#289 Packers Unscripted: Division draft roundup

against the Vikings, Lions, and Bears. So let's start with the Vikings. They are the defending division champions. They've won the NFC North two of the last three seasons. Um came, you know, within an eyelash, I guess you say, of the Super Bowl, having reached the NFC title game a year ago, and uh, a lot to eyes on that first round pick for them, obviously, cornerback Mike Hughes, a player that most analysts said would have been drafted much higher than the bottom of the first round if not

for some off the field concerns. Yeah, and those off concerns were something that I think we, you know, looked at a little bit too, because we thought he could potentially be a fit for the Packers. He started his time off of North at North Carolina. Uh, some situations happened off the field. It seems like everything I read,

you know, how I understand it. You know, he was never charged with anything, but he decided to leave Chapel Hill and then he goes and plays one year at Garden State Community College and then makes the decision to go play for Scott Frost at UCF. So the two sides of that is what happened at North Carolina, and then the other fact he really only had one year of college football that you can kind of, you know, put some film up and really study him. So that's

sort of the aspect of him. You know, some size concerns as well, But overall, I mean, he's a was a tremendous playmaker for years with you know, going back to what he did in high school I think coming out of North Carolina and then what he obviously contributed at UCF. So and then also gives him some playmaking on potentially special teams as a returner. So a lot

of different facets there to Mike uses game. Yeah, Now, safety Harrison Smith is really the quarterback of that secondary for the Vikings and really the quarterback and that of that entire defense. And the Vikings just made a commitment to Trey Wayne's um first round draft pick from a while they picked up his fifth year option, did they not? Yeah?

So um, But with Hughes now coming in as a rookie first round pick, where do you see him maybe fitting into this Minnesota secondary as it currently stands, he's gonna have a chance to contribute right away. Um. You know, no, no disrespect to Terence Newman. He's done it at a high level for a very long time and he resigned. Resigned again, amazing career that guy's had. He did say this will be his last year, you know, and again

that's assuming he makes the roster. But he you know, he will turn forty this season and that'll be it. But let's be honest, Mike in with all due respect to Newman, if you're a defense and the Vikings were one of the best in the league last year, I don't know how much you want to rely on a thirty nine or forty year old defensive back to be your nickel or slock corner. Uh. They had to do

that at different intervals last season. I think bringing in Hughes now gives you somebody to compliment Wayne Wayne's and and just trying to see exactly how all those guys fit. Uh, that was really if you look at that defense, the wage structure right now, I think that's really was the only weakness. Trying to find that number two complimentary piece,

and I think they feel like they accomplished that with Hughes. Yeah. Well, and we also saw and the Vikings saw, and I think this pick in a lot of ways was directed towards what happened to that defense in the NFC Championship game when Xavier Rhodes had to leave the game and or was trying to play when he wasn't healthy, Because that defense just wasn't the same in that game, the one the way they had played all your long and roads either not being on the field or not being

fully healthy at the number one cornerback spot was a huge was a huge factor. And you mentioned Newman and his age and everything. I think the Vikings are trying to figure out how they can piece this together so that if Rhods does have to miss some time, they just don't completely fall apart. Again. Yeah, absolutely, and that's that's a great point you raise, because Rhads really is that he's the guy there waynes I think you give

him credit for the way he's developed. You know, he's had some ups and downs, but he's been able to be consistent enough as that number two option. It is roads though, that ultimately is going to be your quote unquote shutdown corner, but you need more guys to be able to compliment that. You look at what they did in Cincinnati the years that Mike Zimmer was there. They you talk a lot about that defense, You talk a lot about this the you know, the double a gap blitzing.

They had good, reliable cornerbacks. They're developing the same thing in Minnesota. They've invested three first round picks into that position now. But obviously that shows you the commitment that they have to making sure that they have enough options there if you happen to lose Roads at any you know, any time. Yeah, a couple of other picks by the

Vikings that intrigued me. In the second round, they took Brian O'Neill, an offensive tackle prospect out of pit, and then a couple of rounds later they took Tyler Conklin, a tight end from Central Michigan, and the O'Neill pick interesting to me from the standpoint that last year the Vikings kind of fixed everything with regards to their offensive line. I think then drafting an offensive tackle and some people

thought O'Neil maybe could slip into the first round. Drafting an offensive tackle as high as they did, I think is is a signal that, Okay, again, we don't want one injury with this unit that we fixed. We don't want one injury, especially at one of the edge spots at tackle to to to lead to a big drop off.

