With their first fourth round pick (109th overall) in the 2013 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers select Davit Bakhtiari, an OT from Colorado.
PLAYER DETAILS:
David Bakhtiari
OT
Colorado
6’4″/299lbs
CAREER NOTES:
After redshirting in 2009 at the University of Colorado, Bakhtiari was thrown into the fire at right tackle in 2010, starting eleven games while playing in all twelve. He earned All-Big Twelve Conference honorable mention from the Associated Press after producing an 89.8% grade for blocking consistency, the second-best mark on the team, behind Nate Solder (94.3%).
In 2011, Bakhtiari took over Solder’s vacant left offensive tackle spot and was recognized as a second-team All-Pac 12 Conference performer. He was also named to the College Football News Sophomore All-American squad. He suffered a severe knee sprain on the seventh play of the season opener vs. Hawaii that would sideline him for the Buffs’ next two games before returning to the lineup for the rest of the schedule. He again finished second on the team with an 84.4% blocking consistency grade.
While Colorado struggled through yet another poor season in 2012, which ultimately led to the firing of head coach Jon Embree, Bakhtiari again was a bright spot with second-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors. He led the conference offensive tackles with 94 knock-downs, despite playing for a team that ranked 116th in the nation and last in the Pac-12 with an average of 302.75 yards per game in total offense.
Bakhtiari played in 34 games at Colorado, starting 33 contests – 22 at left offensive tackle and eleven at right tackle…He closed out his career with an 88.00% grade for blocking consistency, the best for any active offensive tackle in the Pac-12 Conference, as he also registered 255 knockdowns as a starter, an average of 7.73 per game…Also produced 27 touchdown-resulting blocks for the running corps.
5.09 40 yard dash, 28 bench, 1.79 10yd split, 34″ arms, 25.5″ vertical, 101in. broad jump, 7.7 3-cone, 4.74 20yd shuttle
SCOUTING REPORT:
What Bakhtiari offers a professional team is a well-built athlete with a tireless work ethic, one that his coaches call a “gym rat” that usually has to be chased out of the training room late at night. It was common on campus for the offensive lineman to “lock up the facility,” as the coaches would simply hand him the keys, tell him to “turn the lights out” and they would then head home hours before Bakhtiari would.
Bakhtiari has outstanding balance to attack second level defenders as a cut blocker for the ground game. He uses his long arms with force and to keep defenders from latching on to his jersey. With his timed speed and quickness, he generates and explosive retreat step and kick slide to get back and mirror edge rushers while protecting the pocket. He gets good depth in his pass protection drop-back and when uncovered he consistently works well in combination with his guards to assist in-line in pass protection, where he is known for his ability to delivers a punishing punch.
COMMENTARY:
Baktiari is a tough, physical type of guy that will bring some nastiness to the Packers Offensive Line. Despite being a self-professed “gym rat,” he needs to get stronger in the upper body (arms and shoulders). I though he would have been better off staying at Coloroda for another year. He is a possible conversion to guard or even center, but I think he’ll be given a full shot to win the left tackle job. I’m a bit unsure about him in pass protection on the edge, but I’ll go out on a (short) limb and say he’s a better run blocker than Marshall Newhouse right now…
VIDEO:
——————
Follow Jersey Al:
Follow @JerseyAlGBP
Add to Circleson
Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.
——————
The lesson here, folks, is that Ted Thompson hates guards and centers. He has never picked one.
Every sinlge OL he has picked has been tackles. I’m even inclined to say it was all left tackles.
He (and MM) also likes OL with positional versatility.
He takes college OT and turns them into NFL OG. Sitton and Lang both played OT in college. College same…
Sitton played RT, but Colledge and Lang played LT.
TT just picked a guard from high above Cayuga’s waters (Cornell, that is).
Hmm…
Nope. He was a tackle.
Hmn…
“Tretter played tight end in his first two seasons at Cornell, but moved to tackle, and helped the team’s offensive immensely. He started each of his final 20 games at left tackle and is the first offensive lineman to earn All-Ivy League First Team honors since Kevin Boothe in 2005.”
Hmn…
actually we talked about Baktiari on our OL podcast, Baktiari is very quick and is also a candidate to convert to center.
Personally I don’t have a problem with the Packers taking a tackle and converting them to guard or center, Sitton and Lang were both tackles in college.
The Packers have not been able to run block well. I think this guy will replace Marshall Newhouse and be a better run blocker while being just as good as a pass blocker.
When you play for a terrible team like Colorado you are somewhat hidden. The Packers did their homework.
I’m curious as to where they plan to play him. Compete at LT? RT and move Bulaga over? Backup at guard?
he could theoretically play any of the 5 positions, I have a feeling he’s going to be the interior swing man. Presumably Newhouse, Bulaga, Sherrod and Barclay are going to get the first shot to be the bookends, but there’s no one outside of Van Roten on the inside.
Your forgetting Datko at OT and I think Van Roten and Barclay are both better at OG. Barclay did a commendable job filling in for Bulaga, but he’ll be much better in close quarters than outside on the edge.
Per a post I made last nite… “How about a good backup OG? Bakhtiari would look like a good OG.”
https://allgbp.com/2013/04/26/trader-ted-strikes-again-packers-trade-out-of-3rd-round-in-nfl-draft/
I Definitely think they do need a backup guard, but I hope he can backup at center as well.
I don’t see him being an OT. Decent arm length but doesn’t have a big enough build to be a FT OT. Sure they’ll look at him a little, but he’ll be a good OG. From what I read, he doesn’t have to quick feet to get to the edge vs speed. That likely makes him an OG.
I think he has a real shot at the LT job. Campman just said he has quick feet and can definitely play tackle.
We’ll see… I’m guess by mid training camp he’ll be full time at OG.
2 words… Daryn Colledge. This guy is the exact same size as Colledge, who the Packers immediately move to OG. Similar feet to Colledge, maybe a little nastier disposition, IDK.
it’s pretty common for teams to take OT’s and convert them to interior positions. teams usually put their best linemen at tackle, so a tackle that’s not at the top of his position on the draft board still has a decent shot of being a better interior player than a higher ranking guard or center. it’s kinda like how colleges often get scholarships to convert a qb to another position since high school often have their best athlete/player at qb.
so much for only taking tackles – a center from the Ivy League??????
Pick 122, Tretter OG. Cornell. Gotta be pretty smart to go to Cornell. Possible OG/C.
Thompson making an effort to shore up the OL.
I like all our picks
This is very encouraging for the offense. part of the reason they dropped so far last year from 2011 was that opponents realized they couldn’t run the ball. that allowed them to load up on pass nd stymie the offense. say what you will about the team’s rb trouble, but the run blocking wasn’t very good, esp from guys like newhouse and saturday. seemed like every other play, saturday was getting blown into the backfield to destroy the play
Saturday especially. Running the ball starts inside w/ the OG and Center. Newhouse at LT would be great if he could be better run blocker. But all those really good/great OL that Ahman Green ran behind had Clifton at LT and he wasn’t a good run blocker either. LT is all about pass blocking, if they’re good run blockers its a bonus. EDS made the OL run blocking better almost immediately when he took over for Saturday.
Dear Ted.
1. We love you.
2. I am saying a novena to St. Jude [patron saint of hopeless causes] Don’t forget the defense!
Love,
Martha
I am confused. Two RB’s and two stretches at OT, but no S, TE or C.
Typically mysterious Ted.
Oh well.