Best “Not First Round” Offense Prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft

ALLGBP.com All Green Bay Packers All the Time

I’ve read Packer fans are of the mind that the Packers offense is all set for 2015. Sure don’t need a WR, Offensive line is back, Running back? TE, we need a TE like Gronk , every team wishes they had a Gronk, and you will not find one in this draft. And QB depends on Tolziens development and how much Matt Blanchard shows in QB school.

Again we will look at the day three prospects and UFDFA’s.

Lets start on the offensive line. There is still a need for a swing tackle, no one at the end of last season showed they can handle that spot. And IMO the Back up Guard spot can be upgraded also. I would not mind seeing Ted Thompson drafting a OT in the first two days. Up until the second half of the season I would have told you Bakitari could be easily replaced.  He did progress, but is still a long way off from being even a top 30 OT in the NFL. Ranked at #56 overall. I don’t think he will ever be a top 30 OT, his physical liabilities show time and time again.

There are a couple late round and UDFA’s that are well worth working with. I am also interested in seeing the progression of Jeremy Vujnovich, Lets take a look at a couple of OT’s.

This prospect has visited with the Packers, Blaine Clausell OT 6-6 329# Mississippi State.  I can hear the screaming now “NO” not another tackle from Mississippi State. If it was early round pick I might be doing the same, but Clausell is a late round pick or even a UDFA.  He has all the tools and prototypical size for a NFL OT.  Good athlete with a 5.22 40 time and a 1.84 ten yard time, 4.79 short shuttle and 7.92 3 cone drill, needs to get stronger with 23 reps. But he has 34” arms.  Late day three draft prospect or priority Free agent signing.

 

Not much Video for a late round or UDFA, but some running game work shown here.

Laurence Gibson 6-6 305# Virginia Tech. Has the athletic ability to play in a zone scheme. 5.04 40 time 1.71 ten yard time, good agility timing out at 4.56 in the shirt shuttle and 7.72 3 cone drill. Needs to get stronger but did put up 24 reps @225# with 35 1/8” arms. Again not a lot of video. You will see he moves pretty damn well, and shows use of leverage to put people on the ground.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/0ap3000000477525/2015-Combine-workout-Laurence-Gibson

 

Now lets look at a Offensive Guard. This area IMO the Packers have questionable depth, Bayclay should work exclusively at OG IMO, OG was where Bakitari was drafted to be developed. Few if any evaluations had him staying at OT.  Lane Taylor has filled in but did not stand out other then getting beat. Tretter was tried as the swing OT but did not look very good outside at least not at RT, so him at LT seems less then acceptable.  There will be good competition for the back up OG /C. But more options should be looked at.

Quinton Spain 6-4 330# Spain is a big man with strength and athletic ability for the Guard position. He played both LT and LG in college.  At 330# he ran a 5.08 40 time and had a 1.78 ten yard time, good agility with time of 4.75 short shuttle and 7.88 3 cone. Has good strength with 28 reps @225#. Moves very well off the ball, experienced in the the type of blocking the Packers use. Just takes people out of plays.

I am not even going to look at any Centers, between Linsley and Tretter the team is set there and Barclay has worked there also.

Now at RB I would look at a 3rd down type back, SPEED, quickness, pass catcher. Power is taken care of with Lacy and Starks. I like what Rajion Neal showed last year, he has decent speed and quickness but I want to see “wow fast”, break away for a TD without being caught from behind.

I like Corey Grant 5-09 201# Auburn 40-yard dash (4.30 seconds), vertical jump (37 inches), broad jump (10-7), and bench press (22 reps), while also showing soft hands during pass-catching drills. And can add to the team on special teams.

 

Tight end

As I said earlier every team wants a Gronkowski. Well in this draft you can forget about that. When you look at the #1 TE in the draft Maxx Williams IMO you are looking at a slightly faster Richard Rodgers as in .02 seconds faster. Rodgers is quicker in the ten yard. Agility is a wash.

Matt LaCrosse 6-6 257# from Illinios is a LATE round UDFA type that has visited the Packers.  LaCrosse has a very good 4.71 40 time, 1.60 ten yard and shows explosion with a 30” vert and agility with a 4.57 short shuttle and a 7.30.  Sorry no Video.

Another I like as a developmental TE is Gannon Sinclair 6-7 257# Missouri State good athlete for his size, 4.83 40 time and 1.61 ten yard. Agility WOW for 6-7 4.22 short shuttle and 7.03 3 cone. Needs to get a LOT stronger.

 

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/646019/highlights/219449380/v2

 

Full Back

 

Kuhn is heading into the sun set. The Packers like having a FB for specialty duty and just plain old run blocking. But they do use a the FB now and then in the Passing game and short yardage.

I like Jalston Fowler FB Alabama, 5-11 254# he ran a 4.86 40 and a 1.63 ten yard at his Pro day and put up 23 reps @ 225#.  Fowler can do a little of everything, He has blocked for Eddie Lacy at Alabama.

 

WR

I think the deepest position in the draft.  Right now the Packers are loaded at WR, but Ted Thompson has drafted a lot of late round WR’s.

Darren Waller 6-6 238# Georgia Tech. Fast with a 4.46 40 time and a 1.57 ten yard. Good explosion with a 37” vert. and for his size great agility testing with a 4.25 short shuttle and 7.07 3 cone drill. Give him a chance to develop as a WR and if that doesn’t work put 10 to 15 pounds on him and make him a Tight End.

Last but not least at all Quarter Back. We all need to bow and genuflect to Canton Ohio, The Packers have been blessed with the last two QB’s this team has had. But Depth behind the better of the two needs to be upgraded. I was not in the Flynn boat, yes he knew the offense, but had nothing for a arm. He was not asked back and Tolzien is the #2 QB. I think Tolzien was the better QB in the 2014 pre season. His work ethic is talked about and he has the tools.  But even with that he needs competition.  I like Matt Blanchard but more arms are needed for camp and for development. We all heard that Brice Petty has visited the Packers. I would not mind seeing him drafted at all. The question is where.

As for a later round QB lets look at Brandon Bridge 6-4 229# South Alabama. He is a good athlete for a QB and has a Rocket arm. But he is as raw as a just dropped egg. The tools he has cannot be taught. Now the question is what happens with him in the Packers offense and QB school.

Don “Yoop” Christensen is an annual contributor to ALLGBP.com around draft time. He delights in finding potential sleepers in the draft.

2 thoughts on “Best “Not First Round” Offense Prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft

  1. On board with Darren Waller as a WR/TE conversion. Has remarkable measurables, but will fly under the radar somewhat because he played in Paul Johnson’s non-WR-friendly triple option offense at Ga. Tech. I think the Packer red-zone offense will benefit immensely from having a true jump-ball receiver to attract the attention of opposing defenses. I’ve seen projections of him going as early as round 4, though.

  2. Nice article. I’ll keep this handy and look for those names. You also mirrored my evaluations of Bakh, Tretter, Lane Taylor, and the comparison between Rodgers and Maxx Williams.

Comments are closed.