FEAR THE DEER!

An 18-5 run in the final 4 minutes and the Bucks get to go home up 3-2. Now some would want to give this series to the possibility of Andrew Bogut and the Ewing theory. Don't insult my intelligence. The Bucks won this one despite their inside presence. Horford and Marvin Williams killed the inside.

It's just that the Bucks drew fouls and hit threes. And the Hawks kinda choked. Not to say I'm not greateful for it either. Check my twitter feed.

NBA is kind of fantastic.

Hey, did you know I read?

I do. And in this world, I review books about Minor League Baseball. My latest one was about Steve Fireovid and his 1990 season in Triple A. Read it won't you?

B.J. Novak is now the less annoying Ryan Howard.

Now it's not the Subway pitchman's fault. If you were offered 125 million dollars over five years? Goes without saying you'd take it. I mean, you'd be taken to an asylum if you said, "No! I don't want to be paid 25 million dollars to play a sport when I'm 36! That's crazy for you to offer!"

But why Ryan Howard is so annoying is because my favorite local sports team has a first baseman of boldness and genius power. Sure, he enjoys candy a little too much, but he's strong and as long as he's a Brewer? He's going to be someone I enjoy a lot.

But with the Ryan Howard contract? There's no way he's returning. I'm not going to say that I was so naive as to believe that he was anything close to a 50/50 shot to come back. I know basic math and probabilities. But you know what?

I wanted to believe. Hope's a good thing. I mean it's hard to be an idealist upon the internet. And now? In this aspect of my life, I cannot feel good about it. Prince is as good as gone.

Ryan Howard put the final nail in the coffin.

The Five Undrafted Free Agents That Really Intrigue Me.

Now this is another bit of homerism. The fact that Blair White went to the Colts is interesting and the fact that LaGarrette Blount will probably falcon punch his way past Anthony Dixon are interesting and all. But for the Packers? There are five guys who could really be interesting. Or at least make the roster.

1) Tim Knicky (DE/OLB Stephen F. Austin) Why? Because he was a very productive defensive end in college who showed at the Texas vs. The Nation game that he can play at Outside Linebacker. If he starts fast in camp? He can force his way in.

2) Noah Shepard (QB-South Dakota) Why? Because he has great physical gifts, not to mention the fact that he fits Bill Parcells four rules for drafting a quarterback prospect. 23 wins, 3 year starter, and a senior graduate. There's a lot to like about him.

3) Chris Campbell (OT-Eastern Illinois) Why? Because he's a pretty good right tackle mauler type. There may not be so much space at the inn. But Campbell could find his way in as a right tackle.

4) Frank Zombo (OLB-Central Michigan) Why? Because he's a bit of a Connor Barwin type. Soft hands and pass rush skills mean he could grow up to be another Spencer Havner.

5) Alex Joesph (ILB-Temple) Why? Because he's a special teamer. And as a PFA? He's a cheap special teamer.

Note: I would add Sam Shields (CB-Miami) to the list. Rumor has it that he signed with the Packers. And he's a tremendous athlete. Raw as a corner, but with return skills and three college years at wideout? He could find his way into being somebody.

The Green Bay Packers First Final Grade

This seems like a draft where there will these grades will prove to be wildly inconsistent. The Packers have played the upside game with a multitude of their picks. So my final grade will most likely be wrong. But here we go. A preliminary draft grade.

1) Bryan Bulaga (OT-Iowa) A (A ready made heir for Chad Clifton. He'll be a starter before long.)
2) Mike Neal (DT-Purdue) B- (An interesting attempt to bolster the pass rush. He's got a lot of good when it's right. But short arms and getting dinged is worrisome.)
3) Morgan Burnett (SS-Georgia Tech) C (I don't like giving up a pick for him. I don't like that he can disappear and look really bad. But he can hit and he can ballhawk. I may be blaming him for costing the Packers a cornerback.)
5) Andrew Quarless (TE-Penn State) B- (In terms of need? It's an F. In terms of upside? It's an A. In terms of gut feeling about his pro future? B+).
5) Marshall Newhouse (G-TCU) D (Last year they drafted Jamon Meredith and I loved it. He didn't break camp with the Packers. This year? I'm not a fan. And lightning will strike just to spite me. :P)
6) James Starks (RB-Buffalo) A+ (I will tell you this again. If James Starks stays healthy, he will be the heir to the throne. And he's the 3rd down back this year. I love love love this pick.)
7) C.J. Wilson (DE-ECU) B+ (I like this pick. I like it a lot. He seems like the sort of guy who's going to see more time than Lane.)

