CheeseheadInQC

I guess you could refer to it as clickbait, but in most cases it is the most benign form. Most aren't stirring up controversy for the sake of page views, it is simply a method of immediately analyzing the draft from their point of view in a form that people seem to like to read and spurs discussion. You get a few who are over the top or who seem to believe their views are infallible, but for the most part, these are people paid to analyze and write about the NFL analyzing and writing about the NFL, albeit in a contrived package, but no moreso than the predraft mocks that everyone does. Of course they shouldn't be treated as gospel, and how a team did in the draft won't be known for years. Outside of those who slap on a grade with an unfunny bit of sarcasm attached and nothing else, however, they provide another perspective that, if it is done well, can at least be an interesting read.

If I am leaning into an alternative explanation for the length of the suspension I might look more toward the Dodgers having no intention of ever bringing him back (and thus perhaps pushing for the longest penalty possible) than Bauer’s past antagonism toward baseball leadership.

I think other people might have said something similar, but this felt a lot like a Ted Thompson draft from when he was at his best. Pass rusher (interior in this case) in the first round? Check. Second round receiver? Check. A couple of college tackles who are athletic but might have to kick inside in the NFL? Check. A day 3 flyer or two at receiver? Check. This whole draft feels familiar in the best of possible ways. The first rounders addressed two of the weaker starting positions on the defensive side of the ball. The rest of the draft filled in the two areas where depth was lacking on offense: receiver and offensive line. There are still some question marks (top-end pass catching talent, at least for this season, and depth on the edge and the secondary), but this feels like a draft that should help both now and in the future.

Given the names we've drafted, kind of surprised that Christian Matthew didn't end up a Packer

I was thinking either guys with kick coverage skills or double up on CB/S prospects and hope you hit on one

It was their second, but I'm going to count it.

If they view Tom as having any guard or tackle versatility, the backup center spot isn't exactly locked down right now unless Hanson made a big leap during the season.

I'm probably just reading a couple that are higher on him, but I get vague Cobb vibes off Shakir's scouting report.

I like them getting another versatile lineman. It still wouldn't shock me if they grab another in the fourth or fifth round (Zach Tom is still there, so my prediction is alive). Otherwise another receiver or tight end or maybe a DB in round 4.

Rhyan might be an option as well

Or it was six, and they didn't have one on Dotson or Burks. (I know Rodgers said they were all picked, but who knows if that was just him quickly covering)

Here's hoping he's the Packers' latest second round star at receiver. Not thrilled with giving up both seconds, though. It is probably time to try to find a cheap ring chaser at edge rusher because I can't see anyone left by the time they get to round three who would be able to work into the rotation.

Yah, that site has its pluses (agree or disagree with their depth chart analysis, they attempt a deeper dive into team needs than most), but things like nuance have never been among them.

The whole Packers haven’t drafted a first round receiver in 20 years criticism has to be among the laziest of the lazy takes that proliferates around draft time. 1. They had so much success in rounds 2 and 3 early in Thompson’s tenure they didn’t need to. 2. Setting aside the Love pick (which no one can) pretty much every case even in retrospect of “I wish we had picked a receiver there” involves a second or third round pick. Kupp or Godwin over Jones, Gallup over Jackson, McLaurin or Renfrow over Sternberger, Davis over DeGuara or the wrong receiver last year (St. Brown). Maybe you could make a Deebo over Savage case, but even then it isn’t like Savage has been a bad pick.

That's the one I was talking about. That's the reason the only pick I predicted was a fourth-rounder. By the time you're shown to be right or wrong, most people won't even notice.

Wow, I actually got something right. Now I just have to hope Tom lasts that long. I am far more surprised that they drafted an inside linebacker than I am that they went defense-defense the way the board fell.

It will signal a definite change in philosophy between the last two regimes if Burks is the pick. The question marks involving him are the kind the Packers seemed to avoid early with receivers under Thompson/McCarthy.

I know it was a different regime, but since Gutekunst worked under Thompson, I thought I'd take a look at some of the prospects under the Packers' old template for Day 2 receivers (highly productive in college; focus on football IQ, route running and body control; punt return experience a plus) and the one name that seemed to fit the bill as a potential third rounder (if he lasts that long) was Khalil Shakir from Boise State, although he might be more of a slot guy.

As bad as my prognostication skills have been lately I will save my prediction for a random obscure pick and say Zach Tom with their first fourth rounder. I do have a feeling, though, that at least one of the Day 1 or 2 picks will violate one of the "the Packers will never draft him because ..." rules that have proliferated, be it age, height, RAS score, etc.

The interesting thing about that is they took at least one every year from the beginning of Thompson's tenure until 2011, including Colledge, Sitton and Lang.

Mendez for hitter. I might go Matulovich for pitcher. Nearly as dominant as Perdomo but in a higher leverage spot.

