Thanks Joe (Arrigo) for getting the ball rolling with your first two mock attempts, but we need some more offerings so that we have something to discuss. I like to think that I learn a lot about prospects by reading these things (especially lesser known sleeper prospects). At the very least I feel like I'm pretty well informed when the draft does finally roll around in April. Enjoy.

Packers Mock (current position #21)

01. OT: Anthony Davis (#75) Rutgers - 6'6" - 330 lbs.

Anthony Davis Bio

02. RB: Jonathan Dwyer (#21) Georgia Tech - 6'0" - 235 lbs.

Jonathan Dwyer Bio

03. DE: Tyson Aluala (#44) California - 6'3" - 290 lbs.

Tyson Auala Bio

04. CB: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (#32) Indiana (PA) - 6'1" - 200 lbs.

Akwasi Owusu-Ansah Bio

Round 05. OT/OG: Vladimir Ducasse (#72) Massachusetts - 6'5" - 330 lbs.

Vladimir Ducasse Bio

Round 05. (Comp Pick for Colin Cole) - SS: Myron Rolle (#3) Oxford/Florida St. - 6'2" - 223 lbs.

Myron Rolle Home Page

06. OLB: Austen Lane (#97) Murray State - 6'7" - 270 lbs.

Austen Lane's Bio

07. (Panthers from J.J. Jansen Trade) TE: Jimmy Graham (#80) Miami, Florida - 6'8" - 260 lbs.

Jimmy Graham Bio

07. (Jets from Brett Favre trade) WR: Donald Jones (#81) Youngstown State - 6'2" -210 lbs.

Donald Jones Bio

Undrafted Free Agent. QB: Greg Paulus (#2) Syracuse - 6'1 - 200 lbs.

Greg Paulus Bio

I like it, I think there is room for a MLB in the draft.

I think OT, S, MLB are important this coming year, barring any injuries or them letting somebody go.

Yeah I had the kid from Minnesota (MLB: Lee Campbell - 6'3" - 264 lbs.) as my late round pick over WR: Donald Jones initially, but I just think that Jones represents a little more value that late. . . If I'd had another pick I would have put him in there for sure (really went back and forth with it actually). I like the kid a lot, I just think that he'll go late if he's drafted at all. Reminds me a little of Tedy Bruschi when he was back in college. Just a strait up bruiser MLB who would make a decent reserve and special teams player. Doesn't offer much in blitzing or coverage, but he won't miss many tackles. Thanks for the feedback.

Lee Campbell Bio

I really wanted to focus on bigger players with an overall nasty disposition for my first mock. Something that for the most part avoids finesse players. Guys who can help to improve the running game and be physical on defense and special teams. I think this effort represents that pretty well.

The extra fifth for Cole is obviously a projection at this point. Do you know that the 7th for Jansen is a done deal? Also are you saying the other 7th will not be the Packers own pick but the NYJ pick?

Yeah. The pick for Colin Cole is just a projection, but based on several years of educated guesswork. His contract is roughly in line (yearly average-wise) with what Ahman Green's was in 2007 and that netted us a 4th round pick (which could have easily dropped down to a 5th rounder). I think that a 5th for Colin Cole is pretty conservative and accurate.

The conditional pick for Jansen has never been disclosed, but again based on precedence it's usually a 6th or 7th round pick for these type of trades and the condition is usually that the player be on the final 53 or active roster for at least 4 games. He's been their long-snapper the whole season, so it's pretty safe to suggest that they'll end up with that pick.

The other 7th round pick was traded to the New York Jets as part of the Brett Favre deal. We got a 3rd last year, but had to give up a 7th this year. When they cut him and he signed with the Vikings, they sent it back to us to as "past considerations" which is a nice way of saying that they don't want us raising a stink because he ended up with the Vikings when we put the no trade provision in the deal and cutting him circumvented that concept.

It's all guesswork at this point, but like I said. . . it's educated guesswork based on years of actually paying attention to exactly these type of scenarios.

I certainly appreciate the efforts of the early draft efforts, but, lets get serious.

1. The NFL season is not through the halfway mark.

2. The college season is not through the halfway mark.

3. The combine is next year.

I really do appreciate these early draft projections, but lets ask some fundamental questions.

Will Lang and/or Barbre be the answer for the Packers at tackle?
Will Spitz or Wells be the center?
Will Grant return to his form from a couple years ago?
Will Will Lee be able to play?
Will the Packers re-sign all the players they have to (there are numerous players that are important, and are in contract years- including Colledge, Kampman and, I believe, Collins).
Will there be an uncapped year in two years (which most dread- but the average players should dread the most)?
Will Jon and Kate reconcile? Sorry- mrs. ricky really likes that program.

