Michael Mayer, Dalton Kincaid and Darnell Washington may drive this All-American position into the next generation. Bob McGinn's 39th annual draft series begins exactly where it should.
From reading this, I think the Packers will end up going Edge Rusher in the first round. I just think there will be a higher value Edge Rusher prospect if the Clemson kid or the Iowa kid are still on the board. Assuming we get the Jets 2nd rounder, we can address TE/WR in Round 2 and get a similar prospect that will be there in Rd. 1.
That thought crossed my mind as well, but holding on to that opinion until the reviews of the Edge class. The pessimism some of these scouts hold against players is always leaves me wondering how anyone gets drafted.
Agreed. I enjoy McGinn's scouts because they are more sobering and more contrarian to the rest of the mock draft columns but you do wonder how anyone gets drafted. Go read last year's report on Christian Watson. It was pretty bleak.
With ESPN and others, every player is a perfect fit for every team they're mocked to. Most are plug and play with exceptional skills and player comps of Pro Bowlers. Yes, at a bare minimum what Bob is reporting is new news. I just hope we get a few classic phrases like "kickin' butt and taking names"
McGinn was and still is the best in the business. Had many sympathetic email exchanges with Bob over Mike McCarthy poor coaching and an absence of a functioning GM between 2011 and 2018. We were proven correct. Those were the true lost years for AR.
Not for the period noted. It was also made public later on that he was quite ill during several of those last years as GM with dimensia. Packer mgmt knew this and covered it up. Do you not know all of this now public info? Do you not know that Thompson died soon after relinquishing the GM job?
Last year I believed the scouts were wrong about Christian Watson and George Pickens who I would have taken with our first two picks and kept our two second round picks for defense. This year I believe the scouts are selling short Jalin Hyatt. I think he will be the best of the group. Would love Hyatt and LaPorta in the first two rounds. Thanks Bob for your many years of outstanding journalism!
Nobody works harder nor with more superior results than Bob.
That said, this draft is atypical, especially at the top. There needs to be 31 first-rounders but about half of them appear to be second-round or later talent. It's normal to want your team to go after those who shine brightest and are talked about most. This year it does not seem make them as worthy early as usual.
But how many of us had ever heard of Zack Tom before last year's draft? What a find he turned out to be. Packer fans must be hoping that there is another Zack Tom somewhere out there in this draft and that Gutey's team of scouts and evaluators are the ones that find him.
I referee high school football and was in Northern Kentucky when Mayer played at Covington Catholic. He was the best high school football player I've ever reffed for and I live in South Carolina now.
Here's the master (Bob McGinn) for your reading pleasure....Thank you, Tyler for featuring Bob...and thank you Bob for your expert, Yeoman research and incisive writing of this article and the upcoming draft articles.....Amazing work. Regards....
I wonder if a team like the Packers will have all of these TEs available at the 15th pick and think "It's a deep group, we'll get one in the second or third round"
I saw a site that did a 2022 re-draft that had 8 WR go in the first round. It's incredible how much variance there can be from year to year.
I love the draft series Bob. Looking forward to the rest of it.
And for fun, going on gut instinct, who do you think is going to the Pack amongst these: I feel La Porta (2nd), Mallory (4th) and Xavier Hutchinson (3rd).
Shocking to see the highest wonderlich was 14 from the top 4 receivers. Wowzers.
Excited to see what Gute will do with this TE class. I wouldn’t mind seeing him grab two in rounds 2-4. Hopefully we can get both of the Jets second round picks in the Rodgers trade.
Love the series Bob! Thank you for putting it together all these years.
I can see the merit in taking a couple of these tight ends. I love for my tight end to have an NBA body and Washington sure has. Pick him and perhaps one of the lower rated guys who is a better pass catcher.
Bob, did any league personnel give insight on how they would rank these players as one group? Any preferences between Mayer/Kincaid vs JSN/Addison? Great work as always!
From reading this, I think the Packers will end up going Edge Rusher in the first round. I just think there will be a higher value Edge Rusher prospect if the Clemson kid or the Iowa kid are still on the board. Assuming we get the Jets 2nd rounder, we can address TE/WR in Round 2 and get a similar prospect that will be there in Rd. 1.
That thought crossed my mind as well, but holding on to that opinion until the reviews of the Edge class. The pessimism some of these scouts hold against players is always leaves me wondering how anyone gets drafted.
Agreed. I enjoy McGinn's scouts because they are more sobering and more contrarian to the rest of the mock draft columns but you do wonder how anyone gets drafted. Go read last year's report on Christian Watson. It was pretty bleak.
Fans only want to read positive stuff in the mock drafts for their teams, so most sites just stick to that.
