Packers Post-Free Agency 7 Round Mock Draft

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Round 1, Pick 21 - Calvin Pryor, FS, Louisville

Unless C.J. Mosely is dangling above Ted Thompson's head here at 21 overall, the Packers will draft their biggest need over best talent available. Calvin Pryor is probably the most NFL ready safety in this draft next to HaHa Clinton-Dix and Jimmie Ward. With the way Ted Thompson handled the defensive line in free agency, the Packers can focus on drafting defensive backs and linebackers to rebuild the defense, and it all starts here in Round 1. 


Round 2, Pick 53 - Trent Murphy, DE/OLB, Stanford

Packers are really high on Trent Murphy and that's why he's staying here in this mock draft. His name has come up the most when Ted Thompson has talked about draft prospects. The Packers have longed for a outside linebacker to lineup opposite of Clay Matthews. Nick Perry has yet to stay healthy enough to tell if he is the guy or not. Newly signed Packer Julius Peppers is likely to play split time at OLB and DE this year. Adding depth to linebacker is a must this draft as it became the most injured position on the team last year.


Round 3, Pick 85 - Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin

In case you missed the news, James Jones was signed to a three year contract with the Oakland Raiders. As it stands, the Packers have Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin, and Myles White with others on the practice squad. Just two years ago the Packers had Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, James Jones, and Donald Driver. They need to add a wide receiver early in the draft and this is a great spot for it with the likelihood of having two picks in the second round. Jard Abbrederis is such a Ted Thompson kind of guy. Not only could Jared be a deep threat option for Aaron Rodgers, but he could also serve as a solid option as a kick returner.


Round 3, Compensatory Pick (Greg Jennings) - C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa

Look, I know there are a lot of people out there that really like Andrew Quarless. I am not one of them. I just don't feel comfortable going into the season with Quarless, Ryan Taylor, Brandon Bostick and Jake Stoneburner as our only tight end options. We don't need to reach for a tight end in the first round for a guy like Ebron or Amaro, but we need an upgrade from what we have. Fiedorowicz is a perfect tight end for the Packers offense. He can block and has great hands with decent burst to get yards after contact. 


Round 4, Pick ??? - Max Bullough, ILB, Michigan State

As I said above, the Packers need serious help at linebacker, but especially at inside linebacker. The aging AJ Hawk and the incredibly inconsistent Brad Jones are at the top of the depth chart. Beneath them is Jamari Lattimore who actually is a promising young talent and Sam Barrington who just needs to keep developing. In a perfect world the Packers would cut ties with Hawk to free up cap space and just hit the reset button on the entire interior linebacker squad. max Bullough is the guy that was suspended from football activities at Michigan State for an off the field issue. Bullough had an incredible combine and probably out-shined the rest of the inside linebackers. But, because of the off the field issue, he will likely drop in the draft. It's a good thing Green Bay is an organization that can help off the field issues players have. Max is highly regarded by his coaches. He's a defensive leader.


Round 5, Pick ??? - Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami

With the loss of EDS to the Buccaneers and the apparent departure of Marshall Newhouse, the Packers will need to address the offensive line in the draft. Injuries were an issue last year as the team lost Bryan Bulaga in training camp with a torn ACL. Without a set in stone center, the Packers may have to shuffle the line around again. If they want a quick fix, the Packers will try either JC Tretter or Don Barclay at center. To cover the blow of the losses and a possible changing of the guard (pun intended) on the line, drafting an offensive lineman here is not a bad idea. Seantrel Henderson is a massive human being. He'd be a instant improvement over Newhouse and would provide as an excellent backup tackle to Bulaga and Bakhtiari.


Round 6, Pick ??? - Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech

The Packers need to develop a dependable back up QB. Last year that became painfully evident. Matt Flynn was able to cushion the blow of losing Aaron Rodgers once he was eventually signed. Logan Thomas is a great pick here. Receiving comparisons like "Cam 2.0" is very intriguing to me. I've seen a few mocks that have Green Bay taking Tajh Boyd as early as the fourth round. No. That can't happen and won't happen. Boyd is not good at quarterback. That was evident at the NFL Combine when scouts and league executives said they wouldn't even waste a draft pick on him. The Packers have more needs to fill in the earlier rounds than to take a quarterback that *likely* won't see a lot of playing time. 


Round 6, Compensatory Pick (Erik Walden) - Avery Williamson, ILB, Kentucky 

Williamson is one of those Ted Thompson guys. Under the radar guy who fits exactly into the defensive scheme. As I stated above, middle linebacker is a very shallow area for the Packers and they need depth. Williamson is very quick. He's a great tackler. He'll defend in short coverage, he'll rack up pass defends, he'll rap up a ball carrier. He's a perfect weight and height for the position, standing in at 6-1, 249 pounds. At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.66 40 yard dash and was a top performer in the 20 yard shuttle. 


