Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson talks with head coach Mike McCarthy prior to the Family Night scrimmage at Lambeau Field. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Fellow writer Travis Pipes has sparked an interesting discussion here at LombardiAve with a recent article about Ted Thompson and his success, or lack thereof, in the late rounds of the NFL Draft.

Just in case you missed it, I encourage you to check out Travis’s article here.

Travis takes a look at Thompson’s late round picks since Thompson took over as the Packers’ general manager in 2005, and makes the point that maybe his success in finding impact players in the later rounds of the draft isn’t as frequent as we typically perceive.

Desmond Bishop lines up against the Carolina Panthers. Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Outside of Josh Sitton (fourth round) and Desmond Bishop (sixth round), this seems to be the case. Both have proven to be excellent players for Green Bay and great finds late in the draft, but why hasn’t Thompson hit any other home runs in rounds 4-7 in his time as the Packers’ GM?

Just to get a frame of reference, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how other general managers around the league fared in the late rounds of the draft during Thompson’s time with the Packers. I wanted to get a sense for how common it is for other teams to find impact players late in the draft, then this would give us a better understanding on how to judge Thompson’s efforts.

I compiled a list of all the GMs that drafted from 2005-12, and looked at each GM’s draft from 2005 to 2012. I focused on the players they selected in rounds 4-7 and noted any players that have played significant time for an NFL team. I also put an asterisk by any players that have proven to be either impact players or top players at their position.

So let’s see how the other GMs during Thompsons’ time with Green Bay did in finding impact players late in the draft.

(Both Rick Smith from Texans and Mike Tannenbaum from the Jets became GMs in 2006, but I included them on this list anyway becaue they were only one year removed from Thompson’s reign as GM.)

List of GMs and Late Round Success from 2005-2012

A.J. Smith – San Diego Chargers

2005 - Darren Sproles, RB, 4^th Round

Mike Brown – Cincinnati Bengals

2006 - Domata Peko, DL, 4^th Round

2010 - *Geno Atkins, DL, 4^th Round

Jerry Jones – Dallas Cowboys

2005 - *Marion Barber, RB, 4^th Round

- Chris Canty, DL, 4^th Round

- Jay Ratliff, DL, 7^th Round

2008 - Erik Walden, LB, 6^th Round

Rod Graves – Arizona Cardinals

2007 – Steve Breaston, WR, 5^th Round

2008 – Tim Hightower, RB, 5^th Round

Bruce Allen – Tampa Buccaneers/ Washington Redskins

2012 – *Alfred Morris, RB, 6^th Round

Mickey Loomis – New Orleans Saints

2006 – *Jahri Evans, OL, 4^th Round

- Rob Ninkovich, LB, 5^th Round

- *Marques Colston, WR, 7^th Round

2008 – *Carl Nicks, OL, 5^th Round

Bill Belichick  - New England Patriots

2005 – Matt Cassel, QB, 7^th Round

2010 – *Aaron Hernandez, WR, 4^th Round

Ozzie Newsome – Baltimore Ravens

2006 – Dawan Landry, S, 5^th Round

Kevin Colbert – Pittsburg Steelers

2007 – William Gay, CB, 5^th Round

2010 – Antonio Brown, WR, 6^th Round

Rick Smith – Houston Texans

2006 – *Owen Daniels, TE, 4^th Round

2009 – Glover Quin, S, 4^th Round

Mike Tannenbaum – New York Jets

2006 – Leon Washington, RB, 4^th Round

Ted Thompson – Green Bay Packers

2007 – *Desmond Bishop, LB, 6^th Round

- Mason Crosby, K,  6^th  Round

2008 – *Josh Sitton, OL, 4^th Round

- Matt Flynn?, QB, 7^th Round

2009 – T.J. Lang, OL, 4^th Round

- Brad Jones, LB, 7^th Round

2010 – Marshall Newhouse, OL, 5^th Round

- C.J. Wilson, DL, 7^th Round

2011 – Davon House?, CB, 4^th Round

2012 – Jerron McMillian?, SS, 4^th Round

As you can see, many GMs around the league have struggled to find impact players late in the draft. They seem to be lucky if they found one impact player in the late rounds in the past eight drafts. Many of the players on this list fall short of the definition of a true impact player, but either started or played a significant amount of snaps for their team.

T.J. Lang (70) during the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Compared to the other GMs, Thompson has done well finding players late in the draft that have come in and contributed significantly to the team. Players like T.J. Lang and Brad Jones may not be considered elite players at their respected positions, but they have found their role on the team and contribute significantly.

Newhouse and Wilson have started for the Packers the past few years, but have struggled at times. Due to the number of snaps they’ve played the past few seasons, I still consider these players decent selections late in the rounds of the draft.

The jury is still out on House, McMillian, and Flynn, but I included them on this list because of their potential. Even if you take away House, McMillian, Flynn, Newhouse, and Wilson, it seems Thompson has done well late in the draft when compared to his peers.

Only Mickey Loomis from the Saints has found more impact players in rounds 4-7 since 2005 (Evans, Colston, Nicks).

It seems it’s challenging for any GM to find true impact players late in the draft, especially when you look beyond the fourth round. Maybe it’s not as common as we think. It’s even a tall task to ask a GM to find a solid starter or role player in the bottom half of the draft.

But what do you think?

Do you think Thompson holds up well against his peers in finding talent late in the draft? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Everyone is feeling pretty good about the prospects picked. We’re in that afterglow period where we can imagine all the good things that our team can do without being pestered by the reality of games played, injuries suffered, potentials not reached.

As Homer Simpson would say, “that Bart is a little miracle … he reminds me of me before the weight of the world crushed my spirit.” Not that our spirits will get crushed, but eventually the post-draft honeymoon of potential will be replaced by the facts we learn of the new players on and off the field.

Each year as the draft approaches there are numerous pieces written about the best and worst draft picks in the history of the league and for each team. For the Packers, Tony Mandarich usually gets first mention for the worst. Terrell Buckley might get mentioned. Jamal Reynolds is certainly in there.

These are bad picks due to their level of productivity relative to their draft number. jsonline gives the standard list here: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/the-10-biggest-busts-in-packer-history-v99k9fc-204399381.html

But if we change the criteria a bit for ‘bad pick,’ we might get a different result. If we made a list of guys chosen in the draft that we wish had never worn the uniform, Mandarich would still be on it. He was arrogant, he held out, he was full of steroids in college, he was full of opiates in the NFL. He was supposed to be a sure thing. No one blames the GM, but he was a bad pick. We didn’t know, but we wished we knew.

The guy the Packers picked in the 17^th round in 1974 was a pretty bad pick, too.

He was a 17^th rounder, and expectations couldn’t have been that high, so maybe it wasn’t that big a of deal that he was cut before the start of the season.

But drafting a serial killer almost makes the round in which he was drafted irrelevant. That’s a pretty bad pick.

Though it couldn’t have been known at the time, the choice of a serial killer at the end of the ’74 draft was pretty representative for the Packers’ brass at the time. Wide receiver Randy Woodfield, who had already had at least a few run-ins with the law prior to the draft, was chosen by Dan Devine, the Packers GM and head coach at the time with the 428^th pick.

Even aside from that, Dan Devine orchestrated a pretty miserable draft in 1974. He chose running backs in the first, sixth, and 11^th rounds, even though the Packers already had John Brockington and McArthur Lane on the roster. They also had Larry Krause and Les Goodman on the team, and would end up with Charlie Leigh from Miami and Pete Van Valkenburg from the Bills. Two of the three running backs drafted would stick, which gave the team eight backs during the season. That’s an awful lot of running backs. And most of the lot was awful, at least in terms of productivity.

The highlight of the draft was fifth round returner/wide receiver Steve Odom, who went to the pro bowl the next year as a returner. First-rounder Barty Smith stuck around until 1980, but wasn’t special in terms of production (3.6 yards per carry, 1,942 yards over seven years).

The 6^th round running back didn’t make the team. The sixth round wide receiver, Ken Payne, lasted four years in the league, and had 116 total receptions (not awful). The 7^th round offensive tackle didn’t make the team. The 8^th round linebacker didn’t make the team. Nor did the 8^th round DB. The 9^th round guard didn’t either. Same with the 10^th round defensive tackle.