Final Grade: B- (The picks they made were decent to pretty darn good. But if you're a team where you got torched through the air as they did at the end of the year? You can't stand pat at corner. The Packers did. Thus they lose points.)

The Green Bay Packers Select... C.J. Wilson (DE-ECU)

It's a rule of thumb that you can never have too many pass rushers. And with C.J. Wilson, the Packers seem to have found themselves another bit of 5-technique pass rush skills. He's not going to beat someone off the corner. But his hand placement, leg drive, and general strength is plus skills. He's not going to miss a tackle that he gets to either.

Good value pick. I'm not guaranteeing greatness. But you may see him get more run this year than Mike Lane. He's the DE version of Matt Flynn, I guess.

The Green Bay Packers Select...James Starks (RB-Buffalo)

There's a distinct possiblity that we have found the heir apparent if Starks can stay healthy. What we have here is a tough inside runner who was good enough to get 34+ receptions in the three years he was healthy. 52 grabs in his junior year. He can be a third down back straight away who can stun you on a draw. He was hyperproductive when healthy and hat two years of 250+ carries.

He's not a make you miss sort of a runner in the open field. But he's a try hard blocker in pass pro. But like I said before. The Packers have found the heir apparent if Starks can stay healthy.

The Green Bay Packers Select...Marshall Newhouse (OG-TCU)

There's a theme that develops in all of Ted's drafts. Some are inexplicable. Some are straitlaced and common sense. This year? It's a draft that could run the table of awesome or be as bad as 2004. It's another pick of a guy with spectacular athletic gifts who needs work on his technique.

Again, while he's ignoring an obvious need, Marshall Newhouse's physical gifts are undeniable. He has good strength, and as a 326 pound man, he got clocked at 4.99 with his 40 yard dash. But, you remember last year when the Packers drafted Jamon Meredith? Newhouse is quite a bit more raw.

He's a guy who vibes practice squad for me. Just being honest. Won't hate it. If lightning strikes and all. But my gut says he's not going to be on the 53 Man roster come September.

The Green Bay Packers Select...Andrew Quarless (TE-Penn State)

Now watching the run on corners made me wary. And you know about my twitter feed. I have a name that I wanted. I didn't get it. Never mind the aging corners, here comes TRAMMON!

That being said? For a position that we have absolutely no need for? Quarless has a real chance to be somebody. He has the same sort of melange of skill as Jermichael Finley. Decent wheels, good frame, and solid hands. He's also strong in the receiving game.

Blocking wise? He's improving. But he's an immature kid. He'll take a play off, and he had issues at Penn State. But he'll work on special teams. And that'll help right away.

And it's not as if the Packers need Quarless right away, right? Right. Give him some seasoning? And ooh wee. This could be fun.

Ten Intriguing Guys Who Are Still Available.

For the Packers? It's been the waiting game. There is one seemingly glaring need. And one seemingly perfect guy for them. After which? Here's a list.

1. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah CB-Indiana (Pa.)
2. Johnathan Dwyer RB-Georgia Tech
3. Eric Norwood OLB-South Carolina
4. Dekoda Watson OLB-Florida State
5. Ricky Sapp OLB-Clemson
6. Dan LeFevour QB-Central Michigan
7. Shawnbrey McNeal RB-SMU
8. Perrish Cox CB-Oklahoma State
9. Dominique Franks CB-Oklahoma
10. Clay Harbor TE-Michigan State
11. Jonathan Crompton QB-Tennessee
12. LeGarrette Blount RB-Oregon

The Green Bay Packers select...(Morgan Burnett SS-Georgia Tech)

In terms of need? It's a decent play. Burnett has a certain Darren Sharperish vibe to him. His ballhawk skills are strong and he can killshot a receiver going over the middle. But he does have the Darren Sharper tackling problem. And that means he does have a tendency to look real bad.

They lose a 4th round pick for this. And as such, they have to wait a long while for a cornerback. They need to hit a homer for this draft to work perfectly. Burnett gets a C because of price and the fact that he's like Mike Neal. A ton of upside, but a real reason to think he won't succeed.

The Green Bay Packers select...Mike Neal DT-Purdue

In two words? Cautiously optimisitic. Mike Neal may have been a bit of a reach, but at least he's a reach with a lot of upside. His physical gifts are undeniable, and he does have a nice bit of pass rush skill to him as well. But the problem? He's undersized for a 3-4 DE. And he might not have the arm length to disengage blockers.

I don't exactly hate it. It's an inspired attempt at developing more pass rush. But I am worried that he will go the way of a Patrick Lee in that he won't be on the 2011 Packers.

