I think we are going to be rotating Dlineman big time this year.
No more Pickett and Raji with their tongues hanging out.
Look like Fat Albert, play like Pee Wee.

I did not want a D-Lineman drafted. I especially did not want a big clod drafted.

As for Thornton, I don't know much about him, but he may have some ability. He may be another sign that they are moving away from the immobile kind of space occupier in the middle of the line - or not if they use him at DE.

The projections I saw described him as a 3-4 end. See him manning Jolly and Boyd's area in a rotation. We assume then Pick and Jolly aren't coming back.

I don't mind selecting big fatties.
He may well be a perfect fit for the GB rotation.
What I wonder is why at 85?
So many project him being available later in the draft.

The pick: Khyri Thornton, DT, Southern Miss

My take: This seems like it could be a reach, although Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. raved about Thornton during the ESPN draft broadcast. However, according to the ESPN Insider player rankings, the 6-foot-2, 304-pound Thornton was the 17th-best defensive tackle in the draft, yet only eight were taken before the Packers picked him at No. 85 overall. Several pre-draft predictions had Thornton as a third-day pick.

Strengthening a weakness: The Packers' run defense faded in the second half of last season, allowing 5.5 yards per rush over the final seven games. That was the second-highest average allowed in the NFL over that stretch, according to data from ESPN Stats & Information, so the addition of another defensive lineman was not a surprise.

link

I like this pick personally. He plays fast - and that is what we have been lacking at the line. Although he might have been available later in the draft, it is at least encouraging that Ted gave the guy a look rather than another blob.

luigis;275860Who the hell is this guy?

Hopefully he tells us that come the season. A replacement for Pickett/Jolly?
Round 3 picks were a reach...to us and to the "experts" but maybe they pan out.

Quick hits on Thornton:

DT Khyri Thornton 6’3 300 Southern Miss. good get off and great power, impressing scouts. (from nepatriotsdraft.com)

Thornton, a 6-foot-2 5/8, 316-pound defensive tackle, ran the 40-yard dash in 5.09 and 5.04 seconds and then kept the rest of his numbers registered at the combine. Thornton had a very good workout, which was led by a Philadelphia Eagles coach. Thornton appeared to be in great shape; he did not lose his breath during the workout. Thornton could be selected at the bottom of the second day or at the top of the third day of the 2014 NFL Draft. (Gil Brandt NFL.com)

Most impressive DL from NFLPA bowl.
(Rob Rang NFLdraftscout.com)

5. Khyri Thornton, Southern Mississippi: Thornton has gotten better every year at Southern Miss and has all the physical tools you look for in a defensive tackle.
(nationalfootballpost.com from a May 2013 article looking only at senior prospects who would be draft eligible in 2014)
Sutton, McCullers, Hageman, and Dorsey from Texas were the ones listed ahead of him.


Packers selected Southern Miss NT Khyri Thornton with the No. 85 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft.
Thornton (6-foot-2 5/8, 316) made 28 college starts, earning second-team All-Conference USA honors as a senior. He finished his career with 31 tackles for loss and six sacks. Thornton ran 5.03 at the Combine with a 9-foot broad jump and 28 reps on the bench. Thornton's weight fluctuated throughout the pre-draft process -- he weighed 304 in Indy and 316 at his Pro Day -- and his motor can run hot and cold, but he offers attributes to develop into a plus starter capable of playing any interior defensive line position. Thronton will back up B.J. Raji at nose tackle in year one and might struggle to find playing time with Josh Boyd also in the mix. May 9 - 10:36 PM
(rotoworld.com)

uffda udfa;275899

Most impressive DL from NFLPA bowl.
(Rob Rang NFLdraftscout.com)

Thornton (6-foot-2 5/8, 316) made 28 college starts, earning second-team All-Conference USA honors as a senior. He finished his career with 31 tackles for loss and six sacks.

This is not a criticism of Thornton.
I am sick of hearing the talking heads on tv or the media in general tell us that so and so had a good game against a certain team.m As if that is such a wonderful accomplishment.

At least 3 times last night I heard them say that a certain player had a good game against Illinois as if that validated their selection in the 2nd or 3rd round.
HELLO they were playing the pansies of Illinois.
If he didn't have a fantastic game against Illinois he should not even be looking for a job in the NFL.
Naturally we are told that other players "had a good game" against SEC or ACC teams or in the National Championship game.
it still doesn't impress me very much. One game does not a career make.
One game does not tell me how good he will do lined up against the best players week in and week out.