Running Back Eric Torkelson averaged 3.7 yards a carry over seven seasons, and never murdered anybody. Not bad for an 11^th round pick. The punter from the 12^th lasted a year and was cut. The 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th picks didn’t make it (two linebackers and an offensive tackle).

The tackle, by the way, was Dave Wannstedt, who would go on to coach the Bears and Dolphins, and wear a mustache (but not as good as Ditka).

The 16^th round linebacker lasted a year.

Notice there were no 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th round picks for the Packers, helping to make this a terrible draft for not having picks as well as making terrible picks.

There isn’t a smooth way of transitioning to this bit of data, but the Steelers wound up with four hall of famers this year. Not pro bowlers. Hall of Famers. Four.

And with the 428^th pick, the Packers selected Randy Woodfield, wide receiver from Portland State, who would get cut from the team in part due to an apparent series of indecent exposure incidents, and in 1981 would go on to be sentenced to life in prison plus 125 years for  murder and sex crimes. It is estimated that he could be responsible for the murders of as many as 40 or more people and rapes of 60 or more.

It is macabre to make comparisons, but think of how many of us have thought: “glad OJ wasn’t on my team.” Can you imagine if Woodfield had made the team and stayed in Green Bay?

First, there is the issue with the horrific crimes that probably would have happened in Wisconsin instead of the Pacific Northwest. And Wisconsin needs another serial killer like we need another hole in the head (drilled into it by a serial killer). Woodfield would have been about the midpoint between Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer. But from a football standpoint, which isn’t all that important given the subject matter, for fans it would be too much like a family association to evil.

Dan Devine is an historically reviled general manager. Midseason that year he would trade two first round picks, two second round picks, and a third rounder to the Rams for John Hadl, a 34-year-old QB who despite some bright spots in his 17-year career never completed 55 percent of his passes. He was with the Packers a year and a half, throwing nine touchdowns and 29 interceptions.

Devine hamstrung the team for years with this trade. Much has been written about it. Oh, and before the season, out of 16 picks, with weakness at the position, he chose zero quarterbacks.

It would appear Devine made only one genuinely good decision in 1974. He cut the serial killer he had drafted before the guy ever played for real. Maybe that one good decision makes up for ruining the team for years to come.

For the record, Devine was successful in college football before he was with the Packers, and he was successful after the Packers, winning a national championship with Notre Dame. But his tenure in Green Bay reminds me of something once said by the great philosopher, Bender Bending Rodriguez: “Ask not for whom the bone bones. It bones for thee.” He sure boned us.

But on the other hand, it’s nice that when draft day roles around we talk about Tony Mandarich. He boned us, too. But he’s not the worst guy the Packers ever drafted.

Datone Jones was the Packers first round draft pick.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Another NFL Draft has come and gone for the Green Bay Packers and Ted Thompson has held tight to his “best player available” draft strategy.

Historically, Thompson has been known for selecting players based on value, not going after specific positions of need. Green Bay’s 2013 draft grades are all over the map, but value is a word that might best describe this year’s draft class.

Eddie Lacy
Eileen Blass-USA TODAY Sports

Datone Jones, whom the Packers selected with the number 26 pick overall, fills a positional need on the defensive line, but was one of their highest rated players – regardless of position. Jones has a great motor and a work ethic that should be contagious. At 6-4, Jones’ lean frame looks able to pack on a few additional pounds. He will certainly add some good length and intensity to the Green Bay trenches.

After waiting patiently in the second round, the Packers got one of the best value picks of the draft in Alabama running back, Eddie Lacy. Once rumored to the Packers in round one, the Packers got an absolute value steal at the end of the second round. Injury concerns are thought to be the reason that Lacy fell, but his injuries did not seem to hamper his production at Alabama. The Packers could have the steal of the draft if his production continues at the next level.

Andrew Fielding-USA TODAY Sports

This year’s best example of drafting according to value? Johnathan Franklin. The fact that Green Bay was able to snatch him up at the end of round four is impressive. Many are confused as to why the Packers would take two running backs and fail to directly address other positions of need. Frankly, there was more value on the board at other positions. Franklin was thought, by some, to be deserving of a second round pick. In addition, his character and leadership made him impossible to pass up. Worst case scenario, he is an insurance policy on Lacy – and a good one at that. Best case – he could challenge Lacy for the starting job. Not half bad for a fourth round pick.

But obviously value is tested with the passing of seasons. It is difficult to say for sure who is really “a value” in this draft class. However, one thing is for sure: Thompson will not waver from his highly-effective draft strategy that places value over positional needs.

Still doubt Ted Thompson?

Consider the Packers’ value pick in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. That should help. This player just signed a contract that makes him the highest paid quarterback in history.

Good value?

I think so.

Eddie Lacy’s feet will be under the microscope this coming season.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

It has been widely reported that Alabama running back Eddie Lacy, at one point considered a first-round NFL Draft lock, fell to the Green Bay Packers because a toe condition scared off interested teams. The New York Jets were one team that reportedly “loved” Lacy’s raw talent at one point, and the Steelers were also reported to be interested heading into the draft.

But after Lacy plummeted to pick No. 61 on Day Two of the draft, a report out of Pittsburgh said the Steelers‘ front office “would not touch” Lacy because his big toe had been fused last off-season. What was originally reported as a turf toe injury apparently was a surgical fusion of the big toe for stability.

James Starks missed six games due to turf toe last year, and was never really effective when he returned.

A legit concern? In the NFL, yeah. We saw what turf toe did to James Starks last year (he missed the first six games of the season, and was never truly effective when he returned), and Lacy’s condition included toe-fusion surgery on top of that?

Interestingly, there isn’t a lot of information available regarding Lacy’s reported surgery; one would think that a running back for a national champion team having surgery on his big toe would generate a lot of headlines, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. So, I decided to check into what toe fusion surgery actually is and what this could potentially mean for Lacy’s future prospects.

Lacy reportedly underwent the surgery in March 2012, and it was a procedure that apparently has been performed on very few world-class athletes. Why? Well, because it generally is used to help alleviate pain for people with severe, chronic arthritis, not to stabilize a joint to allow for the physical wear and tear football promises.

Why would this surgery be related to what was initially reported as turf toe?

Good question.

But according to WebMD.com, turf toe is described as “a sprain of the ligaments around the big toe joint.” The site also calls it “a condition that’s caused by jamming the big toe or repeatedly pushing off the big toe forcefully as in running and jumping.”

Eddie Lacy breaks away from the Notre Dame defense during the first half of the 2013 BCS Championship game. Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Repeatedly pushing off the big toe is one of those things NFL running backs sort of have to do. Interestingly, it would seem that a toe fusion would severely limit Lacy’s ability to do so, especially repeatedly over the course of a 16-game season. It would be fairly clear, then, why teams might be leery of spending a high draft pick on him.

Interestingly, another college player had surgery related to turf toe in 2012. That player was Notre Dame linebacker Prince Shembo, according to AnkleFootMD.com. Was it the same surgery as Lacy’s? Maybe, maybe not. “They had to put a screw in there,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly confirmed at the time, saying a six-week recovery time was expected (Shembo went on to start all 13 games last season, with 51 tackles and 7.5 sacks. A year later, Shembo is looking forward to making the most of his senior season, saying he’s prepared to “smack the crap out of somebody” – that bodes well).

Similarly, a toe fusion surgery typically includes a pair of screws inserted to hold the big toe rigid, thus to relieve pressure and pain. FootEducation.com reports that some of the most common complications include “malposition” and “nonunion” of the joint.

Malposition would mean that the toe wasn’t fused in the proper position for maximum pressure relief; this would require a do-over. Nonunion is more common, it seems. Writes FootEducation.com: “This is because the joint itself is very small. Therefore the area across which we are expecting bone to heal is also small. In the event a patient is unable to successfully bridge this area with mature bone and it remains symptomatic, a revision procedure fusion with increased hardware and perhaps some bone graft can usually be effective in getting the area to heal completely.”

One must assume Mike McCarthy and the Packers’ brass knew the risk when they selected Lacy at No. 61.

One must assume Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and the entire Packers organization did their due diligence in checking out Lacy’s medical issues (he’s also had a lingering hamstring problem).

Packers director of college scouting Brian Gutekunst told AcmePackingCompany.com, “He’s a big back. He really hasn’t missed any time. I don’t think it’ll be a concern.”