The Green Bay Packers Select...Brian Bulaga (OT-Iowa)

He's not Kyle Wilson. He's not Sergio Kindle. But in terms of filling a need? It's. He's a left tackle with great skills. He had a thyroid issue he was working through and it limited him early. But he's got solid mirror skills and a good run skill to his play. He's not going to have to start straight away if necessary. The tendency to get dinged up isn't great?

But you have to love the upside. And with T.J. Lang looming as well? The O-line doesn't seem like near as much as a problem. It's a surprising pick. But it's a happy surprise. I had him 9th, remember.

The Green Bay Packers have an interesting dilemma.

Sergio Kindle, Bryan Bulaga, or Kyle Wilson? Two are a lock to be available. Who do you think the Pack should take?

UPDATE: All three of these guys are available. I fear I may be irrational toward anyone else.

The Green Bay Packers: The Final Thought Exercise.

I'll be honest. I'm fine with whatever way the Packers go. In many aspects. I wouldn't want Taylor Mays or Jerry Hughes and Jahvid Best would be vaguely disappointed. So I'm going to do this as a final thought exercise. And I will actually have a page full of current posts.

1-23: The Green Bay Packers Select...Anthony Davis (OT-Rutgers)

If Anthony Davis falls to 23? I would be thrilled. If Charles Brown does? I'd rather they went best player available. Rodger Saffold wouldn't be ready right away. Bruce Campbell? Please. Mike Iupati? Sure, if you trust T.J. Lang that much.

If Kyle Wilson is avaliable? The Packers should take him. Maybe he will? But I mocked him at seven. So maybe not. Kareem Jackson would be fine. Devin McCourty would not.

Pass-rush? If Sergio Kindle or Brandon Graham fall to the Packers, I'd bless it. Jerry Hughes can't work through the trash. Jason Pierre-Paul? Nah.

Out of the box? Jahvid Best has a nerve problem. It wouldn't be right. But it would be okay.

I still vote they look to deal here.

My Top 4 Options?
1. Anthony Davis (OT-Rutgers)
2. Kyle Wilson (CB-Boise State)
3. Sergio Kindle (OLB-Texas)
4. Brandon Graham (OLB-Michigan)

2-56: The Green Bay Packers Select...Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (CB-Indiana (Pa.))

This is a spot where the Packers seem to sit pretty. In the second round? You have the sleeper tackle Jared Veldheer. I love Jared Veldheer. But he wouldn't work in this thought exercise.

There's solid second round value for the Packers if they wanted to go after a cornerback here. Brandon Ghee and Jerome Murphy may not fit. But? Dominique Franks and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah would be great fits.

Also if they just had to go after a pass rusher here? There's intrigue. A whole lot of great pass rushers with instinct issues. A.K.A. The Ricky Sapp.

Running back is cool as well. Jonathan Dwyer or a Montario Hardesty. I would enjoy that if the Packers grabbed either one. However? Ben Tate makes me scream the big no.

The rawness of Chad Jones makes me wary if he goes round 2. If he goes round 3? Perhaps.

Top 4 choices.
1. Jared Veldheer
2. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
3. Jonathan Dwyer
4. Vladimir Ducasse

3-88: The Green Bay Packers select...Myron Lewis (FS-Vanderbilt)

After Round 2? There's less of a need to drop a top 4. If you remember my last one, I went blitzing 3-4 OLB. But Myron Lewis is agile enough to play corner back. But the thing of it is? He can also be the ultility secondary man if necessary. You can play the corner. You can play strong safety? Sure. Free safety? Right.

I'd love it if he went here.

4-122 The Green Bay Packers select...Roddrick Muckelroy (OLB-Texas)

They'll look to deal here as well. That is if Muckelroy isn't gone. He's a strong, instictive player, who plays fast in pads. He's the sort of guy who can cover most running backs and is a sure tackler and a pretty good blitzer. Brad Jones is pretty good. But I think Muckelroy can be better.

5-154: The Green Bay Packers select...James Starks (RB-Buffalo)

If the Packers are going to draft a running back. And it's likely they will? Starks is just different enough that he can be a fine back-up. Good power, soft hands, and decent athleticism. He may not be completely dissimilar from Ryan Grant. Then again? He may be as good.

5-169: The Green Bay Packers select...Blair White (WR Michigan State)

He's the sort of receiver who hates to drop the ball. I know. He'd be the 5th receiver as a Packer. But that would be fine. He's done it before. He willed himself to a #1 receiver. He's done it before. He can do it again.