Or like the above quote. Thornton had a good game in the post season senior game or someone else in a bowl game.
I want to hear about players who had a great career not just one game a season.

wpr;275877I don't mind selecting big fatties.
He may well be a perfect fit for the GB rotation.
What I wonder is why at 85?
So many project him being available later in the draft.


link

The draft is full of players who get drafted when "so many people" project him being available later in the draft.
If you try to make sense out of it you will drive yourself crazy.
At best we may wonder why did that particular GM like that particular player so much.

The questions are why did Ted like him so much and did Ted think he would have been available later in the draft.
We may never truly know the answer to the first (although I am sure Ted will tell us) but the obvious answer to the second question is no he didn't.
At least he didn't think he would be available with his next pick.

I love it how so many people (not you wpr) talk about "THE BOARD" as if there is some official draft board that everyone uses.
The thing is there are 32 "THE BOARD"s and the most important thing for any any GM is where the guy is on their board.


It doesn't matter if some draft expert that is going by what some other draft expert quoted another draft expert as saying about a guy.
All that matters is what Ted thinks of the guy.

I understand that some people are certain that the
universe, or at least the football universe, revolves around them, so if they have never personally seen the guy play or they have never heard of the guy that means that the guy sucks.
However, I am fairly certain that Ted has seen the guy play.
That, IMO makes his opinion much more valid than those who have not.


I am not talking about Uff da and his opinion about Dix.
That is a valid opinion.
I'll still take Teds over Uff da's but at least Uffda has seen Dix play (at least I assume he has) and doesn't like him.
That's fine.
I'm talking about those people who admit they have never seen the guy play or have never even heard of him but still claim he is a crappy pick.
Its like saying a movie sucks without having even seen the trailer (that is only a valid assumption with Nicholas Cage movies)

As for relying on all those strengths and weaknesses sections you may want to temper your expectations.
I was listening to a radio program earlier in the week and they did a segment where they read off a guy's strengths and weaknesses without saying who it was and the panel members had to guess the round the guy was projected at and almost every one had picked the guy to be drafted lower than projected.
A couple said they wouldn't even draft the guy based on the S & W and they were projected to be 2nd or 3rd round picks.

sschind;275920The draft is full of players who get drafted when "so many people" project him being available later in the draft.
If you try to make sense out of it you will drive yourself crazy.
At best we may wonder why did that particular GM like that particular player so much.

The questions are why did Ted like him so much and did Ted think he would have been available later in the draft.
We may never truly know the answer to the first (although I am sure Ted will tell us) but the obvious answer to the second question is no he didn't.
At least he didn't think he would be available with his next pick.

I love it how so many people (not you wpr) talk about "THE BOARD" as if there is some official draft board that everyone uses.
The thing is there are 32 "THE BOARD"s and the most important thing for any any GM is where the guy is on their board.


It doesn't matter if some draft expert that is going by what some other draft expert quoted another draft expert as saying about a guy.
All that matters is what Ted thinks of the guy.

I understand that some people are certain that the
universe, or at least the football universe, revolves around them, so if they have never personally seen the guy play or they have never heard of the guy that means that the guy sucks.
However, I am fairly certain that Ted has seen the guy play.
That, IMO makes his opinion much more valid than those who have not.


I am not talking about Uff da and his opinion about Dix.
That is a valid opinion.
I'll still take Teds over Uff da's but at least Uffda has seen Dix play (at least I assume he has) and doesn't like him.
That's fine.
I'm talking about those people who admit they have never seen the guy play or have never even heard of him but still claim he is a crappy pick.
Its like saying a movie sucks without having even seen the trailer (that is only a valid assumption with Nicholas Cage movies)

As for relying on all those strengths and weaknesses sections you may want to temper your expectations.
I was listening to a radio program earlier in the week and they did a segment where they read off a guy's strengths and weaknesses without saying who it was and the panel members had to guess the round the guy was projected at and almost every one had picked the guy to be drafted lower than projected.
A couple said they wouldn't even draft the guy based on the S & W and they were projected to be 2nd or 3rd round picks.

all true.

I suppose I am saying that people are naturally inquisitive.
We like to know how something works.
We like to know why something works.
When it comes to the NFL draft we like to know the story behind the scene.
Usually there are 3 or 4 stories that we would find interesting.

Uncle Teddy certainly does work his board the way he thinks is best.
He isn't perfect but then no one is.
He certainly is right more times than he is wrong. He has made a career out of taking players sooner than others would.