Packers Huddle

Gotta say, less than two weeks out and I have *no sense* of who the pick at 23 will be.

Two drafts ago, I narrowed it down to about 4 guys, one of which was LVN (the other three: JSN, B. Jones, N. Smith). Last draft, I had an inkling about the Morgan pick; he was getting Rd. 1 buzz a few days before the draft, and he felt like a Packer type prospect all day to me.

This year, truly no clue. I would rule out QB, RB, and S. But honestly, you could tell me they will make any other type of pick, even picks that go against their usual prototypes like a Mike Green, and I can't tell you you'll be wrong with any real confidence.

Labrev wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 09:43

Gotta say, less than two weeks out and I have *no sense* of who the pick at 23 will be.

Two drafts ago, I narrowed it down to about 4 guys, one of which was LVN (the other three: JSN, B. Jones, N. Smith). Last draft, I had an inkling about the Morgan pick; he was getting Rd. 1 buzz a few days before the draft, and he felt like a Packer type prospect all day to me.

This year, truly no clue. I would rule out QB, RB, and S. But honestly, you could tell me they will make any other type of pick, even picks that go against their usual prototypes like a Mike Green, and I can't tell you you'll be wrong with any real confidence.

I haven't listened to/read any Packers-specific blogosohere stuff. They usually have some solid inklings. What're Lombardi Ave and Cheesehead TV and Andy Herman saying about the likely pick?

The sense I get is the Packers want an edge but are preparing for all of them to be gone and settling for a WR. Something TT was famous for was needing a NT and always overdrafted one. I would not be thrilled with Kenneth Grant.

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 11:37

The sense I get is the Packers want an edge but are preparing for all of them to be gone and settling for a WR. Something TT was famous for was needing a NT and always overdrafted one. I would not be thrilled with Kenneth Grant.

Lupe which EDGE(s?) are you rooting for?

Someone NO ONE is talking about for the Packers and someone I am starting to move higher and higher on my wish list is Grey Zabel. He is basically a nastier version of Graham Barton from a year ago who I was enamored with. I think you can play him at RG or first off the bench on the interior this season and then he can take over for Jenkins next year, but also someone with true 5-position versatility. They just can't continue with that Jenkins contract with other mouths to feed. I think Gute has also been burned a handful of times now on 3rd-contracts. It's tough to say good bye, but what was the old mantra? Better to move on a year too early than a year too late.

NCF wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 12:12

Someone NO ONE is talking about for the Packers and someone I am starting to move higher and higher on my wish list is Grey Zabel. He is basically a nastier version of Graham Barton from a year ago who I was enamored with. I think you can play him at RG or first off the bench on the interior this season and then he can take over for Jenkins next year, but also someone with true 5-position versatility. They just can't continue with that Jenkins contract with other mouths to feed. I think Gute has also been burned a handful of times now on 3rd-contracts. It's tough to say good bye, but what was the old mantra? Better to move on a year too early than a year too late.

I wanted Barton as a rugged and athletic iOL with Center probability last year. Then we moved Jenkins to C, drafted Jordan Morgan who appears to be a RG thus far, and spent big money on a LG. Would be tough to justify more high-value resources going to the interior. I could come around on Zabel if he's the pick, but I sure won't root for it.

If we're looking at someone to be first off the bench for a year and then take over, might as well take a guy later who could use the year of development. I personally like the idea of moving Texas Tech OT Caleb Rogers inside to C. He had the best short shuttle at the combine, which really matters inside. He only has 32.5 inch arms, which lends itself to the interior. He's 6'4 1/2", 312, so good size but not too big or tall for the pivot. He seems like as easy of a projection inside as Barton or Zabel would be, and you can get him with a 4th or 5th?

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 11:44

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 11:37

The sense I get is the Packers want an edge but are preparing for all of them to be gone and settling for a WR. Something TT was famous for was needing a NT and always overdrafted one. I would not be thrilled with Kenneth Grant.