Round 7, Pick ??? - C.J. Barnett, SS, Ohio State

The Packers take a second safety here. The secondary was absolutely destroyed last season due to injury and just lack of performance. The Packers have had a void in the secondary since the team lost Nick Collins. There are some bright spots. The emergence of Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde has been refreshing. Also, Sam Shields coming back provides some stability. Tramon Williams had a very productive year last season. C.J. Barnett would come from an Ohio State team that has produced defensive backs such as Malcolm Jenkins, Nate Clements, Antoine Winfield, Chris Gamble, Donte Whitner and Kurt Coleman. Barnett was a bright spot on the OSU defense that was near the bottom of the Big Ten ranks.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

-Andrew Vrchota

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Packers, Brewers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live in-game commentary, breaking news, rumors, previews, and post game discussion. Follow the entire writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, and @10iskristin

Grading the 2013 Wisconsin Badgers

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The Wisconsin Badgers began the 2013 football season ranked 23rd in the AP Preseason polls. At the time I was disappointed in the ranking but could understand reason for doubting the team given the significant changes in coaching staff. Gary Andersen brought a lot of energy and a whole new posse of coaches with him and the team looked sharp, but not many knew what to expect. The result was a very solid season, capped off by a poor showing against Penn State on senior day and a disappointing ending to the Capitol One Bowl against South Carolina. The team finished with a 9-4 record and a 6-2 showing in the Big Ten. Kickers are kickers and punters are punters, but the best way to understand what went well and what didn’t for the team in 2013 is to take a look at each position on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Quarterback – C. After breaking his collar bone several games into the 2012 season, Joel Stave won the starting quarterback job in camp, beating out sixth-year senior Curt Phillips and transfer Tanner McEvoy. What the coaches most like about Stave is his throwing accuracy and ability to get the ball down field. With Jared Abbrederis returning as arguably the top wide receiver in the Big Ten, many thought it was wise to go with the best throwing QB of the bunch and give the offense its best opportunity to stretch the field. The result was a mediocre season for Stave. He made many great throws, but also missed A LOT. He finished with 22 passing TDs to 13 interceptions and threw for 2,494 yards. He was arguably a better player on the road, throwing just 4 interceptions in 6 road games, versus 9 in 7 games at home. The most glaring issue with Stave seems to be his inability to find the open man. As a young quarterback, this is somewhat understandable, but Stave became a bit predictable in games as he would often seem to lock on a single receiver (usually Abbrederis) before the start of a play and abandon any sense of progression as the play developed. He will most likely have a firm grasp on the starting job heading into 2014, but there is certainly room for improvement.

Melvin Gordon will return for his junior year.

Running Backs – A. The running game was yet again the bright spot for Wisconsin in 2013. The Badgers finished 8th in the country in rushing, combining for 3,689 yards. Melvin Gordon emerged as one of the best backs in the country, leading the team with 1,609 yards while reaching the end zone 12 times and ranking fourth in the country with an impressive 7.8 yards per carry. James White wasn’t far behind, totaling 1,444 yards and 13 scores. Gordon raised eyebrows as many thought he might enter the draft as a potential second or third round draft pick, but the sophomore announced after the regular season that he will return to Madison in 2014 for his junior season. The third shining star in the backfield in 2013 was youngster Corey Clement. The freshman ran for 547 yards on just 67 carries and reached the end zone 7 times. With Clement and Gordon returning in 2014, there’s no reason to expect anything less than another 3,000 rushing yards from the Badger backfield.

Receivers – B. Heading into 2013 the Badgers knew they had something special in senior Jared Abbrederis, the former walk on who had earned first team All-Big Ten honors as a junior. Senior tight end Jacob Pederson was also returning after winning the Big Ten’s Kwalick-Clark award as the league’s top tight end. Beyond these two however, questions remained unanswered heading into the season opener as to who would answer the bill as the team’s number two wide receiver. The questions never really got answered, as no wide receiver outside of Abbrederis caught more than 12 passes. Abby hauled in an impressive 78 catches for 1,081 and 7 touchdowns while Pedersen snagged 39 balls for 551 yards and 3 scores. James White was also incredibly reliable out of the backfield, catching 39 passes for 300 yards and 2 scores. “Old Reliable,” Jeff Duckworth was next on the team with 12 catches for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns. The team will look heavily to youngsters Jordan Fredrick and Alex Erickson in 2014 to step up and carry the load as a receiving corps. Melvin Gordon will also need to play a bigger role out of the backfield than he did in 2013, catching just one pass for 10 yards.

