good pick. Even if Myers doesn't start until mid-year or year two, if he turns into a good, solid starter that is a good pick. 

Edited July 10, 2021 by Old Guy