Here’s your inside linebacker. He’s Stanford’s Blake Martinez and the Green Bay Packers grabbed him with their first fourth-round compensatory selection.
Martinez (6-2, 237) had plenty of production the past two seasons. As a senior, he had 141 tackles, including 6.5 for loss and an interception. As a junior, he had 102 tackles, seven for loss, 4.5 sacks and three interceptions.
Do you think this is your cover guy?
Well, maybe, maybe not.
Martinez did cover in college and had some success doing so. However, he’s known (and viewed as) more of a run stuffer, which is exactly what the Green Bay Packers’ top two current inside linebackers are known as.
Martinez ran a 4.71 40. That is faster than Sam Barrington’s 4.9 and slower than Jake Ryan’s 4.65.
So what do the Packers have here? Another thumper who probably isn’t fast enough to cover.
In other words, it looks like they drafted a clone of the two guys they are potentially trying to replace. Quite possibly another A.J. Hawk type, the thought of which makes me want to start stabbing myself in the face repeatedly.
Boy, there is going to be mad competition for snaps on first and second down at inside linebacker, but there’s still no one who can play on third down or in obvious passing situations.
EN 
ES 
DE
“…but there’s still no one who can play on third down or in obvious passing situations.”
Joe Thomas went and got himself swallowed by a black hole did he?
I get the desire for a cover guy but to me that is putting the cart before the horse. When we’re giving up, on average aka consistently, almost 5yds per carry & 120yds per game over the past 3 seasons…. I’m not going to assume we’ll even get to more 3rd downs or “obvious passing situations.” Given how our offense under performed last yr & Jordy coming off a knee… I’m not assuming we’ll be back to making teams one dimensional by halftime. Denver, Seattle, Carolina, & AZ defenses all were in the 3yd per carry range and that is where we need to be too. IMO, we cant get enough downhill thumpers inside….defense starts with stopping the run & right now we’re average at it…. AND it seems like we’re hexed at that position & can NEVER stay healthy at that position either. I like the pick.
Wolf said the exact same things about Martinez today that he said about Jake Ryan last year, ha. Literally the same player. At least his mom his a smokin hottie though.
Why…you planning on hitting that?
Joe Thomas stinks
When the top three MLB prospects (Jack, Jaylon Smith, & Ragland) all enter the draft as damaged goods, it pushes others up and out of our reach. If it weren’t for bad luck, we’d have no luck at all.
A good insurance policy if Barrington or Ryan get hurt. It is better than someone such as Palmer or Jones. At least this guy is a true ILB. It is Barrington’s contract year also. Barrington may be gone next year.