So they want another another big time prospect there. And then with Conklin at tight end, I mean, Kyle Rudolph has been so productive no matter who the quarterback has been in Minnesota, He's been so productive as a pass catching tight end for them. You wonder if they're trying to find that next, potentially that next Kyle Rude. Yeah, and it is what I said before too, Mike, you want to have some guys in the pipeline at that position. I thought Conklin was a great value pick for them

in the fifth round. And then also to look at O'Neil, I mean you tip your cap Riley. Reef ended up being one of the better signings out of free agency last year, but he's not getting any younger either. It's important to be able to have options at tackle. I mean, I think they're anticipating Reef being able to hold down that spot for the next three, four or five seasons,

but you never know how things can turn. The nice thing about Roneil he gives you some flexibility too, if you'd have to use some potentially at that right tackle spot. All right, Well, we've got some other teams in the NFC North to talk about. We will get to that after the breakback with more on Packers Unscripted. Right after this,

Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford here, West, Hodko, it's over there, okay, West, continuing on with our NFC North analysis here in the draft and moving on to the Detroit Lions. They draft a center from Arkansas, Frank rag Now, in the first round, and again, not the sexiest pick that you throw out there to your fans at your first round pick as an offensive lineman, but

certainly a commitment to a couple of things. Obviously wanting to protect Matthew Stafford, but also trying to establish and get that running game going, and that's a that's a commitment. They continued then in the second round with drafting carry On Johnson, the running back out of Auburn. So two picks that kind of go hand in hand at the

top of their draft, they really do. And after Billy Price ends up having that soldier injury, I think it really solidified right now is the top center on this board. Price could end up having a very nice career, but sure, I think if you're looking at trying to make a first round investment, rag Now was the safer pick. He was an exemplary citizen during his time at Arkansas. They went through a lot of tough days, but yet he was a consistent, reliable, real axle of that offensive line.

It's some interesting personal off the field stuff. You know, he lost his father during his time at Arkansas. I believe it was cancer. Um really, I was impressed with him. I got a chance to be in that media scrum at the Combine holds himself and you can tell a really respectable and mature way, and I have to imagine

there'll be a guy who fits in well. I saw t J. Lang was giving him a little bit of grief on Twitter already saying when reg Now was telling him how excited he is the play next to him, he mentioned he called him t J, and t J immediately replied with it's Mr Lang, Mr quintessential t J Lang. But this is this is an investment in trying to balance that offense. The Detroit Lions have taken a lot of swings in the second round on running backs. They're gonna try one more big hack here with carry on

my wayward Son Johnson. How does a guy like that and not end up in Kansas. He had to, but he probably avoided it on purpose to go to auburna auburner Kansas football. It's a tough call. But hey, I mean they missed on Michael Leashore. Uh you know, a

mere ab Duela. There's been question marks there. It's just been this on and on rotation of trying to find buddy who can be there, and they and a handful of years ago they might have had the right guy in job at best, but the concussions and everything, he just never got his career off the ground. They made a pretty big investment in him as well. I believe

he was from cal if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, And I mean they're still trying to find that next Jonathan Stewart for them, or who who was the guy that was a Jonathan store Who was the guy that filled in after h Barry Sanders? Remember that? Who is that? I can't even anyway, You're you're you're putting me on the spot. And they're still trying to find an answer at that position. And if you look at that that record, Mike, I think it's what now, sixty games they've had without

a hundred yard rusher. Yeah, it's some incredible street. Nobody else is like above fifteen right now. I think the Ravens were second place, but then they accomplished it last year. Um, this is this is a big move for them. They need to find a running game. Yeah, they want to take some of the pressure off of Matthew Stafford. They want to develop a little bit more balance offensively. Another pick for the Detroit Lions to to keep an eye on in the fourth round, they drafted DeShawn Hand, defensive

lineman out of Alabama. Now, as far as that interior of Alabama's defensive line, it was it was kind of a one two punch. Deron Payne was the was the much talked about guy, the first round prospect. DeShawn Hand was sort of the sidekick, you know, the the other guy, just as big, not quite as agile, not quite as fast, you know, all all the all those other measurables and stuff.

You know, he wasn't in in Paine's class, but but you know, you talk about a guy who who sometimes you just never know maybe how good a guy like that is when he's been playing next to a first round pick. Does he get to flourish more when he's not in that shadow or was he making plays because the other guy was getting so much attention. That's one of those things from a scouting perspective, I think that

can be really hard to project. But a fourth round pick for a guy on Alabama's defensive line, um, you know it's definitely worth the investment. Well, and you hit the bulls. I'm like, that's how you end up being a fourth round pick. And by the way, just to throw out it was James Stewart. Was James Stewart back in the post Barry Sanders era. But yeah, Hand is one of the guys I was really high on coming out, and I think he'll pair well with that offensive front.

