Last year, after the draft, we put together a 2018 Packers Draft Time Capsule, which included everything we thought at the time.
Guess what?
Now we’re cracking it open and here’s what we found:
The Packers talked about making a “big splash” in the week leading up to the draft (showing that our new GM had more of a flair for the dramatic than our old one), and we thought it might have been when the Packers traded down to pick up an extra first round pick (which I like to imagine happened in this very humorous manner).
After moving down, he moved back up and picked Jaire Alexander. Everyone had wanted Denzel Ward, but he was scooped up unexpectedly by the Browns at 4. The debate raged all year about who was better based on PFF rankings, but it’s safe to say it looks like a brilliant pick after 1 year. We felt like Alexander was perfect in all ways except height and hoped for the best, but no one really expected this:
Jaire Alexander! 😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/amlrGx7tBi
— WeAreDBnation (@WeAreDBNation1) November 26, 2018
In the second round, Harold Landry and Josh Jackson were falling and Packers fans waited with bated breath. We assumed if Gutey could land either of them, he’d be Executive of the Year. Landry went to the Titans before our pick and it worked out pretty well for them. Jackson looked like beast in preseason, but did not live up to the hype when the games counted. He could make a year two jump or he may end up moving to safety. At this point, he’s a bit of a disappointment.
In the 3rd, Gutey traded up again to get Oren Burks. At the time, everyone felt it was too high, some even said he’d never make it past special teams. Injuries derailed his rookie year, but expectations are low and this one isn’t looking great.
J’Mon, MVS, and EQ were all met with a little head-scratching, particularly Moore, who went first among them but seemed like the least likely to make an impact. So far, he is. MVS and EQ flashed for periods, but if one of them doesn’t make a big jump this year, this experiment will really look stupid.
Cole Madison looked like a reach, but never reported, which made passing on Tyrell Crosby even more painful, as he became a part-time starter for the Lions and probably would have been a huge upgrade over Byron Bell.
Taking Hunter Bradley as a long snapper was a huge reach that generated a lot of negative reaction, but he played. JK Scott showed off his leg, but was average on the whole after leaving a lot of people confused on draft day.
At the end of the draft, people felt great, expecting a lot more out of Josh Jackson and at least one of the wide receivers.
Net results were pretty sad with Jaire Alexander being the only rookie to really make a splash.
However, one of the biggest wins of the 2018 draft was getting an extra first round pick in the 2019 draft. No one thought it would be as low as 30, but it’s still a big deal and could make the 2018 draft look a lot better than the one-man show it currently is.
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Check out Packers Draft Central for more coverage of the Packers leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft!
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