The signing of Matthews means that ninth-overall pick B.J. Raji is the only Packers not signed as of today, July 30.

Matthews joins a crowded battle for the outside linebacker spots in Dom Capers‘ new 3-4 defense.  Aaron Kampman appears to have the left side under wraps, leaving right side wide open for Matthews, Jeremy Thompson, who impressed during mini-camps after revamping his body, and veteran Brady Poppinga, a strong run stopper.  Matthews appeared to have the inside track after being drafted, but after tweaking his hamstring during OTAs, it opened the door for Thompson to make a splash and an impression, which he most certainly did, making the battle for outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense one of the most important of camp.

Matthews will wear No. 52 for the Pack.

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The Raji pick was not a surprise for me.  I had had Raji at No. 2 on my draft board, behind Brian Orakpo, who ultimately went No. 13 to the Washington Redskins.  However, looking at it again, Raji is the right pick.  It’s hard to find mine 6-foot, 337 pound nose tackles that can move in the NFL Draft.  Outside linebackers are a dime-a-dozen throughout the draft.  There was no one else in the draft comparable to Raji.  So Thompson made the pick.

Sitting at No. 9 made me a little nervous.  There were three high quality players available at that juncture, in Raji, Orakpo, and Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree.  Right before the pick, I predicted that Thompson would end Crabtree’s unexplainable slide.  I could see Thompson taking Crabtree — the Jordy Nelson pick last year shows he’s not scared to take a wideout.  Crabtree to Green Bay could have caused an unbelievable amount of backlash among Packers fans, but imagine Crabtree, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Nelson at Aaron Rodgers‘ disposal.  Imagine that offense against the Lions defense.

But besides choosing Crabtree, I was looking for Thompson to trade down.  Thompson traded out of the first round last year when the Packers “needed” a corner and there were corners on the board.  At No. 9 yesterday, there was a scramble under them for teams trying to trade up for Crabtree.  However, Thompson stuck to his guns and picked Raji.

This signals a change in Green Bay.  Thompson had always been a “best player available” guy.  But I don’t see how he could have had Raji over Crabtree on his draft board, in any way really.  Thompson drafted for need here (and later with Matthews, but I’m getting to that).  Thompson knows this is an important year for the Packers.  They have multiple free agents coming up after the 2009 season and he needs to give them a reason to stick around.  The problem with the team in 2008 was the defense.  The offense will put points up on the board, but it cannot win without the defense.  Thompson knows his offense is fine, but his defense needs help.

This need on defense led to the Packers actually trading up back into the first round.  The Patriots had already traded back to No. 26 from No. 23 as the Ravens traded up to get Michael Oher.  The Packers then packaged the trade to get No. 26 and select Matthews, the son of former NFL player Clay Matthews, Jr. and the nephew of former offensive lineman Bruce Matthews.  Both had long careers in the NFL, setting up an impressive lineage for the younger Matthews.  Clay III comes from a USC program that had amazing linebacking talent, as he played along side Houston Texans‘ draft pick Brian Cushing and new Cincinnati Bengal Rey Maualuga, who inexplicably slid into the second round.  Matthews walked-on to USC and redshirted his freshman year, setting up a great storyline for the player.  He plays with intensity to match that of his fellow USC linebackers.

The Matthews pick shows why the Raji pick at No. 9 was a great pick.  By picking Raji, the Packers get a nose tackle who can take up three gaps on the offensive line and tie up multiple blockers, freeing up Matthews and the rest of the linebacking corps.  If the Packers pick Orakpo at No. 9, the Packers have Ryan Pickett at nose tackle, who lacks Raji’s size and athleticism.  With Pickett at the nose, the Packers linebackers would be assaulted every play by large offensive lineman, pushing the defense back.  Raji allows the defense to make plays.  He won’t be getting glory and sacking the quarterback every play, but he will do the dirty work in the trenches.

Matthews will stop the run, allowing Kampman to focus on rushing the passer, while if the Packers had picked Orakpo, they would have had a surplus of pass rushers, allowing the defense to get shredded by the run.  Pairing Matthews and Raji together gives the Packers one of the most successful Day 1′s of any team in the league.  They drafted two cornerstones of their defense that is going through a transition.  The two of them will make the transition into Dom Capers‘ 3-4 scheme that much easier.  Both will have a lot to learn, but both will contribute for years to come.

The 41st pick the Packers traded to New England was used to select Darius Butler from Connecticut, while New England traded the 73rd to the Jacksonville Jaguars who selected Derek Cox out of William & Mary.  The 83rd pick has been used by New England to select Brandon Tate, a wide receiver from North Carlina, who’s coming off a major knee injury.

16 San Diego Chargers
(8-8) Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
17 New York Jets
(9-7) Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
18 Denver Broncos
(9-7, Pick via Bears) Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(9-7) Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
20 Detroit Lions
(9-7, Pick via Cowboys) Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
21 Philadelphia Eagles
(9-6-1) Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
22 Minnesota Vikings
(10-6) William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
23 New England Patriots
(11-6) Clay Matthews, OLB, USC
24 Atlanta Falcons
(11-5) Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
25 Miami Dolphins
(11-5) Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia
26 Baltimore Ravens
(11-5) Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
27 Indianapolis Colts
12-4) Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi
28 Buffalo Bills
(Pick via CAR, PHI) Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
29 New York Giants
(12-4) Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
30 Tennessee Titans
(13-3) Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois
31 Arizona Cardinals
(9-7) LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh 32 Pittsburgh Steelers
(12-4) Alex Mack, C, Cal

