2011 NFL draft in review: Green Bay Packers
The Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers made the final pick of the first round in the 2011 NFL draft. It has to be tough to sit there while 31 teams go before all with the same goal in mind, getting players good enough to dethrone the current champion. The Super Bowl Champs get a big target on their back, and have to wait out the first round (in most cases) waiting for a chance to improve their own club.
I couldn't sit there and not twitch to make a move to get up and get a guy that would improve my team. The Green Bay Packers sat back let the other teams do their thing and then quietly hit a home run. I have said it before and I will say it again good football teams make good decisions.
With the final pick in the first round they selected OT Derek Sherrod. Since 2010 draft pick Bryan Bulaga fits better on the right side, and Chad Clifton will be turning 35 so LT became a need for this team. Sherrod was the sixth OT tackle drafted and The Sporting News had him rated as the fifth best OT prospect in this draft.
That means the Packers addressed a need, and got great value with pick #32. Now their offensive line has two youngsters at the tackle positions who could be there for a very long time. The Packers then had to wait out the entire second round to make their second overall selection.
With the final pick in teh second round the Packers took WR Randall Cobb. The Sporting News had Cobb rated as the sixth best WR prospect in this draft, and the Packers made him 7th selected. Since Donald Driver is 36 and James Jones is a free agent adding some talent to the WR corps was an imperative.
With all of that being said let us take a look at the initial grades for teh 2011 Packers draft class:
- Round One- A, a big time prospect to keep QB Aaron Rodgers on his feet
- Round Two- A, a WR to help an area of need
- Need- A, they addressed two of their larger needs
- Talent- A, two big time prospects
- Average- A, with a ton of upside
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