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OPE Season 3 Episode 52 2025 Draft Wrap up
28 Plays10 days ago
Aloha and welcome to another episode of OPE! this week we review the Packers selections in the 2025 draft! we go pick by pick giving our thoughts.
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Transcript
Intro
2025 Packers Draft Recap
00:00:21
Speaker
Aloha and welcome back to a post draft episode, our first post draft episode of the AHANA Packers Edition podcast. Iowa Joe is back from Lambeau and I am still here in Honolulu, but we are going to recap the 2025 Packers draft class, share our thoughts on how the team did and what we're hoping to see out of this group coming, you know, this season and in the years after. But Joe,
00:00:45
Speaker
Gotta start off. how How are we doing, Fearless Leader? or you know I know that certain things seem to have walked away from you on this trip a little bit, and we're we're podcasting from the seat of our pants like we usually do, but how was the trip other than all that stuff?
00:01:01
Speaker
yeah Like I told, it I even got, i talked to a couple of people that when I was coming home, i you know, doing the new normal gas station stop
Draft Experience in Green Bay
00:01:13
Speaker
or whatever. And I was just right outside of Green Bay and a couple of people at the gas station were talking like, well, i I just don't know if I could go be in that crowd. You know, I'm, I'm always around Lambo anyway, and I'm going to games.
00:01:27
Speaker
And I said, it's a completely different feel than going to a game. There's way more people. This is a pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity.
00:01:38
Speaker
You know, because if they're going to go to try to go to every city in the NFL or every city that has a team in the NFL, you're looking at maybe at 32 years before they get back to Green Bay.
00:01:50
Speaker
So. it I really do think Green Bay showed out for it. There were some things that they probably could have done better, but it was more for the organization than it was for the Packers themselves. and like some You could tell that they were kind of flying by the seat of their pants on the first day, and you could tell that Let's just say you could tell the security were volunteers for the most part because there were times where – I'll give this one.
00:02:30
Speaker
So at the end of day three or day two, you know, of course, ache and sore and everything else. I went to find a place to sit down, and I was waiting for a friend.
00:02:42
Speaker
So I walked up and I found a bench and I walked over there. I sat down. I sat down for a minute. Well, of course, my phone died, so I couldn't get a hold of that friend. So I got up to go look real quick because they were just over in a certain area.
00:02:54
Speaker
I went back to go sit down and this little this little lady said, you can't go over there. I go, what are you talking about? I can't go over there. I was just over there two minutes ago. And she just kind of looked at me like, what are you talking about? I said, there was nobody here.
00:03:08
Speaker
It was wide open. There's open seat over there. So I went and sat down.
00:03:14
Speaker
What you said, what Joe is trying to say, everyone, is that he should have just brought his uniform from work and maybe dumped it. probably would have done a better job of it. And the sad fact is. He stayed out the deer hat for an NFL hat, and no one would have been the wiser. Well, I worked for, the funny thing is, is the company that was they were using for event security is the same company I work for.
00:03:39
Speaker
So I could have done it anyway. if i Had I known that that was going to be the case, I probably would have just said, hey, I'll go up there for a few days, pay me, I'll do it. you know, A, I'd be getting paid to be at Green Bay and B, I'd be able to go to the draft every single day like I did anyway.
00:03:56
Speaker
And I wouldn't lose the money I did on all the stupid shit I had to buy.
00:04:02
Speaker
Absolutely. And like, honestly, from our point of view, and obviously, we loved having your insight, you know, on our day two live stream on Friday. From my point of view, I do understand what you're saying that day one, there was a little bit of like,
00:04:17
Speaker
okay, how does this all work? Like, we we have an idea. I was a little disappointed that, like, the players that were in the green room didn't ride the bikes if they were there. I really wish that they had done that. You know, at even if it's just the, like, 50 feet from the green room to that mirror where they get the hat and they take the selfie in the hat kind of thing, I wish they had done that. It was still cool to see all the former Packers, Goodell, come out on the bikes and stuff, but I thought they...
00:04:44
Speaker
I thought they underutilized that bit you know to an extent. And it had a lot of us confused there anyway because you had the normal draft stage where you know they were announcing picks and all that stuff.
00:04:57
Speaker
And then they had a runway down to a small stage. The one where Sorrel went on there on day three, right?
Crowd and Atmosphere Challenges
00:05:03
Speaker
and Yeah. was yeah So they had that all blocked off. You couldn't get to, I mean, they had it fenced off where you could get near it, but you weren't in there.
00:05:12
Speaker
So it would have made tons of sense that you just ride a bike from the stage to there with your jersey and everything else. But it is what it is. Like I said, it it was a great experience.
00:05:24
Speaker
I said it during the live stream, but I'll reiterate it here. I sat back a ways from it where I could at least still see what was going on and hear what was going on, but I could sit and I wasn't amongst all the group because they were crowding them in like, I had people tell me that when they were seeing like the overhead shots, it looked like it was just ants.
00:05:47
Speaker
And so I back ways. The people who looked like they had breathing room inside, like you said, the main stage area where like they actually do read the piece. The only people who had breathing area were the people in the front row. Everyone else, like I know you described it on like through your your your posts on Twitter or Blue Sky is that if you're at if you are claustrophobic,
00:06:10
Speaker
think you're claustrophobic, have a family history of claustrophobia, do not go in there because like, yeah. You know, they always say elbow room. You know, it's elbow room mo or, you know, there was no elbow room. You were belly to belly, back to back, butt to belly, whatever you want to call it.
00:06:30
Speaker
You were basically on top of each other. There was no way around it. And, you know, it's funny. It made it worse in a way that You know, there was tons of people drinking. So, you know, they were sloshing about and bouncing around as is.
00:06:46
Speaker
So, you know, just to have that. But anyway, i you know, I sat back a ways, a bit a ways away. I mean, I was still in the area and I still could see everything. But anytime the crowd booed, anytime the crowd cheered, anytime I could feel it.
00:07:01
Speaker
I mean, you know, you have where they tell you that, oh, yeah, that you can sense the reaction. No, you could feel the reaction coming out of the group just because that's how many people were packed in there.
00:07:15
Speaker
And on Thursday night, they were actually turning them away from the gate. because they had they were at full capacity. I think they finally did release the total number that they, altogether, it was almost 600, over 600,000 people showed up for all three days.
00:07:32
Speaker
Because day one, they... And in all honesty, in your point of view, do you think... So it was like 205, day one, 175, day two, and then day three was like...
00:07:43
Speaker
220 or two some some something like 240 or something like that i forget what they they crossed 600. do you think the weather hindered them on uh on friday with in terms of the numbers or did it just seem the vibe was a little different because like the time of day it's not round one well i will tell you the what i think it was I think why there were so many people on Saturday is because you still had the people who had to work on Thursdays and Fridays and couldn't get that time.
00:08:16
Speaker
Because I even mentioned it to somebody else. I go, do you, or I asked the question, I go, do you think they were man making it mandatory to be at work for your normal schedule on Thursday and Fridays if you lived in or around the Green Bay area?
00:08:31
Speaker
Because think about it. If everybody took that time off, there'd be nothing open.
00:08:36
Speaker
And so i just think the reason why there were more on Saturday than there were Thursday and Friday is because of that.
Draft Logistics and Comparisons
00:08:45
Speaker
With it starting at six and seven o'clock, respectively, on each day, you know it was easier for people to take their families and that over on Saturday and do all that stuff.
00:08:57
Speaker
Plus, they were having more events than that on Saturday. They were having like a farmer's market, they were having food trucks in there. And then at the end of the day, they were having a Brad Paisley concert.
00:09:10
Speaker
So I think that's what drew threw more people over there than than anything on Saturday. but But 205,000 people people on night one, that's like 50,000 more people than the whole population Green Bay.
00:09:23
Speaker
but ah ah fifty thousand more people than the whole population of green bay
00:09:28
Speaker
Depending on which side... It's basically 60,000 if you follow them. Didn't somebody do the math and say it was like 600% of
00:09:35
Speaker
but didn't somebody do the math and say it was like six hundred percent of the population? Something like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it was funny. So I don't know if you, I doubt you saw some of these suites, but there's like some people that were like, oh my God, the stage is set up in the parking lot of Lambeau. And oh, it's like, why would they do that? Oh, they should never have given it to Green Bay. And there wasn't this Packers yet.
00:10:01
Speaker
it It wasn't. It wasn't set up actually in the parking lot. It was set up on the road. They shut down Oneida Street, and the stage was basically on the more towards the road because the green room was behind that, and it was cutting into the Resch Center.
00:10:20
Speaker
So yeah, it was coming into the parking lot and you were generally in the parking lot, but the stage itself was on Oneida Street, which runs right in front of me. Right.
00:10:31
Speaker
The Oneida gate and all that kind of stuff. And my whole point with that is I'm like, what are you expecting them to do? They're not holding the draft inside of Lambeau. That's a kind of liability and that's a that's a lawsuit waiting to happen and stuff. like They're not having- not just that.
00:10:49
Speaker
Yeah. It's so many things. ahead. No, no, no, I was just saying, like, you know, some people are like, oh this and that. But I'm like, it's like a liability thing. there's there's The logistics would be weird.
