Grade the Packers Draft

[Norm]

22 minutes ago, MaximusGluteus said:

Even if the Packers had traded 53 and 59 for 32 very few people would be complaining because it would have been a "FiRsT rOuNd WiDe ReCiEvEr", but two picks into round 2 and all of a sudden it becomes "gUtEnKoOnSt DoEsN't CaRe AbOuT aArOn!!!!1111".

I've watched a little ESPN and I don't buy that any of those chodes actually think Aaron got screwed. But even Greenie was like oh my god those picks in the first can't win you the SB1!1!!1!1!!11!!1 because I'm sure he has always picked the winner. If that was the Jets draft he'd be jerking off so hard anyways. So that ****s all fake. NFLN guys seemed to like it a lot more because they're not trying to be total clickbait *******s. Watching ESPN still entertains me though, for a bit every morning, just to see what they're trying to cook up with GB vs Aaron this week lol. It's like an open ended segment that plays every day and they just have to find filler

[Norm]

I'm mad I can't see who else voted F with me on the poll though

[MaximusGluteus]

14 minutes ago, Norm said:

I've watched a little ESPN and I don't buy that any of those chodes actually think Aaron got screwed. But even Greenie was like oh my god those picks in the first can't win you the SB1!1!!1!1!!11!!1 because I'm sure he has always picked the winner. If that was the Jets draft he'd be jerking off so hard anyways. So that ****s all fake. NFLN guys seemed to like it a lot more because they're not trying to be total clickbait *******s. Watching ESPN still entertains me though, for a bit every morning, just to see what they're trying to cook up with GB vs Aaron this week lol. It's like an open ended segment that plays every day and they just have to find filler

Oh for sure.  It's just bitching for clicks.

[MrBobGray]

Man people fixate on the weirdest things.  I kinda deliberately checked out of the draft talk this year and it was wonderful for my sanity, so that's probably my model going forward. 

This felt like a really solid draft to me.  Good value, positional need, interesting prospects.  Three receivers so there's enough bodies in the room, and they can all play IMO.  Feels like a B draft?  No players I'm just over the moon about, but a lot that I really like.

Walker and Wyatt was a real nice 1-2 in the first.  Quay jumps out at you on film; that is a scary athlete at scale.  He moves so naturally for a guy the size of a college DE.  There were times I'd see him in coverage and be thrown for a second because I didn't notice any zone blitz shenanigans, then realize it was just the ole gigantic linebacker with the grace of a DB.  He's a downhill guy and he doesn't play scared, but needs to commit a little quicker when he reads run.  I didn't feel like he had a real strong identity in college, which I think happens to a lot of players on stacked teams, but I think he'll be seeing a lot of pressure package looks at first in Green Bay.  Barnes will see a lot of the early down looks because he reads it well and knows the defense, but you gotta figure they'll want the rookie out there on passing downs as soon as possible. 

Wyatt is like, the platonic ideal of what the Packers needed on the DL.  Kinda can't believe they got it at 28.  Great frame for the 3T but big enough to move around a little if the play calls for it, strong burst off the ball and follows his reads unflinchingly.  Strong dude through the base and he has a trait that I think is hugely underrated in that he plays with great contact balance; as soon as he gets even a step of penetration the rep is won, OL just cannot slow him from the side and he shrugs off incidental contact.  Needs a lot of work on using his hands and the interior OL in the NFL moves at a different speed, but he's going to take Lowry's passing game snaps the same way Walker is gonna take Barnes's.

No real idea about Watson, but the talent is all there.  Real question is whether he can get on the same page as Rodgers in 2022, because otherwise the rest of it doesn't matter.  Aaron doesn't get a lot of value from rookie wideouts because he demands a lot in terms of understanding of the game, and there's just no way for a rookie receiver to generate that level of understanding fast enough.

OL guys look like Packers OL picks, 'nuff said.  They rarely miss there and between 2021 and 2022 they have a lot of bites at the apple.

