With Their Pick In Round 1 GB Selects Jaire Alexander CB Louisville

[GBP4EVER]

To me I think James or Edmunds would have been the better pick. People acting like Packers hit a home run getting a extra 1st next year. It all depends if the Saints are good or not again. Most I would expect them to be good like last year so lets say they end up in like say spot 27. That pick would be worth 680 points so add that 680 to this years 680 plus the 32 they got in the 5th and that's just under 1400 points or 300 points extra the Packers got in the trade you are then talking about getting a late 2nd round pick to be the kicker to have moved down 13 spots and pass up James or Edmunds. Time will tell if Packers made a wise choice or not. As of right now it's in the very questionable area.

 

[Budman]

I agree on James being a better pick at 14. I just wonder what it is that the Packers have in their pocket that tells them this was a good move..

Ted Thompson....

 

[57packer]

We need to separate ourselves from the Mocking media. They train your brain to think a certain way. Both Edmunds and James dropped lower than anyone was lead to believe. There are probably good reasons. I think Alexander was just a hair behind Ward. We got our starting CB AND picked up a #1 next year. I seriously don't see the angst with how it turned out. We got a very good player. He's a playmaker.

No angst, just how I think this will play out going forward with fans and likely the media. Players you select high are typically compared with what "could have been". Fans here and elsewhere are comparing King to TJ Watt, the guy we could have had last year. Hell, fans are still comparing Tony Mandarich to Barry Sanders and that was decades ago. I actually defended the trade-down in shout last night because getting a first round pick next year is a bold move and I applauded Gute for taking the risk. These are the kind of deals you'd see teams like the Patriots making, that Ted never even seemed to consider.

Edmunds and James were available and we passed so it's a natural comparison. In reality Edmunds and James didn't fall that far so I'm not sure there is a "reason" other than that is how the draft works. Teams have these guys ranked somewhat differently, and need and fit will make things move around a bit. I admit I'm a little surprised they were both there because they were both solid and had no big physical or off the field question marks.

There were a few twists and turns in round 1, but in the top half there weren't any real eye openers other than Mayfield going #1 - and even there it wasn't a crazy reach. Guys were slotted in the ranges where they were selected. I just feel like James and Edmunds were the guys to take there. Skilled, prototypical athletes for their positions. Consistently rated by everyone as good value for spot #14. Seems like a no brainer. In this case the Packers must have felt like they were not as good a fit as Alexander and I'm OK with that.

Hopefully Alexander works out, though the size does worry me just a bit. I see no reason he won't be at least a solid CB going forward and with sub-packages being the norm these days, even if he's "only" a solid slot corner he'll be hugely valuable. I'll reserve judgement until we see them play and we see what else Gute gets done in this draft and with that extra pick next year.

 

[Dubz41]

I was pretty excited when Edmunds AND James were there at #14. Mostly because all the amatuer mocksters (myself included) had been conditioned by the MEDIA that James was something special. He still might prove that he is, BUT he was an alleged lock to go to Tampa Bay. Most would agree with that observation. Tampa Bay passed on taking him TWICE. Traded down once and then took a DT instead. That in itself should tell us that something was up. Edmunds would have been a classic TT pick, draft a kid and change his position.
Like folks have said, time will tell. Don't think that we took a lesser player though, because we just don't know. I think Gute just couldn't pass up getting that future #1. That pick will be huge, next years draft already looks better than this years, at least at the top.

 

[GBP4EVER]

I was pretty excited when Edmunds AND James were there at #14. Mostly because all the amatuer mocksters (myself included) had been conditioned by the MEDIA that James was something special. He still might prove that he is, BUT he was an alleged lock to go to Tampa Bay. Most would agree with that observation. Tampa Bay passed on taking him TWICE. Traded down once and then took a DT instead. That in itself should tell us that something was up. Edmunds would have been a classic TT pick, draft a kid and change his position.
Like folks have said, time will tell. Don't think that we took a lesser player though, because we just don't know. I think Gute just couldn't pass up getting that future #1. That pick will be huge, next years draft already looks better than this years, at least at the top.

Will need more picks next year he trades that 1st for 2 2nd rounders in next year's draft. LOL

 

[rpiotr01]

I'm still pretty hot about the whole situation. When Mike Mayock had us taking this guy at 14, I thought no way. No way do they take a guy that small in the first round. If this guy shows up to Lambeau to shovel snow, they turn him away because he's too small.

Then with a leader like Derwin James and a physical specimen like Edmunds both staring them in the face, they trade out. Then they trade back up and I'm thinking OK, gotta be one of the big, fast ILBs - Evans or Vander Esch. Nope. Ugh. Just taints the whole draft for me.

 

[Mark87]

I think Gute just couldn't pass up getting that future #1. That pick will be huge, next years draft already looks better than this years, at least at the top.

Maybe or maybe not also a time will tell issue. It's really impossible to judge a drafts impact as a whole for 3-4 years.

