Sunday, March 21st 2010 On The Sidelines

Here are some rumors that I have heard about.

RUMOR:


n.

A piece of unverified information of uncertain origin usually spread by word of mouth.
Unverified information received from another; hearsay.

Reading an e-mail I got from a close friend (and former scout) they believe that the Packers will stay at #23 in round 1. But, they seem to think that the Packers will try to deal up in round 3 or back into round 2 for a specific player.

The same person said that the insiders (and "experts") feelings about what the Packers possibly will do is different than most of us have been predicting and reporting. The thinking is that the Packers will continue to try to make their defense strong. They were shocked by the late season melt downs (breakdowns) on defense and want to take measures to not have a repeat in 2010.

The thought is the Packers will bring in another OLB and a versatile and quick safety. They also think that CB will be selected twice by the Packers and to watch them surprise everyone and add a powerful and strong DE in the early rounds (possibly 2 or 3). They want to be a tough, defensive minded team ala Pittsburgh.

I have heard that the Packers have scheduled workouts with these players:

Jerry Hughes-OLB-TCU
Darryl Washington-OLB-TCU
Jonathan Dwyer-RB-Georgia Tech
Morgan Burnett-S-Georgia Tech
Patrick Robinson-CB-Florida State
Sergio Kindle-OLB-Texas
Chris Cook-CB-Virginia
Reshad Jones-S-Georgia

The Packers also have had talks with these players at the Senior Bowl, Pro Days and/or Combine.

Taylor Mays-S-USC
Joe McKnight-RB-USC
John Jerry-OG/OT-Mississippi
Greg Hardy-DE-Mississippi
Shay Hodge-WR-Mississippi
Jerome Murphy-CB-South Florida
Major Wright-FS-Florida
Devin McCourty-CB/KR-Rutgers
Mike Johnson-LG-Alabama
Jason Fox-OT-Miami Florida
Kyle Wilson-CB-Boise St.
Dominique Franks-CB-Oklahoma
Trent Williams-OT-Oklahoma
A J Edds-OLB-Iowa
Kyle Calloway-RT-Iowa
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah-CB/KR-Indiana (PA)
Dexter McCluster-RB/WR/KR-Ole Miss

I have heard that the Packers really like the two Georgia Tech players (Dwyer and Burnett). Dwyer has a 3rd round grade from what I have heard and if he is there I wouldn't be shocked if he was the pick, He ran in the 4.4's at his pro day and showed nice hands and some extra "wiggle" and burst. Burnett has a 2nd round grade and is the type of safety that fits the athletic/quick/versatile safety that the Packers want (according to the source I mentioned earlier).

Patty (over at packer chatters) pointed out to me that once you think Ted Thompson is going in one direction, he goes the opposite. She also points out that "we need to see just where Ted Thompson and John Dorsey head out to. What schools they visit and then schedule those "secret meetings" that the media always find out about. His track record for the last 5 seasons (drafts) says he selects players he personally meets with in those trips and secret meetings."

The Chargers, Browns, Cowboys, Colts and Rams are teams that have talked to the Packers about moving back into round 1 or up in round 1. Thompson has been pretty good at having deals on the table (or already worked out) on draft day and making them happen to move up or back (depending on his board). Keep that in mind in this "deep" draft.

I have heard that the Chargers want to deal up for Ryan Matthews, while the Cowboys have their eyes on Iupati (G-Idaho) and Thomas (S-Tex). The Packers are the prime candidate to deal w/ because Thompson doesn't want to reach for an OL at that pick.

I have heard from a teammate of Taylor Mays that Mays thinks he'll end up in Green Bay and WANTS TO BE A PACKER. He said he feels that the Packers are the best "fit for his skill set" and would ultalize him better than any other team.

From what the player told me, Clay Mathews III and Clay Mathews Jr. have been asked by Thompson about Mays make-up, off-field personality and general information (since Mays is best friends w/ Mathews and is at the Mathews house all the time).

There is a thought that if Mays slips into round 2 that the Packers would deal up for him.

For the most part the Packers board has been done for a while (a couple months from what I was told). There are a few adjustments here and there, but it has been done. Thompson has just about EVERY DRAFT SCENARIO laid out and is prepared for just about anything.