Furthermore, an interview with an editor for the Alabama sports site RollBamaRoll.com unearthed this quote: “Probably not what you want to hear, but the nagging turf toe injury was really just one of several small, persistent injuries that hung with Eddie throughout his career. As such, the die-hard fans grew pretty accustomed over the last three years to seeing Eddie play with his foot taped, or knowing he had a plate in his cleat.

“I would wager, though, that more casual viewers would not even know he was ever injured. He never favored [h]is foot, never ran timidly, and never really indicated that he was in any pain over it. Most importantly, it never seemed to negatively impact his production.”

That point is the one that is most difficult to look past, fused toe or no fused toe. Here are Lacy’s stats from last season: 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns on 204 carries, along with a BCS National Championship. That’s why he was considered a first-round talent, and doubtless is why the Packers couldn’t pass on him at 61. The value was just too great – risk or no risk.

What remains to learn is whether that toe can stand up to the rigors of an NFL season, or multiple NFL seasons. It appears we’ll see a full-strength or near near-full-strength Lacy out of the gate, but Packers fans will be holding their collective breath with every cut and every awkward tackle.

Perhaps this durability gray area is why the Packers also drafted Jonathan Franklin?

“Will someone please change the channel on that stupid TV???” Author Kevin Gibson loves his music, but he also loves his Packers – especially on Draft Weekend!

I’m an NFL Draft watcher; have been for years now. Hey, I live for the Green Bay Packers, so any pro football programming I can get in the spring to help avert my eyes from the NBA playoffs, I am all over.

But I’m also a music devotee and amateur musician, and sometimes my band travels to play shows. Actually, along with the Packers, playing music is one of the great loves of my life (never mind that I’m not very good at it). So it was that my band was asked to play International Pop Overthrow in Chicago this year … during the NFL Draft.

That’s right, Day One of the NFL Draft. And Day Two. And as for Day Three of the draft? Travel day, back home to Louisville, Ky. Oh god. Who booked these shows? Oh wait … I did. Three months ago. Idiot.

My nightmare begins in the Windy City. Somehow, I must find a way to blame Bears fans for this tale of woe.

Day One, Thursday, April 25

“Will somebody please text that LombardiAve.com guy and tell him I’m a Packer now?” Photo: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

My bandmates and I arrive in town and make it to the venue not long before the draft officially begins. Perfect. I’ll have time to watch at the bar while we wait to play later in the evening. I hang out with my bandmates, listen to the other bands on the bill, track the picks until the Packers are on the clock at 26, and all will be well.

As the selections tick away, I look up occasionally to see updates.

Dee Milliner is gone at No. 9? We all knew he’d be gone well before the Packers choose at 26. No worries.

But as the evening moves forward, the time for my band to take the stage and the time for the Packers to draft, it soon appears, are on a collision course with fate. Nervously, I watch the clock on the wall as it ticks down, and the band playing before us – a local act called the Red Wigglers –bangs through its quirky set.

Tyler Eifert to the Bengals! No big deal. Aw, and Sharrif Floyd falls to 23? How’d that happen? Oh crap. We’re on in 10 minutes.

“We have one more song for you!” the band’s lovely, auburn-haired singer announces.

Dammit.

Hey, at least when we walked off stage that night (after playing a killer set, I might add), I got a nice surprise in learning that we snatched up Datone Jones. Talk about adding some nasty to a defense that has been accused of being soft. Oh, we’ll see who’s soft come September. And at least tomorrow I’ll have a better chance of watching more of the draft unfold.

Day Two, Friday, April 26

Our band is scheduled to play earlier in the evening this time around, but the draft starts earlier, too. I snuggle up to the bar as the Packers are just four picks away from their second-round choice. At this point, I have no idea who is even left because we spent the afternoon rehearsing in the hotel room and running around downtown Chicago.

And then, before my horrified eyes, the channel switches – to that night’s Chicago Blackhawks game coverage. Hockey? Are you kidding me?? No one’s even watching it!

“Sorry,” says the bartender. “It’s a local game. I can turn the draft back on when the game is over, if that’s OK.” Sure, pal. I can wait for TWO AND A HALF hours. No problem.

Eddie Lacy is the Packers second round selection – a good thing in Kevin Gibson’s mind. Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports photograph

So I call up my NFL app on my phone. I’ll show him.

Sure enough, the draft picks start loading, and even though I can’t watch the highlight reels, I’m back in business. Until … “No Internet connection. Click to re-try.” aaaaAAAaaAAaaRRRrrRRGGGH!!!!

And we play another kickin’ set. But it’s not until we get back to the hotel room later that I learn we got Eddie-freaking-LACY in the second round at 61. How in the hell did THAT happen? And in the third round? Well, the ESPN ticker keeps sliding by, name after name. What, are you kidding me? We traded out? What did we get??? Oh, we got about 142 later-round picks, apparently. I’ll take that.

By this point, my very patient bandmates have to be getting tired of watching talking heads analyze draft picks on NFL Network. I mean, they don’t even care about football, let alone the Packers. I finally throw them a bone and announce that no one will die if they change the channel.

I vaguely remember falling asleep to an Adam Sandler movie.

Day Three, Saturday, April 27

It’s not a short drive from Chicago to Louisville. In the van, my buddy and bandmate Butch and I talk about music mostly, and he chuckles each time I check my phone. He knows it’s either my girlfriend texting me or me frantically searching for Packers draft info. Usually the latter.

“We got Jonathan Franklin in the fourth friggin’ round!?” I shout.

“Who?”

“Never mind.”

McDonald’s/bathroom break at Indy with our rhythm guitarist Nick. Like I said, it’s not a short drive.

Finally, two hours later, Butch drops me off in front of my house. I drive to my girlfriend’s apartment to pick up my dog, Darby, and visit with her and her son. I return home, shower and put on some clothes that don’t smell like beer, leftover pizza and man-stink.

Then I plop down onto my couch and turn on ESPN to try and catch the end of the draft coverage. Mr. Irrelevant has apparently been picked about 20 minutes earlier. The 2013 NFL draft? Over. And I did not get to see one Packers’ selection as it happened. Sigh. I really need to re-evaluate my emotional investment in this football team. This four-decades-old obsession is getting the best of me. Maybe.

So, uh … how many days until training camp opens?

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers started the Packers news this week by signing a mega-contract. It ended with former Packer LeRoy Butler being called out for supporting Jason Collins.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

What a week it has been my fellow Cheeseheads in Packers land near and far.

Starting with the draft and the retooling of the offense and the bazillion dollar extension of Aaron Rodgers to the LeRoy Butler situation, there has not been a dull moment.  Kind of nice to have some football news and not have to pick on the Vikings fans for their silly uniforms (but hey, what else are the Vikings good for except two victories a year).

In looking back at the draft, which has pretty much been covered from every angle, one thing that I am noticing is how some teams, such as the Steelers, are saying they were not sold on Eddie Lacy because of his injury history. I have also been reading about why the Packers did not draft any safeties or why they failed to address this need or that need.

Am I sensing draft envy by the other teams?  Could it be that Ted Thompson pulled off such a draft coup that other general managers are jealous and the only way to fight back is to put our choices down?  I guess time will only tell.

One thing that makes me proud about being a Packers fan (and owner), is that you very seldom hear anyone from the Packers slamming or putting down other teams.  Now there is the occasional trash talking, but that is part of the game.  What you never hear is anyone putting down other teams, their players or the choices that were made.  It solidifies the class that our team has and I truly believe is part of the reason why the Packers are so successful, both on and off the field.

The other big chunk of news was the blossoming saga involving LeRoy Butler.  Now before I go any further I want to put this disclaimer out:  This is not a political statement, nor is it a religious statement. This is my outlook on an event that shows that there is still bigotry and bullying abound at all levels of society.

LeRoy Butler

It began with LeRoy sending out a tweet saying, “Congrats to Jason Collins.”  Collins was one of the first professional sports players to publicly announce he is gay (Glenn Lawrence Burke who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics, is considered to be the first openly gay player to play professional sports).

The tweet was no more than four words.  Words that were not hurtful or derogatory in any way, which is a stark contrast to the words tweeted by Mike Wallace of the Miami Dolphins.

Yet those four words cost Butler a speaking engagement because they offended some people at a church.  We may never know exactly why these people were offended, we can assume that the people who were upset have a differing opinion about homosexuality.