Lupe which EDGE(s?) are you rooting for?

Im starting to cool off on tis edge class. Mykel Williams has grown on me. Too many tools not be a force on the edge but might never be elite. I cant imagine a team not taking him earlier than us. Really gives me Jadeveon Clowney vibes. Shemar Stewart I think is in the same boat.

Mike Green worries me. The guy is always falling down and making shoestring tackles when he could just drive through for tackles. Really good pass rush moves. Didnt like his run defense at all against the little better competition he did play. Worth the pick at 23 though just for the pass rush potential.

Guys going outside the first or borderline that I like. Id take Landon Jackson. I think hes going to need some time but hes so toolsy.

Not a fan of Jalon Walker. Just too small and not enough experience off the edge for me to want to take that risk. I think he will be gone anyways. I see the hype because hes an athletic freak but I dont see how some of these teams with massive lineman dont just run right at him.

Some late round guys I like is Jordan Burch. Hes 23 so a bit older but hes a total package edge who can rush the passer and play the run. Has the size we seem to like. Femi Oladejo is a potential boom/bust type of edge. Hes new to the position but highly athletic and makes plays. Antwaan Powell-Ryland is my sleeper of the draft. To me hes the same player as Ezereiruaku but going a few rounds later.

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 13:03

Some late round guys I like is Jordan Burch. Hes 23 so a bit older but hes a total package edge who can rush the passer and play the run. Has the size we seem to like. Femi Oladejo is a potential boom/bust type of edge. Hes new to the position but highly athletic and makes plays. Antwaan Powell-Ryland is my sleeper of the draft. To me hes the same player as Ezereiruaku but going a few rounds later.

I agree Burch is kinda our type, but I don't know if we want everyone to be the same type or not. How do you feel about Ezereiruaku? He's got significantly longer arms than your sleeper version to make up for his lack of height, but both seem to be skilled rushers with their hands. Is the extra length and burst worth spending a top 40 pick? Is Ezereiruaku a good value at 23 or only with a trade down?

I'm similarly intrigued by the boom/bust of Oladejo but I also feel like we kinda have to get this guy right this year. We dewsperately need a 3rd edge (let alone a second if LVN keeps looking like he's looked, but I'm mildly optimistic)

I worry about Mykell Williams. It seems like every year UGA has a couple high picks coming out and one of them is The Guy on their defense (Roquan, Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, etc). And we always take The Other Guy. I don't love how that's worked out for us. Jalon Walker, whether he can translate to the NFL or not... he's The Guy.

I don't really see it with Landon Jackson at all. I know he could become something but he seems like more of an edge setter than a pass rusher at the next level, to be honest. I just don'[t see as much burst as I'd want.


Thanks for the comments. I'm really struggling to find a guy at this critical position in a "deep" class that I actually love.

I really like Ezeiruaku, especially with the Hafley connection. Another mid-round guy I really like is Princely Umanmielen. I know these are not the Packers typical type, but I could really see that shifting a bit this year. Especially just to mix a guy like this in with their preferred body type. I do really like Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams, but have a feeling both could be gone and those are really the only two I want after Carter and Walker. Bradyn Swinson is another mid-Round guy I like that is more our size profile, but still is more of a speed guy.

NCF wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 14:06

I really like Ezeiruaku, especially with the Hafley connection. Another mid-round guy I really like is Princely Umanmielen. I know these are not the Packers typical type, but I could really see that shifting a bit this year. Especially just to mix a guy like this in with their preferred body type. I do really like Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams, but have a feeling both could be gone and those are really the only two I want after Carter and Walker. Bradyn Swinson is another mid-Round guy I like that is more our size profile, but still is more of a speed guy.

We're on a similar page this year. i want a counter to our type; a complement to it. Not more of the same. So the game guys are jumping out to me. I don't really trust Stewart or Mykel, though.