Another player I heard the Packers are extremely high on is Iowa tackle Kyle Calloway. He is solid and steady and a natural in a "zone blocking" scheme.

The USC pro day will be interesting because I have heard that the Packers are looking hard at DE/OLB Everson Griffen. Griffen was the player Clay Matthews III took over for while at USC. The former Parade All American from the state of Arizona has the tools to be successful, but his attitude needs to improve and weight room strength needs to translate onto the football field more often.

Middle Tennessee State safety Anthony Levine is another player to keep an eye on during the later rounds of the draft. He ran a 4.43 forty and is a gritty player. According to the National Football Post, "hIs three-cone drill (6.64 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.05) and 60-yard shuttle (10.97) would have ranked first for any safety that worked out at the combine. Per our source, Levine's workout was conducted on a rough grass surface. According to a league source, Levine fastest time in the 40-yard dash was 4.43 seconds, unofficially, and he bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times. The 5-foot-11, 193-pounder also turned in a 35-inch vertical leap and a 9-6 broad jump. Several NFL teams sent representatives to Nashville, Tenn., to watch Levine perform, including Green Bay Packers executive Reggie McKenzie."


I was told by my close friend (and fellow writer here) that the Packers were in Fresno at the Fresno St. pro day and RB Ryan Matthews and CB A.J. Jefferson were the most watched.


Thanks for taking the time to read this and feel free to tell a friend about the site. Also, don't forget to sign-up for the forums (if you haven't already).

Joe Arrigo
joearrigo@joeslockerroom.com [url=index.php?name=Pro_News&aid=129]full article[/url].

---

If Taylor Mays is there in the 2nd round...I'd be happy if Ted took him.

If we secure a 2nd rounder for Colledge and eat up that pick for Mays, I'm still happy.

If Ted trades away picks to move up in the 2nd to get him, I'm probably going to be pissed.

If he trades our 23 to move BACK, I will be pissed IF he left a legitimate OT prospect, OR some of my other favorites at other positions (yes, I have other options at OLB, CB, S - believe it or not)

That 22 he got on the wonderlic SHOCKED the SHIT out of me. I listened to him talk. I wish I had not done so. He sounded DUMBER THAN DIRT. Sorry--it has definitely soured me on him.

I have NO trust in the ability of our FO to judge who is bright and not so bright as far as defensive backs are concerned. I am hyper-critical about that, and have reached the point of being stubborn about my perspective.

Good stuff Joe, and I apologize for my being an asshole about Mays, even though I am right. :tongue3:

+1

If Mays slips into the 2nd round, half the draft will trade up to get him.

Some nice gems in there, although a lot seems to be common sense, as well.

+1 for bringing it here.

thanks for posting this stuff Arrigo. I don't usually have much of an opinion on draft stuff because I don't really watch enough college ball to have much of an opinion on most of these guys. but i do enjoy reading about it. thanks again and keep posting your stuff here.

---

A lot of this article dovetails with what DakotaD and I said in another thread. I think the emphasis is going to be on the defensive backfield, with journeymen OLmen being drafted later.

---

Wow I love this rumors Arrigo (even if some of them may be smokescreens) ... lots of cool prospects - Id love it if we continued to shore up our D first and worked on our O later.

Id love a solid DE/OLB (1 or 2 positions) and solid safety for our picks ...

going to take me some time to analyze all what you said here.

im hoping the insinuation that the packers aren't drafting olinemen high in this draft is the smoke screen.

upsetting.

---

He didnt say they wernt drafting OL just perhaps not in the 1st or maybe 2nd round ...

IMO I still see us drafting 1-2 OL ... definately at least 1.

...hence why i said "high in this draft"

---

The thing about Mays that intrigues me is he's not the big play safety you would like to get in the first-round, but he's smart and reacts to the play well. I think that's what the Packers need next to Nick Collins. They don't need a guy with a ton of range or a ball-hawk. That's what Collins already is. Not say it can't work with those two types of players, but it's not something you must have in order to be a competitive defensive football team.

If Mays falls to the second-round and I think he probably will, trading up to get him is something that would be pretty tempting I think for the Packers. Of course this is a deep draft so moving down and stockpiling picks is always in play as well with this regime.

---