2024 NFL Draft Discussion

[Sandy]

Seems like the team is awfully interested in UTs this year, which I find odd since Clark, Wyatt and Brooks already naturally fill that position. 

Unless they've looked at this year's crop of big boys and figured Clark can play a lot of snaps at nose and they'd be remiss to miss out on this excellent draft crop of athletic UTs.

[Scoremore]

5 minutes ago, skibrett15 said:

I just don't see DeJean as a fit for the Packers style.  He doesn't fit the measurables as a CB which would warrant the draft slot as a more premium position.  So he'll be evaluated as a safety IMO.  And GB doesn't usually go S in the first round, especially not as a project type player.  I think the player seems really good but I don't think our staff will take that kind of a swing.

 

 

Guyton should be the pick if he's there at the slot - athletic tackle prospect.  Hopefully he is there.

Agree.  My main concern is he broke his leg.  Can't just assume he'll come back the same.  Unfortunate but I wouldn't risk it in the 1st round.  Not a lot of experience at S either.  If he's 100% back to form well I wouldn't be too upset but there are other prospects and as good as this OT class is seems the way to go in Rd 1. 

[squire12]

23 minutes ago, Sandy said:

Seems like the team is awfully interested in UTs this year, which I find odd since Clark, Wyatt and Brooks already naturally fill that position. 

Unless they've looked at this year's crop of big boys and figured Clark can play a lot of snaps at nose and they'd be remiss to miss out on this excellent draft crop of athletic UTs.

if Clark isn't on the team in 2025, IDL becomes an option early

[Sandy]

30 minutes ago, skibrett15 said:

I just don't see DeJean as a fit for the Packers style.  He doesn't fit the measurables as a CB which would warrant the draft slot as a more premium position.  So he'll be evaluated as a safety IMO.  And GB doesn't usually go S in the first round, especially not as a project type player.  I think the player seems really good but I don't think our staff will take that kind of a swing.

 

 

Guyton should be the pick if he's there at the slot - athletic tackle prospect.  Hopefully he is there.

Not only is he around the same size as the others Packers corners, but they used a first round pick on a safety just a few years ago. In fact, they love taking DBs in the first in general. 

He's also a plug-and-play starter with his instincts and athleticism. Certainly not a project compared to some of the other DBs.

I just don't see any actual argument against DeJean. He's a natural fit. The question is where does he fall on the Packers board - it could be behind a Guyton, for all we know. 

[Sandy]

31 minutes ago, Scoremore said:

Agree.  My main concern is he broke his leg.  Can't just assume he'll come back the same.  Unfortunate but I wouldn't risk it in the 1st round.  Not a lot of experience at S either.  If he's 100% back to form well I wouldn't be too upset but there are other prospects and as good as this OT class is seems the way to go in Rd 1. 

This is fair, as injuries have turned me completely off Payton Wilson this year. I ammend my prior comment saying there is "no" good reason the Packers may pass on him. 

 

But for me I'm still fully in on DeJean, and I'll be disappointed when he goes like 18th overall. 

Edited March 22 by Sandy

[HighCalebR]

29 minutes ago, skibrett15 said:

I just don't see DeJean as a fit for the Packers style.  He doesn't fit the measurables as a CB which would warrant the draft slot as a more premium position.  So he'll be evaluated as a safety IMO.  And GB doesn't usually go S in the first round, especially not as a project type player.  I think the player seems really good but I don't think our staff will take that kind of a swing.

 

 

Guyton should be the pick if he's there at the slot - athletic tackle prospect.  Hopefully he is there.

They've went safety in the 1st twice in the last what ten years. And then Jones in the 2nd. So I think skilled DBs are squarely in Gutes radar.

But I agree. Bring me Guyton.

[vegas492]

1 hour ago, skibrett15 said:

I just don't see DeJean as a fit for the Packers style.  He doesn't fit the measurables as a CB which would warrant the draft slot as a more premium position.  So he'll be evaluated as a safety IMO.  And GB doesn't usually go S in the first round, especially not as a project type player.  I think the player seems really good but I don't think our staff will take that kind of a swing.

 

 

Guyton should be the pick if he's there at the slot - athletic tackle prospect.  Hopefully he is there.

Respectfully, I could not disagree with a post more than this one.

Dejean is 6'1'' 207 pounds.  Lord knows how he will really test, but from looking at tape, he should test just fine.  

 

GB doesn't usually go safety in the first round?  Ha Ha and Savage blow that theory out of the water.  When we need a safety, we most definitely utilize the draft.  And we do need a safety.

 

Guyton.... 6'8'' 327.  He's very tall.  Very raw.  Only really played RT.  Highly athletic...and dare I say, a project.  And?  We've taken projects in the first round before.  Recently LVN.  Gary prior.  But I can't really recall us taking an OL project in the first round.  Even Sherrod was much more polished coming out.

Maybe we do like the athletic profile to take him at #25.  But I really hope not.  If we go OL, I want to trade up for Fashanu, if he's close to us.  Or I want a guy who can also play guard.  If we take an OL in the first, that kid has to compete to start right away, somewhere.

[OneTwoSixFive]

55 minutes ago, vegas492 said:

Guyton.... 6'8'' 327.  He's very tall.  Very raw.  Only really played RT.  Highly athletic...and dare I say, a project.  And?  We've taken projects in the first round before.  Recently LVN.  Gary prior.  But I can't really recall us taking an OL project in the first round.  Even Sherrod was much more polished coming out.

Maybe we do like the athletic profile to take him at #25.  But I really hope not.  If we go OL, I want to trade up for Fashanu, if he's close to us.  Or I want a guy who can also play guard.  If we take an OL in the first, that kid has to compete to start right away, somewhere.

