For those of you looking for my Draft Grade on the PACKERS you have come to the wrong place. I find Draft grading, especially this soon, almost as useless as Mock Drafts. But I think it might be useful to really hard core Draft and NFL fans if I shed a little light on what teams did in the 2016 Draft and how it stacks up with the predictions of some pretty savvy Draft experts. I will go through each pick for the PACKERS and then show you where those players were ranked by COLIN LINDSAY @ GBN REPORT & DAN SHONKA @ OURLADS.com . So let’s give it a spin here.
KENNY CLARK/DT/UCLA 6’3/314 5.05/40 29 BP REPS 10″ HANDS/32 1/8″ ARMS
CLARK looks like a good fit for a team that uses a 2-man front as much as any team in the League. CLARK will likely share the Nose with GUION, in DOM CAPERS base scheme, and then stay on the field as one of their 2 DL most of the time. Some teams would say CLARK lacks length with arms under 33″ long, but length has never been an issue for GM TED THOMPSON. The former HS wrestler uses strength and gap quickness to make plays in opponents’ backfields. Should be an instant upgrade to their DL group, earning plenty of reps.
Pick #27 GBN Rank: 43 Ourlads Rank: 23
JASON SPRIGGS/OT/INDIANA 6’5/301 4.94/40 31 BP Reps 10 1/8″ Hands/34 1/8″ Arms
TED THOMPSON traded up to get a shot at SPRIGGS. Projects as a starter in the near future and a good value as a back-up immediately. Has very good functional strength. Note his 31 reps with 34+” arms. Looks a bit stiff at times and must work on his knee bend in pass pro. My guess is the PACK will try to get his weight up to about 315 lbs if possible. Active hand use in pass pro, but lacks a jolting punch at this time. May fight to start at LT by 2017.
Pick #48 GBN Rank: 27 Ourlads Rank: 35
KYLER FACKRELL/OLB/UTAH STATE 6’5/245 4.72/40 15 BP Reps 10 1/8″ Hands/33 1/4″ Arms
A long rangy player who shows pass rush ability, but also the flexibility and athleticism to handle some coverage assignments. A mature player, who is a husband & father. Suffered an ACL tear in 2014, and at times in 2015 looked to be still working to recover his health 100%. Checked out medically ay the Combine and is expected to be even healthier for his Rookie pro season. Should give the PACK another outside pass-rusher, especially if PERRY and/or NEAL move on as VFA. Is likely to be used in multiple roles as he learns the defensive scheme.
Pick # 88 GBN Report: 53 Ourlads: 59
BLAKE MARTINEZ/ILB/STANFORD 6’2/237 4.71/40 22 BP Reps 10 7/8″ Hands/31 5/8″ Arms
This year’s candidate to buffer the ILB group. Not an exciting athlete, but an incredibly active/productive tackling machine. Plays faster than his Combine 40-time. He totaled 102 tackles as a senior and also grabbed 3 INT. His savvy and instincts for the ball make him a candidate to stay on the field in sub-packages, which has been a defensive achilles heel for the PACKERS D for quite some time now. Also look for big things from him on Special Teams.
Pick # 131 GBN Report: 165 Ourlads: 120
DEAN LOWRY/DE/NORTHWESTERN 6’6/296 4.87/40 30 BP reps 9 3/8″ Hands/31″ Arms
One of my personal favorites after watching him impact multiple games for the Wildcats as a 4-3 DE. He may be a more natural fit in a 3-4 scheme. High FBI and great energy. Saw him drop into pass coverage effectively in multiple games. In 2015 he notched 46 tackles, including 13.5 TFL. Another player who is athletic enough for DOM CAPERS to use in multiple roles. His biggest physical limitation will lie in his short arms. Was very sound and productive during Shrine Week practices and game action. Gives top effort on every snap.
Pick # 137 GBN Report: 125 Ourlads: 131
TREVOR DAVIS/WR/CALIFORNIA 6’1/188 4.42/40 38.5″ Vertical 10″ Hands/31″ Arms
DAVIS really pushed his name into prominence within the scouting community with his Kick Return ability the past two seasons at CAL. Has very god run-after-catch ability, but will need to bulk up a bit to absorb more contact at the NFL level. Plays faster than his 40-time indicates. In the Packers Offense he could round out their receiving corps depth chart if he can win the full-time job as a Kick Returner. Decent value at this Pick. Only skill-position draftee for the PACK this year.
Pick # 163 GBN Report: 307 Ourlads: 125
KYLE MURPHY/OT/STANFORD 6’6/305 9 3/4″ Hands/33 1/2″ Arms
Looks the part of a 4 position backup to me. Is a reasonably good player in pads but has serious limitations as an athlete. After a disappointing 2015 season by DON BARCLAY this guy could be their attempt to upgrade their primary utility OL slot. Has strong hands and placement, but is slow afoot both laterally and in reverse. Needs to get functionally stronger in an NFL weight room. They will try to pack on another 10 lbs of muscle. More likely to compete for a starting job inside with time.
Pick # 200 GBN Report: 131 Ourlads: 158
As you can see when comparing the rankings numbers from GBN Report and Ourlads, SHONKA and company think THOMPSON was much more consistent with drafting players at the right point in the Draft. For all 7 Picks OURLADS ranking system had the PACK taking players who they ranked even higher. COLIN LINDSAY of GBN saw some guys being a reach (like MARTINEZ & DAVIS), while others were good gets. But other than DAVIS most rankings seem to indicate that the Picks were high value. PACKERS fans rejoice! Two of the best in the biz would likely say the team did a solid job with their 2016 Draft Picks.
Pigskin Paul
Oh, I almost forgot to add my two cents. One of the best Drafts, on paper, that THOMPSON has had from start to finish in Green Bay. With the lack of skill position players chosen it may not be a glamorous looking bunch, but I like what these players should bring to the overall team roster.