6-193: The Green Bay Packers select...Nolan Carroll (CB-Maryland)

Raw? Yes. Injuries and a position switch leave him here. But here's a guy who's 6'1" and ran a 40 under 4.4. But he's a former receiver with great agility with only room to grow in terms of his skills. And? And. A willing special teamer. I say yes. He plays the Trevard Lindley role in this thought exercise.

7-230: The Green Bay Packers select...Andrew Tyshovnytsky (OT-Fordham)

I know some of you may think me trying to pull a fast one. That's a fake name! And I say, the protector of John Skelton is not! He is the sort of man who murdered his pro day. A 315 pounder rocking 33 reps on the bench and a 40 time under 5? Nice. He's also the sort of guy with experience. 28 starts in 4 years. I can't pronounce it. But I have to bless it.

Be back in about 90 minutes.

Okay. Let's Halfass a Mock Draft.

1. STL Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma
2. DET Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska
3. TB Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma
4. WAS Trent Williams OT Oklahoma
5. KC Russell Okung OT Oklahoma State
6. SEA Eric Berry FS Tennessee
7. CLE Kyle Wilson CB Boise State
8. OAK Taylor Mays S USC
9. BUF Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa
10. JAC Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech
11. DEN Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma State
12. MIA Rolando McClain ILB Alabama
13. SF Earl Thomas S Texas
14. SEA C.J. Spiller RB Clemson
15. NYG Jason Pierre-Paul DE USF
16. TEN Segio Kindle DE Texas
17. SF Charles Brown OT USC
18. PIT Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame
19. ATL Joe Haden CB Florida
20. HOU Ryan Matthews RB Fresno State
21. CIN Jermaine Gresham TE Oklahoma
22. NE Jerry Hughes OLB TCU
23. GB Anthony Davis OT Rutgers
24. PHI Brandon Graham DE Michigan
25. BAL Jared Odrick DE Penn State
26. ARI Bryan Price DE UCLA
27. DAL Maurkice Pouncey C Florida
28. SD Dan Willaims NT Tennessee
29. NYJ Mike Iupati OG Idaho
30. MIN Devin McCourty CB Rutgers
31. IND Everson Griffen DE USC
32. NO Sean Witherspoon OLB Missouri

The Weekday Defensive Tackles.

I'm going to make a bold statement or two here. Know that this is gutsball. It's a deep class in terms of value. And as such? Surprises are bound to happen. But I'm calling bust on a likely top five pick. Bam!

1. Ndamukong Suh Nebraska (If he's available by pick #3, somebody screwed up. The House of Spears is a beast.)
2. Gerald McCoy Oklahoma (An inconsistent motor and poor hand placement means he's got a real chance to be a busted pick.)
3. Dan Williams Tennessee (Kind of a Ron Brace. He's a one thrust and hold at the point of attack guy.)
4. Jared Odrick Penn State (An immeadiate contributor of a 3-4 DE.)
5. Brian Price UCLA (He could be everything McCoy claims to be. A deadly inside pass rusher with pretty good skills everywhere else.)
6. Terrence Cody Alabama (All he has to do is hold at the point of attack to be effective. Anything else? Gravy.)
7. Lamarr Houston Texas (Late bloomer, but he can be a real beast at the point of attack.)
8. Linval Joesph ECU (Daniel Jeremiah's sleeper 1st round pick. Eye-popping athleticism with less power than expected.)
9. Torrell Troup UCF (A bit of a sleeper. Big and strong with a real motor. The anchor of a top run defense with two 10 sack defensive ends.)
10. Cam Thomas North Carolina (The big guy without the strongest motor. But he can hold up at the POA.)
11. Al Woods LSU (A beast with the bull rush. The instincts are not so much.)
12. Corey Peters Kentucky (A big athletic Defensive Tackle who was a 4 year starter in the SEC? Valuable. But he's probably a 4th rounder.)

The Weekday Outside Linebackers

Another deep position. A lot of good depth here. Some guys are 3-4 specialists. In fact? You can get something great if you're in a 3-4 and you need help on defense. And you don't even need to overpay for a Kindle.

Toys humor! Yay!