Mendez for hitter. I might go Matulovich for pitcher. Nearly as dominant as Perdomo but in a higher leverage spot.

There is one number that stands out above all others for this year’s Carolina Mudcats. It isn’t their 6-4 record or their 5.21 ERA. It isn’t Eduardo Garcia’s OPS checking in at .969 thus far or Hedbert Perez’ being at .510. It isn’t Jeferson Quero’s .344 batting average or Hendry Mendez’s 25% walk rate. It isn’t Israel Puello’s 6:1 strikeout to walk rate or the fact that 11 members of the roster are still to young to legally drink. No. the most important number regarding the Mudcats is simply 15, the number of the Brewers’ own Latin American signings on the team’s opening day roster. ------ When the Brewers dipped their toe back into the Dominican Summer League by sharing a team with the Orioles in 2009, to say the team was devoid of prospect star power would be an understatement. The most successful Brewers alum off that team was probably Leonard Lorenzo, who was notable for actually reaching full season ball, even if he did post a 6.13 ERA in Wisconsin in his sole season there. The following year wasn’t much better, with the best being a couple of guys like Jose Pena or Rolando Pascual who ended up topping out in High-A (and one, Rigoberto Almonte, who spent time in High-A before being demoted to the DSL). It wasn’t until the 2011 debuts of Orlando Arcia, Angel Ventura and Jorge Ortega that the Brewers actually had a member of the DSL team who ended up reaching AA. At least, though, there was progress. Then, however, it stagnated. In 2013 only two of the Brewers’ top 20 prospects on MLB Pipeline were from the Brewers’ own Latin American signings. By 2015, it was three of the top 30 and by 2017 had fallen to just one of the top 30, the already falling Gilbert Lara. And it was hurting the Brewers in relation to their NL Central peers. In 2017 the Reds and Pirates had five of their top 30 prospects from their own Latin American signings, but more noticeably, the Cubs and Cardinals had 10. The number of Latin American signings making the low-A opening day rosters ticked up slightly as the years went on, rising from three or fewer from 2010-2014 to, with the exception of two spikes, four or five from 2015 to 2021. Even in the two spike years – nine in 2015 and eight in 2018 – it felt slightly hollow. None of those players were listed on MLB Pipeline’s top 30. ---- This year’s Carolina roster feels different. Sure there are a few guys filling end of the bench or middle relief roles, but they are far from the majority. In what might be a first for any full season squad in the organization’s history, the first six spots in the batting order in the first two games were filled by the club’s own Latin American signings. And it’s a group that includes plenty of prospect star power, with Quero and Perez typically found among the organization’s top 10 prospects and Mendez and Garcia among the top 20, with Jheremy Vargas getting occasional mentions as well. Miguel Segura, Alexander Cornielle and Edwin Jimenez also have a chance to become the first group of three of the Brewers’ Latin American signings to start 10 games at the Low-A level since the reintroduction of the DSL squad. Only twice have there been even two, and in one of those cases (2017 with Victor Diaz and Nattino Diplan) both of the pitchers were 23-year-olds in one of their final seasons of team control. Based on their youth and rookie ball success, you could argue that of those who came through the DSL complex, only Miguel Diaz and Abner Uribe entered full season ball with stronger prospect credentials than this trio. All in all, the Brewers currently have 11 of their own Latin American signings among their top 30 prospects. It feels as if the hope of where they could get to when they reopened the DSL facility is finally within sight. ----- Now comes the tough part: Make sure this isn’t an anomaly. The numbers should stay high both because of the shorter draft and the strong performances by some of the recent signings. A mass substitution in a late spring training game that saw Jackson Chourio, Eduarqui Fernandez, Jadher Areinamo, Daniel Guilarte and Beyker Pastran enter with recent draft picks Quinton Low and Jace Avina seemed like a “say hello to the 2023 Carolina Mudcats event.” It wouldn’t be surprising to see Stiven Cruz, Domingo Mejia, Yujanyer Herrera and potentially a few others in the 2023 Mudcats rotation either. But the goal isn’t just numbers, it is development success. And in that area, hopefully this season is just the beginning.

You might be right about LaFleur’s offense predicating that type of wide receiver, but I think it is too early to say that is Gute’s preferred type when he has drafted just three outside receivers, all on day 3. You wouldn’t say it about Thompson, but he took a lot of raw height-weight-speed receivers on day 3 as well. He just took mostly route running/body control guys in the first three rounds. That could be Gute’s preference, too. He just hasn’t drafted an outside receiver that early.

I wouldn’t want to pull the trigger yet, but if there is a lineup hole and they are hitting well in a month, Wilson and Singleton would probably top my list as well. Wilson to see if he is a legitimate late bloomer (plus I like to see presumed AAAA players at least get a shot in the big leagues just in case they are for real) and Singleton just for the level of upside he once had.