Meanwhile, the Packers are facing the Vikings in a very important game this weekend, and face the rejuvenant Cowboys in two weeks.

Draft? That is something I try to avoid this time of year so I don't get a cold or flu.

I believe Myron Rolle is attending Oxford next year. He is a Rhodes Scholar.

The joy of this board is posters can talk about whatever they want, whenever they want as long as they follow the rules.....

No argument whatsoever there. However, when people start posting about the teams the Packers will play next year, or the draft (which will occur next year), I will post that these other posts are premature.

There is a huge game coming up this week, I believe. There is more than half an NFL and college football season to enjoy. Why the premature speculation?

Maybe they enjoy the draft that much

Maybe they are too amped up or nervous about the game to talk much about it

Maybe they're tired of all the BF talk and want a change of pace

To each his own.....


I'm sure TT and his staff are spending time on player analysis for the draft this week, why not PackerChatters?

I like to start looking right about the middle of the season so I can learn about as many of the draft eligible players that will be out there. I'm projecting that even if Lang and Barbre do well, Anthony Davis is better and might be a good pick in the 1st round. At this point, it's as reasonable as anything else. I realize that the season is still not yet halfway, but for those of us that are die-hard draftnicks it's NEVER TOO EARLY to talk about the draft and prospects. The great thing is that your perception of things changes dramatically at every stage. What I think now (picking in the mid-to-late part of the round) will change when they beat the Vikings, get some momentum and roll into the playoffs. And it'll change again when they upset both New Orleans and Indianapolis to win the Super Bowl. And it'll change because of coaching changes, free agency, injuries, the combine, all-star games and pro days. It's constantly in flux. That's what makes early projections fun.

Right now. . . at this moment in the season, these are some of the players that I like and about where I project them to go. I'm sure that it'll change as the season and offseason progress. For some of us it's just plain fun to investigate prospects, watch as many games as possible and put together opinions about them. If it's not your thing, I understand that. . . I enjoy doing them. I like the feedback and suggestions of other players and positions to look at, which makes me look in directions that often surprise me later on.

I'm as excited about the Vikings game as the next guy. But that doesn't mean that I can't look forward either. Thanks for the comments and the feedback.

That's a nice point, and I have thoughts on each guy that I put in it that I haven't posted yet. As I understand it, Myron Rolle is attending Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar right now. He's there instead of playing for Florida State this season. He already graduated from FSU and he's a post-grad. He's working out diligently while he's there, and he will be leaving England to attend the combine this offseason. His biggest hurdle is that he doesn't have a great body of work to go on thus far, he's not been known as a big play maker and he's taking off this season where he could possibly be improving his draft stock to further his education. I think that if he were playing he might have improved his position a little, but I admire him much more for the path that he's chosen. If you look at the players that I put in my mock, most of them are high character, intelligent, passionate, humble and well-spoken individuals. Traits and qualities that are often evident in players drafted by Ted Thompson.

Its about guessing right or at least trying to and to start a grass roots campaign for the players you like.

BTW, I like Dwyer for RB.

Both Anthony Davis and Jonathan Dwyer are beasts. The two of them would help solve a lot of the problems with the running game. The big question is whether both will fall to where I believe the Packers will end up picking this year.

I think that when people get to know Tyson Aluala and Vladimir Ducasse, they'll end up being guys that are well thought of also.

Tyson Aluala is a classic Polynesian D-Line prospect. Strong as hell and crazy intense. I love those guys. He's well grounded too with a wife and two young children. He's got the right measurables and has put up good stats in his time playing in a defense with comparable responsibilities. Here's a highlight tape that really impressed me. The music is really annoying though. Tyson Aluala Highlights

Vladimir Ducasse reminds me a lot of guys like Jahri Evans and Jermon Bushrod. Small school guys that had big-time upside and are now major contributors. Ducasse is a Hatian refugee who came to Connecticut to get a better and safer education living with his uncle. He didn't play football until his sophomore year on HS and was still extremely raw when he graduated. UMass was AMAZED that an athlete with his size and ability hadn't been snatched up by a bigger program. He's gone on to become one of the best O-Line prospects at his level. He has a long way to go, but Vladimir Ducasse is a guy with great skill, heart and work ethic. He's a guy that I like a lot. He's also very humble and well spoken.

The rest of my guys are mostly small school or project type guys. A small school CB and DE/LB that have good stats and skills but play at a low level of competition, a Rhodes scholar who's taking time off from football to study at Oxford, a former JUCO wide receiver with good stats and two former basketball players who are doing okay in their 1st years back on a football field. A decent group of players and some things to look at.