1. Brandon Graham Michigan (High motor, great instincts, a practically perfect 3-4 OLB.)
2. Sergio Kindle Texas (A game-changer in the 3-4. He's simply explosive.)
3. Sean Witherspoon Missouri (Undersized? Yeah. But everything else is great. He's an instant linebacker starter.)
4. Jerry Hughes TCU (He's a great athlete with good football skills. The problem? He gets picked up too often. A big issue.)
5. Koa Misi Utah (More of a defensive end. Kind of like Paul Kreuger. Stiff in coverage, but he can rush the passer.)
6. Jason Worlids Virginia Tech (He lacks a little something in instincts, but he hits hard and runs fast. One of those tailor made 3-4 Outside Linebackers.)
7. Thaddeus Gibson Ohio State (More of a run stuffer than a pass rusher, but he's a strong 3-4 OLB. He does need a little more in terms of instincts.)
8. Eric Norwood South Carolina (The SEC's answer to Ricky Sapp.)
9. Ricky Sapp Clemson (His value is almost solely as a pass rusher. Other than that? Never mind.)
10. Navorro Bowman Penn State (Stiff in coverage, but with his instincts and other skills, he's a strong 4-3 Will or 3-4 ILB.)
11. Dekoda Watson Florida State (Kind of like everyone else who grades in the 2nd-3rd Round. His athleticism is greater than his instincts.).
12. O' Brien Schofield Wisconsin (Even after he tore his ACL at the Senior Bowl, his upside remains dtrong enough that a 3rd round pick wouldn't be too much of a reach.)

The Weekday Tackles

Allow me to get my homer hat on. I'm glad this class is deep. It will help my local professional football team grow. As such? I will make a draft nerd post of my last Packers thought exercise. How deep is left tackle?

1. Russell Okung Oklahoma State (A ready made pass protector, but he's an imperfect run blocker. Still a Top 5 pick.)
2. Trent Williams Oklahoma (The combine seemed to answer questions about his quickness at LT. And as such? He could be a Top 8 Pick.)
3. Bryan Bulaga Iowa (He's got some durability issues, but otherwise? He's got real skills. He could be an instant starter.)
4. Anthony Davis Rutgers (The motor is inconsistent. But he's improved every year in college. And he's still just 20. If he's falling, some team has a sleeper.)
5. Charles Brown USC (He's rising because of his frame and athleticism. But he does not have great power. That being said? He's sans power. And that's...not good.)
6. Rodger Saffold Indiana (Needs a year of seasoning, but there's a lot to like about him.)
7. Bruce Campbell Maryland (As spectacular of an athlete as he is, his technique is like steak tartar.)
8. Jared Veldheer Hillsdale (MI) (A lot to like here. He's an unspectacular run blocker. But he's a natural athlete and pass blocker.)
9. John Jerry Ole Miss (Great bloodines. Great power. Probably has to move inside to guard.)
10. Ed Wang Virginia Tech (He's rising because his one weakness is in his footwork. But that's still why I don't trust him.)
11. Selvish Capers West Virginia (Great upside, but he's very much a project for the team that will draft him.)

The Weekday DE.

The thing about defensive end is the reemergence of the 3-4 as a viable form of defense. Some guys I list here will be an Outside Linebacker. Some guys at OLB may end up as a 4-3 DE. But this is a deep and strong class. You need pass rush? You could hit it big here.

1. Derrick Morgan Georgia Tech (A powerful threat as a 4-3 DE who may be a Franchise 3-4 OLB.)
2. Jason Pierre-Paul So. Florida (He's got spectacular physical skills and a great motor. But that being said? He may play too fast. Athleticism without control leads to a draft bust status. Is he going to be another JUCO Bust? Maybe.)
3. Everson Griffen USC (He's got great physical skills, but no motor.)
4. Carlos Dunlap Florida (The East Coast Everson Griffen)
5. Tyson Alualu California (A strong and physically gifted 3-4 DE with a waxing and waning motor.)
6. Alex Carrington Arkansas State (The mid-major Carlos Dunlap.)
7. Corey Wooton Northwestern (A strong, physical 3-4 DE with a more consistent motor than Tyson Alualu.)
8. Austen Lane Murray State (Killed it in the FBS for a bad Murray State team. He's got room to grow into a 3-4 Defensive End.)
9. Brandon Lang Troy (He may not have the power to be a truly great 4-3 DE, but in a 3-4 system? He's a second round sleeper. He loves to attack the ball carrier.)
10. Greg Hardy Ole Miss (If he wasn't Mr. Glass? He would be the #1 Defensive end off the board. And I love Morgan.)
11. Jermane Cunningham Florida (A bit of a tweener in aspects beyond the pass rush, but in terms of pure pass rush? He's got a good motor.)

The Weekday Safeties.

Let me tell you this. There are two great Free Safeties that you'll see in the first round. One might try to be converted to be a corner. It would be a mistake. Let's see if you can figure it out, eh?

