Bears and Packers Quick Picks

With all of the mock drafts and redrafts, I have fell a little behind.  Here are some quick picks for both the Packers and the Bears.  Results of the Andre and Chris draft to come soon.

Chicago Bears RB, DL, OT, 34OLB, CB, S, TE, QB

1^st (11): OT Jack Conklin, Michigan State – To me, he is the best RT in the draft and a 10 year starter.

2^nd (41): CB Artie Burns, Miami – Other CBs in this draft are flashier and being rated higher but Burns plays with swagger and heart.  I know he is a little spindly and may be able to be pushed around a little but he should more than get the job done.

3^rd (72): TE Nick Vannett, Ohio State – Vannett is one of the most polarizing prospects in this draft because he was so misused in college. So do we have Brad Cottam on our hands or do we have a legit prospect?  At the very least he is a solid blocker.

4^th (106): DL Hassan Ridgeway, Texas – A big strong versatile lineman who is not yet the sum of all of his parts but is no slouch.  He should be able to fill a role and improve the Bears front three.

4^th (127): WR Jay Lee, Baylor – Lee is a very interesting player to me.  He was overshadowed in college but was still pretty good.  He has shown that he can play at the all-star games.  He is a T.J. Houshmandzadeh type that is not flashy but you appreciate.

4^th (150): OLB James Cowser, Southern Utah – Cowser is overaged and jumping up from a smaller school but he is a winner and has a non-stop motor.  He is not Clay Matthews but he might be like Brooks Reed.  He is one of my favorite players in the draft.

6^th (185): QB Vernon Adams, Oregon – I love Adams and I do not care that he is short. He is a winner that has shown that he gets bigger the bigger the game.  I know very few like him make it in the NFL, but Adams might be the exception.

6^th (206): S Kevin Byard, Middle Tennesee State – The NFL will be a jump in competition but Byard has good instincts and will have an opportunity to develop for a year or two.

7^th (230): RB/Athlete Keenan Reynolds, Navy – He will not be able to play for two years so that is the drawback, but he needs time to develop so that is not the worst thing.  It is tough to deny somebody with this much production.

Green Bay Packers ILB, DL, G, TE, 

1^st (27): LB Darron Lee Ohio State – If he falls this far, he could be the perfect Will Linebacker with the potential to become a Mike.  He reminds me a lot of Nick Barnett when he came out of Oregon State.  This would allow for Clay Matthews to finally move to his natural position.

2^nd (55): DT Kenny Clark, UCLA – Clark has some power and feistiness but is not a finished product just yet.  He can play all three spots on the 3-4 but should eventually put on enough weight to be a nose tackle down the road.

3^rd (88): DT Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State – Drafting two DL in a row is not a bad idea.  I know that he is similar to Clark but building your stable of DL is not a bad idea at this point, even with some returning players on the Packers.

4^th (125):  ILB Nick Vigil Utah State – Plain and simple, Vigil is one of my favorite player in the draft.  I was watching highlights of his Teammate Kyler Fackler and kept wondering who this guy was.  The more I watched him the more I began to like him.  He is not for every system and really just fits the 3-4 Will linebacker spot but he could be a great one.  Great instincts and passion for the game, he is just a little undersized.

4^th (131): G Ted Karras Illinois – Karras is not the prettiest player out there but he fits the bill for a greasy grimy gruff guard in the NFL. The Packers need to restock the Offensive Line pantry and Karras is a great fit.  In a way, I like him better than some of the top rated guards in this draft.

4^th (137): TE Darion Griswold Arkansas State – A bit of a project but really what tight end isn’t?  Give him a few years of dedicated development and he should be very good.  For the time being he should be a special teams contributor.

5^th (163): OLB Ian Seau, Nevada – I am a little lost as to why he is not getting more press, particularly with that last name.  He is a little stiff and straight linish but he has a good motor and should be a solid rotational pass-rusher.

6^th (200): RB Storm Barrs-Woods Oregon State – Barrs-Woods is not a starter but he is better than his size suggests.  He will be an excellent change of pace running back and can also contribute on special teams.  He might be exactly what Johnathan Brown was going to be before he had a career ending injury.  I really like this player a lot.

7^th (248): DL Corey Marshall Virginia Tech – So what do you do with a very athletic college DT who has the size and measurable of a 3-4 OLB?  Draft him and hope that you can move him to a totally different position?  My only question is, why was he playing DT?