Nfl Draft Preview Prospects Aplenty a Look at Who the Packers Might Draft in April

Summary

---

Based on interviews with executives in personnel from several teams, it is possible to narrow down somewhat the pool of players who might be considered by the Green Bay Packers regardless of position if they exercise their current ninth pick in the first round of the National Football League draft April 25-26.

Prospects are divided into three categories: As Good As Gone -- barring negative developments, these players have no chance of lasting until the ninth pick; Probably Gone -- players who appear to have no better than a 50-50 chance of remaining on the board by the ninth pick; and The Next Level -- players who figure to fall next.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

Nfl Draft Preview Prospects Aplenty a Look at Who the Packers Might Draft in April

The Packers also own a second-round selection (No. 41) and two choices in the third round (their own, No. 73, plus No. 83, which was acquired from the New York Jets in the Brett Favre trade). As it stands, the Packers have five more picks in Rounds 4-7.

Here is an early look at the players who appear to fit into those categories. Underclassmen are denoted by an asterisk (*).

AS GOOD AS GONE (3)

Michael Crabtree*, WR, Texas Tech: 6 feet 2 inches, 215 pounds. It was revealed Saturday that Crabtree will undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his left foot and will be out several months. Third-year sophomore with 231 catches for 3,127 yards (13.5) and 41 touchdowns in just two seasons. "I've heard people comparing him to Larry Fitzgerald, but coming out Fitzgerald was just a great catcher," one scout said. "He didn't have a lot of run after the catch. This kid, they throw him those slip screens and he just attacks the defense. He's big, powerful, fast, strong, competitive. He does everything you want." Compared by on...

See the full content of this document

---