When Brandon put together our Green Bay Packers mock draft, he had Ted Thompson taking Wisconsin Badgers outside linebacker T.J. Watt in round one. A lot of other mocks have the same pick.
Of course, mock drafts are usually way, way off, which is why we’ll only have one of them.
That doesn’t mean Watt, a Wisconsin native and brother of J.J., won’t be the pick. The Packers have a need for another pass rusher.
They’re currently counting on two guys who are never healthy for 16 games — Nick Perry and Clay Matthews — to generate their pass rush. Behind that, there’s not much, unless 2016 third-round pick Kyler Fackrell makes a big leap in year two.
It’s a position that needs to be fortified now that Julius Peppers and Datone Jones are gone. It’s also worth pointing out that pass rushers can make a big impact as rookies and often do. Conversely, cornerbacks, unless they’re chosen high in round one, rarely have the same year one impact.
So now, the smoke.
This comes from Tony Pauline.
A source with ties to the team tells me he feels the Green Bay Packers are gearing up to select T.J. Watt in Round 1.
Pauline has been right about the Packers’ draft goals before. That said, no one knows how the first round is going to unfold.
Perhaps a surprise team takes Watt higher than he’s projected. Maybe this was leaked to keep another team away from another player.
As for Watt, like any kid that grows up playing football in Wisconsin, he’s obviously thought about playing for the Packers.
“It’s awesome to see the support that team has, and obviously anyone who gets to play for that team it’s a special fan base, and it would be awesome to be a Green Bay Packer. But at the same time, I’m just keeping all options open knowing that you just never know what happens on draft night.”
You never know, but Watt would be a great pickup for the Packers, if they can get him.
I think TT will want to re-establish the galactic equilibrium. Remember how he took Damarius Randall, a great safety, in round one and then he and the coaches transformed him into a miserable CB?
Time to balance it out. The round one selection will be CB Quincy Wilson. After a few years of average to below average CB play he will be moved to safety. That way the Packers can have a CB playing safety and a safety playing CB! That way TT and MM can feel smarter than the rest of the world.
You know TT and MM will not here much longer. If Wolf is our GM once Ted is gone. we may no longer see stuff like WR playing RB, or S playing CB.
As for Wilson, he would be a good pick, along with Awuzie.
Awuzie would be a steal late first but I’d be very surprised if he is not taken before then. I actually do think Wilson will end up at safety somewhere sometime. I have him as a 3rd round value with 8 CBs ahead of him and two others equal as 3rd round values. Lattimore, Humphrey, Awuzie, Jackson, Kevin King, Conley, Tankersley, and Moreau should all be selected before Wilson. Sidney Jones and White are equal value to Wilson as well.
Wilson is a good value IF the other 8 better than him are already selected AND Wilson is taken 3rd round or later.
And Randall had a awful year last year. Wouldn’t consider him bad. Look at his rookie season. He played fine that year.
Well, I hear they are moving him back to safety where they never should have taken him from. He can have a GREAT career at safety and be worthy of the 1st round pick used. I do like Randall, I wanted him for the Vikings (but only in round 2). What the organization did to him in the CB move is almost criminal. Maybe not his fault but he was the worst CB in football last year.
Where did you heard that? I don’t see any sources saying he will go back to safety.
I think it was “NFL Draft Rumors” site. Or maybe ProFootballRumors.com. I read it in the last few days. Sorry I cannot be more specific, I did not know to track the source. I promise you I am not making it up though, of course, the source could be or could be mistaken. For the sake of Randall it should be true.
If T.J. Watt is sitting there and Thompson passes on him, I can see heads exploding in Wisconsin. Then again, he seems to go out of his way to piss us off. Watt to the Packers makes so much sense, but I can see Thompson taking some third round project and Pittsburgh snapping him up at #30 to begin an All Pro career.
Steelers aren’t getting Watt, they said at 30 they will a corner or safety. That’s what their GM said.
Look, no experienced GM is going to say it will be only one of two positions at their pick. Please provide a link to that quote.
A. I just don’t believe he said it.
B. If he said that then it was smoke to throw people off and should not be believed. Only a very gullible person believes statements like that from GMs this time of year. Probably means he is targeting TE Evan Engram.
It says it here http://pit.247sports.com/Bolt/Report-Steelers-will-use-30th-pick-on-best-DB-available–52274574
No Colbert isnt targeting Engram.
Thanks for the link but that is just conjecture by a journalist. No quote from Colbert.
Most teams do draft early for need and the secondary is an obvious need for the Steelers. It is not unlikely that they will take a safety or corner. However, the GM did not say they will.
But I do understand it is easy to understand it that way with how the journalists write and make it sound like the GMs confide secrets in them.
I have no idea who Colbert is targeting. But Engram would be a really good pick and logical.
I hope we can try to get Watt, but my concern is this: Will he be as good as JJ? Derek Watt was selected by SD, but he isn’t good. Eli Manning only looks great because he is Peyton’s brother and he isn’t that great, Seth Curry isn’t as good as Steph Curry. These guys are overhyped due to their brothers.
Watts are just like Matthews. Gifted bloodlines. I think TJ won’t disappoint any team lucky enough to draft him. I fear we’ll need to trade up to get him.
But with the Matthews, at least with Clay, it is actually the PEDs.
Are you saying T.J. Watt takes PEDs? If true he will be taken by TT for sure. Will fit right in with the team philosophy.