00:11:01
Speaker
And also, I think the sight line is better that, like, you're looking at the facade of Lambo than if you're, like, in the bowl and stuff. And also, like, you're able to include all the people that aren't in the roped off, like,
00:11:15
Speaker
draft announcement area, like you said, you know, you'd probably, you'd still hear just like you can hear the cheers if you're, you know, you're just tailgating outside the stadium, but the fact that you can feel it, see it, and like, you know, you're you're like still getting it in real time kind of thing, even though you're, you know, you were sitting by the leap statue on Friday and stuff while we were podcasting and all. So I just think that people who were saying stuff like that, it was like super, like,
00:11:43
Speaker
Why are you watching it? like Like, I don't even know what label to put on it. And it's like, and it's like I said, for Kansas City, it was in the middle of some field. And then for Detroit, like, it was cool that it was at the eight mile intersection, but that's still a road. Like, I don't know what they expect.
00:11:59
Speaker
Like, there's, this isn't like the Olympics where they're going to build the fricking bird nest and then have it be abandoned kind of thing and all. So I, i think it's I think it was great. And to what you the point you made about, like oh, are they going to let all the teams host it?
00:12:14
Speaker
The explanation that I've heard from people with league sources and all is that The draft is being kept for the home cities that will probably never host a Super Bowl.
00:12:29
Speaker
So that's – and New York is out because they've hosted the draft until 2014 or whatever it was. But that's why Pittsburgh's getting it next year. Yeah. That's why LA hasn't gotten it yet and stuff. And like Las Vegas got it because they were the new stadium at the time.
00:12:48
Speaker
do think LA will get at some point. How did Detroit get it? Because didn't Detroit go with their new stadium? Yeah, no, they don't have a new, you're right though, they did host Super Bowl 40, but yeah, that the that was the explanation I got, is that they were like, we're gonna let the smaller teams that won't, have not or won't host the Super Bowl, like get the draft kind of thing and stuff.
00:13:12
Speaker
And I do think the element of like the history at Lambeau and all that kind of stuff, that fed into it and all. And... I don't think it'll take 30 years. i don't know if it'll be within 10 years, but I do think overall Green Bay did enough, learned a lot from it that they'll get one sooner than later again.
00:13:33
Speaker
Like, I think the league was really happy. Like I watched the NFL network broadcast and they were just beaming about the experience the whole time. Like, you had eyes in Jerram, Daniel, Jeremiah,
00:13:46
Speaker
Charles Davis, you know they're all like, oh, we've all been here so many times. You feel the mystique and stuff. But they're like, the atmosphere here has been something that was just totally not unexpected, but it was greater than they hoped it would be to like, you know it's just the draft kind of thing and stuff. So that that's just my two cents on it. Well, a couple things I want to say real quick.
00:14:08
Speaker
Go for it. A couple things I want to say real quick. First, I want to call out Ben Albright again. You son of a bitch, I had this argument with you back when Green Bay was announced as the 2025 draft host, and you were all worried about logistics and, oh, I don't want to take a cab ride for 20 minutes just to get... You just heard what Mike Kawano said.
00:14:31
Speaker
the people who were doing the broadcast loved it just because you're a whiny ass bitch doesn't mean anything everybody else loved it it was a great experience shut up the other thing i want to say is to go back to with your logistics and all that and why and the stadium i think one of the big things people were hoping was there was going to be places to sit
00:14:58
Speaker
Because we had all that stuff by the when the draft came around. So I think they were hoping it would be in the stadium so they could actually sit in the bleachers. But there was no possible way for them to do that because they would have take up one whole side of the stadium for the stage.
00:15:14
Speaker
So that would have blacked out those seats. And the stadium only holds just under 80,000 people anyway. Yeah. So there's no way they would have been able to fit that many people in there. And it didn't give it wouldn't gave people the opportunity to watch it from like areas like I did.
00:15:29
Speaker
Yes. Yes. So there's there's no possible way. They did great. The weather, of course, wasn't the best for the first couple of days just because it was a little damp. It was cold.
00:15:44
Speaker
I do have some complains complaints about some other stuff, but I know why it happened. The prices of things were just horrible. I bought a t-shirt and a hat, a t-shirt for my mom and a hat for myself, and just those two items were $100. Yeah, you know, normally hat is only $40.
00:16:04
Speaker
Yeah, they were $55.
00:16:08
Speaker
Uh, so it, the price food was overpriced to a bottle of soda pop, a king size candy bar and a double cheeseburger cost me $30. Uh, so yeah, the prices of things were ridiculous.
00:16:25
Speaker
Again, some of the logistic
Cashless Draft Challenges
00:16:27
Speaker
things needed to be worked out, worked out a little bit better, but And the whole, I think think the one thing Green Bay didn't, the people of Green Bay didn't think of was they announced very early on that the draft was going to be a cashless campus. So everything on there was by card and all that stuff.
00:16:54
Speaker
So you couldn't carry cash. Okay, so when you got driving around looking for parking spots, you know, how you heard the people open up their yards and all that stuff, they were charging, they doubled the prices on that. I don't know if you saw the articles and stuff about what they were charging for parking near the stadium, but they wanted cash.
00:17:14
Speaker
Well, who the hell's carrying cash because they can't use cash in the stadium? And then the I got there Wednesday, checked in the hotel, and I went over to Green Bay real quick. I was staying in Appleton. I went over to Green Bay just to you know see how everything was going and kind of make a plan.
00:17:31
Speaker
there were a couple There were firefighters walking around passing the boot hoping to collect money, and one of them walked up to me and said, would you like to donate? And I said, yeah, I'd like to donate, but I ain't got any cash on me because they told me it was a cashless event.
00:17:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:17:47
Speaker
It is what it is. It is what it is. But overall, like I said, I'm glad that the returns seem mostly positive from what you're saying.
Reflections and Future Hopes
00:17:56
Speaker
Like you said, a lot of it is like logistics stuff that outside of the pricing of things, the logistics are like,
00:18:04
Speaker
We've never had the draft before. We've accounted for a bunch of things. Seating at any large public event is always the thing that always gets bungled because it's like, what you know you want standing area because you know you pack more people standing up than sitting down. and But then it's like, okay, do we bring foldable benches for like the areas where you, do you know, if you're not inside the main complex area, do you set up benches? Do you bring picnic tables, all that kind of stuff?
00:18:34
Speaker
You know, like you're charging people $40 for some tater tots. You got to give them somewhere to sit and eat that stuff. So, but oh like I said, overall, some of those things more towards like the food areas, but that was away from the the actual event. So it wouldn't have been unless you wanted to watch it on TV. But if I was going to watch it on TV, I would have stayed home.
00:18:55
Speaker
You know, I wouldn't have paid the prices. I would stayed home and watched it on TV. But I'm glad I went. I'm still sore as hell. My knees are aching. My back hurts. My feet hurt.
00:19:07
Speaker
Uh, you know, I'll probably, it'll probably take me another week to recover from all of it, but that's what you get for being old and broke down like I am, but it was fun. it was great.
00:19:20
Speaker
Uh, you know And hopefully they it will be back again soon because I think that would be a great experience. And next time we'll get Mike and and Marisol and the kids up there and they can they can enjoy it as well.
00:19:35
Speaker
We'll make them run the 40 because they're they're in the right age range for that anyway. But – Just wanted to make sure that we got your thoughts on it. Like we said, you know we hope it's not the you know once in a lifetime. We hope that Green Bay gets another chance to do it. Like I said, it seemed like the league was very pleased with how it turned
Packers' Draft Strategy and Picks
00:19:53
Speaker
out.
00:19:53
Speaker
Even Goody had that comment. It was funny hearing him so matter of factly say, Oh, I thought it would be a nuisance, but it turned out well. like It was funny that he let off his presser, his post-draft presser with that. But I do understand what he's saying with that, where it's like, hey, man, blake it's cool that it's this big event and fans and stuff, but like you we're still working. We have to get to work. We do want to go home and have a life outside of work kind of thing and all.
00:20:22
Speaker
And I imagine it was hard for them to get in and out of the stadium because where they had a the whole draft area blocked off completely one of the the entrances to the underground parking garage for them so and then the other side was blocked off but they had it open up for you know that kind of traffic to get in it in and out but i imagine it had to be a even bigger pain for them than it was for the people just attending it absolutely so glad it worked out
00:20:54
Speaker
for everyone involved but that's enough of that we're gonna move along with our our coverage like we said Kudos and flowers to our fearless leader, Iowa Joe, for properly calling out what direction the Packers would go in round one.
00:21:11
Speaker
I will say that I did have Golden on my board. i was just so... And but where I'll say I was quote-unquote right is the board fell, like, perfectly for them to take Golden.
00:21:25
Speaker
And I'm glad that they just said, you know what? Screw it. We're going to fucking do it this year. Instead of trying to, like... be the smartest guy in the room get too cute with it try to like be too like overly, you know, just trying to be, you know, just like I said, being the smartest guy in the room and stuff.