In the end, LeRoy was given the choice to apologize for his tweet and ask forgiveness for his support of Jason Collins, according to the many news articles that detail the events.  He refused to do so. What is ironic about this story is that his speech is about standing up to bullies and doing what is right.  I guess there are some people in that church who could have used this message sooner rather than later.

I applaud Butler for standing up for his own convictions and I truly wish the Pastor of the church and the members who were so upset would come forward to explain themselves, not to be judged, but to further the dialogue on treating our fellow-man with dignity and respect.  I also wish those players who came out negatively to Jason Collins would not backtrack on what they originally said, we can learn from their comments as well.

I guess in the end, for as much good as there has been on and off the field this week, there is still so much room for improvement when it comes to how we, as people, players, and teams express ourselves and our thoughts about those around us.

Alabama Crimson Tide running back Eddie Lacy (42), the Packers’ second round selection in this year’s draft, was seen as the fourth biggest steal of the draft. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports photograph

While it was the Minnesota Vikings and Shariff Floyd who led the way in Charley Casserly’s Top 10 Draft Steals, the Green Bay Packers‘ selection of Eddie Lacy with the 61st pick in the second round was not far behind – rating as the fourth biggest steal in the 2013 NFL Draft.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were one team that came out publicly saying they shied away from Lacy because of his fused toe, but that didn’t stop Ted Thompson from taking Lacy with his second round selection – even after he had traded down several spots. Thompson and his team of war room workers didn’t seem to think that Lacy’s past injury history would be an issue and he pointed to his upside as the reason they selected him.

Eddie Lacy is a national champion.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports photograph

Casserly, in his explanation, said it wasn’t so much the selection, but the team that selected Lacy that made the difference. He said that with the Packers’ spread offense in place it will provide opportunities for Lacy to utilize his strengths.

Here’s what Casserly had to say:

Many people rated Lacy as the top running back in this draft and projected him as a possible first-round pick. Still, he makes this list largely because of the team that drafted him. The Packers will spread out defenses, providing Lacy with a bunch of one-on-one opportunities against defensive backs. His size and physical running style will create problems for safeties isolated in space. Lacy could have a big year in Green Bay, as defenses must concentrate on stopping Aaron Rodgers, first and foremost.

What Casserly doesn’t mention is that Lacy should be even more effective in the Packers’ offensive scheme because of the team’s emphasis on improving the offensive line in the draft and the fact that they also selected running back Johnathan Franklin, who is slated to team up with DuJuan Harris as the “lightning” part of the Packers new “thunder and Lightning” package.

Johnathan Franklin will add an important element to the Packers running game.
Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports photograph

Both runners are tough up the middle, but it’s the added threat of Franklin’s quick-cutting ability and speed that should help to bolster the Packers running attack.

The two rookies will join a backfield that already includes James Starks (if he doesn’t get traded), Harris, Alex Green and possibly Cedric Benson, if the veteran is brought back by the Packers. However, with the addition of Lacy and Franklin, the need for Benson is greatly diminished.

Either way, it looks like the Packers have improved its running game immensely the past couple of days – taking an offense with little or no running game to one that should jump into the upper echelon of the league – at least on paper.

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UCLA Bruins running back Johnathan Franklin (23), one of two running backs taken by the Green Bay Packers, runs the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes during the Rose Bowl. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Evan Silva from over at Rotoworld.com broke down each NFC team’s draft and provided a letter grade – a daunting task that must have taken him hours … in fact, given the fact that he came out with these grades this morning it makes me wonder if he got any sleep this weekend.

He starts with the Arizona Cardinals and works his way all the way through the Washington Redskins, posting each pick with a link to each individual player, including an overview of the team’s picks, and then concludes it with a letter grade.

Leading the way in Silva’s picks were the San Francisco 49ers, who with their bazillion picks, had the opportunity to clean up – and did so.

Silva gives the 49ers an A.  But right behind the Niners are their West Division foes the Seattle Seahawks who came in with an A-.

Most teams, including the Green Bay Packers, were in the C or B range, with the exception of the Dallas Cowboys who received a D from Silva and, for the most part, were killed by the experts for their draft weekend.

I have included the Packers review – a B+ – as well as the Niners, Seahawks, and Cowboys, just to give you a feel for how teams fared. Take a trip over to Silva’s column at rotoworld to see the others … and I suggest you do because by the time you get there he may also have the AFC reviews completed. Superior work on the part of Silva.

So here are the reviews he provided for the Packers, Cowboys, 49ers and Seahawks.

owa Hawkeye cornerback Micah Hyde (18) defends A.J. Barker (82) of the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first half at Kinnick Stadium. Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Packers

26. Datone Jones, defensive end, UCLA.
61. Eddie Lacy, running back, Alabama.
109. David Bakhtiari, guard/tackle, Colorado.
122. J.C. Tretter, guard/center, Cornell.
125. Johnathan Franklin, running back, UCLA.
159. Micah Hyde, defensive back, Iowa.
167. Josh Boyd, defensive lineman, Mississippi State.
193. Nate Palmer, outside linebacker, Illinois State.
216. Charles Johnson, receiver, Grand Valley State.
224. Kevin Dorsey, receiver, Maryland.
232. Sam Barrington, linebacker, South Florida.

Overview: GM Ted Thompson annually dominates on draft day; it’s where he butters his bread. The Packers are not a free-agency team. Jones is a relentless, potentially special inside rusher who finally gives Green Bay a legitimate replacement for Cullen Jenkins. Lacy and Franklin can form a Thunder & Lightning backfield with the former as a light-footed wrecking ball and latter in the big-play, change-up role. Both rookies can pick up the blitz and play on all three downs. Bakhtiari is a heady, athletic mover and fit for the Packers’ zone scheme. Hyde, Palmer, and Barrington are core special teams guys. Johnson abused his competition at small-school Grand Valley State and has Julio Jones-like measurables. The value on Lacy, Franklin, and Johnson was sensational. Chalk up another draft-weekend “win” for arguably the top GM in the sport.

Grade: B+

Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Travis Frederick (72) was the Cowboys’ first round selection – one that many say was a huge reach. Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys

31. Travis Frederick, guard/center, Wisconsin.
47. Gavin Escobar, tight end, San Diego State.
74. Terrance Williams, receiver, Baylor.
80. J.J. Wilcox, safety, Georgia Southern.
114. B.W. Webb, defensive back, William & Mary.
151. Joseph Randle, running back, Oklahoma State.
185. DeVonte Holloman, linebacker, South Carolina.

Overview: Owner/GM Jerry Jones’ draft strategy seemed very needs- rather than value-based, spurning better players in favor of theoretical hole-fillers. The Cowboys were needy on the interior offensive line, but I’d be willing to wager they could’ve gotten Frederick with the 47th pick. Escobar can create passing-game mismatches, but offers zero as a blocker and isn’t necessarily an upgrade on incumbent No. 2 tight end James Hanna. Williams and Holloman were probably the only two true value picks in this group. Randle is a stiff, straight-linish runner with an awfully long way to go in pass protection. I watched tape on him before the draft and found him to be a whiffer in blitz pickup and thoroughly lacking in elusiveness. It would be difficult to say with any confidence that Dallas’ lineup improved with this draft. And they entered it with a mediocre roster.

Grade: D

South Carolina Gamecocks running back Marcus Lattimore (21) was drafted by the 49ers.Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers

18. Eric Reid, free safety, LSU.
40. Tank Carradine, outside linebacker, Florida State.
55. Vance McDonald, tight end, Rice.
88. Corey Lemonier, outside linebacker, Auburn.
128. Quinton Patton, receiver, Louisiana Tech.
131. Marcus Lattimore, running back, South Carolina.
157. Quinton Dial, defensive end, Alabama.
180. Nick Moody, linebacker, Florida State.
237. B.J. Daniels, quarterback, South Florida.
246. Carter Bykowski, tackle, Iowa State.
252. Marcus Cooper, cornerback, Rutgers.

Overview: The rich got richer. The 49ers entered Thursday with an NFL-most 13 picks. GM Trent Baalke turned them into very arguably the most impressive haul in the league, along the way picking up a 2014 third-rounder in Friday’s trade with the Titans. Only Reid and McDonald may be definite first-year contributors, but that’s far more a testament to Baalke’s roster building than his individual selections. Carradine is a to-the-whistle edge rusher who along with Lattimore could be “redshirted” as a rookie due to knee woes, before emerging as plus 2014 starters. Patton is a silky smooth route runner with ball skills and insurance on contract-year No. 1 wideout Michael Crabtree. Lemonier might have been a first-rounder had he not played on such a bad Auburn team. San Francisco is filthy rich with pass rush. Baalke is constructing a dynasty.