Offensive Line – B. After losing starting center Travis Frederick to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Badgers offensive line needed some returners to step up. They did fairly well, once again blocking for one of the best rushing attacks in the country and keeping quarterback Joel Stave on his feet. The team ranked 17th nationally with 16 sacks allowed, an average of just 1.2 per game but loses left guard Ryan Groy to graduation. This is a hole that has to be filled, but the unit remains young and full of potential heading into 2014.

Defensive Line – B. With new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda came a new 3-4 scheme that worked surprisingly well for the Badger Defense in 2013. As a unit, Wisconsin ranked 15th in total defense, 6th in scoring defense, and 5th in rushing defense throughout the campaign. The one glaring statistic that keeps this unit from an “A” rating is the disappointingly low sack total. The team totaled just 26 sacks on the season, with 4 of those coming from backup nose tackle Warren Herring. Beau Allen has garnered attention leading into the NFL draft and Pat Muldoon and Tyler Dippel did well managing the ends. Look for the defense to remain consistent in 2014 but look to create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

This will always be my favorite Chris Borland picture.

Linebackers – A. Moving to a 3-4 scheme as a defense meant shifting Brenden Kelly from his defensive end position to and outside linebacker spot. This freed up middle linebacker Chris Borland to be more aggressive in attacking the ball carrier. Borland had his best season yet, recording 112 tackles and earning consensus first team All-Big Ten honors. Ethan Armstrong and Conor O’Neill were third and fourth on the team with 51 and 41 tackles, respectively and were a big reason for the team’s success against the run. The unit needs to find a way to replace Borland in 2014, but I believe the 3-4 scheme will continue to promote future success.

Secondary – B. After losing both starting corners and a safety to graduation heading into 2013, the Badger defense faced a lot of question marks in the secondary. The unit was good, however, ranking 17th nationally against the pass, allowing 202 yards per game. Senior Dez Southward returned and provided consistency for the group, totaling 40 tackles and nabbing one interception. The bright spot here was true freshman Sojourn Shelton. Shelton made his share of mistakes, as should be assumed from an 18 year old, but also pulled down 4 interceptions and primarily manned opposing team’s top wideout. Shelton receive praise from former Badger standouts Jamar Fletcher and Scott Starks for his confidence and competitive nature, but needs to sure up his coverage, as he was burned a few times too many throughout the course of the season. Michael Caputo was another bright spot, moving from linebacker to safety and looks to have a hold on the spot heading into 2014. Look for this young unit to grow and improve under Aranda.


Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

-Joseph Norton (@JoeP_Norton)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Packers, Brewers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live in-game commentary, breaking news, rumors, previews, and post game discussion. Follow the entire writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, and @10iskristin

2013 Wisconsin Badgers Football Preview

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It’s been eight long months since the last week Badger football game week. Thankfully the wait is over. Through the season I’ll be previewing/reviewing Badger games. To start things off, a full season preview is in order (and also because UMass is a 45 point underdog and doesn't warrant a full blown preview). The three time defending Big Ten Champions have plenty of talent to contend, but with a new coaching staff and a few question marks on both sides of the ball there is a lot left to learn about the 2013 Badger squad.

Offense Preview

Let’s start with what we know. The Badgers will run the football. A lot. They will also be extremely

White and Gordon look to continue running through defenses

successful at it. Led by James White and Melvin Gordon the Badgers have the best running back tandem in the conference and one of the top in the country, a quick review of the Big Ten Title game of last year will squash doubts of that. The offensive line will be slightly revamped needing to replace stalwarts Travis Frederick and Ricky Wagner, but at Wisconsin you don’t rebuild the offensive line, you reload. Another strength of this squad is at TE. Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig declared there are 4 starting caliber tight ends on the roster in Jacob Pedersen, Brian Wozniak, Brock DeCicco and Sam Arneson. I expect all will be used in various formations and game situations. With all that talent, the tight ends will be counted on heavily in the passing game to take some pressure off of wide receiver Jared Abbrederis. No one should expect the offense to suddenly transform into the aerial assault of the Greatest Show on Turf. But an offense like the one in 2010 led by ultra-efficient Scott Tolzien when the Badgers averaged 200 yards passing and rushing per game is very possible.

And now for that which remains to be seen. The biggest unknown entering fall camp was who would emerge as the starting QB. Head coach Gary Andersen has been adamant the official starter will be known on the first offensive snap against UMass. Joel Stave and Curt Phillips have separated from Tanner McEvoy for now and were listed as co-starters on the depth chart released Monday. Whoever takes the first snap this Saturday, I expect both will see action and the first two games will effectively be used an extension of the fall camp competition. Wide receiver is another position where someone has to develop opposite Abbrederis. The receiving corps is mostly intact from last year with the addition of freshman Rob Wheelright and redshirt freshman Alex Ericson. Both Wheelright and Ericson have worked into the rotation along with Abbrederis, Jordan Fredrick and Kenzel Doe. As noted previously, the depth at tight end might limit the opportunities in multiple receiver formations unless someone provides a more consistent option. Also keep an eye on Tanner McEvoy. Surpassed in the QB battle, McEvoy athletic ability is intriguing enough to warrant considering as a receiver in the red zone or other situational packages.