00:21:45
Speaker
I appreciate that they milked the time, tried to see if there was a trade they liked, but, you know, some people are like, oh, could they have moved back? Could they have done this? The last four years, basically, going back to 2020 with Ayuk, they've seen the guy that potentially they liked get pulled right before they they get on the clock to pick up. Ayuk...
00:22:07
Speaker
Rashad Bateman the year after that. Justin Jefferson, if you believe what they said about it. Right, right. That they just couldn't get up high enough to do it, and Minnesota had the ammo to go up and get him.
00:22:19
Speaker
So, yeah, like, i I do get irritated when people are like, well, like, you know, but could they have – I'm like, no, like, if they really – You know, this team hasn't taken a wide receiver in 24 years 23 years. 23 years.
00:22:34
Speaker
Yeah. Remember that number, 23 years. To the point that Rich Eisen's Nito stat of the night, shouting out Ernie Johnson from TNT, Rich Eisen's Nito note and stat for that pick is that that happened so long ago. Matthew Golden was not born the last time when Javon Walker was drafted by the Packers.
00:22:57
Speaker
So, Like I said, we both like the pick, but Joe, take your victory lap, go on about it a little bit. But like I said, I get the sentiment that we are both feeling pretty good about what how the process went and where what Green Bay got at that pick.
00:23:16
Speaker
Personally, for bragging rights, I love it because it just shows that maybe I'm getting a little bit better at this draft stuff than you know I have been. you know But it always seems like every once in while i do tend to to get right you know like not last year but the year before i was able to nail the van ness and musgrave pick uh before that i was able to nail i mean this was a long time ago i nailed the nick perry and and mike daniels picks and the brian i have my claim to fame for everything and this isn't social media wise but with some people i know i called the brian bulaga pick 20 minutes before it happened
00:23:58
Speaker
And somewhere around here, I still have the phone that has the text messages on it that the boss of mine texted, you know, was asking me, you know, all right, well, the Packers are going to be up here pretty soon. Who are they taking? I said, Brian Bulaga, tackle out of Iowa. And that ended up happening. so But this one, it just this year just had this feel about it that...
00:24:22
Speaker
I know I kept joking about how it just seems right that they would do it with the draft, the drafty and in green Bay, but it just had a completely different feel with the way they were doing their, their meetings, you know, their, their pre-draft meetings and not, not just the top 30, but if you go back and look at some of like their senior bowl meetings and, and the, the combine meetings and stuff like that, they were really positioning themselves for,
00:24:53
Speaker
the for the possibility of taking a wide receiver in the first round. I mean, it even gets down to Brian Gutekunst was the only GM in attendance for Tett McMillan's pro day.
00:25:07
Speaker
So that just shows that they they were looking at all possibilities that even if Tett McMillan falls to a place that they can take him, they're going to take him.
00:25:18
Speaker
I really circled around Golden because I know I sound like a broken record when this when about this, but maybe not play style or player ability, but he just feels like a Greg Jennings type to me.
00:25:35
Speaker
He's got the same size and all that, and he's got the catch ability. The stat coming off of last year was on 84 targets, he only dropped four passes.
00:25:47
Speaker
And I know you were talking about this during the the live coverage on on Friday, but look who he had thrown to him. You know, i just...
00:26:00
Speaker
i I have hopes for Arch Manning just because of the legacy there, but he doesn't look like he's got the greatest of arms. Ewers definitely doesn't have the greatest of arms, and even though some of the talking heads out there like tried to talk him up as a potential first-rounder,
00:26:19
Speaker
But after seeing that one pro day pass, that duck that he threw, there was no way he was going to – that was almost Matt Flynn-like throw. And so it just – that didn't make sense. But oh he didn't have the ability – and I'm going to call him out.
00:26:38
Speaker
I will call him out. You know, you've got guys like Ross Uglum and and Pete Bukowski and guys like that that – you know They didn't like Golden because he was too small and he couldn't do this. and What was the big thing that Bukowski kept talking about? That he didn't have manufactured releases?
00:26:58
Speaker
Or had to have manufactured releases. Both of them were seeing it. Yeah. yeah Well, you pointed it out and we've talked about it. The quarterback situation sucked.
00:27:11
Speaker
I mean, yeah, he was a, yeah, Ewers was a game manager, but he couldn't throw very well. Again, Ewers has a lot of Matt Flynn in him where, yeah, they can manage a game, but if you need a deep ball out of somebody, don't look at him to do it.
00:27:25
Speaker
So... i Like I said, oh and then I made a list earlier because we've been kind of talking about it in our our draft group.
00:27:36
Speaker
Here are some names of some wide receivers that Packer Nation has tried to talk themselves, has wanted over the years. Jahan Dotson, 5'11".
00:27:48
Speaker
Zay Flowers, 5'9". KJ Hamler, 5'9". Tyreek Hill, 5'10". Tyler Lockett, 5'10". Marvin Mims, 5'11". DJ Moore, 5'11".
00:28:00
Speaker
Rondell Moore, I can't... i There were tons of people on the Rondell Moore train, 5'7". Sky Moore, Jalen Rager, Jalen Those were all what and there's still more of them out there but those were all wide receivers that Packer Nation wanted at the time that those guys were drafted.
00:28:22
Speaker
But now all of a sudden, the guy that they do pick is just too small? How does that work? It's purely a function of people...
00:28:35
Speaker
They all wanted Ibuka. I'm going to just say it right now. Well, they wanted McMillan too. They either wanted Ibuka or they wanted... and And it is obnoxious that for so many people who have banged the like, oh, you know, they should just take a receiver. What are they doing?
00:28:52
Speaker
And that's the thing is that Golden is a really good prospect.
Player Comparisons and Criticisms
00:28:56
Speaker
Like, it's not like they reached for his teammate, Isaiah Bond, or... Did he even go drafted?
00:29:04
Speaker
I think he did. I'm not totally certain, but I think he did. but Or, you know know, I know that your joke is it's because he went to Iowa State, but, you know, like a Jaden Higgins, yeah there was a lot of people who were like, I would be okay if they took Higgins and stuff in the first round, but...
00:29:22
Speaker
I think it, you think it, you talked about, you know, your comp for him is Jennings. And it's not, and you're not wrong. It's not just the, like, the the height and weight. His arms are slightly shorter, but Jennings actually didn't measure up as great as I remember.
00:29:38
Speaker
And it's funny because when you watch film of Jennings, you're like, he's always snagging the ball away from his frame. He was a good, strong hands catcher. That's what Golden is. And he, the thing that he has, his superpower is, okay, he's not the biggest receiver, but he has elite speed.
00:29:57
Speaker
You can talk about does he play to it, all this and that. You can't, the the points I make about it is the quarterback sucked. You can't run with your the pedal down to the floor all the time.
00:30:09
Speaker
And that's what he does really well is, even though he didn't do all the testing at the combine, his short area burst is some of the best I've seen. His ability to, in three steps, go from a full sprint to a dead stop and breaking back towards the quarterback.
00:30:25
Speaker
He separates at the break point better than almost anyone in this draft class does. Like Shavinck was saying, Basically, it's him and Travis Hunter in that regard. That's it in this draft class.
00:30:37
Speaker
Everyone wants the 3D printed six foot. You know, they want Javon Walker. They want the guy that looks like that. That's like the 6'3", 215, has the 10 RAS and can jump out of the building. And, you know, he's going to box defenders out. He can separate and stuff.
00:30:56
Speaker
Everyone wants their guy to look like that. The fact is, is in the past 20 years, the Packers' number one receiver has not looked like that except for Jordy. Jordy's the only one who's looked like that.
00:31:07
Speaker
All the other ones have... Devontae's been the tallest one at He Everyone else... never one else because Because it was Javon. Javon looked like he had elevated to wide receiver one in 2004. Then he blows his knee out in 2005.
00:31:22
Speaker
And then after that, it's Driver in the prime of his career. Then Jennings was a six one Yeah. Or Driver's 6'0 is listed, I think. And then Jennings is five eleven Nelson, like I said, Jordy is the only one that's like the taller height, weight, speed guy. you know Well, James Jones was 6'2".
00:31:41
Speaker
But he wasn't the one. like that's the day That's what I'm saying. is like He wasn't the top of the call sheet guy. They've run out there with top of the call sheet guys. And my point that I'm making is that You don't have to be so the body type is not what matters.
00:31:58
Speaker
Like, it's would it's obviously a help when the guy can do other things, but that's the whole thing with Christian Watson's career to this point is like, yes, he was turning the corner, but he couldn't run the full route tree.
00:32:10
Speaker
And that's what held him back from being the wide receiver one. It was... You know, and it then it turned into, okay, is he a jump ball guy? Can he out physical corners and stuff? Because he doesn't separate like that from tight man-to-man coverage.
00:32:23
Speaker
I know there's certain people in this fan base who don't want to hear it, but as much as Christian improved, he still wasn't that guy who's going to... You're just like... On any given down, you're like, I need someone to run this slant and get five yards of separation so we can just throw an easy pass over the middle of the field.
00:32:42
Speaker
That's not Christian's game. His game is running away from people. And on top of it, you don't know what he's going to be when he comes back from injury at this point. so It kind of makes me go back to my comps to MVS with him.