Grade: A

Christine Michael was the Seahawks’ first selection in this year’s draft.

Seattle Seahawks

62. Christine Michael, running back, Texas A&M.
87. Jordan Hill, defensive tackle, Penn State.
123. Chris Harper, receiver, Kansas State.
137. Jesse Williams, nose tackle, Alabama.
138. Tharold Simon, cornerback, LSU.
158. Luke Willson, tight end, Rice.
194. Spencer Ware, fullback, LSU.
220. Ryan Seymour, guard, Vanderbilt.
231. Ty Powell, defensive end, Harding.
241. Jared Smith, defensive tackle, New Hampshire.
242. Michael Bowie, tackle, NE Oklahoma State.

Overview: Per GM John Schneider, the Seahawks spent Thursday night watching Percy Harvin‘s YouTube highlight reel after sacrificing the Nos. 25 and 214 picks, and next year’s third-rounder in exchange for the NFL’s premier slot receiver. Understandable. The Harvin acquisition is factored into Seattle’s grade. Schneider finally went on the clock Friday night and simply made picks straight off his board. Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin? Who cares. Michael is the best player. He’s ours. Harvin, Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin? We’ll take Harper and his Boldinian skill set. Williams is an immovable beast who makes us better in the trenches. Pick him. Simon is a press-man corner. Perfect scheme fit. Draft him. Late picks were primarily reserved for small schoolers and test freaks. Upside players who don’t hurt you if they bust. The Seahawks have drafted just like this every year under Schneider and Pete Carroll. Seems like it’s working.

Grade: A-

South Carolina Gamecocks tight end Justice Cunningham was selected last in the NFL Draft, earning him the title of “Mr. Irrelevant.” Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Justice Cunningham, a tight end out of South Carolina, was drafted this weekend by the Indianapolis Colts, for which he was pretty excited – who cares if he’s been deemed this year’s Mr. Irrelevant?

Here’s how Cunngingham is described on his draft profile page at NFL.com:

Does he have as great of a chance at sticking around for awhile with the Colts? Well, maybe not as much of a chance as the Kansas City Chiefs’ number one selection, Eric Fisher, but Cunningham wouldn’t be setting a precedent if he did make the team.

In fact, if he did, Cunningham, who is a 6-3, 258 pounder, would join plenty of players who have stuck around at least a couple of years. Among those picks are these guys:

• Cheta Ozougwu, 2011, Drafted by the Houston Texans in the 7th round (254th overall). He played two games in 2012 with the Chicago Bears;

• Ryan Succop, 2009, drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 7th round (256th overall). He’s a kicker who has played four full seasons with the Chiefs (64 games);

• Mike Green, 2000, drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 7th round (254th overall). He played six seasons with the Bears and one season each with the Seahawks and the Redskins (104 games);

• Marty Moore, 1994, drafted by the New England Patriots in the 7th round (222nd overall). He played seven seasons with the New England Patriots and one season with the Browns (112 games played); and

• Bill Kenney, 1978, drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 12th round (333rd overall). He played nine seasons for the Chiefs (started 77 of 106 games).

Here is a complete list of the last 10 Mr. Irrelevants, ranked by irrelevancy:

10. Cheta Ozougwu, DE

9. Andy Stokes, TE

8. Ahmad Miller, DT

7. Tim Toone, WR

6. Kevin McMahan, WR

5. Andre Sommersell, LB

4. Ryan Hoag, WR

3. Ramzee Robinson, CB

2. David Vobora, OLB

1. Ryan Succop, K

There is one thing for sure, Cunningham has been invited to  Irrelevant Week, a charitable event in held in Newport Beach, Calif.

It’s not Disney World, but hey, what more can Mr. Irrelevant ask for?

Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Jake Stoneburner was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent. Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

UPDATED: According to a source who reported to the Green Bay Press Gazette, the only other undrafted rookie to have signed with the Packers is fullback Ryan Roberson of Texas.

If you thought the acquisition of talent came to an end when the final “Mr. Irrelevant” selection of the 2013 NFL Draft was made (Justice Cunningham, a tight end out of South Carolina, BTW), you were sorely mistaken.

This is when the most fun begins – when teams begin making the calls and signing the guys who weren’t drafted: the undrafted free agents.

So far, the Packers have been busy on this front. According to multiple sources this morning, including this nifty list put together by Kevin McCauley over at Acmepackingcompany.com, Green Bay has already either gotten commitments or are rumored to have solicited at least 10 UDFAs (see the list below and go to acmepackingcompany where this fluid list is being updated regularly).

Stay tuned …

One of the highlights of the NFL Draft was when Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots former player Joe Andruzzi (left) and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made a Boston Strong presentation. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

If you weren’t like me and sat through just about every minute of the 2013 NFL Draft, you may have missed where many of the college players you may have been following ended up – or in many, many cases – didn’t end up.

As all the experts pore through the numbers, the players and the teams, we offer up here a complete list of every pick in every round of this year’s draft. Sure you can find this list on just about every site – including NFL.com where I got this information, but we’re glad you stopped by lombardiave.com today. In fact, we’ll take this moment to unashamedly point you to all our other posts on this site. We’re proud to offer insights and information that you just won’t find anywhere else on the Web. Take some time to tool around and enjoy.

But in the meantime, here is your list:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the NFL shield logo and main stage before the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

We have always liked Ted Thompson’s comments about the NFL Draft and his baseball analogythat it’s not always

The Green Bay Packers war room. Ted Thompson sits at the head of the table (left).

possible to hit home runs when you come to bat – that’s it’s a matter of working the averages and scoring when you can.

For all four teams in the NFC North, there were some hits and misses, as you can see and read below in the individual team grades provided below by walterfootball.com.

Who did better? Who did worse? Again, you could pull together the specific numbers, but at this point in April that’s a bit foolish – we all know championships aren’t won in the offseason – they are won when players hit the field, coaches do their magic and things like schedule and injuries start to work their mystical effects on just how the NFL season transpires.

What we can see clearly below is that each of these teams took a different path in this draft – with many of the moves based on total numbers of picks, where they were situated and the players available to them at the time of each team’s selections.

There were some surprises (Kyle Long to the Bears; Nate Palmer to the Packers; and Jeff Locke to the Vikings), but there were some home runs, too (Sharrif Floyd to the Vikings; Eddie Lacy to the Packers; Cornellius Washington to the Bears; and Larry Warford to the Lions).

Minnesota Vikings 1st round draft pick Sharrif Floyd
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

How this particular draft gets judged will be debated for the next several months as the “experts” tear apart the numbers, the names and the statistics. But one thing is for certain – as each of these teams spend the next week or so signing undrafted free agents to complete their rosters heading into the training portion of the NFL season, all of them have improved their status with fresh, enthusiastic and young talent that will change the landscape once again across the NFL.

For all of the NFC North selections, see below. And don’t forget to click on over to walterfootball.com for more information than one can absorb in a lifetime … it’s an incredible football site.

 Chicago Bears (Last Year: 10-6) 

2013 NFL Draft Individual Grades: 

Kyle Long speaks during a Chicago Bears press conference.
Reid Compton-USA TODAY Sports

20. Kyle Long, G, Oregon: D Grade 
Well… at least this fills… a need… Umm… I’m kind of speechless right now. With Tyler Eifert and stud defenders like Desmond Trufant and Sylvester Williams available, the Bears decided to take an inexperienced second-round guard. Long may have been around for Chicago’s next selection, so this pick is extremely questionable.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

50. Jon Bostic, ILB, Florida: B Grade 
The Bears hope they’ve landed their successor for Brian Urlacher. Middle linebacker was a big need, and Jon Bostic is definitely worthy of being chosen 50th overall. I would have gone with Arthur Brown, but there must be major medical concerns with him because he has first-round talent.

