Paging through the wild space of online NFL draft prediction sites is an exercise in abuse that rivals waterboarding.
The prognosticators range from Bob McGinn, the best beat reporter ever, and Peter King, the guru from Sports Illustrated to some seventh-grader sitting in his bedroom in Omaha and calling himself "Draft Swami."
Predicting what Ted Thompson may do is also an exercise in futility. He has confounded all the experts year after year after year.
So, when the first round of the NFL draft is conducted tonight Green Bay Packers fans can relax and wait until Thompson pulls the trigger, either on a player he thinks can help or a trade that ends up getting the Packers more choices on day two.
Most oddsmakers have three teams in the lead to make it to the Super Bowl next year. The Seahawks and Patriots are in the AFC and the Packers are the big favorite in the NFC.
It is undoubtedly the presence of Aaron Rodgers and a whole raft of receivers who make up the most feared passing attack in the league that is responsible for the good odds.
With their new running game on the shoulders of Eddie Lacy, the Packers’ offense appears to be set.
It’s on defense that the Packers seem to need help. Inside linebackers and cornerbacks seem to be at the top of that list. The Packers cut A. J. Hawk and lost Davon House and Tramon Williams to free agency.
Most of the mock drafts from reputable sites seem to focus on three cornerbacks.
The three that people think will still be there when the Packers pick 30th in the first round are Marcus Peters of Washington, Byron Jones of Connecticut and Jalen Collins of LSU.
Peters, while talented, has an attitude problem so severe that he was kicked off the team last year for continuing to have run-ins with coaches. Jones is described as an intelligent player with good instincts who will benefit from good coaching in the NFL. Collins is the most intriguing. he has the height, weight and speed you want in a cornerback but lacks the kind of experience NFL teams want. He probably has the biggest upside of all the cornerbacks who are expected to still be on the board.
There are also three inside linebackers who may be available when the Packers draft, Denzel Perryman of Miami, Paul Dawson of TCU and Hayes Pullard of USC.
Perryman is rated the highest of the three. He’s only 5-10 and isn’t all that fast or strong. But he’s supposed to be a good football player who rarely makes mental mistakes.
Dawson has great discipline and doesn’t fall for traps. The rap on him is that he doesn’t do the film work necessary but shows up on game day.
Pullard may be the most intriguing of all to Thompson. He’s got good size and speed and has a reputation for toughness and well as having the ability to cover receivers.
Thompson has made 11 first round picks as the general manager of the Packers and only two have been a bust. That’s an enviable record in the NFL and one of the big reasons why the "Let Ted Do It" mantra seems like a good idea for Packer fans.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
