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With the NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror we take the Green Bay Packers "Off The Clock" with pick-by-pick analysis, the Bible's take and our grade.
(1-9) BJ Raji, DT (Boston College): Considered by many to be a top-five talent, Raji now finds himself as the new anchor along the Green Bay defensive line. The Justin Harrell experiment has been a bust, mostly due to injuries. Raji now becomes the anointed starter for the Pack Attack.
(1-26) Clay Matthews, OLB (USC): Draft pundits on press row were trying to figure out who the Packers wanted badly enough to trade up for and Matthews was their man. The former Trojan gives the Packers a high-octane ‘backer and with Raji, should improve the defense immediately. (Pick From Baltimore via New England)
(4-109) T.J. Lang, G (Eastern Michigan): A big, physical guard with a lot of upside, Lang should be able to contribute to the success of the Packers offensive line, as he can play both guard and tackle.
(5-145) Quinn Johnson, FB (LSU): The Packers needed to get depth at the FB position to help open holes for Ryan Grant who, when healthy, seemed to have trouble finding them. Green Bay is also intrigued by Johnson’s hands and feel he can be a receiving threat coming out of the backfield.
Pros: (5-162) Jamon Meredith, OT (South Carolina): Meredith is a versatile player that should be able to fill in at the RT, LT, and guard positions when needed. He needs to improve his physicality to become an every-down player at the next level. (Pick From Baltimore via New England)
(6-182) Jarius Wynn, DE (Georgia): Wynn will likely see only the practice squad in his rookie season. He needs to develop and polish his skills before playing on Sundays.
(6-187) Brandon Underwood, DB (Cincinnati): Will need to be mentored by veteran DB’s such as Atari Bigby. His ball skills needs refinement, but he shows promise for the future and if he listens to the veterans on his team, Underwood could become a solid NFL player. (Pick From New Orleans)
(7-218) Brad Jones, LB (Colorado): Jones is another product that needs polishing at his position. But with the help of A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett he has the ability to make it in the NFL.
Team Needs: DE, NT, CB, OT, OG
Needs Filled: Four of Five
Bible’s Take: The Packers knew that their offense was one of the best in the NFL last season, so they focused on making their defense better. They focused on their pass rush, which was in dire need of a D-Line help. Enter B.J. Raji. He was the best defensive lineman in the draft and the Packers pounced on him with their first overall pick. Then they went and grabbed one of the best linebackers in the draft in Clay Matthews, who will team up with linebacker studs A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett. Their defense got a much-needed boost from this draft and the only thing they missed out on was drafting a cornerback to eventually replace aging veteran Charles Woodson. The Packers did a great job overall of filling their needs and had one of the best, if not the best, drafts in the league.
Grade: A
Photo Credit: College Press Box (Boston College, Cincinnati)
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