1. Eric Berry Tennessee (Believe the hype. His center field skills are spectacular.)
2. Taylor Mays USC (He'd be the greatest SS in a 3-3-5 defense. A physical killer. But there's no instincts.)
3. Earl Thomas Texas (As a Free safety? He could turn into a third corner.)
4. Nate Allen So. Florida (A strong ballhawk, but his aggression gets him burnt in space with the tackling and whatnot.)
5. Morgan Burnett Georgia Tech (A lot to like with his physical skills. Poor guy has a tendency to disappear however.)
6. Kendrick Lewis Ole Miss (He reminds me a lot of Atari Bigby and I mean it as a complement.)
7. Reshad Jones Georgia (A typical Bulldog hitter who can get posted and toasted.)
8. Major Wright Florida (The bizarro Taylor Mays. Great instincts. A physical killer. Poor athleticism.)

Weekday Selections: Cornerback.

A deep class? You bet your ass. Value for every style of defense? Absofuckinglutely. My sort of halfassery? Yeah!

1. Joe Haden Florida (Never mind the poor 40 time. He plays that fast in pads.)
2. Kyle Wilson Boise State (He has unpolished skills, but he can simply just shut people down when he's right.)
3. Devin McCourty Rutgers (A poor man-to man corner, but he's a ballhawk stud in a Cover 2 system.)
4. Patrick Robinson Florida State (He's got some spectacular skills, but he can get lazy.)
5. Kareem Jackson Alabama (A tough man to man corner with great athleticism as well as good instincts.)
6. Chris Cook Virginia (Great size-speed ratio, good ball skills, but he seems to be more of a free safety.)
7. Brandon Ghee Wake Forest (An agressive corner with poor ball skills.)
8. Jerome Murphy So. Florida (Got to love that he plays with a chip on his shoulder. But he does have a tendency to get burnt by his agression.)
9. Dominique Franks Oklahoma (Great physicality. Good ball skills. But he's got some discipline problems.)
10. Akwasi Owasu-Ansah Indiana (Pa.) (A 6'1" guy with 4.32 speed, good ball skills and great return skills. You can punch anyone who asks who? in the face if your team drafts him.)
11. Amari Spievey Iowa (A Cover 2 Corner, a solid nickelback. But is he a starter?)
12. Perrish Cox Oklahoma State (His return skills and good college production still seem to keep him in Day 2 despite his postseason interview fail.)
13. Javier Arenas Alabama (Undersized. A step slow. But his instincts and return skills add a real value to his game. And who are you to doubt an Arenas?)

Interior Line on the Weekdays.

Guards and Centers are boring, but I'm going to do it. So yeah. Eat it hypothetical reader. The interior line? Will have two real prospects going in round one. One in round two to three. And two are reaches. We'll discuss this further.

 Centers
1. Maurkice Pouncey Florida (If healthy? 10 year starter and a Pro Bowl mastermind.)
2. Matt Tennant Boston College (He's a zone blocker with a good mean streak.)

Guards
1. Mike Iupati Idaho (If he refines his technique? He's the Guard Maurkice Pouncey.)
2. Jon Asomah Illinois (Great value. He's a second round instant starter for a guard. Plug and play.)
3. Vladimir Ducasse UMass (Physically gifted, but his technique is raw. Give him a year of seasoining.)

Tight Ends to be taken on the weekdays...

The Tight End this year? While there are some safeish picks? This position feels more like a Boom-Bust scenario. Upside plays and injury risks dot the Top 10.

1. Jermaine Gresham Oklahoma (An explosive Aaron Hernandez, if his knee is right.)
2. Rob Gronskowski Arizona (He could legitimately be a Top 5 tight end in the league if his back's right. But it isn't.)
3. Aaron Hernandez Florida (A great pass-catcher, marginal blocker, poor explosiveness.)
4. Ed Dickson Oregon (Vertical threat with pretty good hands, good strength. Could improve blocking.)
5. Jimmy Graham Miami (FL) (As upside goes? Massive. He's not gonna be another Rickey Dudley. But will he be another Antonio Gates? Nah.)
6. Anthony McCoy USC (Not just another blocking tight end. He does have hands. However? No explosiveness.)
7. Dennis Pitta BYU (Catchers everything. Gets open. Cannot block to save a life.)

Inside Linebackers Day 1; 2: 140 Character Essence.

The middle linebacker is kind of a dying art. Granted, a 3-4 linebacker does have several aspects of the MIKE. But last year only two MLB's were drafted in the first day. This year? There's probably not going to be more than four. If Donald Butler goes Day 2? Spikes goes into Saturday undrafted.

1. Rolando McClain Alabama (A practically perfect two-down linebacker...who could grow up to be A.J. Hawk.)
2. Sean Lee Penn State (Kind of like Posluzny. Injury prone but spectacular when he gets on the field.)
3. Daryl Washington TCU (Probably more of a next level Weakside LB, but he could sneak into the end of round one with his skills Nick Barnett style.)
4. Brandon Spikes Florida (A poor Senior season and pro day make him a third round steal.)

