Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: LB Alec Ogletree
Player Info:
Alec Ogletree
6’3”
237 lbs.
Hometown: Newnan, GA
NFL Combine:
40-yard dash: 4.70 seconds
Bench Press: 20 reps (225 lbs)
Vertical Leap: 33.5 inches
Broad Jump: 122 inches
20 Yd Shuttle: 4.39 seconds
Three Cone: 7.16 seconds
News and Notes:
He earned the team’s Newcomer of the Year award as a true freshman in 2010. Ogletree moved from safety to inside linebacker at the request of coaches. After he broke his foot against Boise State in 2011, Ogletree missed seven games. He was suspended the first four games of 2012 due to violation of team rules. The final play of his college career was a sack to seal a bowl win over Nebraska.
What they’re saying about him:
NFL.com: “Has excellent speed for the position, can turn on the jets to chase plays down form behind. Beats blocks with hand quickness, plays the position like a safety with a chance to build a frame like a linebacker. Attacks the football when tackling in the hopes of creating a fumble. Outstanding straight-line speed. Plays loose.”
“Overruns a lot of plays between the tackles, struggles to recover. Has a lot of issues dealing with second level blocks from the offensive line, rarely can work over top of them, there winds up walled off. Run and chase player at this point, loses gap integrity with false or wasted steps. Dives or lunges for a lot of tackles rather than running through them and wrapping up.”
CBSSports.com: “A former safety, Ogletree showed off his terrific range and athleticism, making plays all over the field in 2012 and was often the best player on a defense loaded with NFL talent. Terrific quickness around the edge, capable of making stops in the backfield and is fast in pursuit. Doesn’t shy from making the big hit. Arrives with deceiving power and violent intentions. Lengthy frame, athleticism and experience in coverage. Has the long arms scouts like from linebackers.”
“Needs to be more consistent filling against the run and tackling with better pad level. Leaner than ideal frame. He’ll need to show greater strength in disengaging from blockers. Off-field concern following a four-game suspension in 2012, reportedly for violating Georgia’s substance-abuse policy.”
Video:
Video Analysis:
Seems ferocious in the open field, but is a little cautious when up against an offensive lineman
Locks onto the ball carrier and pursues well.
Often lunges at the ball carrier however and that leads to missed tackles. Fundamentals need work.
Ugly helmet to helmet hit. Will be getting multiple fines if he does that in the NFL.
Closed quick on that goal line stand. Ogletree’s speed will be a force to be reckoned with
Ogletree would fit right in on the 2011-2012 Packers defenses: Bad tackling.
Plays very high risk/high reward. He wants a turnover, but he’ll miss plays as well.
If the Packers draft him:
The big question is how badly do the Packers need another linebacker?
With Desmond Bishop, Nick Perry and D.J. Smith all returning, Green Bay’s depth returns at the linebacker position. With Perry and Clay Matthews, the Packers seem set outside and with a recovering Bishop and either A.J. Hawk or Brad Jones next to him, the inside seems to be in decent shape as well.
That said, there is room for improvement but how much Ogletree bring? He’s shown great speed and close rate but he struggles with wrapping up his guy. On a defense that has had issues with that in the past, do the Packers really want another player they have to teach fundamentals to?
Ogletree is incredibly fast, however. Speed is only part of the game at the linebacker position, so if Ted Thompson thinks the Packers can improve Ogletree’s tackling then he may be worth a selection. His current first round status is more a testament to the speed-obsessed NFL than it is to Ogletree’s overall chances at success.
Then there’s the character concerns. His suspension was rumored to be due to a substance abuse violation. Will that be enough to scare Green Bay away?
He could be a great linebacker in the NFL, but with the current state of the position on the Packers, it’s hard to see where Ogletree would fit in Green Bay.
