Green Bay Packers: Reflections on Day 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft and Possibilities on Day 2

[Bob Fox]

For the second year in a row, the Green Bay Packers selected a very good cornerback with nice upside with their first selection in the NFL draft.

Last year, the Packers traded out of Round 1 (pick No. 29) and picked cornerback Kevin King with pick No. 33.

Last night the Packers once again traded down and then up, this time with new general manager Brian Gutekunst running the show for the very first time. Green Bay had pick No. 14 and had a number of excellent prospects to select from, which included safety Derwin James of Florida State, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds of Virginia Tech and edge rusher Marcus Davenport of UTSA.

The Packers opted to trade back with the New Orleans Saints, which put the Packers at pick No. 27. The trade also garnered the Packers a fifth round selection in this draft (pick No. 147), plus a first-round pick from the Saints in the 2019 NFL draft.

Gutekunst showed his aggressiveness by trading back up, as he utilized his long association and friendship with John Schneider of the Seattle Seahawks. The Hawks were desperate to get a pick in either the second or third round, as they did not have one in either of those rounds. So the Packers traded their first round pick (pick No. 27), a third round pick (pick No. 76) and a sixth round pick (pick No. 186) to move up to pick No. 18 in the first round, plus got a seventh round pick (pick No. 248) from the Seahawks as well.

With that pick, the Packers selected cornerback Jaire Alexander of Louisville, who ran a 4.38 in the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. Speaking of scouts, NFL scout Chris Landry had Alexander ranked fourth on his cornerback draft board and gave him the same 6.4 grade that he gave Josh Jackson of Iowa. That 6.4 classification means potential starter and early second round value. Landry had Alexander ranked No. 37 on his horizontal draft board (best players regardless of position).

Here is the scouting report Landry put out on Alexander prior to the draft:

Tough, instinctive long corner with very good overall athletic ability. Quick burst, fluid hips. changes directions easily and can effectively play off or in press. Can mirror, anticipate and has good hands and and ball skills. He needs to improve his run strength. Not a very good wrap tackler and slow to shed blocks. Fast, fluid productive corner who with improved strength, technique and discipline can be an effective corner on the next level. Has played mostly on outside but has the fluidity and quickness to slide down over the slot. His return skills will add to his value.

Watching the draft unfold last night brought me back to last year’s draft. Then I had predicted that the Packers would select outside linebacker T.J. Watt in the first round in my final mock draft. Watt was there for the taking at pick No. 29 for the Packers, but Green Bay traded away that pick to Cleveland and on the very next pick (pick No. 30), the Pittsburgh Steelers picked Watt.

Watt ended up being named to the NFL All-Rookie team as he had seven sacks, seven passes defensed, a pick and a forced fumble.

Last night was a case of deja vu for me. I had predicted that the Packers would select Davenport in the first round in my final mock draft this year. Once again, Davenport was there for the taking. But alas, the Packers traded the pick to the Saints and Davenport was the player who New Orleans selected.

Time will tell if Davenport can have the same impact for the Saints this year as Watt had for the Steelers in 2017.

To see the rest of the story, please go to:

https://greenbaybobfox.wordpress.com/2018/04/27/green-bay-packers-reflections-on-day-1-of-the-2018-nfl-draft-and-possibilities-on-day-2/

[gizmo2012]

1 minute ago, Bob Fox said:

For the second year in a row, the Green Bay Packers selected a very good cornerback with nice upside with their first selection in the NFL draft.

Last year, the Packers traded out of Round 1 (pick No. 29) and picked cornerback Kevin King with pick No. 33.

Last night the Packers once again traded down and then up, this time with new general manager Brian Gutekunst running the show for the very first time. Green Bay had pick No. 14 and had a number of excellent prospects to select from, which included safety Derwin James of Florida State, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds of Virginia Tech and edge rusher Marcus Davenport of UTSA.

The Packers opted to trade back with the New Orleans Saints, which put the Packers at pick No. 27. The trade also garnered the Packers a fifth round selection in this draft (pick No. 147), plus a first-round pick from the Saints in the 2019 NFL draft.

Gutekunst showed his aggressiveness by trading back up, as he utilized his long association and friendship with John Schneider of the Seattle Seahawks. The Hawks were desperate to get a pick in either the second or third round, as they did not have one in either of those rounds. So the Packers traded their first round pick (pick No. 27), a third round pick (pick No. 76) and a sixth round pick (pick No. 186) to move up to pick No. 18 in the first round, plus got a seventh round pick (pick No. 248) from the Seahawks as well.

With that pick, the Packers selected cornerback Jaire Alexander of Louisville, who ran a 4.38 in the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. Speaking of scouts, NFL scout Chris Landry had Alexander ranked fourth on his cornerback draft board and gave him the same 6.4 grade that he gave Josh Jackson of Iowa. That 6.4 classification means potential starter and early second round value. Landry had Alexander ranked No. 37 on his horizontal draft board (best players regardless of position).