117. Khaseem Greene, OLB, Rutgers: A Grade 
Khaseem Greene was viewed as a second-round talent by many, but it’s not too surprising to see him fall a bit because he doesn’t fit many defenses. The Bears don’t mind though, as they fill a need with a good value selection. s

163. Jordan Mills, OT, Louisiana Tech: B Grade 
So, I guess the Bears wanted to focus on the offensive line and linebacker groups in the draft. Jordan Mills is a right tackle who should be able to challenge J’Marcus Webb. He fits the range, so this is a solid pick.

188. Cornelius Washington, DE, Georgia: A+ Grade 
I don’t understand why Cornelius Washington fell to the middle of the sixth round. Washington is a Day 2 talent. He is raw, but that’s fine because the Bears won’t really need him until Julius Peppers moves on.

236. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State: A- Grade 
Why not? Marquess Wilson was once considered a second-round prospect, but he quit on his team because he didn’t get along with head coach Mike Leach. It has to be considered that Leach is a bad guy, so Chicago is right to take a shot on Wilson.

 Detroit Lions (Last Year: 4-12) 

2013 NFL Draft Individual Grades: 

5.

Detroit Lions first round draft pick Ezekiel Ansah.
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

, DE, BYU: B+ Grade 
Finally, a good pick! I’m tired of bashing these teams. Well, OK, maybe not. But this selection makes so much sense. The Lions had a close look at Ezekiel Ansah at the Senior Bowl where he dominated the competition during the actual game. He’s a great fit in Detroit’s wide-nine formation, and will replace the departed Cliff Avril. He’ll be instrumental in Detroit’s pursuit of Green Bay in the NFC North.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

36. Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State: B- Grade 
Darius Slay was projected to go in the first half of the second round, so the range of this pick makes sense. Cornerback was also a need, though not as great of a need as people think. Having said that, what Detroit plans on doing at left tackle is beyond me. Matthew Stafford probably won’t make it through the 2013 season.

65. Larry Warford, G, Kentucky: A Grade 
This is an awesome pick. Larry Warford should have been chosen near the top of the second round. He is monstrous mauler who figures to be a huge upgrade on the interior of Detroit’s offensive line.

132. Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina: B Grade 
The Lions had to find two defensive ends in this draft because they lost both Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch. Devin Taylor is a good fit in the wide-nine formation, and this is the right range for him.

165. Sam Martin, P, Appalachian State: C- Grade 
Unlike the Vikings, Detroit actually needed a punter. But this is still a bad pick. Again, it’s like selecting a kicker in the 10th or 11th round of a fantasy league. It’s lazy. Solid punters can be found as undrafted free agents.

171. Corey Fuller, WR, Virginia Tech: B- Grade 
I’m surprised the Lions waited this long for a receiver. I feel like there were better options than Corey Fuller, but this is still a fine pick. It’s just disappointing that Detroit couldn’t secure a solid No. 2 option across from Calvin Johnson.

199. Theo Riddick, RB, Notre Dame: B Grade 
Reggie Bush isn’t exactly the most reliable player in the league, so it’s good that the Lions added some depth at running back. At the very worst, Riddick will add some punch in the return game.

211. Michael Williams, TE, Alabama: A- Grade 
This is a solid pick. I thought Michael Williams would go earlier than this. Detroit got a good look at him at the Senior Bowl. The team needed some tight end depth.

245. Brandon Perburn, ILB, Florida A&M: B Grade 
The Lions needed linebacker help, so this makes sense in terms of both need and draft range.

 
 Green Bay Packers (Last Year: 11-5) 

2013 NFL Draft Individual Grades: 

UCLA Bruins defensive end Datone Jones was the Packers first round selection.
Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

26. Datone Jones, DE/DT, UCLA: A- Grade 
Datone Jones has been discussed as high as No. 19 to the Giants, so the Packers are getting good value with Datone Jones. They’re also getting a tremendous upgrade on the defensive line. Green Bay was completely obliterated by Colin Kaepernick, so the team needed to find players to help them stop the read option. Jones is a great fit, as Ted Thompson continues to be one of the better drafters in the NFL.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

61. Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama: A+ Grade 
Ted Thompson makes this looks so easy. Not only did he sit and wait for the top running back in the 2013 NFL Draft; he also moved down and still managed to maintain him. Eddie Lacy would have been a first-round pick if it weren’t for an injury that he’ll quickly recover from. He’ll be a tremendous upgrade in the backfield.

109. David Bakhtiari, OT/G, Colorado: A Grade 
Ted Thompson loves versatile linemen, and David Bakhtiari definitely fits the bill. He can play both tackle and guard positions, so he’ll definitely help somewhere on an offensive line that needed to be upgraded. Baktiari was an early third-round projection, so the value is good.

122. J.C. Tretter, G/OT, Cornell: B- Grade 
Another versatile offensive lineman, though J.C. Tretter is more of a guard whereas David Bakhtiari should be at tackle. I’m not as crazy about this pick because I feel like Tretter could have been taken a round later.

125. Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA: A+ Grade 
Wow, what a steal! Johnathan Franklin was viewed as the top running back in this class by some, so it’s inexplicable that he fell all the way to the bottom of Round 4. Projected as a player similar to Warrick Dunn, Franklin will form a tremendous one-two punch with Eddie Lacy out of the backfield.

159. Micah Hyde, CB/S, Iowa: B Grade 
Micah Hyde played cornerback at Iowa, but he may have to move to safety in the NFL because of speed concerns. Ted Thompson could be fine with that. He likes versatile players and needed help at the safety position. I thought Hyde would go in the middle of the fifth round, so this is the right range for him.

167. Josh Boyd, DE/DT, Mississippi State: B Grade 
It’s no surprise that the Packers spent two selections on the defensive line because they have some expiring contracts coming up soon. Josh Boyd is a solid selection who fits the range as a fifth-round prospect.

193. Nate Palmer, DE/OLB, Illinois State: C Grade 
Nate Palmer wasn’t a draftable prospect, but that’s not a big deal at the end of the sixth round. What’s more surprising is that the Packers waited this long to take a pass-rusher.

216. Charles Johnson, WR, Grand Valley State: B Grade 
Wide receiver is another position I thought the Packers would address earlier. Charles Johnson is a seventh-round prospect, so he makes sense at this spot. He might be able to make the team.

224. Kevin Dorsey, WR, Maryland: C Grade 
This is a much more questionable receiver pick. It’s the seventh round, but I don’t think many would have considered Kevin Dorsey in the old 12-round format.

232. Sam Barrington, LB, South Florida: B Grade 
Considered a seventh-round prospect, Sam Barrington should be able to contribute on special teams and provide solid depth.

 
 Minnesota Vikings (Last Year: 10-6) 

2013 NFL Draft Individual Grades: 

Minnesota Vikings 1st round draft picks Sharrif Floyd (76) and Cordarrelle Patterson (84) and Xavier Rhodes (29) sign autographs and pose for pictures with fan Shane Swanson at the 2013 1st round draft picks press conference at Winter Park.
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

23. Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida: A+ Grade 
Wow, I forgot Sharrif Floyd was available. I feel like some of the other teams like the Bears, Giants and Cowboys did as well. This is the best pick in the 2013 NFL Draft thus far. Floyd is a stud interior pass-rusher who could have easily gone No. 3 to the Raiders. But as we see every year, great prospects fall because dumb teams are picking at the top of the draft.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

25. Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State: B Grade 
Xavier Rhodes was mocked as early as No. 12 throughout this process, so he definitely provides good value at No. 25. However, the Vikings run the type of defense that allows teams to pass on corners in the first round. Minnesota probably should have filled other needs like receiver. That said, this is still a solid selection because Rhodes could be considered the best player available.

29. Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee: B- Grade 
The 29th and 52nd choices are swapped between Minnesota and New England, so the Vikings are essentially giving up third- and fourth-rounders for this choice. They better make it count, so why not go for the home run with Cordarrelle Patterson? Minnesota desperately needed receiving help after losing Percy Harvin. Patterson is raw – which is why he dropped to No. 29 – but he has so much potential. The problem is that the Vikings don’t have a quarterback to get him the football.

120. Gerald Hodges, OLB, Penn State: B Grade 
The Vikings haven’t picked in nearly 100 selections, but they continue to draft well. Gerald Hodges fits the range and definitely fills a need, as Minnesota’s linebacking corps needs major retooling.

155. Jeff Locke, P, UCLA: D Grade 
I’m not a fan of drafting a punter in the first five rounds, especially when a punter isn’t needed. Maybe the Vikings have grown tired of Chris Kluwe’s Twitter antics, but it’s still not a reason to take a punter at this point. It’s like drafting a kicker in the 11th round of your fantasy league.

