This is an update of a piece I did several weeks ago, in which four national football prognosticators issued their predictions on what player position the Green Bay Packers would choose with the team’s first draft choice. As I’ve stated before, I believe the Packers will first look to the position they most need help at and then worry about which players are best at that position. Last month, the guesses were all over the map: DE/OLB, tight end and cornerback.
Now that much of the free agency fireworks have taken place, I’ve expanded the number of forecasters. Almost all these current selections have been updated from March 15 to March 22.
- Bucky Brooks (NFL.com): RB
- Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com): DE
- Charlie Casserly (NFL.com): LB
- Chad Reuter (NFL.com): G
- Mel Kiper (ESPN): RB (Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, who you see above)
- Luke Easterling (USA Today): RB
- Rob Rang (CBS Sports): G
- Dave Brugler (CBS Sports): G
- Pete Prisco (CBS Sports): OLB
- Will Brinson (CBS Sports): CB
- Jared Dubon (CBS Sports): G
- Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports): OLB
- Brent Sobleski (Bleacher Report): LB
- Chris Roling (Bleacher Report): G
- Kristopher Knox (Bleacher Report): LB
- Walter Cherepinsky (WalterFootball.com): CB
- Charlie Campbell (WalterFootball.com): CB
- N/A (DraftSite.com): OLB
- Randy Gurzi (Fansided.com): DE
The results: Linebacker = 6; Guard = 5; Cornerback = 3; Running Back = 3; and Defensive End = 2.
As for these nation-wide “experts,” I had looked at their projections a month ago and the majority of them have changed their views, and will probably change them a time or two more leading up to April 27, the opening day of this year’s draft. I would attach very little trust to these ever-changing prognostications.
All those who are predicting the Packers will select a guard in the first round are nuts. They know nothing about the Packers or about Ted Thompson’s ways. Guard T.J. Lang just signed with another team and that’s reason enough to conclude the Packers will pick a guard in round one?
My bet is that most diehard Packers fans would think that the team’s first-round pick SHOULD be a cornerback. I would never want to predict who the pick WILL be, as that calls for reading Ted Thompson’s mind – an impossible task.