Obviously a Sean Robinson's already there. Um, so there's some ties to pass defense, Crimson tie defensive fronts. I'm interested to see how they use them. And they've had a lot of success over the years. I think you have to tip your cap. Even going back to Martin Mayhew when he was the GM with the Lions, they found defensive lineman that has been the heart and soul of

those defenses when they were really good. I know it's kind of lapsed a little bit in recent years, but Hand will be a guy they'll throw into that rotation. Also drafted, uh, Tracy Walker from Louisiana, So um, that's another guy as far as the defensive back that's going to add to those reserves. At that position, they have some really good pieces. Darius Slay is one of the top cornerbacks in the league right now. Um, but they need to find more guys to deepen that rotation. I

think both of those two guys check the boxes. For the limitations that the Lions had in regards the draft picks. I actually thought they did a good job of being able to find some guys that are going to help them all, right, Well, one more team in the NFC North to get to, and we will get to the Bears after this. Back with Moron Packers unscripted. Welcome back to Packers, unscripted. Mike Spofford in this chair, West Hodkuit's in that one Okay West final team here in the

NFC North, the Chicago Bears. They had the highest draft pick of the division opponents, number eight overall. They select linebacker ro Kwan Smith from Georgia, one of these guys who has talked about in that group of the top five or six defensive prospects in the entire draft. And I'm sure Bears fans are hoping, as I kind of mentioned after the first round, they're hoping that this is the second coming of of your Brian Urlacker, a guy who's going to be your anchor at line backer in

the middle of that defense for the next decade. So it is Vic Fangio, that's what he's hoping for. I actually, uh, you know, I know, I just got done talking about the lines drive class. I was really impressed by what the Bears did. It started with Smith. I think they let the board come to them We're talking so much, Mike about the Packers and in the fact that their quarterback obviously isn't in eating Green Bay, and how that

was going to help them. The Bears, who say what you will about their decision to move up one spot last year to take Mitchell Robiski, they were the big benefit of this in the long run, though. Right before them the Bills are trading up trying to get their quarterback. That meant a lot of really talented defensive players are going to be available for them outside of Chub and Ward.

Roquan Smith is a guy that I think I don't want to put you don't want to put that expectation out there that the guy's the next Brian or Lacker, because I think Brian or Lackers a once in a generation guy, a guy that moves from safety to linebacker at a really small school and then just takes the world by fire and becomes a Hall of Fame football player.

But that being said, out of all these in side backers that you know have been produced out of the sec here in the last handful of years, Roquan Smith, in my opinion, is the best of the bunch. He just he does so many different things. He gives you the coverage tools that you look for. He's a playmaker in the trenches. Yeah. This guy, by all accounts, is the type of guy that you plug in there for ten years and you forget about it. Yeah, that he's going to be a guy that's going to be there

and be reliable. It was a good pick by them, and I think it was just just really a function of letting the board come to you and taking the best guy available. Yeah. And then in the second and third rounds, the Bears focused on offense. They took James Daniels, the center out of Iowa in the second round to uh to provide a little bit more depth and beef

on that offensive line. And then in the third round they took a guy I know that that you were very interested, and that's the wide receiver Anthony Miller from Memphis. And we knew going into this draft the Bears had to make some kind of an investment, a significant investment at wide receiver because you've got to get Mitchell Drabinsky some targets and arguably they're the best wide receiver that they've had over the last couple of years. Was Cam Meredith,

who was gone. You know, he he injured his knee and basically missed the season and now he's gone. The Bears chose not to match a contract offer that he got elsewhere. So, um, Anthony Miller, you know this is this is a guy who you know. And the Bears are still hoping that Kevin White from West Virginia, their first round pick from a handful of years ago. They're hoping that that he can get over all this injury stuff and become the player that they projected when they

drafted him in the top ten. But um, but Miller is a big investment in a wide receiver. It's a guy with a lot of upside. Yeah, and they took out insurance policy too with Alan Robinson. But now the question is he's coming off of an A C L as well, So what are you going to be getting with those two returning vets. I think that Anthony Miller checks a big box because he can be a slot

receiver if those two guys are healthy. He's not necessarily taking playing time away from anybody, and it gives somebody underneath a playmaker for Mitchell Trobiski to work off of, which I think was really what they were missing the most last year, especially after the Zach Miller injury. There just there wasn't anybody for him to go to, you know, close in between the hashes. So Miller is a guy that made plays all over the field for Memphis. I mean,

you want to talk about chip on his shoulder. Uh, this guy probably is in the top ten of the draft in terms of he was completely shunned by every Division one college his hometown, Memphis Tigers. They end up allowing him to come onto campus as a walk on, and he leaves as their all time leading receiver, breaking numerous records held by Isaac Bruce along the way. This guy is a playmaker, and I really thought, you know,

potentially the Packers could be looking at him. You know, Ultimately, I think they made the best decision going with Josh Jackson and being able to really fortify that cornerback spot. But I think Anthony Miller is gonna be a playmaker in this league. And I can see how Mitchell Robiskie if I'm in his shoes right now, compared to what I had to work with at the end of last season, I'd have a smile on my face if him, especially getting James Daniels too. He has a center now for