A Twitter-Sized Breakdown: Day 1 and Day 2 at WR

If you look at the Wide Receiver position? You're going to see a run on these players on Friday. Obviously, Dez Bryant is going to be the first one off the board. And Demaryius Thomas has the physical gifts to drop between 21 and 32. But there will be at least seven guys selected in rounds 2 and 3. And most of that is Round 3 choices as well. I put the over under at 6.5 wideouts taken round three. Boom

So, in 140 characters? The top 12 WR's.

1. Dez Bryant Oklahoma State (Physically gifted. Great hands. But he's not nearly mature enough. Denver's an obvious choice.)
2. Demaryius Thomas Georgia Tech (Toolsy. Tremendous upside. Great hands. Great after the catch. If he learns the route tree?)
3. Golden Tate Notre Dame (Hyperproductive in a pro-style offense. A bit of Percy Harvin in him.)
4. Arrelious Benn Illinois (Could be a real steal. Kind of like Vontae Davis in that he has Zooker taint on him. But his skills are undeniable.)
5. Damian Williams USC (Good route runner, reliable hands, but who gives a fuck? He's a USC WR. Cursed!)
6. Mardy Gilyard Cincinnati (Quicks. Great hands. Ready made slot WR. He's kind of like a Hines Ward.)
7. Eric Decker Minnesota (Smart. Polished. One of the highest floors in terms of prospectdom. Great hands. Sleeperish.)
8. Carlton Mitchell USF (The antethesis of Decker. His strength is in his triangle numbers. Inconsistent hands and minimal numbers.)
9. Brandon LaFell LSU (Inconsitent hands and poor quarterback play doomed the preseason #1 WR. Reminds me of Kenny Britt.)
10. Taylor Price Ohio (Bit of a finesse guy. But he's got a lot of skills. You get him on your team round three? Thrilled.)
11. Andre Roberts The Citadel (Reminds me of Hines Ward. Gets open and off the line. Elusive at returns. Willing blocker.)
12. Jacoby Ford Clemson (His strength? Speed. Pure badass American Speed.)

The First Three Rounds at Running Back?

There's a lot to be interested in here. Someone of this group is going to be a gamechanger. And someone of this group is going to be the focus of all fantasy owners who want to start a white guy at running back. See if you can tell who's who.

1. C.J. Spiller Clemson (I like C.J. Spiller. His worst case scenario is as a Jamaal Charles. But he does have a real chance to be a Chris Johnsonesque game changer, especially when you consider the fact that he was at his best all the while suffering from turf toe.)
2. Ryan Matthews Fresno State (Hyperproductive. He has a nose for the goal line, and he wasn't completely an issue of level either. He had good games against two Big Ten and a Big East team as well as his legendary 19-234-3 line vs. Boise State. He's a slasher with the worst case scenario is Ryan Grant. Nothing wrong with growing up to be Ryan Grant.)
3. Jahvid Best Cal (Here's the thing. Chris Johnson needed the bowl game his senior year to have a year with 200 carries. Now? He's the greatest running back ever of the moment. Jahvid Best is similar, maybe with a little less patience inside, but someone's going to draft him in the first round, and they'll be thrilled. He runs like a Dragonforce guitar solo.)
4. Jonathan Dwyer Georgia Tech (I see him as a Shonn Greene with softer hands. He has great power and deceptive speed. He's kind of failed the draft interview process. But he's got the sort of skills where he can be more than just a short-yardage runner.)
5. Toby Gerhart Stanford (I'm going to blow the mind of the draftnik community. Here's my comparison for Gerhart. Shonn Greene. Great power. Okay speed. No hands. There you go.)
6. Ben Tate Auburn (I don't trust him. He's a stiff, upright runner, who plays below his timed speed. He was strong last season under the Malzahm system. But that's not the sort of offense he's going to see in the pros, is it? He does have value, but I'd wait until Round 4-Round 5.)
7. Montario Hardesty Tennessee (If he's healthy, he can be quite spectacular. The problem, of course is that he has never been truly healthy. He runs like an upright Clinton Portis. And while a new generation Kid Bro Sweets is worth your time, will he be another Chris Brown?)
8. Dexter McCluster Ole Miss (This is the sort of player that a smart team can make into a David Palmerish weapon. Wildcat QB, Sweeps, Screens, Returns. Give him 15 touches a game and he will make at least one game turning play. If you just have him returning kicks? You're wasting time.)
9. Joe McKnight USC (If I was a GM, I would draft him for the express purpose of making him a Wide Receiver, because he reminds me of an undersized Darren McFadden. The obvious comparison is Reggie Bush and I can see it. Make him a Percy Harvin and it's first round skill in terms of third round value.)

