Green Bay Packers 2014 NFL Draft Wrap-up
Sep 5, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive end Carl Bradford (52) celebrates after beating the Sacramento State Hornets 55-0 at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Overall Draft Evaluation
Where they went right:
I think where the Packers went right in this draft was not necessarily in the players they picked, but rather in the positions that they picked. Going into the draft, we all knew the Packers’ needs: WR, TE, FS, OLB, C. With their selections they have met every single one of those needs, while adding some great selections. The addition of Clinton-Dix to the Packers was one of the biggest steals in the draft (in my opinion). I saw Ha-Ha initially as a top 15, perhaps top 10 draft choice and the Packers selected him at #21. Pretty lucky if you ask me. As well, I think the decision to go out and draft Davante Adams was a great one considering his abilities and experience with a high-octane passing game. Some other highlights I noticed from the Packers’ selections were Carl Bradford and Jeff Janis. Initially I had Bradford going perhaps in the middle to late second round. But somehow, some way he ended up going down to the fourth round. I think that Bradford is the best fit for the Packers at outside linebacker. He’s fiesty and he has a great acceleration to the ball. Expect him to make an impact if given adequate playing time. As for Jeff Janis, I think I love this pick because of his upbringing. Who has ever heard of Saginaw Valley State? Surely not me. Often times it is the players that we have never heard of that make the best impact. Don’t count on Janis to be an immediate presence in the passing game, but expect him to make things interesting in training camp.
Where they went wrong:
I think that the Packers didn’t really have any holes in their draft strategy, but just some minor things that they could have done to make their picks better. For instance when the Packers selected Khyri Thornton, I think that they could have picked up DuQuan Jones from Penn State or even Justin Ellis out of Louisiana Tech. Another decision I find a little bit confusing is the fact that the Packers decided to select three wide receivers. I understand that James Jones’ absence is a big loss, however is there really a need for three new rookie WRs? Before the draft the Packers already had Jordy Nelson, Jared Boykin and Randall Cobb. Adding three new wide outs to that mix could only complicate things further for the Pack. What they could have done instead of selecting another receiver could be selecting an underrated defensive end or even an inside linebacker to help out with the run game. After the offense success they had last season, it is perhaps a tad unexpected to see the Pack go for so many offensive weapons compared to defensive weapons.
The Bottom Line: B+
The strong additions to the passing game and defensive additions to the secondary with Safety Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix and line-backing corps with Carl Bradford should give the Packers a distinctive edge next season.