I see Guyton much as I see Mims, The Packers don't seem to like the really big OTs early (though they will take a chance late, as with Caleb Jones). I'd rather see them pick Barton and go with the "Oh God, his arms are 1/8th" under 33". I rather like Barton and would have him, or Fautanu, over Guyton.

I get the feeling that if Guyton was 6'5", 320 (a very nice size for an OT) and as raw as he is, he would be a much later pick. Rasheed Walker was 6'6", 313, 33 5/8ths arms, raw, very athletic, with heavy hands and lasted to round 7.

 

Edited March 22 by OneTwoSixFive

[PossibleCabbage]

I am genuinely unclear what other people are seeing when they look at Cooper Dejean.  He's got the size, length, coverage skills, and speed to play outside cornerback.  He's probably not *as* fast as like Stokes pre-injury or Jaire, but those are 4.3 guys and you don't need to run a 4.3 to play cornerback.  

If you want to make the argument that he's an odd fit for this defense it has to do with how Iowa ran mostly zone-match out of quarters when he was there.  We haven't really seen him come down and press much, which apparently is a thing they're going to do more.

Guyton to me just seems like the Top Shelf Rasheed Walker.

[Chili]

Regarding drafting Slot Corners early, ACME Packing Company website has poured cold water on this possibility just by looking at Nixon's contract.

Quote

Earlier this week, it was reported that Nixon’s three-year contract functionally acts as a two-year, $13 million deal that gives the Packers an option to bring him back for $5 million in 2026. In total, his three-year, $18 million contract will pay him an average of $6 million per season.

What does that mean in the context of slot defenders, though? Is that a lot? Is that a little? There’s little available data out there on what slot defenders are paid, as the NFL does not classify the position directly. So while Nixon played the second-most amount of snaps of any slot defender in the league in 2023, his contract details are often still bucketed and compared with fellow cornerbacks — who for the most part play on the perimeter.

That’s why I went on a deep dive into slot defenders and contract terms to shed some light on where Nixon ends up falling in that specific market. I took a look at the 32 most-played slot defenders from the 2023 NFL season and only five of them are signed to veteran contracts that pay out half as much on a per-year basis as Nixon’s $6 million.

Those defenders are Jalen Thompson ($12 million), Taron Johnson ($10.3 million), Kenny Moore II ($10 million), Mike Hilton ($6 million) and Josh Metellus ($4 million). It should be noted here that Thompson is the Arizona Cardinals’ full-time starter at safety who simply kicks down to the slot in nickel sets. He’s a bit of an outlier, as the other defenders are primarily slot corners.

So out of true slot corners on veteran contracts, Nixon’s $6 million per year average is tied for the third most in the league behind only Johnson and Moore, who both also signed contract extensions during the 2024 free agency period. So there you have it: Nixon’s being paid like a top-three player at his position. If you’re wondering if the Packers are really going to push Nixon for that starting slot defender job, that should answer the question.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2024/3/22/24108913/green-bay-packers-2024-depth-chart-update-keisean-nixon-starting-slot-contract-analysis-free-agency

Edited March 22 by Chili

[packfanfb]

33 minutes ago, PossibleCabbage said:

I am genuinely unclear what other people are seeing when they look at Cooper Dejean.  He's got the size, length, coverage skills, and speed to play outside cornerback.  He's probably not *as* fast as like Stokes pre-injury or Jaire, but those are 4.3 guys and you don't need to run a 4.3 to play cornerback.  

If you want to make the argument that he's an odd fit for this defense it has to do with how Iowa ran mostly zone-match out of quarters when he was there.  We haven't really seen him come down and press much, which apparently is a thing they're going to do more.

Guyton to me just seems like the Top Shelf Rasheed Walker.

I think the biggest point about the "DeJean-boundary CB" debate is the sentiment that he has stiffer hips (or at least that he's not twitchy there like you'd want for a boundary guy playing a lot of man coverage). 

I think DeJean is going to thrive in any type of zone coverage, whether that's Cover-3 on the boundary (which we could see a lot anyways), or as an inside defender (slot, SS) where his eyes are on the QB. 

Overall, I think the debate is silly anyways. DeJean is going to make you a better defense if you have him on the field. Just pick a spot, and ideally he's a guy you'd want to move around anyways and put him in a position to make plays. 

[packfanfb]

11 minutes ago, Chili said:

Regarding drafting Slot Corners early, ACME Packing Company website has poured cold water on this possibility just by looking at Nixon's contract.

Every team needs more than one slot guy. Again, in today's NFL, having good slot CBs is just as important as having boundary guys. Half of the top WRs (or more) in the league primarily play in the slot (Kupp, Amon Ra). Signing Nixon won't stop the Packers from drafting Jarrian Jones in the 2nd/3rd if he's there and they like him. 

Edited March 22 by packfanfb

[PossibleCabbage]

10 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

he has stiffer hips

Watch the man return punts- he does *not* have stiff hips.  His CoD skills are actually why they were giving him looks on offense (which is the context in which he got hurt in practice.

[packfanfb]

Just now, PossibleCabbage said:

Watch the man return punts- he does *not* have stiff hips.  His CoD skills are actually why they were giving him looks on offense (which is the context in which he got hurt in practice.

I'm interested to see if he does a full workout on April 15. Seeing his shuttle/3-cone would pretty much answer a lot of those questions. 

[ThatJerkDave]

5 hours ago, packfanfb said:

Mizzou it is. 

If it is worth anything, I believe Mo State and teams like Northwest also have some guys there.  Rumor is that TO's son is at MO State and at the pro day as well. The rumor was that TO and DK Metcalf were there together.  Who knows why... just sharing rumors.