Monday, May 12, 2014

2014 NFL Draft, Rounds 4 Through 7: Former Badger Abbrederis In The 5th Round

Most post-draft reviews seemed to like what the Green Bay Packers have done this year. To me, it looks like a typical Ted Thompson draft. He stood pat, took promising talent, and had a couple extra selections because of compensatory picks. He also spread his picks around the roster, as he usually does, and selected players where the Packers needed depth, while managing to uncharacteristically load up on one position with three wide outs. All of them will probably stick in year one, either on the IR, active roster, or practice squad, but it's anyone's guess whether they'll have a long career.

4th round, Arizona State LB Carl Bradford. I really like him. He had a 2nd round grade but slipped because he played outside linebacker in college and he'll probably have to move inside as a pro. Having said that, he's still a better looking outside linebacker than either of their primary backups (Nate Palmer and Andy Mulumba), and if he does have to move inside, he looks like a young Desmond Bishop.
5th round, Ohio State C Corey Lindsey. The good news is that he fills a need for a backup interior lineman. Both C Evan Dietrich-Smith (free agent) and Greg Van Roten (released) are gone, and they needed depth. However, Lindsey's an odd player. He's really strong (36 bench press reps) and posted sub-5.00 times in the 40, but he was also the lightest lineman at the combine. Maybe he'll add bulk in the pros. I'm not sure if he's a keeper, but they'll probably need him in the short term.

5th round, Wisconsin WR Jared Abbrederis. I'm a huge fan, and he was an outstanding Badger. I'd love to see him succeed in the NFL, and just as he was a former walk-on in college, he's going to have to overachieve again in the pros to overcome his limitations in size and speed. I believe in him, but I'm not sure the Packers are the best place for him to make his mark. He's one of three wide receivers in this draft class, and the competition for the fifth WR spot/practice squad now includes another 7th round rookie and three promising holdovers (Dorsey, Harper and White).

6th round, Baylor CB Demetri Goodson. A former starting point guard at Gonzaga, he came back to football in 2011 and finds himself as a 25 year old rookie. He posted some impressive measurables at the combine, but he had trouble staying healthy in college. It doesn't hurt to add some depth in the defensive backfield after a couple of other DBs (Jennings and McMillian) had been released recently, but he seems like an unlikely player to stick because he's not likely to stay healthy.

7th round, Saginaw Valley State, WR Jeff Janis. Small school receivers don't usually stick around for long, but Janis deserves a second look because he's an athletic freak. Big receiver (6-3 and 219 pounds) don't often run a 4.42 in the 40, and he was one of the top receivers in the bench press and the 3 cone drill. He's as raw as they come, but if the Packers can find a spot to stash him for a couple years, it'd be interesting to see what type of player he becomes.

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