 

[Jaymo]

I'm fine with the Alexander pick.
Getting a first next year sucks. Just ask Ron Wolf. It's devalued a full round, so could end up being actually worth a late second.
Worse yet, we have to give up a 3rd this year. In case you are wondering 56 players will come off the board between our pick at 45 and our pick at 101. Totally unacceptable. Gute seems to like collecting garbage picks at the end of the draft just as much as TT. Good luck filling the numerous holes on the roster with late round picks.
And before you say we can just trade back into the 3rd, it would take all of our 4ths (2) and 5ths (3) to get us back to near our original pick and you have to find a team willing to fall for it. That leaves us with a 6th and (2) 7ths.
On the surface, it seems like a win, but I think the trades were horrible

 

[Cheesedog]

Slept on it, still don't like it...

Let's look at the 2017 and 2018 (early) draft returns. If we just stayed and picked we could've had TJ Watt and Derwin James or Trumaine Edmunds, i.e. two impact players on D. Instead we have Kevin King (injuries), Vince Biegel (injuries), Jaire Alexander (missed much of 2017 with injuries) and some jag next year. This is the definition of trying to draft for need and killing your team. Terribly, terribly disappointing.

This... If you are one or two players away from a SB run then sure try the pick for need. But when you are in rebuild then take BPA and re-stack your team. Especially when you have good players there at 14. It's not like their weren't any left. And when I hear "This is who they targeted" I cringe because it tells you they didn't set up their board BPA and follow it. Sure he may have been one of the top corners in THIS draft, but that's all relative. It doesn't mean he was best pick. And we all know how the last short guy we drafted in the first to play Cb ended up.

The other bad things I see:
1) The Packers still overvalue their defensive front 7. Doesn't matter who your DB's are if your front seven can't get pressure and can't force plays.
2) GB sucks at coaching up it's CBs. So taking a kid that needs some big coaching, especially because this ain't the ACC and he will have a much harder time compensating for his size and frame in the NFL, so his technique will have to be perfect or these 6'2+ WR/TE are gonna eat him alive. Aggressiveness is good sure, ya he is always around the ball and that's great, you can't teach that.. But that only goes so far.
3) GB gave up a 3rd round pick where they could have got some needed talent. And instead have a large amount of 5-7 rounders which are high risk players. Again, if you are one or two players away from a SB go for it and stock the low picks and see who you find. But in rebuild rounds 2-4 are much more important.

The good?
1) The acquisition of an extra #1 pick for next year tells me Gutey realizes the size of the rebuild project he's facing.

 

[Dubz41]

Here is Alexander's profile from Huddle Report. Hope this helps a little. I would echo Mark's point that it's pretty hard to judge drafts immediately and we have a few here who are judging this draft on ONE pick. C'mon guys. Anyway from Drew Broylhart.:

STRENGTHS
Jaire has excellent talent and a high football IQ to play his position at a pro bowl level for the team that selects him. He shows on film the speed and quickness to cover any size receiver and the ability to play in any style of defensive scheme, zone, or single coverage. He is smart and shows leadership skills and communicates well with his teammates in the back field. He understands when and where his help is on any given play and will intercept the ball but only taking calculated chances to jump routes and make plays. He’s a playmaker for you defense and for your return units on special teams. Jaire’s cover skills are the best in this draft and he is very adept at limiting run after the catch yardage because of his sure tackling. Jaire has the size, toughness, high football IQ and tacking skills to play any position in your defensive back field and play them all at a pro bowl level. He is one of the best defensive players in this draft.
CONCERNS
I’m sure that Jaire is not perfect and I’m sure someone can find some things that can be corrected but trust me…it’s all just nit picking. Maybe he will take a little time to impact because he will be going up against tougher competition but like I said it’s all just nit picking.
BOTTOM LINE
When you see the obvious…draft the obvious. Don’t bother trying to nit pick yourself out of drafting what you obviously see on film. I don’t need a workout to tell me the level of this kid’s talent. It’s obvious, right in front of you, staring you in the face. What really impresses me is the fact that he tackles receiver’s quickly and securely so they can not gain any extra yardage after the catch. I don’t believe most people understand how important that is to being a dominating corner back. Jaire is tough, he’s quick, he’s fast, and he can intercept a pass like a wide receiver. But what he truly brings to your team is the ability to tackle and cause fumbles or separate receivers from the ball without getting called for penalties. When he tackles he doesn’t punish a receiver he is just adept at timing the tackle to the catch and making receivers who do not have strong hands and struggle to catch contested passes, drop the ball. The good defensive players have this natural rhythm and timing to do this. It’s a unique skill set and used together with form tackling becomes a weapon that adds to Jaire’s ability to be a shut down corner back against any size or style of receiver. That’s why I call him “Air” Jaire Alexander because receivers will be catching air instead of the ball when playing against him.