00:32:57
Speaker
And like, I know some people are like, oh, you know, you're just trying, no, we're not trying to say that to hurt feelings or like limit Watson's attack. Like people forget that MVS at the end was the wide receiver too on this team.
00:33:13
Speaker
He was the deep threat. And the 2021 offense cratered after he got hurt and couldn't come back to play in the playoffs. That's what killed them is that they absolutely missed his and Tunyon's field stretching ability because they just had none of it afterwards.
00:33:28
Speaker
And that's where I think people are really stupid about like, oh, well, you know, he's 429. He doesn't play to it. They don't want him running only deep posts and fades. That's not his job.
00:33:40
Speaker
He's going to use that speed to separate at the break point or after the catch. That's the point of it. So I don't really give a rat's ass if he runs 429 plays a or a route runner separator.
00:33:52
Speaker
for what he does as a routerunner and a separator That's more than enough. And that's why I really like this pick. My hesitation, people like Mafi, Shavinck, our whole thing was, would they do it?
00:34:07
Speaker
for that kind of guy who's like you've you've preached and we've said too he meets the thresholds that generally matter most for him the one that i got hung up on or like i said his arms are on the shorter side they're under 31 inches but honestly with how this board fell you have derrick harman going at 21 you you The edge rushers are, you know, people can can roll their eyes as much as Shamar Stewart going off the board.
00:34:35
Speaker
Edge was off the table at that point. The Will Johnson injury is the one where you're kind of like, if that wasn't as true, do they go corner there kind of thing and stuff. But otherwise...
00:34:46
Speaker
I'm so proud. Clap claps for Goody. He actually just said, you know what? I know that we don't take we haven't taken wide receivers in the first round in so long, but the way this class is going, we're going to do it this year because that is the best player on the board. and and you know and now of course you have the people that are like like the cornerback room and the edge room and what are they doing he flat out told you before the draft they like where they are at those positions and to me it proved it is that does that make them or lefleur right i don't know we're gonna find out in six months but for now they did everything they told you they needed to do
00:35:29
Speaker
and We'll get into the room after the Savion discussion, but I really like what they did at the top of this draft with regards to that. Okay. I'm going to read some stats to you, and you tell me who this who this is.
00:35:43
Speaker
Height, Weight, 197. Arm length, 30 inches. Hand size, 9 inches. 10 yard, 1.57. 20 yard, 2.6. 40 yard dash, hand size nine inches ten yards one fifty one point five seven twenty yard two point six forty yard dash I'm going to leave that one out because that'll give away everything. But who is that?
00:36:06
Speaker
Is that Greg? That's Greg Jennings. They're the same frigging body. Matter of fact, if you go by mock draftable, uh, golden has five eighths of an inch longer arms than Greg Jennings.
00:36:24
Speaker
And he ran a faster 40. The biggest pot of crock that I saw is people were like, his closest athletic comparison is Bo Melton. And i was just like, that's exactly why Goot says he doesn't freaking use Rass is because everyone looks only at the numbers and is like, they're the same player. They're not anywhere close to the same player. If Bo Melton was anywhere good near as good as Matthew Golden, they wouldn't have to draft Matthew Golden and they would have extended Bo Melton already.
00:36:52
Speaker
Like, stop. Stop being herded like shit off the cliff by other people. Go watch his highlight film. go watch You don't even have to watch his game film. Just go watch his highlight film and know the final thing, the whole thing about, oh, he didn't beat press.
00:37:12
Speaker
That's called good coaching. You don't take your 5'11 receiver and tell him, you know what? We could get you free releases so you can run against worse coverage or whatever.
00:37:25
Speaker
No. You're going to be a man and you're going to beat the 6'2 press corner who's got 20 pounds on you and 4 inches of reach on you because because it's going to satisfy the draft community.
00:37:36
Speaker
Like... That's the stupidest argument against the golden pick I've seen. If you watch enough of his film, he does hesitation moves. He does a lot of stuff where he's getting off the line of scrimmage against press.
00:37:49
Speaker
People who are bringing up the, he needs to beat press coverage better. Like, get out from whatever rock you're under and lurk, like just gain the basic principles.
00:38:02
Speaker
That's LeFleur's job is to get this guy open. Yes, he's gonna have to get stronger and tougher. I'm gonna interrupt you real quick. This is where I'm gonna give you give you a tons of prop because you brought this up.
00:38:14
Speaker
I don't know if it was in our our chat group or if this was actually on the live or something, but you said, how often is a college defense running press man coverage?
00:38:28
Speaker
There are like four guys in college who can actually do it well every year. Everyone else, if you do it and your guy isn't good enough, they don't do it because Golden is gone and your guy is on the ground.
00:38:42
Speaker
so So, yeah. So, to give you your props... You're right in that because if you go back and watch college football, just like you said, there's maybe a handful of guys that can do press man without being taught press man.
00:38:56
Speaker
And so why didn't Golden beat more guys in press man? Because he was never played in press man.
00:39:04
Speaker
Like I said, I'm sorry that Sarkeesian, Golden did not take the draft community's feelings into consideration and how they structured their offense so that you could see him get pressed in in press coverage against a 6'2 corner.
00:39:22
Speaker
So, like the like I said...
Offensive Line Strategy Shift
00:39:27
Speaker
A lot of the stuff from Packers people who are bagging on the pick, they're mad because it's not Ibuka. They didn't go up in Tet McMillan, which there were was no chance in hell they were going to do anyway. He went higher than anybody expected. Yeah.
00:39:41
Speaker
And it wasn't Jaden Higgins that they just liked him so much they had to take round one. We didn't want Cyclones anyway. yeah yeah ah we We liked one cyclone and look what happened to him. He got banged.
00:39:53
Speaker
but But all right. Like I said, we'll we'll discuss like Golden. I'm sure we'll talk about more and more, but let's just get moving on before I'm at nighttime too, just like you are. So second round pick Packers go with Anthony Belton, offensive tackle from Louisville.
00:40:14
Speaker
And this is where I kind of question stuff. Right. and i said this one to I kind of said this on the live when I was able to join that.
00:40:26
Speaker
I don't understand why they continuously are trying to push Rashid Walker out the door. I mean, I understand he's in a contract here, but Last year, they drafted jordan Jordan Morgan, and they all said that he's he's in to compete for left tackle.
00:40:49
Speaker
Walker went out. He had some struggles during the first part, but then he settled in and became basically a lockdown tackle. This year, they're taking Anthony Belton, who is a a mass a mountain of a man, 336.
00:41:05
Speaker
I i just and i know Brian Moffey, and I kind of agree with him after looking at some things on Belton. I think he fits more the right tackle position than he does anything.
00:41:19
Speaker
He reminds me of Darnell Wright out of Tennessee that's now with the Bears from a couple years ago, where I don't know if he's got the ability to be a left tackle.
00:41:30
Speaker
He might be able to play guard, but I think his best position is going to be right tackle. If that's the case, what are you going to do with Zach Tom? Are you pushing out Elton Jenkins and are you going to have Tom as your center?
00:41:44
Speaker
Well, if you're putting out pushing out Jenkins, why? Then why did you re-sign him to the massive contract that you did?
00:41:52
Speaker
Okay, so you're not going to do that. Are you going to put him at guard? I don't think Tom is that great of a guard. and So I don't think you can put Zach Tom as a guard. I know they say that he can play all five positions, but when he was put in at guard, you could tell he was okay at it, but he definitely was not comfortable as a guard. He just doesn't have the mass or ability to like really move body. hes you know Even at this point with you know four years in now, he'd be more of a speed bump, that you know especially in the run game, than he would be effective. it would be a way Like you're saying, it would be a waste of him to play him at guard at this point. Yes. so
00:42:32
Speaker
and So are you putting Belton at guard? If you're putting Belton at guard, then that means Sean Ryan is expendable. But if you're putting Belton at guard, what are you doing with Jordan Morgan? He's taking Rasheed's spot.
00:42:44
Speaker
Rasheed is a known in quantity. We don't know what Morgan can do at left tackle. So i just I know that they get paid to do what they're doing and they have a plan on things, but it just confuses the hell out of me.
00:42:57
Speaker
Plus, Belton's already 24 years old. So it doesn't make sense for him to ride the pine at 24 years old. You know, even Elton was drafted at 24 in the so a second round, and he was at least starting to rotate into the starting job.
00:43:18
Speaker
his rookie year and then took over the full-time job when Lane Taylor got hurt. So I just, I'm kind of confused at what the goal is right now. but i understand that they want to put more masks. They want to rely on the run game a little bit more.
00:43:34
Speaker
So you need the massive road graders like, like the good old days and whatever, but it just, it's, I don't understand what's going on here.
00:43:46
Speaker
Yeah. that you know That's something that Mafia and I kept going on. like And that's the thing. It's like, People are like, oh, you you're just saying that because you don't like the player. we Mafia and I both like Anthony Belton as a draft prospect.
