Hell, Denzel Ward, Minkah Fitzpatrick or someone else? Maybe the Green Bay Packers’ ultimate target in the 2018 NFL Draft is actually Florida State safety Derwin James.
No offense to the other guys mentioned, but we’re more excited about James than anyone the Packers could draft. Ward would be a get at No. 14. There were earlier reports the Packers liked him more than anyone and cornerback is a huge need.
And while Ward is a potential athletic stud, so was Terrell Buckley. Like that clown, Ward falls a little bit on the undersized side when it comes to the Packers’ qualifications for corners. Okay, he isn’t as small as Buckley was (5-10, 180). Ward is 5-11, 191.
While that isn’t tiny, it is lesser than what the Packers look for in cornerbacks.
That brings us back to James.
Most people feel James is the top safety prospect in the draft, slightly, over Fitzpatrick. The thing that I personally love about James is not only is he big and strong (6-2, 215) or fast (4.47 40) and athletic (40-inch vertical), James is an alpha. Everything we’ve heard and read suggests this is the defensive leader the Packers haven’t had since that dipshit Uncle Ted cut Charles Woodson.
Is it even possible that James will be there when the Packers pick at No. 14? We don’t see it being likely. However, other people can see it happening.
Tony Pauline, who tracks the draft endlessly, says the Packers want James more than they do Ward (or anyone else). He thinks they may get him at No. 14 (I do not agree).
I reported last week that it was going to be Minkah Fitzpatrick or Josh Jackson for the Packers, but the team has a higher grade on James. It’s an unexpected surprise when he’s still available at 14.
Yeah, so mock drafts…
We’ve got no love for them.
However, if James or Ward are available at No. 14, we would be ecstatic with either. On the other hand, if we had our choice, Derwin James all the way.
He can cover, he can hit, he can play in the box — much like Morgan Burnett did last year — and he can be the playmaker the Packers’ have lacked in the secondary since Woodson.
There is a big difference of a player being able to tackle, cover, hit, throw for a high QBR, break tackles, being a stand out….in College ball vs the NFL. The NFL is a huge jump, and projecting a player succeeds in the NFL is an educated guess at best. Some General Managers lose ther jobs by misjudging college talent. Some other can’t hit a draft to save their lifes but still keep their job.
Yes, occasionally there is that can’t miss guy with boat loads of talent. But for every can’t miss draft pick that succeeds in the NFL. there are 7-8 can’t miss draft picks that…..missed.
At 6′ 2″ 4.4 40, 40 inch vertical, it sounds to me like James would be a good player to get, and convert to corner.
Too soon?
Oh shit, did someone say conversion project?? I think TT just sparked a smile.
Lmao
On the subject of dipsit Ted….see Gute’s gonna have him in the room for the draft, has been soliciting his advice and picking his “brain” Excuse me while I go fucking hang myself!!
^^FTW^^
When you have been as successful as Ted has been the last 7 years in the draft room, as a new GM, you gonna wanna get you some of that.
I see Derwin James as a Top 10 talent. I also see Denzel Ward as a Top 10 talent. Corner is a greater need for the Packers and corner has greater positional value.
If both were there they should take Ward. However, neither will be there thinks me.
At least 4 QBs will go before the Packers pick. Plus DE Chubb, RB Barkely, and OG Nelson. Those 7 + Ward and James make 9. Which leaves 4 spots to fill before the Packers pick. Could be a QB takes one of those spots. Players in consideration in there include Vita Vea, Kolton Miller (I’m serious), Minkah Fitzpatrick, Marcus Davenport, Roquon Smith, Tremaine Edmunds. In that group are 5 players who fill Packers needs and are great players (Vea, Fitzpatrick, Davenport, Smith, Edmunds).
You do the math. 5 great players with 4 spots to take 4 of those 5 before the Packers pick. All 5 are Top 10 worthy players. In a worst case, only 4 QBs taken before the pick and no surprise offensive pick of an OL or WR then one of these great players is still there at #14.
Packers would have to be INSANE to trade up. Packers would be INSANE to trade down half a dozen picks and pick from a lower tier. Even a few picks may cost them the chance to obtain a Top 10 talent.
Of the above 5 the most likely to be there are Smith — smallish inside linebacker, a devalued position; Fitzpatrick — can play anywhere in the secondary but then the second guessing begins and fifteen times bitten fifteen times shy one might think for MM: Vea — likely seen more as a run-stopper or even a 2 down player when the run game is only one third the game nowadays. Hell, all three may be available.
Of those, if all 3 were available, I personally would select Fitzpatrick, then Vea, then Smith.
This is a lucky year for the Packers to be picking at #14. Many years there are not 10 players worth a Top 10 selection. This year there are 16 or so.
PS If they do select Derwin James — if they trade up or he somehow slips — then I don’t think they will move him to CB. No, no. They will move him to ILB….
good post
as long as the pack is set on paying big money to Thompsons underachievers they already have at LB and Safety, shutdown corner or D-line’ O-line, TE or WR make the most sense to me. If Kizer wasnt here, I would even say backup QB is a need.
