Draft!

[DarkKnight]

I think we move AJ to SAM, Barnett to WILL and Hodge can be the MIKE. Hodge's slower speed is better served in the middle despite his being undersized. Then again, so was Urlacher.

It may end playing out like this but I think it would be a mistake to play AJ at SLB ( or SAM). As you know the TE is usually over there.. with the extra blocker and of course the extra coverage responsibilities it will take away from his natural playmaking ability.

I got disagree with any comparison of Urlacher with Hodge.. theres no comparison. Urlacher is actually mucher bigger than any Packers LB at 258 and he just as fast as AJ. Maybe AJ can get bigger and to be in the same class as Urlacher he will need to play MLB (or MIKE). I do think this may be in his future.

[CC]

yeah, barry should be in the heat of the battle for a gaurd spot. Spitz could take the center spot also. Colledge I fully expect to be one of our gaurds. I think we move AJ to SAM, Barnett to WILL and Hodge can be the MIKE. Hodge's slower speed is better served in the middle despite his being undersized. Then again, so was Urlacher.

Hodge isn't slow, he has decent speed.

[DarkKnight]

Hodge isn't slow, he has decent speed.

Agreed.. maybe average speed at 4.8 and below average size (235) for a MLB.. Not in the same class as AJ and Urlacher, but not many are.

he was sure productive at Iowa so the intangibles sure seem to be there. I like his chances.

[PackerAttack84]

yeah, barry should be in the heat of the battle for a gaurd spot. Spitz could take the center spot also. Colledge I fully expect to be one of our gaurds. I think we move AJ to SAM, Barnett to WILL and Hodge can be the MIKE. Hodge's slower speed is better served in the middle despite his being undersized. Then again, so was Urlacher.

Hodge isn't slow, he has decent speed.

Hodge ran a 4.76 compared to Greenway's 4.75. Hodge has pretty good speed, none of the top 4 ILB's on NFL Draft Countdown ran faster then a 4.7.

[CC]

4.76 isn't that bad for an ILB and as a Michigan fan and someone who watches a lot of Big 10 games, Hodge plays faster than he times.

[skibrett15]

4.76 isn't that bad for an ILB and as a Michigan fan and someone who watches a lot of Big 10 games, Hodge plays faster than he times.

Agreed, but that's rather slow compared to Barnett and AJ. The reason I said he had slower speed was in comparison to the other two and trying to make an argument for why he's the ILB and the other two should play outside. As for the comparison to Urlacher... it was directed at the height issue. Some people think that a tall MLB will help them in playing the pass, but the knock on Urlacher was his lack of height and he turned out ok. The point is, Barnett and AJ are the more versatile of the 3 Linebackers, while hodge really only fits in the middle.

[DarkKnight]

hey skibrett15.. you need to change your sig very soon!

Yes I am bitter over the Walker thing and I think horrible we only got a 2nd for him. I hope his career is all down hill form now on.


You could be right on Hodge.. I just have high hopes for AJ and don't want him at SLB... but whatever best for the Packers is the way should go.

[skibrett15]

I've done a little more reading/thinking/research and I'm beginning to lean towards Hawk on the weak side, Barnett Staying at the middle and Hodge on the strong side. I'm finding inconsistent 40 times all over the place, but from what I can tell he plays fast enough to be on the outside. I think this is the least risky setup since moving Barnett could be bad for him/the team. A couple of years and we have one of the best linebacking corps in the league!