00:44:00
Speaker
It's just what you're saying. He's a prospect that we never thought Green Bay would take because what has been Green Bay's body type? It's been these 310, maybe 320 college left tackles who can move their feet, mirror and pass protection, and you know with some technique work,
00:44:19
Speaker
we can develop them into good run blockers. either You get a sit in a Lang, Lindsley kind of thing and stuff. But, and, you know, like you said, maybe it is a philosophical shift, but at the same time,
00:44:35
Speaker
i and that's the thing that the part of it that I don't get either is like, you didn't define a role for Morgan last off season. And now you're like trying to force him to play left tackle, or at least that's what you've been telling us. And like I said, there was a lot of, there was a lot of truth verification coming out of this draft based on what they did and didn't do with the class.
00:44:59
Speaker
So, you know, are they looking to be a more powerful group? Are they going to put Belton in at guard? But, and not to say you don't get the best players you can get, but you just gave Aaron Banks a shit ton of money to be a guard.
00:45:12
Speaker
And like you said, Ryan made some real strides at right guard last year. I know the rumors are that for whatever reason, the team does not want to put the future in Rasheed Walker's hands.
00:45:25
Speaker
Whether that's, they think he's hit his ceiling, they don't like his personality, whatever. i that's That's above whatever, that's above what we're privy to know. So whatever on that side. But it, like you said, I'm holding my water on this one because like I said, I do like belted. I did really like belted in the process.
00:45:47
Speaker
My thing is, okay, if you're saying that you have this plan, you're going to do all this stuff with your O-line, I don't want to see any more cross training with a bunch of these guys.
00:45:59
Speaker
One of Morgan. at So obviously, like you said, they have start they have a starting line already. that throw they They have a good starting five already. with it you know From left to right, it's Walker, Banks, Jenkins, Sean Ryan, and then Zach Tom at right tackle.
00:46:18
Speaker
But behind that, I don't want to see you wasting shit reps on cross-training cross- trainingining Morgan and Belton at different positions. They can switch between sides of the line at guard and tackle, but it's like...
00:46:36
Speaker
Based on what we've heard, Jordan Morgan, you're so you're playing left tackle, and your only job is to beat Rashid Walker out for the job. And Belton, your job is to get snaps by the end of this season over Sean Ryan, who was a good player last year.
00:46:51
Speaker
And if they don't do that in preseason, like if they keep flip-flopping Morgan and Belton, or like Morgan moves all over the offensive line over the course of the three preseason games,
00:47:04
Speaker
I'm going to have a lot more problems with it. But if they come out and they're just like, okay, the starting O-line is not playing. And, like, the the the preseason O-line is, like, Jordan Morgan at left tackle,
00:47:19
Speaker
Telford or Donovan Jennings at left guard, Jacob Monk at center, Belton at right guard, and, I don't know, Glover at right tackle. Or, like, you put someone else at right guard and you let Belton play right tackle.
00:47:31
Speaker
Fine. Like, if they... I don't even need to see them play, like, super well, but as long as they look decent at times and don't look just, like, totally overmatched, I'll be fine with it because I'll be like, okay, they have a plan and they're, like, sticking to it. But that's I know that's something that you and I had a problem with where we're like, you can't draft this guy and be like, we like the player, but we don't know where he's going to play.
00:47:56
Speaker
And I was just going to say, yeah if All you you wanted was a swing tackle. Why did you spin a first-round pick on swing tackle?
00:48:08
Speaker
i just I don't get spinning a first-round pick on Jordan Morgan if all you're wanting is a swing tackle. And then you threw out the names.
00:48:18
Speaker
Jacob Monk, Travis Glover. I understand Glover was a later-round pick. But I think he has the ability, if he just works on some things, to be a guy that could be a swing tackle.
00:48:30
Speaker
I think he could play both tackle positions and be serviceable if called upon. Last year was rough. They tried to put him as a guard. He's definitely not a guard. He is a tackle. He is strictly a tackle. Just leave him at tackle.
00:48:45
Speaker
But now you bring in... Belton, and I agree with you and all that. I'm not against Belton. I'm completely fine with Belton. It's just, it's not making sense with the other moves that they have been making.
00:49:00
Speaker
Last year's draft, offseason, you know, offseason acquisitions. Why did you bring in Banks if you're going to draft all these, you know, these offensive linemen?
00:49:12
Speaker
I'm just confused about it, but You look at it. Travis Glover is basically the same style of player as Belton. He's the same size. he's then He's very similar. He's just a raw prospect.
00:49:27
Speaker
i just I'm so confused at the whole thing. And it's not to say it's a bad pick. It's just a very confusing pick. Right. And before we get rambling on and on about this one, like I said, we want to see where it goes with this. Like I said, if they're just like, you're the right guard on the preseason team because Sean Ryan's not playing in preseason, great. like Or even if they're like, you're the tackle and Morgan's the guard, whatever.
00:49:54
Speaker
Just define the role and... like let him play it out like i said obviously we don't want him to see him suck in that position we would like to see him you know handle his business it doesn't have to be ref he's not gonna be refined but like okay like that's the vision they're gonna be bigger up front they're gonna be more road graders and all that kind of stuff fine that's totally fine but enough of the like we want versatility we want multi-faceted players who can do many things like no you gotta start putting guys in roles because
00:50:26
Speaker
you know You're at the point where Tom's going to get signed to a mega deal. therere probably there's a There's a decent chance this is Elton Jenkins last season in Green Bay because of what his cap number is next year and the kind of guys they've drafted around him and stuff.
00:50:41
Speaker
so And that just goes back to if you wanted rid of Jenkins, why did you offer him, give him that big-ass contract? Right. So, yeah. Like I said, we're going to... We'll table this one for now.
00:50:54
Speaker
We'll revisit it come you know so august late August, early September when OTAs are happening, trading practice reports. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. So we'll we'll we'll hold our our bar our sharpest bars for that point.
00:51:10
Speaker
and And I just want to put the disclaimer in there. This isn't us grading the draft. no, no. not to give grades on this. This is just us talking about our opinions on these picks.
00:51:22
Speaker
Yep. So,
Receiver Room Dynamics
00:51:25
Speaker
what's it? So third round, like I said, I did love this. And this is something that you and I discussed, Mafi discussed it with us.
00:51:32
Speaker
They doubled down on receiver on, in the first two days of the draft. And don't, all the jokes. I just wish it was different guy. Me and me, I'm a guy who's always, was always like,
00:51:46
Speaker
i'm I'm there with Savion. I can dig it. so So they go with Savion Williams. And big guy out of TCU. The jokes write themselves about what this means for a certain receiver. and i but last I think somebody needs to do a welfare check on Tazim.
00:52:06
Speaker
Because he's got to... I don't know what's going on with him. But yeah. So, this is your classic boom or bust, low floor, high season. And when I say low floor as a receiver, low floor, they're going to find, like, we we joke you know, the joke is is that Gutekunst will talk up, talk nicely about his draft picks till the day that they're free agents at the end of their rookie deal. And then it's like, oh, yeah, it didn't work out. Or, oh, that was disappointing. that We couldn't get a long-term player out of that guy and stuff. But...
00:52:39
Speaker
At the very least, you're going to get a... This is rookie k Christian Watson. He's going to run end-arounds. You can line him up in the backfield. He can return kickoffs.
00:52:51
Speaker
And you can just say, Savion, you're 6'4", and you run a 4'4", 8". Go stretch the field for us. And the one thing that I do want to stress to Packers fans is...
00:53:04
Speaker
Do not have a helmet scout. Because if this guy played for Wisconsin, you guys would be juicing all over this king. Because, oh my god, we took the highly athletic, tall guy from Wisconsin.
00:53:16
Speaker
And you would be talking about his highlights as opposed to, I can't believe they drafted Corderell Patterson. Or, oh, he's just another disappointing TCU receiver. Or, oh, this and oh, that. Like...
00:53:28
Speaker
Have some shame, have some dignity. Like, I do agree, if you like a specific different player... That's fine. I totally understand that point. I i am i admit fully admit I am saying this as someone who was totally comfortable taking Savion Williams in this draft.
00:53:45
Speaker
So I see the upside. I admit that there are pitfalls with him hitting his ceiling, but if they use the full runway of his rookie contract like they have with Watson, there is a really good football player and receiver in there if he can get to his potential.
00:54:05
Speaker
he scares me and you, you threw out the name and i don't usually like throwing out comps until after we've seen the guy play and stuff like that.
00:54:16
Speaker
Then I can do all that. But with the way T and this isn't against TCU, I have, I don't helmet scout. I'm a Homer. I will o admit that if it's an aisle guy, I love the guy, no matter what, whatever. I'm i'm a Homer guy.
00:54:29
Speaker
i do give you guys shit about being Michigan fans or Badger fans or whatever. It, it, is but It's good nature. yeah and It's good natured with that, and I'm an asshole, so get over it. i
00:54:41
Speaker
I worry about it because how he was used. Now, you did tell me something that I didn't know, and this is because I don't really follow TCU too much, that he really didn't have a quarterback there.
00:54:53
Speaker
So that kind of makes sense with how they used him, but they used him as a gadget guy. He wasn't really the guy to go out there and be... a route runner. He was the guy to do the end rounds. He was the guy to do the wildcat.