I think Bob's efforts to give a well rounded view can skew negative because it is not proportional.
If he gets 95 positive quotes and 5 negative quotes on a guy we will probably see 5 positive and 3 negative to get both sides.
Or maybe the scouts really are a bunch of old curmudgeons in a dimly lit, smoke filled room complaining about everyone (that is how I picture them)
With ESPN and others, every player is a perfect fit for every team they're mocked to. Most are plug and play with exceptional skills and player comps of Pro Bowlers. Yes, at a bare minimum what Bob is reporting is new news. I just hope we get a few classic phrases like "kickin' butt and taking names"
Right, after 30 years of doing mocks, they've never taken the time to study what front offices go BPA vs. Need.
you called it!
McGinn was and still is the best in the business. Had many sympathetic email exchanges with Bob over Mike McCarthy poor coaching and an absence of a functioning GM between 2011 and 2018. We were proven correct. Those were the true lost years for AR.
Ted Thompson was not a functioning GM? That's news to me.
Bob reported on it shortly after the Packers put him out to pasture. The Packers' beat fell all over itself to discredit Bob.
Similar to how Bob reported that the Packers were done with Rodgers a few months ago.
I remember Ted getting sick. I don't remember the Weekend at Bernie's angle. Very sad that happened.
Not going to post the picture or a link here, but the camera cut to him late in the 2017 season during Monday Night Football and it was not great.
Not for the period noted. It was also made public later on that he was quite ill during several of those last years as GM with dimensia. Packer mgmt knew this and covered it up. Do you not know all of this now public info? Do you not know that Thompson died soon after relinquishing the GM job?
His drafts were pretty weak at the end, that's for sure. You can see where he runs out of gas.
Last year I believed the scouts were wrong about Christian Watson and George Pickens who I would have taken with our first two picks and kept our two second round picks for defense. This year I believe the scouts are selling short Jalin Hyatt. I think he will be the best of the group. Would love Hyatt and LaPorta in the first two rounds. Thanks Bob for your many years of outstanding journalism!
Nobody works harder nor with more superior results than Bob.
That said, this draft is atypical, especially at the top. There needs to be 31 first-rounders but about half of them appear to be second-round or later talent. It's normal to want your team to go after those who shine brightest and are talked about most. This year it does not seem make them as worthy early as usual.
But how many of us had ever heard of Zack Tom before last year's draft? What a find he turned out to be. Packer fans must be hoping that there is another Zack Tom somewhere out there in this draft and that Gutey's team of scouts and evaluators are the ones that find him.
I referee high school football and was in Northern Kentucky when Mayer played at Covington Catholic. He was the best high school football player I've ever reffed for and I live in South Carolina now.
We need more BOB!
Here's the master (Bob McGinn) for your reading pleasure....Thank you, Tyler for featuring Bob...and thank you Bob for your expert, Yeoman research and incisive writing of this article and the upcoming draft articles.....Amazing work. Regards....
I wonder if a team like the Packers will have all of these TEs available at the 15th pick and think "It's a deep group, we'll get one in the second or third round"
I saw a site that did a 2022 re-draft that had 8 WR go in the first round. It's incredible how much variance there can be from year to year.
I love the draft series Bob. Looking forward to the rest of it.
I think that will likely be the case, unless we have Kincaid rated as a blue chip pass catcher, then we gotta take him if he's still there.
I just went back to read this ahead of the 2024 draft and the scout's nightmare blurb on Rasheed Rice was spot on in hindsight
curious why Johnston is listed 3rd when he finished just behind at #2 in votes?
And for fun, going on gut instinct, who do you think is going to the Pack amongst these: I feel La Porta (2nd), Mallory (4th) and Xavier Hutchinson (3rd).
Shocking to see the highest wonderlich was 14 from the top 4 receivers. Wowzers.
Excited to see what Gute will do with this TE class. I wouldn’t mind seeing him grab two in rounds 2-4. Hopefully we can get both of the Jets second round picks in the Rodgers trade.
Love the series Bob! Thank you for putting it together all these years.
I can see the merit in taking a couple of these tight ends. I love for my tight end to have an NBA body and Washington sure has. Pick him and perhaps one of the lower rated guys who is a better pass catcher.
Bob, did any league personnel give insight on how they would rank these players as one group? Any preferences between Mayer/Kincaid vs JSN/Addison? Great work as always!
I have them (1) Kincaid, (2) Addison, (3) JSN, (4) Mayer. My guess is McGinn has them (1) JSN, (2) Mayer, (3) Kincaid, (4) Addison.
Thanks yeah I'm just curious how they might be drafted.