I woyld give the Packer LB group one year to see how they do under Petine. If no cream rises to the top, look for LB next yr
Thanks CZ! As a draftnik I am able to set aside all rivalry and just analyze to my heart’s content.
Rivalry….
Link us a pic of that big awesome banner..lmao
Good points. According to your evaluation, there is a talent plateau of 16 guys, including two or three uber-talented guys (Chubb, Q. Nelson and Saquon Barkley) plus QBs (they are in a market of their own). At 14, we are not getting the uber-talented ones, and at the same time we do not need a QB. Dropping out of the 16-man plateau takes us right into regular-talent waters, reducing the chances of getting a difference maker. And we have enough regular guys already. Climbing up from 14 would be expensive, and unless we climb all the way up to the first five picks, which is ridiculously expensive, we still won’t get top-tier talent.
Yes, overall I agree that we could stand pat with our 14th pick, getting a shot for a difference maker. Maybe, if needed, trade up in rounds 2-4, sacrificing late round picks in the process if the talent level takes another drop somewhere around there (I cannot tell, since I don’t follow college football).
Call me crazy but I feel like someone is going to trade up for Lamar Jackson. Ie the cardinals or the dolphins. I also wouldnt put mcglinchey past someone. Tackles are important. The pack could very well get one of the best defensive players falling in their lap.
The Packers recently interviewed D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland. They just wanted a face-to-face interview to ask him if he can play running back
Very funny!
Ted was seen scouting golf players (with a mean streak, of course).
When will people realize that the predraft talk is smokescreens a lot of the time?
For once in his life, lonely boy might be right. Trading up in this scenario may not be the best idea. I feel like there is a level of bust potential with Denzel Ward. I am not sold on him as a can’t miss prospect. For every Marshon Lattomore, there is Eli Apple. Pettine wants corners that can play press man, not sure of Wards ability to do so. The packers have a lot of draft capital, but I don’t think it is best served trading into the top 10 as there is going to be a very good player there at 14, helped by the QB run in the top 10. I think they are better served doing what they did and trading back into the bottom of the first round or top of the second for a receiving prospect, there a lot of good ones in that area of the draft. I would love to see what DO Chark could do in this offense. He is a tight end, but I really am a big fan of Mike Gesicki, although he isn’t a blocker. But if this Jimmy Graham thing really is a one year thing, it will give Gesicki time to adjust to the NFL before being a primary contributor next year. Similar to what the Chargers did with Hunter Henry
I know I said earlier this off-season that if there was a guy at the top of the first round the Gutekunst that he should go for him and that they can’t afford to be conservative. After the combine, pro days, ect and seeing how this draft will likely play out, I don’t think the top of the first round would be the place to be aggressive, valuewise. I think there is much more value trading into the 25-35 pick range
I agree that Gesicki is the top TE prospect. I saw a CBS mock draft that said Hayden Hurst will for sure go in the 1st round and Dallas Goedert might but did not even mention Gesicki. Just insane.
Hurst is 27. The last 27 year old taken in round 1 was a failed OG in Philly. Goedert is from a small school and won’t even run a 40 for teams! (!!!!!) Compare that to big school Gesicki facing top competition — to start and in games — and possessing incredible measurables.
Gesicki all the way.
The Packers didn’t get rid of Thompson and shake up the organization for no reason. They did it to get Rodgers a Super Bowl. This will be a 100% need draft. The Packers will be drafting for the next 2-3 years, not the next 10 years.
I would not be surprised if the Packer draft goes corner, outside linebacker, receiver in that order. And they might trade down and get a later first rounder and move up in the second to get two possible starters.
Hard to tell if James is the target, or someone else? One thing for sure when the pick(s) are made the Packers will claim they got the guy(s) they wanted. The board fell the way they expected it to fall.
So the good thing is we know in advance the team will get the exact right guy(s). The Packers are no different than the other teams everything in the draft occurs exactly as planned. Just listen to every GM after the picks are made. Trust the Process. ;-)
My Man……
It can be fairly entertaining going back to post draft video’s and see what what was said about a draft pick as they hype them up and pat themselves on the back…………next thing you know your coveted 1st round pick is traded for a back up QB.
It’s a crazy, crazy world out there.
Eh, I don’t see it. I feel like there are going to be too many studs on the defensive side of the ball available at 14. I hope they don’t trade down and get Harold Landry. If anything, I think they trade into the bottom of the first round. As of right now, the packers could trade up to the 28th overall pick with the Steelers and give up their 45th and 76th overall picks. More value there than trading first round picks this year while giving up a first round pick next year to move up to 6 or 7
I’m not so sure what the Packers look for in a QB, but i don’t think they shy away from guys who are 5’11”. Especially considering that is the listed height of a number of Packer corners including Shields, T. Williams, Randall, Rollins, Hawkins, etc.
*CB