Live look at every Packer fan (myself included) on Friday night, and all day Saturday, BEGGING Gutey to take a wide receiver:
Really put some beg into it! But it was to no avail. The deepest wide receiver class in a LONG time, and the Packers gave a hard pass on the position where they had the biggest need.
Now if I were to have written this blog on Friday or Saturday night, I probably would have turned into the guy I like to laugh at the most during draft weekend. The guy we talked about on the blog on Thursday, headed into night #1: Average fan who thinks he knows more about draft prospects than an NFL GM who has a TEAM of scouts at his disposal:
I watched almost an hour of the combine! WHY AREN'T YOU MAKING THE PICKS THAT ARE OBVIOUS TO ME!
Luckily, it's been a few days. I read almost every recap yesterday, I listened to the Gutekunst and LaFleur interviews, I cleansed my palette with two more masterpiece episodes of 'The Last Dance' on ESPN last night, and I am thinking clearer today.
Obviously the Jordan Love pick was the biggest shocker of the draft class. Most Packer fans assumed that a better effort at drafting an heir apparent to Rodgers was on the way, but I don't think any of us thought it would be in the first round this year. Gutekunst/LaFleur believe he is their guy, blind faith tells me they know more than me, so be it. And the beauty of this pick is that it's ultimately the only 'future result' that matters. If Love works out in 4(ish) years, the rest of this draft will be largely forgotten.
So, like most fans, I digested the Love pick and thought to myself, I says, 'self,' I says, 'if they pick a linebacker and a wide receiver tonight, no big deal.' Welp, as we know, even with Denzel Mims right there late in the second round, the Packers went running back with AJ Dillon and H-back with Josiah Deguara. They used up their 4th round pick to move up to get Love (reports were the Colts were angling to move up for Love as well, that's why the Packers made the trade), and then finally addressed a need by grabbing inside linebacker Kamal Martin in the 5th round.
Then came a BIG run on offensive lineman in the 6th round, Jon Runyan from Michigan, Jake Hason from Oregon, and Simon Stepaniak from Indiana. They snatched a safety up in the 7th round, Vernon Scott from TCU, before grabbing edge rusher Jonathan Garvin from Miami.
Most of the grades I saw being doled out for this particular draft looked VERY reminiscent of my last semester at Stevens Point. Graduating on academic probation is still graduating, folks.
But the more I read about the class, the more I like it.
Look, LaFleur's offensive system is based on Kyle Shannahan's system, which is rooted in his dad's system. Run, run, run. Remember those old Broncos teams, and how they cranked out 1,000 yard rusher after 1,000 yard rusher after 1,000 rusher? Terrell Davis will be the best remembered, but remember that system also made 1,000 yard rushers out of Olandis Gary, Tatum Bell and Reuben Droughns. Also recall: The 49ers dusted the Packers in the NFC Championship game and Jimmy Garoppolo threw the ball 8 times.
I'm not suggesting that Aaron Rodgers is going to be throwing the ball 15 times per game, but I am suggesting that this particular draft class is 100% catered to LaFleur's emphasis on the run game, not on speedy wide receivers.
The pick I'm loving more and more is AJ Dillon in the second round. I was blinded by my, 'WHY NO WIDE RECEIVER' rage, but this kid is a monster. He's 6'0 tall, 247 pounds, and SHREDDED. He's Eddie Lacy before
China food
. And his college numbers aren't all that different from Jonathan Taylor's. Now you've got Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, and Dillon to split carries between. All have strengths, all of their styles are a little different.
I also am really digging the 'big uglies' 6th round. If you're going to be a team predicated on the run, you need a BUNCH of depth up front. Out of the three, I like Runyan the most. A two-time All Big Ten 1st team selection in the 6th round?? YES YES YES! He seems like the most likely to play right away this year. Hanson gives you protection behind Linsley at center, and Stepaniak is another All Big Ten selection (3rd team).
Wild card from the 7th round is Garvin. He was a projected 4-5th rounder, who sounds like he's got the burst you want from a pass rusher on the edge. Seems like Gutey got great value there.
So, after reading more and understanding the context of the picks, I am willing to issue my official grade:
PS: THIS IS NOT A DRILL:
LET ME BELIEVE!