00:55:06
Speaker
So immediately it jumped off tape to me as a Cordero Patterson type player where he wasn't a good receiver. So to use his athletic ability, they put him at a position to give him a chance to thrive.
00:55:24
Speaker
I didn't know about the quarterback, so that that makes a little bit of sense, so that gives me a little bit more help hope to it. I'm not overly – third round is fine, but it was the guys that were talking about taking Savion Williams in the first round that were driving me bonkers. Yeah.
00:55:39
Speaker
Okay, even for me, that was too rich for my blood. So, no, I agree with you there. But i have hopes for him. i'm hoping But this also brings up a question. And I know we had this discussion in one of our group chats.
00:55:53
Speaker
And I'm going to call you out. i don't care. JJ LeHaye. well it does make me question the signing of Mecole Harden right now.
00:56:04
Speaker
And it's not because Mecole is going to be the was brought in to be a star wide receiver, number one ride wide receiver, whatever. I viewed Mecole as being the guy who they were going to try using in the Christian Watson for front until Watson made it back as the stretch the field type of guy and also the guy that put on returns.
00:56:26
Speaker
Punt return, kick return, and stuff like that. Okay, you bring in Golden. Golden's going to be your do-everything wide receiver.
00:56:38
Speaker
He's going to run the routes. He's going to run the deep passes. He's going to run the bubbles. He's going to do everything. you know that he's your If things work out with him, he's your number one receiver no matter what.
00:56:50
Speaker
Mecole was going to be your gadget guy, jade kind of in the mold of a Jaden Reed right now. But he was the vet presence that you know has been on Super Bowl caliber teams, have been on Super Bowl winning teams. so you know the vet And then he was going to do the returning.
00:57:05
Speaker
Well, now you drafted Savion Williams. Savion, I think in his rookie year, is going to be used as the gadget guy. He's going to be used on the end of rounds. He's going to be used in wildcat fire formation, and type formations.
00:57:18
Speaker
He's going to be used as screen guy, but he's also a returner. So if he's going to be doing the returning and be the gadget type guy when Jaden Reed's not on the field, what's McColl here for?
00:57:35
Speaker
Why sign him? Let him have a chance somewhere else.
00:57:39
Speaker
You know, let him have a shot at it somewhere else. So, again, I'm not... ah ah again i'm not
00:57:49
Speaker
I'm not against the pick. We had talked about it. I said they're probably going to double down on wide receiver. There were a few other guys that we had talked about that we kind of wished that they would have went towards, but they went with Savion Williams.
00:58:01
Speaker
It is what it is, but now it just kind of questions about what. Another one is Bo Melton. They've been on high on Bo Melton for the last few years. What's his use now? and Because now you've got Savion. Now you've got...
00:58:18
Speaker
My whole thing, like I said, with Melton is they were hoping that they could develop him into more of a route runner, a little more useful. And look, guy he's a guy that's like, oh yeah, in the end, he was an undrafted free agent for a reason kind of thing.
00:58:31
Speaker
Like the Mikko one, I do agree with you to an extent, but at the same time, They had to sign someone to take, like, if the idea is to maximize Jaden Reed, Dobbs, Wicks, and whatever draft picks you've got, you had to find someone who was going to be the jet sweep guy, the gadget guy, all that kind of stuff.
00:58:55
Speaker
Reid was that guy. you know And there was a lot of people that was like, oh, like they just use Reid on jet suites. And then if they don't, they're throwing it to him kind of thing, which is totally an over-exaggeration. But they had to get that guy. It was insurance. And Hardman's deal is like.
00:59:12
Speaker
Oh, it's bare minimum. It's basically lead minimum. I think they can cut him for nothing. So it's. But I look more on his side of things where if I knew that you were going to do all this stuff, then I wouldn't have signed with you. I would have signed with somebody else.
00:59:31
Speaker
i Well, and then the way that I would look at it is they still don't have a punt returner. Like, they I don't think they're going to use Golden on punt returns. I'm i done with Jaden Reed as the punt returner. Maybe on.
00:59:45
Speaker
No, as much as I like him, he's a kick returner. I don't think he's a punt returner. You can let him get some reps there. I wouldn't hate it. But I think... the And so we'll get into like a little bit into the room as it comes out of camp.
00:59:59
Speaker
So like I said, these two draft picks... they you know As much as people are like, oh, like you know who's affected you know making jokes about Dontavian Wicks, you know his comment.
01:00:09
Speaker
Look, i don't i I thought that people who were saying that about Wicks, making comments about you know like kind of retweeting Josh Jacobs saying, like oh yeah, we need a wide receiver one.
01:00:21
Speaker
I'm sorry, do you want Wix or anyone on the roster to just be like, oh yeah, we need a wide receiver one? No! You want every one of those guys in that room to have the at the fuck you attitude to say, no, I am going to be that guy. So I thought anyone who made comments about that were stupid.
01:00:39
Speaker
I'm sorry, you're stupid for having that mentality about, oh, Wix is so sour about like his standing with the team. No. like Everyone always like, oh, but Jordy. Jordy is the exception of exceptions, not the rule.
01:00:56
Speaker
Every wide great wide receiver has an eagle. You cannot be that apex, top of the call sheet guy, except for Jordy, apparently, and be just an all-around nice guy.
01:01:09
Speaker
Like, it it just doesn't work that way. You know, that's why Greg Jennings kind of went off the rails after he left Green Bay. You know, Javon didn't like how everything was handled after he blew his knee out and stuff like that in 2005. These guys, you have to understand that these guys have to have a specific mentality if you're going to not just survive, but be really good as a top wide receiver in this league.
01:01:39
Speaker
But going back to the room, so you, they're keeping these two guys. They would have to commit murder to not make the opening roster. Like, they're not cutting a day two. They're keeping Golden no matter what.
01:01:49
Speaker
And for the people that are like, oh, about Saga, they're not cutting a day two guy no matter how bad he looks in camp. Unless, like he said, unless he, like, runs kids over in the street or something like that. Like...
01:02:00
Speaker
What was the last one that they drafted? Was a Carl Bradford? No, he was like a third or fourth round pick. I think he was a fourth. So even then, he's a day three guy. So like, like yeah, it that they're both making the team. that's that's the that's the They're both making the team this year.
01:02:18
Speaker
And then after that, Watson's not going to be back for training camp. It's just not. The fact that it's not just... like He might have had a slight chance if it was just his ACL.
01:02:30
Speaker
But the report is that ACL plus other damage did it the first week of January. I'm sorry. Thanksgiving is the earliest I'm expecting him back this season.
01:02:42
Speaker
And even if he was back in jack to open the season, he's going to be dragging that leg around. Like... Hell yeah, he is. I'm still dragging mine around.
01:02:53
Speaker
So he's off the table. Like, you know, he's on PUP. He doesn't exist for this conversation right now. So after that, you know, whether they keep five or six receivers, I think they're keeping six because they don't have a full back.
01:03:07
Speaker
You can quibble about how many running backs they're going to keep, and they're really only going to keep like three tight ends anyway. So they have spots for a sixth receiver. So after the two draft picks, Dobbs, Reed, Wicks.
01:03:21
Speaker
And then those three guys, Heath, Melton, and Hardman, they're battling for a spot that probably is there but may not be there depending on the rest roster. I'm going with you. think even Wicks is on the hot seat.
01:03:35
Speaker
I could see it. I really could see it too. Yeah. and I will maintain that I was really positive of what we saw from him down the back stretch, but I'll agree with you. He should play this preseason.
01:03:47
Speaker
Like, you need to do whatever More than one play. Yeah. You need to do everything to prove, like, all the shit from last year is is behind me. This is a new Dontavian Wick. You know, this is a new pro Dontavian Wick.
01:04:01
Speaker
The high hopes you had on me at the end of my rookie year, you're getting the evolved form of that guy kind of thing. So, I'll agree with you. It's not like a definitive lock, like the two draft picks making it, but I still think it's like 70%, 80%. He's going to be on the roster this season. Unless, like I said if there's any hint of like all the issues he had last year are popping up again, they might cut the cord and move on kind of thing. Cause you've got to get guys in who are going to do the thing.
01:04:31
Speaker
But, We probably should keep going because we're going to have a long episode here. So fourth round, Baron Sorrell gets picked.
Defensive Picks and Depth Strategies
01:04:43
Speaker
One of the coolest moments of the draft because, you know, the story comes out that he's been there since Wednesday. didn't get picked When he didn't get picked on day two, they're like, what do you want to do? Do you want to...
01:04:55
Speaker
go home or do you want to stay and he's like no you know what I'm staying I got a really good feeling that I'm gonna get picked group picks him in round four he gets his more he gets his 15 minutes of fame you know and like you said like one of the few times that they really use that stage set up out in the crowd to like really just let the fans like you know reach out and touch their new draft pick kind of thing and stuff.
01:05:19
Speaker
So like that side of it was really cool. But the player is a really good football player too. And they, know, Goode said that They really like the guys they have in their room, but I do think this speaks to the, just like the receiver room, they want to turn the bottom of that position group.