196. Jeff Baca, G, UCLA: B Grade 
Pegged as a sixth-round prospect, Jeff Baca should compete for a starting guard job eventually. The position is very weak for Minnesota, so Baca could be an upgrade.

213. Michael Mauti, ILB, Penn State: A Grade 
Maybe I’m biased as a Penn State alumnus, but I love Michael Mauti. He’s an instinctive linebacker with tremendous leadership ability; he kept the team together in the wake of the sex scandal. He would have been a second-day pick had he not torn his ACL. It wouldn’t surprise me if Mauti eventually emerged as the starter.

214. Travis Bond, G, North Carolina: B Grade 
Another guard? Well, Minnesota needed two of them. Travis Bond makes sense in the seventh round.

229. Everett Dawkins, DT, Florida State: A Grade 
Kevin Williams will likely be gone next year, so another defensive tackle makes sense. Everett Dawkins was considered a mid-round prospect, so he’s a bit of a steal here.

UCLA Bruins running back Johnathan Franklin.
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Well, the fourth round of the NFL 2013 Draft has ended and we’re into the fifth, but for the Green Bay Packers, who had three selections in this round, Ted Thompson addressed the offensive line with two of the three selections and added another dynamic running back to help solidify that area of weakness.

With their first selection of the fourth round, Ted Thompson picked David Bakhtiari, an offensive tackle who might be given the chance to compete for one of the tackles position, but might also be moved inside as he was projected by many once he entered the NFL level.

Colorado Buffaloes offensive linesman David Bakhtiari (59) during the first half of the game at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s what Mike Mayock said about the Packers’ pick:

“I don’t know where they’re going to play him. There’s a little bit of an issue at left tackle with the Packers. He’s not as tall as people would like. His arms weren’t as long as you’d like, but I think he can play right tackle — even though he has left tackle feet — or he can play inside because he’s tough.”

Here’s what NFL.com said about Bakhtiari:

WEAKNESSES

Not an ideal build for an offensive lineman, thin in the arms. Many difficulties arise form pass blocking on an island. Beaten around the edge without slowing the rusher down and can lose face up against stiff contact due to not having the ability to stop backwards momentum. Move to guard is likely in his future. Deep drop steps aren’t natural and stiff contact jolts him mid-stride. Loses on counter moves, thrown to the side when top heavy or leaning too far over, specifically when run blocking. Whiffs on cut blocks.

J.C. Tretter

J.C. Tretter

With the 122nd selection, the Packers stayed with their emphasis on the offensive line by selecting J.C. Tretter out of Cornell. The Ivy Leaguer, according to Mayock,  is ”… a gifted kid that’s put some weight on at Cornell. He played left tackle for them. Ultimately, he’ll play inside.”

Clearly, the Packers were targeting the guard and center positions when they brought Tretter in to compete.

Here is what NFL.com said about Tretter:

The Tretter family is well acquainted with Cornell. JC has three uncles who attended Cornell, including David Tretter ‘78, who lettered two times during a four-year football career for the Big Red. JC’s sister, Katherine, also currently attends Cornell. At Akron High School, Tretter was a three-year starter on both offense and defense, and earned captain and MVP honors for the team in his junior and senior season. He was named to the Class C all-state second-team as a senior. Tretter also starred in basketball, graduating as Akron Central’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. A four-year starter and three-time all-league first-team selection, Tretter was named Western New York Player of the Year and to the All-Western New York third team as a senior.

Tretter played tight end in his first two seasons at Cornell, but moved to tackle, and helped the team’s offensive immensely. He started each of his final 20 games at left tackle and is the first offensive lineman to earn All-Ivy League First Team honors since Kevin Boothe in 2005.

Here are his strengths and weaknesses:

UCLA Bruins running back Johnathan Franklin
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s how NFL.com evaluates Franklin:

As a redshirt freshman in 2008, Franklin was one of the team’s Outstanding Scout Team Players on offense. He led the team with 566 rushing yards and scored five touchdowns the following season (mostly coming in the first half of the year), starting eight of 13 games he played. Franklin broke out as a sophomore, starting 10 of 12 contests and earning the team’s MVP award and second-team all-conference accolades after again leading the team with 1,127 yards and getting into the end zone eight times. Though he started all 14 games in 2011, garnering honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors, Franklin couldn’t quite reach the 1,000-yard mark (976, five TDs) as he had significantly fewer carries (166 versus 214 in 2010).

In 2012, as a senior under new head coach Jim Mora, Franklin had his best season yet. Franklin carried the ball 282 times for 1,734 yards and 13 touchdowns. Franklin was a driving force behind UCLA’s first-place finish in the Pac-12 South Division. Franklin earned a second-team All-Pac-12 selection.

Here’s his strengths and weaknesses:

NFL former player Deion Sanders announces the number sixty overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The fourth round of the NFL 2013 draft is ready to begin.

Are you ready?

Join us for our live blogging today!

NFL alumni players pose for a photo before the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

We know Fridays are busy days, but as we head into the final four rounds of the NFL Draft, we offer up here a complete list of the first three rounds, including the Packers trades and their selections of Datone Jones and Eddie Lacy.

This list might someday come in handy.

Check it out and enjoy today’s draft.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Could Syracuse Orange quarterback Ryan Nassib be a pick today by the Green Bay Packers?
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers signed the richest NFL contract ever yesterday, raking in a cool $40 million upfront and earning the remainder of his $110 million over the next five years – averaging out to be about $22 million per year.

Aaron Rodgers
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Packers Nation rejoiced and felt blessed that the team has locked up the best quarterback in the game through the prime of his career.

But as we enter the final day of the 2013 NFL Draft, the question nobody’s asking or even considering is whether Ted Thompson and company have any quarterbacks on their radar. After all, there are some decent signal callers out there who might thrive in Mike McCarthy’s quarterback university.

Stay with me here.

We all know that Aaron Rodgers won’t be around forever and we all know that TT has done nothing in the draft (yet) to take steps to add depth and competition to the offensive line – a line that gave up 51 sacks last year. Do you think Thompson wants to see that happen again? No, I didn’t think so.

Graham Harrell
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

So, consider who the Packers have backing up Rodgers – Graham “I-can’t-make-a-handoff-from-the-one-yard-line” Harrell and B.J. “I’m-a-huge-project” Coleman.

Nicknames aside, I feel very nervous about having to rely on those two guys for a stretch of games should Rodgers go down with injury. Heck, you might as well write the season off if that occurs and those two are the go-to guys.

Now, I’m not saying that drafting a quarterback from this year’s class is the answer to all those problems, but at least it gives the Packers an option and some competition for that backup position behind Rodgers.

The Packers go into the day with 10 selections over the next four rounds – those are picks that Thompson could use to increase the size of his roster by a bazillion (and remember, only 53 will make it), or he can use them as trade bait and move up to select value over quantity … one of those could be used to pick up a quality quarterback.

Tyler Wilson
Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s see, still on the board are the likes of  Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse, Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas, and Matt Barkley, QB, USC. All three were considered within the top 40 players in the draft, but have slipped to the fourth round for a variety of reasons.

Here’s what The Sporting News has to say about Nassib:

Nassib was projected as a candidate for the No. 8 overall pick by the Bills, but they decided to trade down and take Manuel. After 97 picks, our No. 2-rated quarterback is still on the board. By now, it’s clear NFL teams don’t rate him nearly as highly as we do.

Here’s what The Sporting News has to say about Wilson:

After a challenging final year at Arkansas, Tyler Wilson is suffering again. This time, he has had to watch quarterback-needy teams pass on him for two days. A high-character, tough quarterback, Wilson should still have a long NFL career.

Matt Barkley
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s what The Sporting News has to say about Barkley:

Barkley is the most well-known QB still on the board, as his lack of arm strength and poor play as a senior apparently created doubts about him. The lack of value placed on Barkley by NFL teams is shocking from an evaluation standpoint.

So, will Thompson pull the trigger to add depth to a position where one hit could cripple the Packers?

What do you think? Leave a comment below, Click on over and Like us on Facebook, and/or follow us on Twitter.

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; General view of Radio City Music Hall during the 2013 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Were you one of those Green Bay Packers fans who went “ggggrrrrrr” after the team traded out of the third round on Friday for extra picks on Saturday?

