High-Quality Analysis

from NFL.com’s Vic Carrucci.  Here’s his evaluation of the Packer draft.

Figuring out the Packers’ draft strategy isn’t easy. After bailing out of the first round, they used a second-round choice in an area where they didn’t seem to need any help: wide receiver. Still, Kansas State’s Jordy Nelson, a speedster, is an intriguing prospect. And doesn’t Aaron Rodgers have enough pressure on him as Brett Favre‘s replacement and with the potential that Favre might come back from retirement? Why invest another second-rounder in Louisville QB Brian Brohm, even if he was widely projected as a first-round pick? The Packers did address needs with second-round cornerback Patrick Lee, from Auburn, and third-round tight end Jermichael Finley, from Texas.

Hmmm.  Where to start?  How about the beginning.  He writes: “Figuring out the Packers’ draft strategy isn’t easy. After bailing out of the first round, they used a second-round choice in an area where they didn’t seem to need any help: wide receiver.”  Here’s a suggestion.  Check Ted Thompson’s bio on the Packer website.  You’ll see that shortly before the 2006 draft he said: “”You have to take the best player available.”  Before the 2007 draft he said: “A draft is an investment in a player that’s going to be here for a number of years. And when you don’t take the best player, it’ll just come back and bite you every time.”  At his press conference before this year’s draft, Thompson said: “I just think the draft is a long-term investment, especially the early-round picks, and I think if you take a lesser player … in your own mind, if you know Player A is a better player and you wind up taking Player B because he happens to play a different position, I think that’s a mistake.”  In introducing that comment in a pre-draft article, Packer beat writer Jason Wilde wrote that Thompson is well-known for taking the proverbial ‘best player available.'”  Yeah, figuring out the Packers’ draft strategy is really hard.

More amusing, though, was this part:

“And doesn’t Aaron Rodgers have enough pressure on him as Brett Favre‘s replacement and with the potential that Favre might come back from retirement? Why invest another second-rounder in Louisville QB Brian Brohm, even if he was widely projected as a first-round pick?

Did someone post this under Vic Carrucci’s name as part of a prank, to make him sound like a moron?  Ummm, Vic.  You invest a second-round pick in Brian Brohm because you think he is…wait for it…the best player available.  And if he’s projected as a first-round pick and you can get him at the bottom of the second isn’t that even more reason to take him?

And finally, if you were a GM, and in a position to choose players for your team, would you really avoid picking someone good at a position of great value because you didn’t want to hurt the feelings of your presumptive starter or make him nervous about some competition?  Hmmm, that would be a great team.