First round draft pick Dantone Jones worked at right defensive tackle in the base 3-4 defense. BJ Raji played that spot last year so did Johnny Jolly before his drug suspension. This kid is very athletic - the truth is he can play anywhere on the line, very powerful at the point of attack.
Second round pick Eddie Lacy looked extremely explosive. From what I saw he is the best RB right now on this roster! Needs to work on his receiving skills but I think they drafted him to run the football. It seems like he had a little limp on his right leg, not when running only when walking around.
Fourth round picks David Bahktiari and JC Tretter both look good. Tough to tell about offensive lineman in shorts. Bahktiari played left tackle while Tretter played right tackle. I'm sure these are not set positions for these guys yet. Tretter seems to be the most versatile of the two. He can play all three line positions. RB Jonathan Franklin, the last fourth round pick, reminded me a lot of Brian Calhoun. He can do everything. Good change of pace RB.
The Packers had two fifth round picks in DB Micah Hyde and DE Josh Boyd. Hyde looks the part at 6' 200lbs. He is a big corner that the Packers need and can move inside to Safety if need be. I'm sure they will have him play several positions, but he started this camp on the right side. Boyd looks like Raji and Ryan Picket - we will see how it works out for him.
OLB Nate Palmer, sixth round pick, looks fast and quick. With a little coaching up by Kevin Greene, I think he can be a player and can help on special teams for sure.
The Packers had three seventh round draft picks - WR Charles Johnson, WR Kevin Dorsey and LB Sam Barrington. Johnson stood out right away. Yes he's fast but he can catch the the ball. Also runs great routes. He did not look good at returning punts or kicks. Dorsey is no slouch - dropped some passes but made some very difficult catches in individual drills. This WR receiver position battle will be intense all summer long for those last 2 or 3 spots. Barrington is a project, but once again, good special teams guy.
Free agent RB Angelo Pease out of Kansas looked really good. But once again it was in shorts. We will see what he has when the pads are on. He's from Cario, Georgia which is about 30 minutes from my home town of Albany. So he must be good right? Qb Matt Brown, anther FA out of Illinois State, struggled all day long. I'm sure trying to learn a new system is very tough on a small school QB. His arm strength is adequate at this point.
People have been asking me about the Packers first round pick Datone Jones on twitter. I thought I would give you my opinion here in a blog. Good pick for the Packers - seems like Ted Thompson finally picked a defensive lineman that fits the Dom Capers 3/4 system. Fast and quick, can play up and down the defensive line. Red flag for me is the broken foot a couple of years ago. The packers want him to add some weight which is never a good thing when you have foot problems. Played at about 285 but at personal workout weighed in about 277. Overall though I think it is a pick the Packer needed to make with Jeral Worthy out, an aging Ryan Picket, and BJ Raji in a contract year. In Ted We Trust. I would like to hear your thoughts today here or on The Big Show!
I remember draft day like it was yesterday. Some scout from the Dallas Cowboys came in town the night before and took me and my then girlfriend, soon to be wife, Cathy out to dinner. The next day he wanted to come over and watch the draft with me. I then asked him "are the Cowboys planning on drafting me?" He said no but I was on their list as one of there top free agents and he wanted to sign me immediately after the draft. Back then the draft was 12 rounds. So I settled in, he bought food and drinks, and I thought it was cool that I didn't have to spend any money. Well by the 6th round I asked this guy "why don't you guys just draft me?". He said I would be cheaper as a free agent. Well the Packers called in the 7th round, and Lee Remel told me that the Packers were about to draft me. He then asked me if was I alone, so I told him some guy is here from the Cowboys. Lee asked to speak to him, the guy got off the phone and just left without saying bye. Well the next voice I heard on the phone was Forrest Gregg. He said "Gary are you happy to be Packer?" Of course I said I was happy! I was just happy to get drafted by anybody. My best friend and roommate Ken Stills went to the Packers in the 8th round, and former Badger teammate Randy Wright was already a Packer. I thought it was a great fit for me. Stills and I drove up to Green Bay the following week for rookie minicamp where we met the rest of out draft class - Ken Ruettgers , Rich Moran, Brian Noble and "always open "Walter Stanley.