Well, let’s see if the Packers make some selections in the final rounds that will turn that into “ggggrrrreat!”

In the fourth round, the Packers own the twelfth selection as a result of their trade-down with Miami on Friday. That will be the first of many extra picks for the Packers on Saturday.

You think it’s time for them to select an offensive lineman to protect their new $110 million investment in their franchise quarterback? Check out these names still available. I listed them with their overall ranking by well-respected draft analyst Mike Mayock.

Brian Schwenke of Cal
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

• Brian Schwenke, center, California (ranked 55th)

• David Bakhtiari, tackle, Colorado (ranked 80^th)

• David Quessenberry, tackle, San Jose State (ranked 84^th)

• Barrett Jones, center, Alabama (ranked 91^st)

Or maybe you think they should draft some secondary help with the 109^th overall pick, a position of need with Charles Woodson departing.

• B.W. Webb, cornerback, William and Mary (ranked 67^th)

• Jordan Poyer, cornerback, Oregon State (ranked 85^th)

Shamarko Thomas
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

• Shamarko Thomas, strong safety, Syracuse (ranked 95^th)

Or how about picking the best big defensive lineman available, since Ryan Pickett is not getting younger and B.J Raji will be in a contract year?

• William Gholston, defensive end, Michigan State (ranked 78^th)

• Alex Okafor, defensive end, Texas (ranked 79^th)

• John Simon, defensive tackle, Ohio State (ranked 89^th)

• Jesse Williams, defensive tackle, Alabama (ranked 97^th)

How about other players, not necessarily in positions of need, who would be tempting to pick?

• Cornelius Washington, OLB, Georgia (ranked 54^th)

• Khaseem Greene, OLB, Rutgers (ranked 69^th)

Nov 3, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley (7) throws a pass against the Oregon Ducks at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Or how about just pick the best player available? That currently is USC quarterback Matt Barkley, ranked 44^th by Mayock. Fat chance the Packers would select him. One, I don’t think he will last until their pick. Secondly, he doesn’t fit their needs, obviously.

Anyway, I just named 14 players still available, all listed as top 100 prospects going into the draft by Mayock. The Packers have the 12^th selection Saturday, which means one of these value picks will be available to them. I would be happy with any of them, but my personal vote is for an O lineman.

What direction would you like to see the Packers go with the first pick in the fourth round?

Leave a comment below, click on over and Like our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter.

Eddie Lacy
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

A day that began with a bang – the announcement that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had signed his much-anticipated contract extension – continued into the second round of the NFL Draft when the team traded back several picks, but still got their guy – Alabama running back Eddie Lacy.

But it wasn’t over as Packers Nation sat tight and watched General Manager Ted Thompson again use his trade skills, not once, but twice. Thompson traded the 88th selection to the Niners and then traded back into the fourth round with the Miami Dolphins as he stockpiled 10 fifth, sixth and seventh round selections that will all pay off on the final day of the draft tomorrow, Saturday.

After the dust had cleared, here is what Thompson had accumulated:

Packers picks – fourth round 109 and 122; fifth round 146, 159, 167; sixth round 173, 193; and seventh round 216, 224, 232.

Thompson clearly has his sights set on players who will help fill out his roster with young legs.

But before the big day begins tomorrow, we look back on what will be known as an eventful day in Packers history. Rodgers’ new contract will keep him in the Green and Gold through 2019 and will pay him $20 million per year. He gets $40 million upfront and becomes the NFL’s richest man – eclipsing the deal signed a couple of months ago by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco – he will get $20 million per year.

Here’s what Rodgers tweeted following the signing:

Big thanks to the Organization, our coaching staff, my teammates, and packer nation for the last 8 years!Excited about 7 more!#extension

— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) April 26, 2013

Even Jermichael Finley, the one who has criticized Rodgers from time to time over the past couple of years, got in on the act following Rodgers’ signing

Congratulations 2 my man @aaronrodgers12. Frankly, he deserves more, but thank you 4 saving some 4 the rest. Every dinner on u sir! Let’s Go

— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) April 26, 2013

Needless to say, it has been a great day for Rodgers … and not so bad for his team.

Aaron Rodgers provides comments following the announcement of his signing extension.
Packers.com photograph

The Packers stood pat with the 55th selection up until just before they were to make their selection in today’s second round of the NFL Draft. Instead, Thompson traded down with the San Francisco 49ers and selected Lacy with the 61st pick – a selection that would turn out to be the Packers’ lone pick of the day.

That’s because when it came time to select with the 88th overall pick, Thompson again traded with the Niners – moving out of the 88th slot and into the 93rd spot. That didn’t last long either as Thompson would finish the night with one more trade, this time back into the fourth round. In all, Thompson trade magic conjured up a total of 10 picks through rounds 4-7 Saturday.

With so many picks in his back pocket, it gives Thompson some flexibility to use them as trade bait or to sit tight and accumulate players … you might look for Thompson to trade up tomorrow to secure players he has in his sights.

So, what will it be? Will he use the fourth and fifth rounds to possibly target some wide receivers? Safeties? Linebackers? Maybe another defensive lineman?

That’s the beauty of so many picks in this draft with talent that has been described as balanced across all rounds.

Today’s eventful occurrences should spill over into tomorrow with an entertaining final day of the draft.

Ted Thompson trades back to #61 and a sixth-rounder.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Green Bay Packers have traded their 55th pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the Niners’ 61st and a sixth-rounder.

We’re sure Ted Thompson is sure he can get the guy he has targeted and has taken the opportunity to pick up another selection tomorrow – not surprising.

So until that pick comes around, we provide a list of the first 20 players selected in the second round today.

Geno Smith finally got selected, Manti Te’o finally gets picked and today’s first 20 selections in the second round of the NFL Draft are history.

There were some players that came off the board that I feel would have fit well with the Packers: John Cyprien, Menelik Watson, Giovani Bernard …

Other big names in the start of this round were Robert Woods (Buffalo Bills),  Cornellius Carradine (49ers), and Zach Ertz (Eagles).

With the Packers still waiting to pick with the 55th selection, there are still many good players at all positions available.

Will it be running back, defensive back, wide receiver, or maybe another defensive lineman?

Stay tuned.

North Carolina Tar Heels running back Giovani Bernard (26) with the ball.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

As the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft proceeded last night, many of the experts continued to point to the Green Bay Packers as the team that might break the evening’s mold in the plethora of offensive and defensive linemen being drafted – that the Packers may go with a running back with their first pick at #26.

Eddie Lacy was the most frequently-mentioned name.

Datone Jones was the Packers first round draft choice Thursday night.
Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

However, as we all know, that didn’t come to fruition as Packers GM Ted Thompson went with the flow and selected defensive lineman Datone Jones – an athletic end who many are seeing as a great fit with defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ 3-4 system.

While that pick is being analyzed today, we all move on to the second and third rounds tonight. With a defensive lineman now in the fold, in which direction does TT turn today? Will it be the offensive line? A linebacker? Safety? Wide receiver?

Maybe even a running back?

If that’s the case, will he try to move up in the second round to nab someone like Lacy or a back like Giovani Bernard?

These are all valid questions and, of course, won’t be decided until TT makes his decisions tonight.

But one more fly in the ointment appeared today in a report that is curiously timely – the announcement that former New York Giant running back Ahmad Bradshaw was deemed physically fit to get back to work.

Ahmad Bradshaw
Mandatory Credit: Jim O photograph

While the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted Bradshaw for a visit and seems to be the the lead horse in the effort to get Bradshaw, much will depend not only on their draft, but also other teams’ drafts – including the Packers. You might remember that the Packers had expressed interest in the hard-running Bradshaw, but didn’t actively pursue him.

What happens if the Packers move through all seven rounds without nary a running back pick in sight? Would their interest in Bradshaw be heightened at that point or would they simply go with the backs they have in-house? By cutting Brandon Saine this week, it seemed that the Packers would be forced to look outside, and especially toward the draft for another back. Another option could be the re-signing of Cedric Benson, but that has as yet not occurred.

So, what do you think? Do the Packers go after young legs in the draft? Do they re-sign Benson and move on? Or do they consider a guy like Bradshaw?

Let us know what you think. We would love to read and respond to your comments, or you can click on over to our Facebook page, and/or follow us on Twitter.