Here is the scouting report Landry put out on Alexander prior to the draft:

Tough, instinctive long corner with very good overall athletic ability. Quick burst, fluid hips. changes directions easily and can effectively play off or in press. Can mirror, anticipate and has good hands and and ball skills. He needs to improve his run strength. Not a very good wrap tackler and slow to shed blocks. Fast, fluid productive corner who with improved strength, technique and discipline can be an effective corner on the next level. Has played mostly on outside but has the fluidity and quickness to slide down over the slot. His return skills will add to his value.

Watching the draft unfold last night brought me back to last year’s draft. Then I had predicted that the Packers would select outside linebacker T.J. Watt in the first round in my final mock draft. Watt was there for the taking at pick No. 29 for the Packers, but Green Bay traded away that pick to Cleveland and on the very next pick (pick No. 30), the Pittsburgh Steelers picked Watt.

Watt ended up being named to the NFL All-Rookie team as he had seven sacks, seven passes defensed, a pick and a forced fumble.

Last night was a case of deja vu for me. I had predicted that the Packers would select Davenport in the first round in my final mock draft this year. Once again, Davenport was there for the taking. But alas, the Packers traded the pick to the Saints and Davenport was the player who New Orleans selected.

Time will tell if Davenport can have the same impact for the Saints this year as Watt had for the Steelers in 2017.

To see the rest of the story, please go to:

https://greenbaybobfox.wordpress.com/2018/04/27/green-bay-packers-reflections-on-day-1-of-the-2018-nfl-draft-and-possibilities-on-day-2/

Loved TJ Watt coming out but was happy with the need pick in King. Watt was a starter for the Steelers and he would not have been for the Packers, so the point is if he was on the Packers no way he makes the all rookie team. Seems the Packers 1st round pick this year looks very talented, but, unless they find a way to pressure the QB we will nto see much of a hnge in defense performance. Perhaps Petine has a scheme that fits the Packers better than the Capers scheme. Pray for that,.

[jleisher]

If the Packers would have drafted Watts last year, CMJ wouldn't be on the team in 2018.  Our biggest need would have been CB, not Edge, wait a minute, we drafted a CB and our #1 need this year is CB.  We lost out of an Edge rusher.

[OneTwoSixFive]

 

Bob Fox. "Bottom line, the Packers must focus on getting an edge rusher in the second round. A good pass rush will help the secondary problems that the team had last season."    ..............so (as you stated) you want one of Key, Landry, Carter or Okoronkwo.

That is a net cast too narrowly for my taste. Guys like TE Goedert, G Will Hernandez, OT Connor Williams (assuming medical clearance), WRs Miller and Washington, even a second CB like Josh Jackson, Isiah Oliver or Carlton Davis, they are all players who could be under consideration, instead of getting locked into a pass-rusher only box.

[Norm]

31 minutes ago, jleisher said:

If the Packers would have drafted Watts last year, CMJ wouldn't be on the team in 2018.  Our biggest need would have been CB, not Edge, wait a minute, we drafted a CB and our #1 need this year is CB.  We lost out of an Edge rusher.

Yeah because we still wouldn't need another corner or anything. All we did was lose Watt...

[Scoremore]

Key in the 2nd?  Not a chance.  Many mistakes are made by drafting for need.  Don't want to focus entirely on Edge we have other needs as well.  WR, TE, OL specifically.  Gute did go need in round 1 but extracted value and did not reach.   If indeed goes for edge would take the same approach.  Wouldn't trade up for Landry either.  He may well fall all the way to 45.

[Sasquatch]

Still pi$$ed we passed on Watt last year.

[Norm]

Pissed isn't censored

Pro life tip

[Joe]

You're damned if you do damned if you don't with Watt. We needed multiple pass rushers and multiple CB's heading into both last year's draft and this year's draft. Pick your poison...

[Blink]

Are we judging draft picks after one year now?

is Watt for sure a better player than King?

[PACKRULE]

10 minutes ago, Blink said:

Are we judging draft picks after one year now?

is Watt for sure a better player than King?

He was last year:) Hope this year is different. Drafts change by team. Pitt tends to sit at their spots and just take the BPA especially on defense and well look at them they are usually pretty strong. We tend to balance need and move around a bit more. Something to be said for both. I'm happy with our draft yesterday but would have been equally happy with Davenport at 14 as we need edge. With 2 first next year we may hedge our bets and replace both CM and Perry in next years first round.

[tredpack]

What is this? I get confused so easily now a days. 

Are you posting? What am I looking at?

I’m selling my house, anyone interested? We also have an old baby crib my wife wants to get rid of. Mint condition. 

 

#notpi$$ed

[Norm]

7 minutes ago, tredpack said:

What is this? I get confused so easily now a days. 

Are you posting? What am I looking at?

I’m selling my house, anyone interested? We also have an old baby crib my wife wants to get rid of. Mint condition. 

 

#notpi$$ed

#stopcensoringpisseditsnotcensored and lol at your post

I do need a house.