DRAFT GRADES FOR PACKERS

Round 1

23. OT Bryan Bulaga-JR- Iowa – Grade: A

This pick was a no brainer for the Packers.  Bulaga fills their biggest need and was a steal at pick 23.  Many had him ranked as the third best OT in this year’s draft and projected him as a top-10 pick.  Bulaga brings with him a good amount of versatility, being able to play multiple spots along the O-line.  He fits the Packer mold perfectly and is a blue-collar player all the way.  He has prototypical size (6-5, 315lb) and technique.  He uses solid footwork and knows how to mirror defenders and get to the second level effectively. He completely shut down Titans’ first round pick Derrick Morgan in bowl game.  He plays with a mean streak and aggressively finishes off his blocks.  Doesn’t have elite arm length and did suffer from injury throughout his career (Shoulder, thyroid condition).  However, he came on strong the second half of his junior season.  He has the work ethic and character to develop into a future pro bowler.

Round 2

56. DT Mike Neal-SR- Purdue – Grade: C

This is just one of those strange Ted Thompson picks that come up every year.  The Packers’ D-line was very solid last season and is by no means a need, especially in the second round.  Neal was very inconsistent throughout his career at Purdue.  At times he looked like a surefire second round pick, while at other times he looked like nothing more than a fifth-rounder.  However, if the coaches push him enough Neal could end up as a nice rotational player.  Neal has outstanding weight-room strength and a solid physique for a guy his size (6-3, 297lbs).  Unfortunately, this doesn’t always translate onto the field.  He seemed to lack quality conditioning and motor.  When he was fresh, though, he showed great instincts, quickness, and penetration.  He could develop into a solid player for the Pack, but he must be pushed to accomplish this.  I would have liked the Packers to address other needs here, where some quality players were still left on the board.

Round 3

71. S Morgan Burnett-JR- Georgia Tech – Grade: B

The Packers traded up to address need here and got a pretty good player in the process.  This guy is an aggressive banger with great ball skills and good, not great, coverage skills.  He was not a disciplined in pass coverage as you would like, gambling too much on plays, but he was still productive with 14 career interceptions.  He was effective enough to keep opposing QBs away from throwing his direction last season, which is why his numbers dropped from the previous season.  He has outstanding work ethic and his coaches said he came to work every day, even as a freshman.  If the coaching staff works with him properly and polishes his coverage skills a bit, there is no reason to believe he won’t develop into a solid starter.  Unfortunately, the Packers had to give away their fourth round pick along with their third round swap with the Eagles.  There will be a considerable amount of pressure on Burnett to make an impact now in being worth two picks.

Round 5

154. TE Andrew Quarless-SR- Penn St. – Grade: D

This is my least favorite pick by the Packers this year.  First off, tight end is another position that the Packers have down pretty solid and did not need to be addressed during the draft.  Factor that in with the type of baggage Quarless brings with him and this pick is not worth the risk.  He was suspended on three separate occasions throughout college including being cited for underage drinking, a DUI, and was found with marijuana in his apartment shared with three teammates.  Physically and athletically he is everything you’d want in a tight end.  However, he never really did much with the tools he was blessed with.  He was very inconsistent and dropped a lot of catchable passes throughout his career.  He has a nice blend of size (6-4, 253lbs), speed (4.69), and athleticism to be a quality tight end.  But, he is far from it and will need a lot of tough coaching to tackle his immaturity issues.  Another spot I would have liked to see used on a need like a rush linebacker.

Round 5

169. OG Marshall Newhouse-SR-TCU – Grade: B+

This was a nice pick up in the fifth round by the Packers.  Newhouse brings great value here with the versatility to play all along the O-line.  He played left tackle with TCU, but projects better as a guard in the NFL.  He has surprising quickness and athleticism for a guy his size (6-3, 318lbs).  He showed nice flashes of power and strength as a finisher at times to merit potential.  His skills matchup nicely with a zone-blocking scheme like the Packers’.However, he plays too passive and will need work on his technique.  He also will need more conditioning to stay competitive in the NFL.  But Newhouse brings plenty of potential and three years of starting experience.  He could easily crack the starting lineup somewhere down the road with the proper coaching.

Round 6

193. RB James Starks-SR-Buffalo – Grade: B

Here is a guy who could’ve been a second or third round selection had his senior year not been erased by injury.  Before the injury Starks was highly productive and looked to be on the verge of another big year last season until he tore his labrum in his left shoulder, requiring surgery.  His is an athletic, multi-dimensional back who is built more like a wideout (6-2, 215lbs).  He is a great receiving option out of the backfield and has a decent amount of speed to get up the field effectively.  He does run a little too high, leaving himself open to big hits.  And in the NFL, those hits could be devastating to a guy who already has injury issues like Starks.  He will need to work with RB coach Edgar Bennett to learn to lower his shoulder more and run with proper lean.  He will be a good addition to the Packers’ RB core and will compliment Ryan Grant nicely.

Round 7

230. DE C.J. Wilson-SR-ECU – Grade: B-

This pick does not fill a need for the Packers, but does bring pretty good value.  Wilson has prototypical size (6-3, 287lbs) for a DE in a 3-4 scheme like the Packers’.  He displayed very good upper-body strength (32 reps) and surprising speed (4.83) for a guy his size at the combine.  He is very good against the run, but is not a great pass-rusher.  He is very durable and never missed a game in college.  He works hard and stays active with his hands while battling against opposing O-Lineman.  He will need work, especially in the pass-rush category, but he is a hard worker and should find his way into a rotational role at some point.