Another guy you might like is Ashton Gillotte from Louisville; maybe a 3rd rounder. Not far from the other two "mid-rounder" guys you mentioned might actually go.

What do we think of Pearce? Seems high risk/high reward?

If Mykel Williams is there GB absolutely takes him. This guy is still only 20 years old and came to UGA as a full grown man. Freshman all American. Last year he didn't have big numbers but that's kind of a Georgia thing with their rotation and he was also hurt with an ankle. Just watch the game against Texas. He was by far the best player on the field. 2 sacks and 6 pressures I believe. Nobody could slow him down.

Coaches rave about his work ethic and leadership. He is only getting started.

I mean whether it’s draft or FA Gutenbumst has repeatedly taken the same guy. Even with Z and P he still drafted the same type in Gary instead of the leaner prospect in Burns. Even when we had Gary and P on the roster he gets the same type in LVN. I don’t think he’s going to switch it up. For better or for worse he has types he rarely goes outside of.

I completely forgot we signed Aaron Banks (probably because I want to forget that contract) so my emphasis on drafting OL may have been a little overkill. Probably don’t need three of them this year.

But the more I look around, the more I think we’re taking the NC St OT Anthony Belton on Day two. In for a visit. Senior Bowl standout. Hits our OL size and agility thresholds for an OT. Is 330+ pounds. Can play OT but took snaps at OG and looked natural.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 21:34

But the more I look around, the more I think we’re taking the NC St OT Anthony Belton on Day two. In for a visit. Senior Bowl standout. Hits our OL size and agility thresholds for an OT. Is 330+ pounds. Can play OT but took snaps at OG and looked natural.

NCF wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 14:06

I really like Ezeiruaku, especially with the Hafley connection. Another mid-round guy I really like is Princely Umanmielen. I know these are not the Packers typical type, but I could really see that shifting a bit this year. Especially just to mix a guy like this in with their preferred body type. I do really like Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams, but have a feeling both could be gone and those are really the only two I want after Carter and Walker. Bradyn Swinson is another mid-Round guy I like that is more our size profile, but still is more of a speed guy.

WAlker, fav draft pick,massive production potential, born leader
Green, very polished edge
Ezeiruaku, another polished edge rusher.

all 3 probably more suited to play wide 9 in 3-4, however they produce, and I'am tired of drafting edge to play the run, pass rush ability trumps containment imho, thats what off ball lbers are for, jmo.

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 19:20

I mean whether it’s draft or FA Gutenbumst has repeatedly taken the same guy. Even with Z and P he still drafted the same type in Gary instead of the leaner prospect in Burns. Even when we had Gary and P on the roster he gets the same type in LVN. I don’t think he’s going to switch it up. For better or for worse he has types he rarely goes outside of.

I sure hope thats not the case again, we put so much emphasis in containment and stopping the run that we forfeited pass rush to do it, in reality, ya either go after the QB, handing containment to off ball players, or ya do what we did most of last year and wait to make sure it's not a run play, then attempt to get after the QB, we all saw the results of that, the least total team pressures in years.

we need to draft a player with the ability to sack the QB and get 40 to 50 pressures and I don't see that in 6.5 280lb Stewart, 4.5 sacks in 3 years of college ball, jmo.

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2025 19:20

I mean whether it’s draft or FA Gutenbumst has repeatedly taken the same guy. Even with Z and P he still drafted the same type in Gary instead of the leaner prospect in Burns. Even when we had Gary and P on the roster he gets the same type in LVN. I don’t think he’s going to switch it up. For better or for worse he has types he rarely goes outside of.

I get this and i see this, but I also think with such small sample sizes (draft picks, in general) it's hard to really know the guidelines. Take WR for instance. Back when everyone did 3-cone drills, it was very easy to spot a "Packers" WR. A few years back, CheeseheadTV published a list of 9 WRs in the draft that were "Tier One Packers Types" and a year later 4 of those 9 were on the roster. There was "a type."

