The 2011 NFL Draft is all finished, and so now we shift into the two major pieces of post-draft life: (1) the grading and evaluating of each team’s draft; (2) the signing of the players themselves.
The operatives for those two pieces are completely different, of course, and so is our level of involvement. For the contract and signing stuff, you and I are relegated entirely to the role of bystander. For the grading and evaluating process, however, we may be active participants!
First, here is a link to ESPN's quick summary of the Packers’ picks. 10 guys -- 6 offense (including the first 3 picks) and 4 defense. NFL.com also offers a very helpful and thorough summary. Meanwhile, here is the Packers' web site own coverage.
The grades have begun to come in from the national media. Here are some excerpts and highlights:
At NFL.com, Steve Wyche’s quick take is that “the rich got richer,” including the Saints, Packers, and Colts. Regarding the Packers, he writes:
The Packers also got so much richer, adding depth along the offensive line, at running back, wide receiver and added a very nice luxury pick with tight end/H-Back D.J. Williams.
In a slightly longer piece, Wyche highlights the draft achievements of the Falcons, Packers, and Bills.
Elsewhere, SI.com had high praise for our first-round pick:
The Packers were a statistical powerhouse on both sides of the ball in 2010. If we didn't see it in their 10-6 record in the regular season, we saw it In their impressive Super Bowl-winning playoff run. The only relative weakness? That's right: offensive line. The Packers ran the ball poorly and struggled to protect Aaron Rodgers at various times throughout the season. Green Bay looks like it found its franchise left tackle in Bryan Bulaga last year. But Sherrod, if he lives up to his potential, could challenge for the blindside spot and, at the very least, he can upgrade an already scary Green Bay offense. He was the best lineman lest year for the SEC's best rushing attack.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/draft-2011/tracker/draft_analysis/1.html#ixzz1LCtEnIoX
And they were equally enthusiastic about our second-round choice:
Great, just what the rest of the NFL needs: another weapon in Aaron Rodgers' arsenal. The Packers already addressed their only critical statistical need, offensive line, when they grabbed OT Derek Sherrod in Round 1. Now it's all just gravy for this statistical powerhouse of a team: Cobb was not the biggest or fastest wide receiver in the draft, but he was one of the top pass-catchers in the nation last year, with 84 receptions.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/draft-2011/tracker/draft_analysis/2.html#ixzz1LCtbPAPp
Don Banks also expressed a similarly happy sentiment about how Green Bay improved its offense still more:
Uh, oh, rest of the NFC. The Packers offense might have gotten even better, taking offensive players in the first three round for the first time in 15 years. Green Bay selected Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod in the first round, took underrated Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb at the end of the second, and capped the night by tabbing Hawaii running back Alex Green, a third-down threat, with the penultimate pick of Round 3.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/don_banks/04/29/friday.draftsnaps/index.html#ixzz1LD0nhfp6
Finally, Kerry Byrne gave the Green Bay draft an “A” grade, which is gratifying. Here is his generally encouraging analysis:
What I liked: The Packers were a statistical juggernaut in 2010, finishing No. 1 across the board in our Quality Stats. But they did have one relative weakness, the 16th-ranked offensive line, and smartly addressed that need with their No. 1 pick, OT Derek Sherrod of Mississippi State. Green Bay appeared to nail its top 2010 pick in LT Bryan Bulaga. So if Sherrod pans out, the Packers have a pair of bookend tackles for years to come to protect Aaron Rodgers.
What I didn't like: The Packers have some free-agency vulnerabilities on the defensive front, namely in Cullen Jenkins, but did little to address the unit until the late rounds. But with the free agency situation so volatile leaguewide, it's unclear how any of this will ultimately play out.
The Packers quickly addressed their biggest need while adding 10 young draft picks to compete for spots on an already talented roster. Grade: A
Click here to view the Packers' 2011 draft page
Meanwhile, by comparison, Bryne also gave the Lions an “A,” but the Bears an “A-,” and the Vikings a “C-.”
In the end, I think Packer fans have plenty of reasons to feel hopeful, encouraged, and excited. Not only do we get to live in the wake of our Super Bowl victory, everyone readily acknowledges that we won it all with a substantial percentage of our talent not on the field! So the team that takes the field in September will certainly be better than the team that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in February. And, on top of all that, it seems clear that the team improved itself still more with a quality draft in April.
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