01:05:38
Speaker
They like the top three of Rashawn, Lucas, and Ogbore, but it's like, all right, Mosby and Cox, like, going to show us something because we just brought in this guy and the guy we're picking after him who are going to come for your position. So what did you think of the Sorel pick?
01:05:57
Speaker
Honestly, and I'm going to be completely truthful, I don't know much about him. Uh, I, it was a good story. i it had me confused at the moment cause I was in the concourse and I was watching it on the screen and i was like, what the hell's, why is Goodell coming out on stage?
01:06:17
Speaker
And then it got me confused. Like, well, I don't remember this guy being talked about as a first round pick. Why was he, why, why was he in the green room? Usually that's reserved for invites by the, for the first round.
01:06:31
Speaker
And but the emotion that he showed the the grad the what's the word the oh the appreciation. Oh, yeah, the appreciation of of being drafted by the Packers.
01:06:47
Speaker
I thought he was going to knock the the tunnel down when he was pounding on the G after getting drafted. It's a good situation. i I knew that they were going to go defensive line at some point just because you've got to have bodies in that room.
01:07:07
Speaker
And with this far, you know, we're now in the fourth round and we're finally taking a defensive player. it had me wondering if they were going to move.
01:07:20
Speaker
Lucas into the interior defensive line instead of having him as an edge rusher because if you think about it, there's not much there for the Packers.
01:07:30
Speaker
Kenny Clark, Carl Brooks, and Kobe Wooden, who is a tweener. He's more of an edge rusher than he is an inside guy. That's about it. They lost Slayton.
01:07:45
Speaker
There's probably some practice squad guys or whatever, know future contracts guys. So they needed something. This guy, i'm I'm not sure. They have him listed as DL. Do you think he's going to be more of an edge or is he going to be an interior guy?
01:08:01
Speaker
I think he's going to be more of an edge. I just don't think he has the – he's not going to – he doesn't have the frame to bulk up to play on the interior. He's – you know he's build-wise, he's built like Inogbure, just with, an in you know, his arms are an inch shorter, basically.
01:08:17
Speaker
But he has a lot more bend than the guys on the roster do. I like that they've added some versatility to the guys in that edge room.
01:08:27
Speaker
They, you know he he does play the run well even though you know he's not a he's not a he doesn't have the arm length that they generally take in their edge rushers but the pass rush production and you watch his film he does from a technicality standpoint play the position you know he plays sturdy like they like their edges too and the the plays where he flashes on film are really really exciting just yeah And some people are going to say like, you know, with him and the next pick that, oh, they're breaking their thresholds.
01:09:00
Speaker
No, they've always they've stuck to the thresholds day one, day two, and they've allowed guys who they really like their film, but don't measure up in one or two ways. They're like, OK, we're in day three.
01:09:13
Speaker
Now we're going to, like, take guys that we're like, they're going to contribute to the football team. Mike Daniels, as you said, he's shorter, lighter. Shorter arm than they usually like a defensive tackle, but they're like this dude is just a game wrecker on film We're gonna get him in the fifth round and he's just gonna kick all kinds of ass for us by a motorcycle outside But but hom same Same idea. Like, that's the same idea where what you're getting with Sorrel is like, he doesn't totally measure up the whole way, but like weight wise, height wise, his athleticism, he does in those areas.
01:09:50
Speaker
So it's really just the arm length that he's a little short on arm length. But like i said, the film, speaks for itself and even and i do expect him to have a like more of a europe pass rusher early on you're gonna come in spell lucas rashad and stuff like that but he's a guy that's gonna play really hard he's gonna practice hard and all the kind of stuff you want out of your day three picks and according to this he ran a four six eight forty so i mean yeah that gives him a little bit more speed there on the edge Yeah. So, you know, that's kind of what they need as a speed rusher.
01:10:26
Speaker
Yeah. And I know you were kind of alluding to it, like, oh, do they change his positions? I thought they were going to potentially move, you know, use him as a stand-up linebacker every now and then until they took the next guy in, in call it Oliver, in the fifth round, who is a...
01:10:42
Speaker
I know you mentioned his name earlier, but like he's a much better football player and athlete than Carl Bradford was where, you know, Bradford was like a small edge, but, you know, he had highlights on film, but it was kind of like, OK, is he actually an NFL athlete? And it turned out he wasn't.
01:10:58
Speaker
Oliver is and so much so that he's a really good explosive athlete as a defensive end but and i know that Bill Hendrickson said that the expectation early on is for Oliver and oh god and Sorrell to play defensive end i was just looking at mock draftables and one of the profiles that he links up with with mock draftables is Ty Summers And that's because of his size. like i know. Yeah.
01:11:29
Speaker
And so, but honestly, the The way that he plays, this is... And from the ground up, I've always been... i like bendy speed edge rushers over power rushers. I like seeing guys who can dip, get under an offensive tackle, win the corner, get to the quarterback.
01:11:49
Speaker
Green Bay doesn't really have those guys outside of, like, whatever... No, like, they just don't... Like, Cooper and Quay are the best guys, and they're not even edge rushers on the roster. So...
01:12:00
Speaker
I do think eventually you're going to see Oliver take some Sam linebacker snaps. But for now, they're just hoping to get pressure. And Oliver and Sorel, they can bring the heat on quarterbacks.
01:12:13
Speaker
Do you remember what he was called as? They have him listed on the site as a DL, but I swore they listed him as a linebacker. No, this was one. And i was i tweeted about it.
01:12:24
Speaker
I was saying it in a couple of our group chats. like It was one of the weirdest ones because the NFL Network broadcast listed him as a defensive end. The team site listed him as a defensive end.
01:12:37
Speaker
But the guy, the fan who read the card, clearly said linebacker of Oklahoma State. So I do think there's a little like Green Bay is usually pretty good about like telling their like cards because I mean like when they drafted Rashawn, they were like linebacker Michigan kind of thing. And I think even Lucas, they were like edge. edge sure There is one that the same thing happened with and that's Zach Tom.
01:13:06
Speaker
When Zach Tom was drafted, they announced him as a center. So it could be the same situation. But I don't know. Oliver is another one that I don't quite and know a lot about.
01:13:18
Speaker
it does look like to full extent of what you were just saying, that he has an athletic profile. I do use the disclaimer, and I know we had a discussion about this in our group chat, because some certain people were trying to say bad things about certain picks because of mock draftables.
01:13:39
Speaker
But all mock draftable does is take the testings and match them up to you know see how what they rank with the other players. And his highest to the 99% his comparison is with leo chanel down in kansas city former badger so this is another one like you said with savi on that if he was wearing badger colors and badger emblem and all that he would be everybody's favorite pick but we've talked about it they do need depth at linebacker they did re re-sign mcduffie
01:14:16
Speaker
the news is that uh goody has said that he's trying to find a way to retain both quay and devon devonte wyatt i forgot to mention him as a defensive lineman he we've got him too but they're trying whether it's going to be the fifth year option or they try to do like they did with jordan love and give them give them kind of an extension that covers the the fifth year option but doesn't pay him a guarantee with it so you know It is what it is. and
01:14:47
Speaker
We probably won't get to because we're running long, so we've got a few more picks to go through. but One of their UDFA signings is another guy that could be a potential McDuffie replacement. and That's the kid out that's got the long-ass name out of Kentucky.
01:15:03
Speaker
but Yeah. so you know, like we said, we had to restack the defensive, the defensive line room and Goody continued to do that with the sixth round pick, which was, Warren Brinson.
01:15:19
Speaker
Goody couldn't resist scratching the Georgia itch. He goes back to Georgia. we'll we'll just lightly touch on, not only did he draft Brinson, but he signed the the guy who started at nose tackle next to him as an undrafted free agent. But,
01:15:31
Speaker
Swinson is a, it'll be interesting. I'm curious to see where he's going to play now since then they signed, Nazir, um, stack house, stack house.
01:15:42
Speaker
He goes, I was thinking that, Swinson was going to get the chance to like learn behind Kenny play the one technique. But now I'm kind of curious, like, does he get trained to be like the, the early down three technique and, uh, whatever, but,
01:15:57
Speaker
Big athletic kid. The one thing you do kind of, not question, but you know that you kind of flag a little bit is like he's six foot five as a defensive tackle. You know, how's his pad level going to be and stuff. But, you know, Slayton fought that for his time in Green Bay, but he's a trimmer 315 you Slayton at listed. And,
01:16:19
Speaker
He's got the longer arms and stuff. And the you know he's not one of the like stalwarts from that Georgia defense, but strong base, sets, you know he can stack double teams.
01:16:31
Speaker
he can He has some push-pull moves, which is you know what Kenny uses to get to the quarterback. And... i i just like the upside swing here like i said this is another one of those take athletes and teach them to football late on day three but how how did you feel about the swinson pick again kind of going back to the uh sorel pick you knew that they were going to have to take somebody on the defensive line
01:17:02
Speaker
and They obviously love Georgia guys, you you know, and I think because they doubled down on the Texas guys, they definitely had to go in and and get a Georgia guy to kind of balance things out or whatever.
