Overview
An off-ball linebacker with length, speed and agility, Hopper is lacking in field vision and instincts. He can be a step late to diagnose play design and has moments where he looks lost in coverage. Hopper has sideline-to-sideline range and plenty of physicality to hit what needs to be hit. There are holes in his game that can be exploited, but he has traits and should get a chance as an NFL backup with special teams value.

Strengths

• Strengths
• Long-limbed with above-average explosiveness.
• Speed to trigger downhill and disrupt play design.
• Can attack linemen with force or punch and play around them.
• Flies in to make plays as a striker.
• Agility and twitch to bounce late and find cutting running backs.
• Can work past blitz pickup and threaten the pocket.

Weaknesses

• Plays through a straw with limited field vision.
• Slow to key play development and stay ahead of blockers.
• Lacks decisiveness and takes substandard angles to the ball.
• Hard hitter but needs to improve tackle security.
• Looked lost at times with coverage responsibilities.

Interesting. Is it typical to take players projected as career backups in the third round?

They would need a partner, but I am surprised that we wouldn't try to trade down if this was your guy.
Feels like an overdraft, but if he works well in our system that's great.
Thinking this must be somebody that Hafley wanted regardless of where he was drafted.

I don't understand why you are drafting a special teams player when you need tons of help in the secondary and you don't draft anyone. I think they should grab another rb in the Clemson kid as he can return kicks also. We need weapons because this defense is going to be a problem and we will need to score a ton of points.

This one is a head scratcher to me.

I am sorry. This is a very bad pick at this point in the draft. I have looked at his tape, listened to him in interviews, and have also investigated this position to a stupidly obsessive degree. We left so much on the table with this pick. Totally smells like over-influence by Rich B. It is not only leaving Wilson, we left so many better options on paper at all of the positiona of concern. I do wish this young man success...I like him very much, I love his lateral movement, I like his tackling, I love his slashing ability through an offensive line... Still...The best pick here, by far, was Wilson, not him. We would have had the two top of the cliff LB's when that was everyone's consensus differential to a profound degree on paper. We opted for the bottom of the cliff to a profound degree in the context of positional ranking, other optlons avalable, etc. etc. etc. OF COURSE I wish him well, see potential, yada yada yada. It saddens me to be in large part agreement with Dave of dhazer negative nancy fame on this particular pick, at that particular time.

dfosterf;464134I am sorry. This is a very bad pick at this point in the draft. I have looked at his tape, listened to him in interviews, and have also investigated this position to a stupidly obsessive degree. We left so much on the table with this pick. Totally smells like over-influence by Rich B. It is not only leaving Wilson, we left so many better options on paper at all of the positiona of concern. I do wish this young man success...I like him very much, I love his lateral movement, I like his tackling, I love his slashing ability through an offensive line... Still...The best pick here, by far, was Wilson, not him. We would have had the two top of the cliff LB's when that was everyone's consensus differential to a profound degree on paper. We opted for the bottom of the cliff to a profound degree in the context of positional ranking, other optlons avalable, etc. etc. etc. OF COURSE I wish him well, see potential, yada yada yada. It saddens me to be in large part agreement with Dave of dhazer negative nancy fame on this particular pick, at that particular time.

I'm guessing ILB Wilson was taken off their draft board completely because of his EXTREMELY LONG injury history.

Gute's Dad coached for a long time in the North Carolina area, Gute scouted a long time in the North Carolina area, he supposedly keeps in touch with coaches in that area, due to his history. So I assume Wilson wasn't on their board.die to injuries.

Even if you completely take Wilson off the table due to his injuries two years ago, how can we logically account for virtually everyone seeing literally well over a hundred prospects as a better choice. Someone please post where you read that he was a great pick at 91
comparative to any kind of criteria other than my theory that Rich B. wanted him.

dfosterf;464138Even if you completely take Wilson off the table due to his injuries two years ago, how can we logically account for virtually everyone seeing literally well over a hundred prospects as a better choice. Someone please post where you read that he was a great pick at 91
comparative to any kind of criteria other than my theory that Rich B. wanted him.

That's extremely easy, clearly the Packers scout clearly liked him a hell lot better than you do.

I highly doubt it mainly or a majority of only Rich B., it was probably Defense too.

Also McDuffie, Eric Wilson and Kristen Welch are all going into FAs years, so this is hopefully stopping LB from being a need next year, with grabbing two this year.