Packers 2016 Draft: Best available players on day three
By Kenn Korb
Joe Schobert, OLB/ILB
When it comes to the draft, we see plenty of productive college players get overlooked in favor of physical traits.
To a certain extent it doesn’t make much sense (the productive players have already proved they can produce, while the traits guys are relying more on projection than what we can actually see; a large number of busts in the league end up that way because those tools never develop into a workable product).
While teams fall over themselves for those starry projections, proven producers fall.
Schobert definitely falls into the latter half.
He’s no physical marvel, but despite his limitations Schobert has the innate ability to find himself around the ball all the time. He can get off blocks and dip around the edge. He has active hands and decent lateral movement skills. Combined with his high-level discipline, he has the type of on-field demeanor that can ground the heart of a defense.
He doesn’t have the type of traits teams want for their outside linebackers in the 3-4, but he could slide over to the middle and find himself right at home. There, he can use his proven talents to cover decently well and redirect the routes of tight ends and receivers who enter his area.
Even if he isn’t a starter, he’ll be good for a rotation, and can be a stalwart on special teams units. The Packers could use him for the former of course, but the latter area definitely could be enough to get some attention of its own (not enough to make him draftable by itself, but as part of the total package).
Next: A sleeper to watch out for