1. Lions: waynefontes.com — MATTHEW STAFFORD, QB, GEORGIA
2. Rams: turfshowtimes.com — EUGENE MONROE, OT, VIRGINIA
3. Chiefs: kcchiefsnews.com — AARON CURRY, LB, WAKE FOREST
4. Seahawks: davekriegsstrikebeard.com — MICHAEL CRABTREE, WR, TEXAS TECH
5. Browns: nologoneeded.com — REY MAUALUGA, LB, USC
6. Bengals: bengalstripes.com — JASON SMITH, OT, BAYLOR
7. Raiders: silverandblackpride.com — JEREMY MACLIN, WR, MISSOURI
8. Jaguars: jaguarsgab.com — B.J. RAJI, DT, BOSTON COLLEGE
9. Packers: lombardiave.com — BRIAN ORAKPO, DE/OLB, TEXAS
10. 49ers: ninersnation.com — EVERETTE BROWN, OLB, FLORIDA STATE
11. Bills: buffalorumblings.com — CLAY MATTHEWS, OLB, USC
12. Broncos: milehighreport.com — MALCOLM JENKINS, CB, OHIO STATE
13. Redskins: curlyr.blogspot.com  — ANDRE SMITH, OT, ALABAMA
14. Saints: canalstreetchronicles.com —  BRIAN CUSHING, OLB, USC
15. Texans: houstondiehards.com — MICHAEL OHER, OT, OLE MISS
16. Chargers: bolthype.com — EBEN BRITTON, OT, ARIZONA
17. Jets: thejetsblog.com — TYSON JACKSON, DE, LSU
18. Bears: blogdownchicagobears.com — DARRIUS HEYWARD-BEY, WR, MARYLAND
19. Buccaneers: bucem.com — PERCY HARVIN, WR, FLORIDA
20. Lions (from Dallas): waynefontes.com — AARON MAYBIN, DE, PENN STATE
21. Eagles: igglesblog.com — VONTAE DAVIS, CB, ILLINOIS
22. Vikings: vikingsragnarok.blogspot.com — MARK SANCHEZ, QB, USC
23. Patriots: patriotsdaily.com — KNOWSHON MORENO, RB, GEORGIA
24. Falcons: falcoholic.com —CLINT SINTIM, LB, VIRGINIA
25. Dolphins: thephinsider.com — LARRY ENGLISH, LB, NORTHERN ILLINOIS
26. Ravens: ebonybird.com —KENNY BRITT, WR, RUTGERS
27. Colts: 18to88.com — PERIA JERRY, DT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
28. Eagles (from Carolina): igglesblog.com — ALEX MACK, OL, CALIFORNIA
29. Giants: bigblue101.com — HAKEEM NICKS, WR, NORTH CAROLINA
30. Titans: musiccitymiracles.com — D.J. MOORE, CB, VANDERBILT
31. Cardinals: raisingzona.com — CHRIS WELLS, RB, OSU
32. Steelers: steelerstoday.com — FILI MOALA, DT, USC

Round 2 is starting now!

With the tenth pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Everette Brown, OLB, Florida State.

The 49ers have various needs this offseason, but unlike what some people are predicting, a first round QB is not one of those needs.  The 49ers have a pair of outside linebackers, one of whom turned in a very solid season in 2008.  Parys Haralson seems to have a legitimate future going forward as a pass rushing outside linebacker.  Manny Lawson is an athletic freak, but he seems less inclined to rush the passer or more likely to be a guy in coverage and in a read position.

Although Everette Brown didn’t have a ton of experience (only one season as a fulltime starter), he still racked up 23 sacks for his 3-year career.  This pick is a really tough one for the 49ers because it seems like they’re too high for guys like [Michael] Oher, but they’re too low for a BJ Raji.  Andre Smith is plummeting and seems like too much of a headcase.  If the first 9 picks go in the above order, I think the 49ers will battle themselves in trying to decide between Michael Oher and Everette Brown.  What wouldn’t surprise me is if the 49ers tried to move up from the second round into the late first round to grab the right tackle they need.  They’ve shown no qualms about making those kinds of moves, so we’ll see if they do so again.

With the eleventh overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select…
Clay Matthews, OLB, USC
Buffalo is in full-fledged “win now” mode.  Let’s face it – you’re not risking Terrell Owens being on your roster if you’re not desperate for a few wins.  Unlike the ’08 draft, when the Bills took small-school product Leodis McKelvin and unpolished receiver James Hardy with their first two picks, the Bills are going to look past potential for guys that can contribute immediately, particularly in the first three rounds.

Unfortunately, the team is forced to choose between prospects at this stage in the game that either aren’t worthy of a selection this high (Brandon Pettigrew) or fill needs but are inexperienced (Matthews, Aaron Maybin).  In the end, Matthews – yes, even ahead of USC teammate Brian Cushing – is the best fit.  He gives the Bills an outstanding blitz presence right out of the gate, and he adds playmaking ability to the Bills’ league-renowned special teams unit as well.

Matthews isn’t a perfect fit in Buffalo’s zone-based scheme; his coverage skills are severely underdeveloped, and it’s unclear whether he’d be a better fit as a linebacker or an end in a 4-3 defense.  In Buffalo, he’d have the opportunity to play a little of both.  Buffalo desperately needs a physical, hard-hitting presence at linebacker for run downs, and the 6’3″, 240-pound Matthews can lay the lumber.  But he also opened some eyes at the Combine when he easily recorded the fastest 10-yard split of any pass-rushing prospect; his 1.49-second time was beaten by only nine cornerbacks.  He’s very explosive in the short area, and given that fact, he also has potential as a pass-rush specialist – either standing or down on the line – for the blitz-happy Bills.  His work ethic, intangibles and unbelievable NFL bloodlines make him a safe investment, even if he’s a bit of a reach.

The Denver Broncos are on the clock.

Eleven picks down…