——————Kris Burke is a sports writer covering the Green Bay Packers for AllGreenBayPackers.com and WTMJ in Milwaukee. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) and his work has been linked to by sites such as National Football Post and CBSSports.com. Follow @KrisLBurke
——————
IMO Ogletree would fit right in at the Weak ILB spot. He is a little rough around the edges, but his game is ideally suited for the position Bishop plays. Bishops return is far from a sure thing, no matter what is being said. Not many have returned from having a torn hamstring being reattached to the bone. He is a major question mark.
His sideline to sideline play and coverage ability would be a huge bonus against running QB’s and he is very good in coverage against TE and RB’s. Fundamentals are always being taught by the coaching staff and I think he’ll get better tackling and taking on blockers. If your looking for a playmaking ILB Ogletree is easily the best in this draft.
I like Manning more than probably anyone, but he needs to get better in coverage, which is a strong suit of Ogletree’s. If we don’t get Ogletree I wont be upset, but he is the playmaking ILB we have been missing. Any weaknesses in his game can be learned thru better fundamentals and coaching.
This guy is the real deal, IMO. Would love to see him in GB!
Agree with Stroh: This guy is the real deal, IMHO as well. Would love to see him in GB.
You can teach tackling, gap control. You cann’t teach speed. This guy is fast and very instinctive.
I’d see him going in on 3rd down’s for Manning this year. Blitzing occassionally. He needs a full year of strength and conditioning training to add about 10-15 pounds of muscle. A year of coaching, then he will be a monster 4 down WILB.
pass.
he plays linebacker like a safety.
Packers need linebackers who play like… well… linebackers.
When he met Lacy in the hole at the 1 yd line and STUFFED him, he looked every bit of a LB! Stopped Lacy dead in his tracks!
I agree cow42. We rely on our linebackers to be smart, instinctive and tough. He has tough but we don’t need a dummy to train. We watched Jones/Walden get out of position the whole 49ers game and it was a disaster. If we draft a LB, he should have strong fundamentals because our 3-4 demands it.
Would love to have him, just don’t see it happening. Even with his off the field concerns, I don’t see him being available @ 26. If he were, I don’t see Ted taking a character risk guy. I think the kid’s going to be a stud in the league… I’ll be watching his career.
I tend to agree. I doubt he is available and if he is Thompson might pass due to character. Hope like hell he would take him but it seems a little unlikely given Thompsons history.
If he’s available at 26, I think the value is hard to pass on. Could add a little bulk to play the spot, but does it make Hawk trade bait? I’d rather he was a little small but fast, given the Packers’ desire to open up games.
No thanks. Last thing we need is another linebacker that doesn’t want to take on O-linemen. don’t we have a few of those already? Anyone else read the glut of articles about how “soft” we are already? I am on the large, D-lineman bandwagon. I don’t want safeties or LB’s. We need more beef. GoPack!
“The big question is how badly do the Packers need another linebacker?”
The Packers need PLAYMAKERS, regardless of position, on defense. OK…maybe not an OLB at this point due to the investments there, but they need guys who will make things happen. I think Ogletree fits the bill on the field…a 3-down guy.
“Ogletree would fit right in on the 2011-2012 Packers defenses: Bad tackling.”
THAT’S my biggest concern. Will he generate more big plays than he gives up? Always concerned about character, but sound tackling is a must for this D.
“The Packers need PLAYMAKERS, regardless of position, on defense.”
Amen, brother! Preach it!
Been sayin it for awile. Everyone is so fixated on getting more DL. I don’t think there are great playmaking DL in the 1st, so we need to find ILB and Safeties on D that are playmakers. Can find some run stuffing DL in the mid rounds.
A fast, physical ILB or Safety would be ideal.
If you don’t have the beef to hold up the O-linemen, having playmaking LB’s and S’s is a waste. They never get the opportunity. We are thin and light on the D-line. We are getting even thinner because of Pick’s age. Have to have some big bodies. TT will be trying to trade down to get one in the 2nd because, to Stroh’s point, none may be worth their weight (pun intended) at 26. GoPack!