The Packers kicked off the 2009 NFL Draft by addressing their most pressing need: their defense.  By drafting the 6-foot, 2-inch, 337-pound Raji, the Packers have found an anchor at nose tackle that will take up space and free up their linebacking corps for years to come.

Many mock drafts had the Packers nabbing Raji at No. 9, so when the Packers came up to pick at No. 9 with Raji on the board, it was no surprise when they picked him.

What was surprising was the build-up to the pick.

With the Oakland Raiders picking Darrius Heyward-Bey out of Maryland at No. 7, it left talents such as Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Brian Orakpo, and Michael Jenkins still on the board, all or most of which many “experts” thought would be gone by then.  This led to a burning question: Does Ted Thompson stick to his “best player available” draft strategy and add another offensive weapon such as Crabtree or Maclin, or does he go defense, where the need is?

Keeping a short story short, he went need.

The pick lacked much of the drama I thought it would have.  I guaranteed a friend the pick would be Orakpo or Crabtree as soon as the Jacksonville Jaguars grabbed Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, but it became apparent minutes in to the Packers ten-minute allotment that Raji was the pick, as ESPN’s camera at the Raji draft party showed multiple family members dancing around and Raji smiling and talking on his cell phone.  I knew Raji was the one.

And I’m happy with this pick.

People can say what they want about “character issues” and such, but the Packers have found the cornerstone, or more like a “centerstone,” of Dom Capers‘ new 3-4 defense.  Raji will eat space and blockers, freeing up defensive ends and linebackers to make plays.  He fits the scheme and has been described as an unselfish player, something you have to be to play line in the 3-4.

Defensive first round picks for the Packers have not always worked out in the past, in Justin Harrell, Ahmad Carroll, and Jamal Reynolds, but they have been able to get solid starters in A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett.  Thompson knew the defense needed major help, and that is what he did for Mike McCarthy, picking B.J. Raji.

This isn’t the most popular move Ted Thompson has ever made, but Tom Silverstein of JSOnline does his best to rationalize the decision:

Guys who play those positions are going to committ penalties because they’re playing all-out. Bush needs to play smarter and eliminate some of the dumb mistakes, but he’s only played three seasons in the NFL and he’s going to get better. The fact six teams inquired about him shows the respect he garners from personnel men around the league. The fact Tennessee and Baltimore were two of the teams shows that he plays with the kind of force and aggressiveness needed to survive at his position.

It makes sense.  You need the special teams players, although special teams tackles don’t look that important overall; the Jets just re-signed Ahmad Carroll after he led them in special teams tackles.  We all remember him.

This could also impact the Tramon Williams situation.  He’s definitely going to want some big money after this signing.  But more on this later.  Fact remains, the Packers have their best special teams player.

Who should join him? Ahmad Carroll?  Jamal Reynolds?  Even Justin Harrell?

Leave your suggestions here and we’ll find out eventually.

With the ninth pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select:

***Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas***

With the new 3-4 scheme in town, the Packers desperately need a good outside pass rusher to play opposite Aaron Kampman.  Orakpo provides that strong force from the outside to succeed.  All of the great 3-4 defenses in the NFL have “that guy” that can make plays, from James Harrison in Pittsburgh to Terrell Suggs in Baltimore.  Orakpo will be able to help anchor the Packers linebacking corps for a long, long time.

Most people have the Packers picking Ohio State corner Malcolm Jenkins with this pick, including most “experts.”  While that makes sense given the age of starters Charles Woodson and Al Harris, there is still youth behind them.  Tramon Williams (despite his contract situation) filled in admirably when Harris was out with the spleen injury in 2008 and the Packers drafted Pat Lee in the third round in 2008 as well.  If they pick a corner, they’ll do it in the second, third, or fourth rounds.  We don’t want another Ahmad Carroll on our hands.

The player I feel the Packers need the most is B.J. Raji from Boston College.  Raji is big and strong, and can move decently.  I feel he would provide a great anchor to the 3-4 scheme.  None of the tackles the Packers have on the roster currently are the right type for Dom Capers‘ defense, and Raji could provide a Casey Hampton-like presence in the middle and be the nucleus of that defensive line and defense for years to come.  However, I will take a terror from the outside in Orakpo as well.

The San Francisco 49ers are on the clock.

Your thoughts on this pick PackerNation?

Many of us felt this pick was coming at #30 during the NFL Draft. But that got traded to the New York Jets. Then we thought it was coming at #36. Jordy Nelson came instead. #56? Sounds good to me. Wait, nevermind. Then it finally came at #60, 30 picks later than we thought: the Packers drafted a cornerback. Al Harris is going to be 34 this season. Charles Woodson is going to be 32. Harris was absolutely destroyed by Plaxico Burress of the New York Giants during the NFC Championship Game (which prompted me to push for the drafting of James Hardy). It was the general feeling that the Packers were drafting a cornerback at #30, whether Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Aqib Talib, Mike Jenkins, or Antoine Cason dropped to the Packers or the Packers picked Brandon Flowers.  None of the happened.  The Packers went with Nelson at #36.  Packers fans and analysts were left waiting until #56 to see which cornerback the Packers were going to choose.  The Packers threw a curveball by selecting Brian Brohm (I’m still scratching my head).  This left #60, where the inevitable happened: the Packers picked a cornerback, the tenth defensive back taken in the draft, Patrick Lee, from Auburn University.

From what has been said about Lee, he seems to be the perfect pick for the Packers system.  At 6’0″, 200 pounds, he has decent size for a corner and is big enough to imitate the physical style played by Packer starters Woodson and Harris.  There is a lot of youth in the secondary currently, with Will Blackmon, Jarrett Bush, and Tramon Williams all with three or less years of experience competing for the nickel back slot next to Woodson and Harris.  Williams played there the last few games of 2007 and did a decent job.

In his senior season at Auburn, Lee had 55 tackles (40 solo), four interceptions, and 10 passes broken up.  Lee can also throw his name into the kick return competition if he so pleases, as he averaged 25.8-yards per kickoff return as a senior.  GM Ted Thompson said Lee was a “real good value pick” for #60.  I agree with that sentiment as this draft was saturated with cornerbacks, and we definitely do not want an Ahmad Carroll repeat.  Thompson also said:

“He’s a tough guy. He likes to play bump-and-run. We think he’s going to fit well with what we do on defense in terms of putting these guys in lockdown situations.”

I think I’ll pick Lee to win the competition for the third cornerback slot.  If he doesn’t win it, I expect him to have it sometime during the season.