But included in that type are Davonte Adams and Dontavian Wicks; but also MVS, EQSB, and Christian Watson. Randall Cobb and Jayden Reed were both considered slight variations from our type, but they were very close and only were missing height, which showed that maybe our "type" was wider than we thought. Just like our CBs were "always 5'11"" until we took someone shorter and then it was 5' 10 1/2", as long as it rounded to 5'11". Then we took Jaire and it was "ok, it's at least 5'10"" OR was it an exception?


The point is that maybe we have only taken EDGE guys lately that fit one version of our type. But maybe there are a set of traits that are guiding these picks that are less limiting than we think.

UPDATE: I already wrote this whole post so I might as well post it because the logic is sound, but I just looked at LVN, Gary, Enegbare, J. Garvin, ZaDarius, and Preston and whew, tough to argue that our type is in fact as limiting as we think.

This EDGE discussion illustrates what has always been a pet-peeve of mine, how the draft is sometimes talked about as if Gute makes picks like how we as fans put together mock drafts. I really don't think it has much to do with "his types" at a given position or another.

The schemes we run on O and D dictate what "our type" more than really anything else. There are other factors, but that's most important. In that sense, I feel like sometimes it's not really Gute making our draft pick, but sometimes it is really MLF, is Bisaccia, or whoever is D-Coord, who makes the pick.

Like for example, when we picked Josiah Deguara, I really feel like MLF probably had more to do with that pick than anyone else. He wanted a Kyle Juscyzk (sp?) for his offense. Didn't work out, but that was probably the vision.

This team taking big EDGE guys directly correlates with the scheme we have run on defense. In the Capers defense, you could take lighter, explosive players who win on speed and explosion rather than power, like Clay. If we had brought in that type of player to play EDGE under Pettine, they would have gotten killed. Ditto the Barry scheme, and up to this point, I do not see Hafley's scheme accommodating that type of player at DE, at least from what I have seen of his defense thus far.

We have not, mind you, seen much actual drafting of down-linemen since Hafley was hired to get an idea of what we look for there, and I will concede to you that there sometimes seems to be a disconnect between FO and Coaching Staff in our draft picks (the Quay and Wyatt picks did not make sense for Joe Barry's D), but we can go by the way he has run the defense, which to me indicates that you need power to play DE in this D. I don't see a lightweight having much success in the defense we ran last year, unless they are strictly relegated to a pass-rush specialist role, ala KGB.

And Gute also tellingly said that they don't plan to get lighter at EDGE. GMs do not typically telegraph what they plan to do in a draft, so I get that we have to take their words with a grain of salt, but I don't see us making that kind of statement and then drafting a Donovan Ezeiraku (sp?) or Mike Green. Sometimes they say this stuff to set expectations, not just confuse other teams.

Labrev wrote: ↑

16 Apr 2025 09:52

And Gute also tellingly said that they don't plan to get lighter at EDGE. GMs do not typically telegraph what they plan to do in a draft, so I get that we have to take their words with a grain of salt, but I don't see us making that kind of statement and then drafting a Donovan Ezeiraku (sp?) or Mike Green. Sometimes they say this stuff to set expectations, not just confuse other teams.

Didn't he also basically say we've invested so much there that we have what we have, so to speak?

He usually doesn't outright lie, so it may be the case that EDGE just isn't a draft priority, but I'd imagine we get some somewhere along the line.

As for weight, like, I could imagine a scenario where, like, arm length, and testing numbers like the broad jump and the shuttles matter a lot and it has resulted in bigger players, but then you get a guy from BC where the tape is great, the arms are 34", the broad is in the Gary/LVN/Enegbare range (119 inches compared to 118 and 120 for those guys) and it actually is still "a fit" even though the height and weight don't align.


Now, I'm imagining that scenario because I want it to be true, not because I have any evidence that it is. But still, I could imagine it.

Like, if you only look at THIS part of the chart, without height, names, and weights (Ezeiruaku didn't run), doesn't he fit right in?