Stars: RB - James White, RB - Melvin Gordon,  WR - Jared Abbrederis, TE - Jacob Pedersen

Players to Watch: RB - Corey Clement, WR - Alex Ericson, WR - Rob Wheelright

*Obligatory mention that although no offensive lineman were noted here, they are all stars and their efforts are not forgotten.

Defensive Preview

New defensive coordinator Dave Aranda loves to pressure opposing teams. In previous stops at Utah State and Hawaii he has lead defenses ranked near the top of NCAA in sacks and sack percentage. The switch in philosophy from 4-3 to 3-4 fits the Badgers personnel nicely. The defensive line anchored by Beau Allen will need to eat up space and blockers for the stable of outside pass rushers. Starting with Chris Borland, the Badgers have several linebackers capable of rushing the passer. But more importantly, Aranda’s defensive philosophy will allow for more aggressive, attacking defense. Expect a lot more plays like this one from Chris Borland last year against Nebraska.(actually you probably won’t see many like that – it was ridiculous). The front seven is deep, experienced and will be the strength of defense. 

In order for the blitz to be effective though, the secondary will need to adjust to more press man coverage and overall physical play. This could be a tall task for a group that will replace three of four starters from last season. The inexperience in the secondary could be partially negated simply through lack of opponent passing proficiency. Below are the 2013 Badger opponents and their offensive ranks in rushing and passing yards last year. Only Indiana ranked in the top 35 in the country in passing yards per game. The Badgers do not have a NFL passing caliber QB on the docket this year (sorry OSU fans Braxton Miller is not feared due to his arm). As inexperienced as the secondary may be entering the season, they may not be tested very often, especially if the blitz happy Aranda can terrorize quarterbacks as expected.

Stars: LB - Chris Borland, DL - Beau Allen, S - Dez Southward, LB - Chris Borland (worth two mentions)

Players to Watch: CB - Sojourn Shelton, CB - Peniel Jean, LB - Brendan Kelly, LB - Vince Biegel

Coaching Staff Preview

Gary Andersen has done an outstanding job so far in taking over the program. From blasting music

Gary Andersen with classic visor look

throughout practice to introducing the ‘big brother’ program matching upperclassmen with first year players, seemingly every decision has been a hit with players and fans. For me one of the biggest things was involving Tanner McEvoy at wide receiver after he fell behind in the quarterback race. Finding a spot on the field for the most talented players is something most coaches preach in theory but rarely practice. Andersen quickly won over players through his genuine demeanor, often calling players out of the blue to check in on their lives. At practice Andersen sometimes participates in drills(he was a center when he played) and organizes impromptu dance offs. "That stuff is fun for the kids," Andersen said. "I think it brings energy and excitement. You get out there for recruiting, if I am a player, I want to have fun playing football." Obviously his ultimate test will be results on the field during fall Saturdays, but signs point to continued football success for the Badgers under Andersen.

Season Preview and Predictions

2013 Schedule
8/31 UMass	W
9/7 Tennessee Tech	W
9/14 at Arizona State	W
9/21 Purdue	W
9/28 at Ohio State	L
10/5 OPEN DATE
10/12 Northwestern	W
10/19 at Illinois	W
10/26 OPEN DATE
11/2 at Iowa	L
11/9 BYU	W
11/16 Indiana	W
11/23 at Minnesota	W
11/30 Penn State	W

Gary Andersen and staff arrive in Madison amid unusual circumstances for the program. On one hand, the Badgers have been to three straight Rose Bowls, return 15 starters but are considered a distance second to Ohio State in the Leaders Division  Additionally, the 2013 schedule sets up nicely without a super challenging non-conference slate while avoiding Michigan, Michigan St. and Nebraska within the conference. Expectations are high in Madison and anything less than a 9-3 record will be and should be considered a disappointment. The season effectively boils down to the September 28 showdown against Ohio State in Columbus. If the Badgers can win that game they will be in the driver’s seat for the division and will end up in another BCS bowl game. However I see the Badgers bowing out to the Buckeyes and dropping one other unexpected game on the road, most likely at Iowa where they have traditionally struggled. Badgers also cannot overlook Arizona State. Opening with UMass and Tennessee Tech will not be much of a challenge, playing in Tempe at night will be the first test of the season. The verdict for this team is 10-2 and another New Year’s Day Bowl game.





Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Neal Olson (@olewr7)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.