the future. Yeah. Well, and you look at and as as you said at the beginning, the Bears kind of let the draft come to them. They seem to get really good value at their top picks. Some people thought James Daniels was potentially a late first round guy if you want an interior offensive lineman. As you mentioned, some people projected Anthony Miller as a second rounder at wide receiver. The Bears get those guys, respectively, at the top of the second and the top of the third, you know,

the first third of those respective rounds. So again, they really took a value approach with with their top pick. In Miller just kept climbing and climbing and climbing. He was a fourth or fifth, and he was a third. He ends up being a second. The one side effect of all this, though, now Mike is there is going to be more pre pressure on Mitchell Robisky. He has some weapons. Now he has to go about using them. All Right, With that, we'll go to a break back

with more on Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford joined by Wes Hodk Wits and West. Just to clarify something I said at the end of the last segment about the Bears and Anthony Miller using the pick at the top of the third round. I meant to say they traded that pick to get back into the bottom half of the second round to draft Miller. That was the investment that they made. I

didn't make that clear, so I apologize for that. But moving on, we had talked after the first round excuse me of the draft about the quarterbacks and where they went. Baker Mayfield to the Browns, Sam Donald to the Jets, Josh Allen to the Buffalo Bills, and Josh Rosen to the Arizona Cardinals. Now you look at the Packers two thousand and eighteen schedule, the Jets, the Bills, and the Cardinals are all on it. How many of these rookie quarterbacks do you think we're going to see play against

Green Bay this fall? I would say it's good chance of seeing at least two, if not all three, depending on which direction the Bills go. Doing this, off the top of my head, I believe it was the Bills that signed A. G. McCarron, right, so he'll be in that conversations right ye with with Josh Allen. So whether or not Allen ends up getting the call during the first month this season, we'll have to wait and see.

I wonder if they're gonna be somewhat hesitant to do that after what happened with Nathan Peterman last year when they put him in over Tyrod Taylor. Looking more at the Cardinals and Jets, they were looking for a long term answer at those and it was obvious going into the draft they needed to do this. I mean, you go back and listen to what the words come out of Arizona. For so many years they've wanted to draft and develop a quarterback. They just haven't done it. So

now you look at this and they get Rosen. I think by December he'll have a good chance to be starting. Maybe Sam Bradford goes there and hits the ground running, totally possible. But and then the Jets, Sam Donald is the guy. I think everybody understands that. Even though they did sign Teddy Bridgewater, even though they do have Josh McCown coming back, I think if everything goes according to plan for both of those teams, those two guys will

be starting come December. Yeah, the one I'm intrigued about, just to see really what happens is with the Cardinals because you mentioned Bradford. Obviously they signed they signed him, but his track record health wise, I mean, whether they whether whether they want to play Josh Rosen as a rookie or not. They're in a they might be in a position where they don't have a choice because Bradford hasn't played a full season and I can't even he

never has. Yeah, I don't think he has, so one of the one of those one of those situations to watch. And then obviously the Jets being on the schedule in December, as late as that is, you know, you never know by that point, even even if they even if they go with McCown at the start of the season, depending on how things unfold, by the time December rolls around, they might have turned it over to Donald and and we'll see what We'll see what some of these young

guys have got. Yeah, Bradford, I take that back head two seasons where he started all sixteen games, that was in two thousand ten and two thousand and twelve. He hasn't done it though, in five years five So that's going to be the challenge that they're facing. McCown's a great fit for the Jets because he understands that the horizons coming in his career and he's been bounced around enough and been in and out of football enough to

really relish the opportunity that's in front of him. I thought he did an exemplary job last year, really came in there and held down that position, gave them some hope offensively, but need to find the next guy. Donald. In my opinion, he was my top quarterback on the board. I think it's interesting that they're able to get him at number three because their fellow New York team decided to go at se Kwon Barkley. We'll see how all this plays out, but I think that in the long run,

Donald is gonna be a good investment for them. The one that's gonna be the biggest question mark is Allen just because he's coming from Wyoming. There were the accuracy concerns, not counting everything else that happened on draft night. Seeing if he can push a guy like Adia mccarren for

the job right off the bat's gonna be interesting to watch. Yeah, the Bills trading up for Alan the Cardinals also trading up to get Rosen so there was a lot of jockeying for position there with regards to the quarterbacks, As you said, the Jets were kind of the team's sitting pretty when the Giant. When the Giants decided to go with Barkley, then they had their guy because they had made the trade up to number three earlier. But with that,

we will sign off on Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers dot com on Twitter. He's at west Hot. I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Than for tuning in everybody, We'll see you next time. M