01:17:15
Speaker
You know, I do think he fits kind of the Kenny mold. But again, looking at mock draftable, if you hit the athlete button instead of using the – the Interior den defensive line is compare is testing all compared to athletic wise Derek Harmon and Zach Tom Those are his two comps when it comes to pure athlete so Not saying that the the same players or whatever like I said with the disclaimer, it's just comparisons of their their testing but You know, what can you say sixth round pick you don't expect much?
01:17:56
Speaker
But this is where you try to find your diamonds in the rough.
01:18:00
Speaker
Exactly. And like I said, he – – it's all going to come down. And we'll get to this when we get to our preseason roster final 53 projections and stuff. But he's really only got to beat out –
01:18:18
Speaker
Kobe. Kobe wouldn't at this point. And even for that, he might not have to beat him out for the to make the roster. They might keep, you know, because realistically, out of guys that they've, like, drafted or, yeah, out of guys they've drafted on this roster, there's only five of them.
01:18:34
Speaker
It's, Kenny, Devontae Wyatt, Carl Brooks, Colby Wooden, and now Swinson. That's the five defensive tackles on this roster that they've drafted. They don't have like a free agent signing or anything like that. You know, there's no like Meikle Hardman equivalent or Nate Hobbs equivalent from free agency. So, you know, I could see them keeping five defensive tackles, especially because they're still technically light on linebackers at this point.
01:19:01
Speaker
Just to keep it moving along, seventh round, they had two picks. They finally took a cornerback, Micah Robinson, and offensive lineman John Williams. But we'll go with stick with the defensive side of the ball, Robinson.
01:19:15
Speaker
Thoughts?
Cornerback Draft Surprises
01:19:16
Speaker
yeah It's not the two-lane corner that Brian Mothy was expecting. What?
01:19:24
Speaker
uh but from what i understand of it whereas the one that brian wanted was more of a slot guy this guy figures in to be more of a boundary guy, if I understand it right.
01:19:36
Speaker
i know Mafi threw out the comp of Shamar James james Charles for him. I liked James Charles. I wish he would have worked out a little bit more because he had the ability.
01:19:49
Speaker
i don't i don't know if it was size-wise or whatever that kind of hurt him or how they how the Packers used him, but... I know – and I got to give a shout-out to a friend the show, Tom Grassi.
01:20:03
Speaker
You know, this was the pick that they had let him announce, and it's kind of funny that I don't think anybody had any kind of information on him because if you went onto the draft website, they didn't even have a profile pic for him.
01:20:17
Speaker
So I feel sorry for the guy, but it's kind of weird that they waited so late to take a corner – And i know I keep saying that we're going long, so we got to kind of cut things short a little bit. But I still believe Jair is going to be on roster for 2025. 2026 will be a different story.
01:20:38
Speaker
And they can revisit the the position then. But again, and this one Monty was saying, you know well, I still figure that Jair is not going to be on the roster.
01:20:55
Speaker
You went through the draft. They waited until the seventh round to take a corner. That tells me that – and Goody came out and said – or not Goody. LeFleur said that Jair did the the online portion of – team meetings.
01:21:14
Speaker
So that shows that Jair is still part of the Packers for now. So corner wise, I wish they would have took one a little bit sooner.
01:21:27
Speaker
This honestly could, and this could be a pick that maybe, shit, I was going to call him Petten because that's what he reminds me of, but Visaccia could have said, hey, I think that guy will be a solid special teamer.
01:21:44
Speaker
Let's take him. Let me work with him. Yeah, i can I can see some of that in this pick as well. Yeah, it's it's you know hard to get overexcited, but they said what they said. you know Goot's quote about the cornerback room was, we just need bodies in the room.
01:22:05
Speaker
They seem to really like the guys they've got. you know Even if you take Jair off the table, they like their top three of Nixon, Hobbs, and Valentine. I'm assuming they still have hopes for Kalen King becoming some sort of contributor.
01:22:22
Speaker
They have Kamal Haddon that they kept on the practice squad and called him up multiple times during the season. And we'll just see if Robinson can fight his way into the room. And then to round it off,
01:22:34
Speaker
John Williams from Cincinnati. and know I wasn't sure about this pick because last time I knew John Williams was like 90 years old and he was more of a music producer composer than a football player.
01:22:49
Speaker
i don't know if this was like a pity pick or what and not saying against anything John Williams. You know, I'm a Star Wars fan, Indiana Jones fan. I love the music, but you know, I just I don't know how he's going to hold up as as a football player at this age.
01:23:05
Speaker
but But yeah, another one of those, you know, they like to take those late developmental day three offensive linemen.
01:23:14
Speaker
Yeah, I don't have much to say about this one except for he's another like bigger offensive tackle. So, you know, there's been some conversation. Does he actually stay on the outside? Does he come inside to guard?
Overall Draft Reflections and Future Plans
01:23:27
Speaker
But I'm less concerned about a round seven offensive lineman pick. I just look at this. Can you beat out Travis Glover? Can you beat out one of the, you know, a Telfort kind of thing for one of those, you know, the eight, nine, 10th offensive lineman spots on the roster. So,
01:23:44
Speaker
Find out. And you who knows? He may be starting in another year, you know, if he follows the Rasheed Walker trend. So that's a wrap. Overall, just a your thoughts overall on the class, Joe.
01:23:56
Speaker
So we could, like you said, we could move this one along and put a bow on it. Overall, i I have a couple of questions, but generally i like it. Obviously, I'm going to rave about the first round pick for a long time.
01:24:09
Speaker
i And that means in... Next year, it's got to be definitely a tight end in the first round to kind of break that one.
01:24:20
Speaker
Or maybe in five years, it has to be a tight end to make it a full 30 years since they took a tight end in the first round. But overall, i I feel good about it.
01:24:31
Speaker
You know, obviously, Goody and the floor and those guys have a plan in place. It also makes you you remember how they had to structure the the hierarchy of things at green bay where you know mark murphy oversaw everything well now that mark murphy's officially retired it makes me wonder if this was a good accounts just went with whatever he wanted to go with you know there was no hey can i do this hey can i do this this was just fully a good a kunst on the floor type thing and there was no answer to anybody and i did love goodie's little joke that mark murphy went rogue on on ne but that that was pretty funny uh so you know it but overall
01:25:19
Speaker
Feeling good. I like what I see. I'm looking forward. It makes me mad that we have to wait so long between the end of the draft to the beginning of the football season because now it just makes me want to see what what's going to happen.
01:25:34
Speaker
Although I am going to yell at Matthew Golden, I love you, man. You proved me right. It's a great pick. I look forward to what you're doing. Why 22? i just, it made it so hard to try making a jersey swap photo for you.
01:25:52
Speaker
You should have either stuck with 81 or went with the Javon Walker number of 84, but not 22. And on the other side of the spectrum, I like it.
01:26:06
Speaker
I'm with it, get weird with it. you know and Overall, my whole thing is I'm like, some people just, they got so wound up about it. And I'm not saying you're one of them, you got but you got other people who are like, oh my God, what's he doing? This is the worst thing since whatever. So I'm in the same position. you know There's some, like I said, there's some questions we want to see answered, particularly with Belton and by Ty Morgan from last year, you know, last year's first round pick. We want to see how that gets, how, you know, how their positions get ironed out at this point.
01:26:42
Speaker
But otherwise, i think they, they short up the positions they really needed to, or at least openly stated that they were looking to show her up.
01:26:53
Speaker
But also the way this draft class shook out, it really opens the door for second year guys like Marshawn Lloyd, Tyron Hopper, even Bullard, Evan Williams and Kitan Oladapo to like step into roles and like really...
01:27:11
Speaker
make a second year leap and just like set their place on the roster in pen. Like, not like we got you penciled in as the fifth safety, but you know, we'll see what happens kind of like, like, no, like I do want to see those guys go out and like really establish themselves. But Joe, anything else on your mind or shall we just,
01:27:32
Speaker
Mike Turn about an hour and a half. but I think we just need to wrap her up and call it good. Mike Coato, So for Iowa Joe and I'm Mike Coato, want to thank you for joining us for 2025 draft recap episode. Coato, Please check out the website. Mike Coato, Our authors are putting out a lot of great content, especially that you know, the draft is the thing that we've been waiting all off season for.
01:27:52
Speaker
Coato, Check that out. Ohana Packers.org. Check us out on any social medias, ohana underscore packers on Twitter. You can find the two of us by our names on Blue Sky. We don't have a Blue Sky account for this for the the site and podcast yet.
01:28:10
Speaker
So just come follow one of us on there. Instagram, ohana packers edition. Facebook, search ohana packers edition.
Podcast Wrap-up and Listener Gratitude
01:28:18
Speaker
Please support the shop on the website, buy merch so that Joe can replace his earbuds, his keyboard, all the things that seem to have walked off into the great beyond while he was up at the draft.
01:28:29
Speaker
but We thank you for joining us. Those of you who, the four of you that sat in, true North Packer fan, thank you for sitting through the whole of the day two live stream. You know, no matter how many of you followed that, if any of you watched the replay of it, we appreciate you for taking the time, five-hour time to hear me and Mafi and Joe rant on and on about the picks.
01:28:52
Speaker
Joe talked about the environment at the draft. We thank you so much. But until next time, Go Pack Go and Aloha.