Only other guy I have a note on really is Kingsley Enagbare.  Love his game, but his lack of athleticism will hold him back.  In an earlier thread I forgot that Chauncey Rivers was released, but it turned out not to matter because Enagbare is a very rich man's Rivers so he was gone either way.  Strong, heavy hands, plays tough and is rarely knocked off assignment.  In the incredibly, impossibly minimal film assessment I did of him after he was drafted, there was a play I really liked against A&M this year.  Had a solid little upfield shoulder power rush going on the tackle and took a pretty good shot from the RB in pass pro; staggered him back, but he recovered so quickly that he just turned it into a counter move and immediately snagged a QB hit that resulted in an incompletion.  The reaction time to see the new window even when you're stunned and then the immediate transition to a new rush plan shows a guy who stays focused on finding the straight line path to the QB regardless of what's going on.  Also shows off a talent you see a lot with him to always play with a good base, his feet aren't as quick as you'd like but they're as active and purposeful as his hands.  He'll start the year at OLB4, but I'd be shocked if he wasn't the first guy off the bench by mid-year.

[skibrett15]

10 minutes ago, MrBobGray said:

Aaron doesn't get a lot of value from rookie wideouts because he demands a lot in terms of understanding of the game, and there's just no way for a rookie receiver to generate that level of understanding fast enough.

One thing I hope we see this year is a bit of "dumbing down" of the offense for the Watkins/Watson/other rookies.

Now that Rodgers doesn't have anyone who is a gold standard - he may realize the best path to success is adapting to his players' skills rather than demanding more from his new players.

[incognito_man]

This just feels like it's going to be a historic draft. I dunno why. But it does.

I need @Outpost31 to weigh in on this. He gets those same feels I do.

[R T]

15 minutes ago, incognito_man said:

This just feels like it's going to be a historic draft. I dunno why. But it does.

I need @Outpost31 to weigh in on this. He gets those same feels I do.

Did you have Taco Bell for lunch?

[incognito_man]

37 minutes ago, R T said:

Did you have Taco Bell for lunch?

Soft chicken taco, fresco style with double chicken

[DWhitehurst]

Some are criticizing their "process" in this draft. I think they are missing some things. I think Gute targeted Walker leading up to the draft, and having already signed a 3 Tech DL Jarran Reed (though to just a one-year contract), they were planning on taking WR Watson at #28. But they didn't expect such a talented 3 Tech like Devonte Wyatt to still be there at #28, and he was too much value to pass up. Hence they decided to take Wyatt at #28 with a plan of trying to trade up with their picks 53&59 and still get WR Watson on Day One. I mean, rumour is that they tried to trade for Minnesota's pick at #32, and were declined (presumably because they didn't want Green Bay to have that 5th year option which 1st round players are under). So then they tried again at the beginning of Day Two, and Minnesota this time agreed to give them pick #34. It was a costly trade up that heavily favored the Vikings, but I think it all hinged around the fact that while the Packers knew they needed to get a good WR prospect, they felt they couldn't pass up the value of Wyatt at #28 and so they'd have to bite the bullet to still get Watson. I mean, they now have secured all the pieces they needed to play more Nickel Defense (4 DL, 2 LB, 5 CB/S) when they want to. Barring injuries, this should be the Packer's best defense they've had in quite a long time. Yes, the offense may not be as good, at least initially, though maybe not so much if one or more of these OLine prospects pan out. But that would've been the case even if they had drafted a WR anywhere in the first round--you don't just replace what a seasoned veteran Davante Adams gave them overnight no matter which rookie WR it is. So this improved Defense will play a more significant role in helping them win football games next season.

[incognito_man]

18 minutes ago, DWhitehurst said:

Some are criticizing their "process" in this draft. I think they are missing some things. I think Gute targeted Walker leading up to the draft, and having already signed a 3 Tech DL Jarran Reed (though to just a one-year contract), they were planning on taking WR Watson at #28. But they didn't expect such a talented 3 Tech like Devonte Wyatt to still be there at #28, and he was too much value to pass up. Hence they decided to take Wyatt at #28 with a plan of trying to trade up with their picks 53&59 and still get WR Watson on Day One. I mean, rumour is that they tried to trade for Minnesota's pick at #32, and were declined (presumably because they didn't want Green Bay to have that 5th year option which 1st round players are under). So then they tried again at the beginning of Day Two, and Minnesota this time agreed to give them pick #34. It was a costly trade up that heavily favored the Vikings, but I think it all hinged around the fact that while the Packers knew they needed to get a good WR prospect, they felt they couldn't pass up the value of Wyatt at #28 and so they'd have to bite the bullet to still get Watson. I mean, they now have secured all the pieces they needed to play more Nickel Defense (4 DL, 2 LB, 5 CB/S) when they want to. Barring injuries, this should be the Packer's best defense they've had in quite a long time. Yes, the offense may not be as good, at least initially, though maybe not so much if one or more of these OLine prospects pan out. But that would've been the case even if they had drafted a WR anywhere in the first round--you don't just replace what a seasoned veteran Davante Adams gave them overnight no matter which rookie WR it is. So this improved Defense will play a more significant role in helping them win football games next season.

This is what it felt like to me. I bet if you told our staff we'd come out with Walker, Wyatt and Watson in the first 2 days they'd have been ecstatic. This draft feels like everything went the way they wanted it to.

[cannondale]

On 5/2/2022 at 10:46 AM, AlexGreen#20 said:

Quay Walker: D

I have little doubt that Walker will be a passable ILB. My hesitation about this pick predominantly stems from his position and the talent around him. If he doesn't become an elite off-ball LB, I'm not going to like the pick, just because the impact of off-ball LBs are less than other positions. Krys Barnes isn't the reason this team was losing games, so if Walker isn't the sort of guy that wins games, this is a tough pick.  

As far as his ability to become that ILB, Walker runs well and has the length to drop and play the zones and alleys, that alone has real value. But his ceiling will be determined by his instincts and his ability to see action and shed blocks in the run game. Georgia had so much talent on the Defensive Line that he was kept really clean all year. 

Making any definitive statement regarding his abilities in these facets of the game is difficult just due to a lack of plays where he was forced to make a quick call and dip under a blocker. Piecing these limited plays together, he has solid tape, but it's so scattered and there are so few of them that being confident about these abilities is difficult for me.

Guys that have phenomenal instincts and a real nose for the ball carrier tend to be very visible and rack up huge tackle stats. I didn't see that out of Walker. Part of it is undoubtedly due to his role in that defense, but it's something that gives me pause.

+

Devonte Wyatt: B

Age and a lack of statistical production scare the hell out of me, but the tape is good, and if you're going to draft a standout UT late in the first round, there's going to be some potential warts.

+

Christian Watson: B

You needed to take a body high here. Of the 2nd tier of guys, Watson has the highest ceiling and is arguably primed for the biggest Day 1 impact. 

+

Sean Rhyan: C

Adding another body to the interior. I don't think Rhyan will be ready to take over one of the Guard spots immediately, but he should be groomed to step in when Runyan inevitably walks. 

+

Zach Tom: A

I really like this pick. Tom has a very developed game, he just lacks some strength. Whether he can gain that strength in an NFL weight room will determine his career path. If he can put on some weight enough to develop an NFL anchor, he has Bakhtiari potential. He's a darkhorse candidate to be the RT of the future pending an Elgton Jenkins extension. 

+

Kingsley Enagbare: D

Enagbare reminds me a lot of a poor man's Nick Perry. In order to succeed in the NFL, he's going to need to be a power rusher because his get off and his bend are sub par, but he likes to speed rush around the edge. He lacks Perry's top tier explosiveness however. He's going to need to develop some very crafty moves and handwork if he's going to succeed. Personally I don't see it.  

+

Tariq Carpenter: C

ST body with some potential defensive upside.

+

Jonathan Ford: D

Another fatty with some odd potential. I just don't really see the upside that a guy like Slaton has, and realistically how many of these prospects are we working to develop at a time?

+

Rasheed Walker: B

Athleticism and upside is there. He played well in college, he just needs A LOT of refinement. When Yosh Nijman inevitably leaves us for greener pastures, Walker has the potential to play in that swing spot. 

+

Samori Toure: B

I like this pick. He balled out at the FCS levels and then remained productive while at Nebraska (which isn't easy to do). If he makes the team, he'll cut his teeth on Special Teams for a year. 