If I was Drafting for the Packers?

I'm want to do this sort of thing as a thought exercise. If I had control of the Packers, what would I do? And it's only for my home team. So yeah. Here's how it would go.

1-23: The Green Bay Packers Select...Kareem Jackson (CB-Alabama)

I would bet my non-existent farm that unless a Kyle Wilson or a Anthony Davis are available at 23? Ted's likely dealing down. Last year was supposed to be a poor year for picks, thus the rare trade-up. As for me? I don't trust Charles Davis. Ryan Matthews isn't that sort of dynastic change of pace from Ryan Grant either.

So that leaves the secondary. Plenty of mocks have the Packers going with Devin McCourty out of Rutgers. But it's not something I'd agree with. McCourty is a corner built for a zone system. The Packers love to play man to man in the secondary. And with Kareem Jackson, you had a guy who was consistently challenged in the biggest conference in the NCAA and was shown to be a success.

2-56: The Green Bay Packers Select...Jared Veldheer (LT-Hillsdale)

Here's where things get interesting. At the end of the second round you have to start considering names like Dexter McCluster, Montario Hardesty, Ben Tate, and Jonathan Dwyer as well as the other seemingly glaring need in terms of a Vladimir Ducasse and a you can never have to many pass rushers scenario in Ricky Sapp. And did you mention that Atari Bigby is sort of injury prone? Plenty of directions to go here.

McCluster would be the sort of electric weapon that the Packers don't have in the backfield with Ryan Grant. Give him ten touches a game and that could well be enough to change the complexion of a game. But can he get to 185 pounds without losing a step? Because your average waterbug is about 10-15 pounds heavier than McCluster, and even then it nearly takes an executive order to get them 15 touches in a year.

I'm going on the assumption that Hardesty is gone, because he's been rising up since this process began. And if he was there at 56? He would be the sort of guy who would be spectacular as a fit in Green Bay. He's a slasher extraordinaire. And that's cool.

I would eliminate Ben Tate because he reminds me of Chris Brown and already has over six hundred carries in his system.  And as for Jonathan Dwyer? I don't know why he's falling. But...

As for the obvious tackle scenario? At 56 small school sleeper time. Out of UMass? Vladimir Ducasse. Fun name, but he's a guard. The Packers aren't in need of that so much. But the thing about Jared Veldheer is that he's got a lot of sleeper in him. Physically stunning. He dominated division two. And he's not a waist bender either. He's just tall.

3-88: The Green Bay Packers select...Dekoda Watson (OLB-Florida State)

You can never have too much pass rush, and especially when you're on a team that lost a weapon like Aaron Kampman. And whiole Dekoda is somewhat raw as to the disengagement of a run defense, he can become a major contributor for what the Packers need right away.

4-122 The Green Bay Packers select...Kyle Calloway (OT-Iowa)

This is the sort of guy who's a tailor made right tackle. You can have him help inside or he can move Tauscher inside. He's an angry and mean man who gained a great amount of knowledge in the Packers Zone Blocking System. He's kind of like T.J. Lang, he won't start right away, but he'll see the field by the end of the year.

5-154: The Green Bay Packers select...Trevard Lindley (CB-Kentucky)

He's the sort of guy who was hovering on the end of the 1st round as the season started. An ankle injury and an atrocious Senior Bowl turn his stock into...this. But he's still a ballhawk. And he's still the guy who can diagnose most wide receiver routes. And he'll have a big opportunity here.

5-169: The Green Bay Packers select...Joique Bell (RB-Wayne State)

Yeah, his 40-time was crap. And yeah, he may be a D-2 stud like Xavier Omon. But here's the thing. He's got great hands, a willingness to passblock, and short yardage Dark Vengance! He'll be a nice third down back to start with and there's a shot at something more. He's got the lateral quickness of a mastermind. One cut and go!

6-193: The Green Bay Packers select...Darian Stewart (SS-South Carolina)

Atari Bigby is breaking down. South Carolina prospects always seem to be drafted two to three rounds before their upside. And Darian Stewart is the sort of safety who's at his best...in the box. Yeah. What up?

7-230: The Green Bay Packers select...Freddie Barnes (WR-Bowling Green)

Because he reminds me of James Jones. Yeah. What up?

Alice Eve

Real easy on eyes.
Classically trained. A problem?
Nobody likes Baruchel.