1st Round Picks: 4 Credit

2nd Round Picks: 3 Credit

3rd-4th Round Picks: 2 Credit

5th-7th Round Picks: 1 Credit

Walker: 4 x 1.0 = 4

Wyatt: 4 x 3.0 = 12

Watson: 3 x 3.0 = 9

Rhyan: 2 x 3.0 = 6

Tom: 2 x 4.0 = 8

Enagbare: 1 x 1.0 = 1

Carpenter: 1 x 2.0 = 2

Ford: 1 x 1.0 = 1

Walker: 1 x 3.0 = 3

Toure: 1 x 3.0 = 3

= 49 credit points/20 credits = 2.45 GPA

C+ Draft

 

you skipped Doubs

[Scoremore]

3 hours ago, incognito_man said:

This just feels like it's going to be a historic draft. I dunno why. But it does.

I need @Outpost31 to weigh in on this. He gets those same feels I do.

Of all of Gute's draft classes this is the one I'm most high on.  Looking back usually 2-3 keepers.  2019 Gary, Savage, and Jenkins was probably his best.  Year too early to judge the others.  This draft Wyatt and Watson pretty sure are going to hit.  Walker?  dunno.  We'll land at least one starter from those 3 OL picks.  3-5 hits maybe?  Who knows.  Always try to temper enthusiasm but yah it does feel like it's going to be a real good one.  Be fun to look back in 3 years see who cuts it and who busts.  Enagbare as my surprise hit from the late rounders.  Reed was an intriguing pick too...

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/lists/packers-draft-history-picks-general-manager-brian-gutekunst-first-round-2022-nfl-draft/

Always kinda brutal looking back.  Burks, Jackson, Moore all busts in 2018.  Just never know.

[squire12]

10 minutes ago, Scoremore said:

Of all of Gute's draft classes this is the one I'm most high on.  Looking back usually 2-3 keepers.  2019 Gary, Savage, and Jenkins was probably his best.  Year too early to judge the others.  This draft Wyatt and Watson pretty sure are going to hit.  Walker?  dunno.  We'll land at least one starter from those 3 OL picks.  3-5 hits maybe?  Who knows.  Always try to temper enthusiasm but yah it does feel like it's going to be a real good one.  Be fun to look back in 3 years see who cuts it and who busts.  Enagbare as my surprise hit from the late rounders.  Reed was an intriguing pick too...

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/lists/packers-draft-history-picks-general-manager-brian-gutekunst-first-round-2022-nfl-draft/

Always kinda brutal looking back.  Burks, Jackson, Moore all busts in 2018.  Just never know.

Help to have draft capital 

[TransientTexan]

The way I look at it is that of the 19 first-round (or pseudo-first-round: J.Nelson/K.King) picks GB has made from 05-21, about 1/3 of them are immediately good in yr1. So the odds are that at least 1 of Walker/Wyatt/Watson will be good immediately. So we’ll either have a stud DT to pair with Clark, a stud ILB to pair with Campbell, or a stud WR to significantly patch the WR hole. Since 2 of those 3 picks are on the front-7, it’s probably more likely that it falls in that direction, so we could see an immediate upgrade in run defense. 
 

Additionally, there could be offensive improvements on the run game. Sammy Watkins has one of the best run-blocking grades amongst all WR’s over the past 3 yr, and one of the better attributes scouts have highlighted about christian Watson is the run-blocking. Combined that with the fact that they still have Lewis, and the team’s perimeter blocking could be very good, right when Dillon should be hitting his prime. 
 

So GB may have improved in the run game, both offensively and defensively. 

 

 

[spilltray]

The "Rodgers doesn't throw to rookie WR" thing is so massively overblown it's just silly. He does and has, just not the ones fans have wanted so it gets ignored. He throws to the guys who he knows where they are going to be. For a rookie that means guys who run routes consistently. He never likes throwing to guys like Jeff Janis because he could run the same route 10 times, 10 different ways, different points and feet, different angles, different acceleration, ect. I have no idea which type Watson is, I haven't seen anything but highlight clips, but if he's consistent, he will get targets. If he isn't, he will have to learn how to be.

Edited May 4, 2022 by spilltray