(SportsNetwork.com) - Ted Thompson has the great draft rep but a lot of his recent history in the first round has come up snake eyes. The three-year stint before Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in 2014 produced Derek Sherrod, Nick Perry and Datone Jones, not exactly a murderer's row.
Point being, the sterling reputation as a talent evaluator may not be all that it's cracked up to be when you put it under the microscope. Thompson was certainly right back in 2005, though, when he selected Aaron Rodgers with the 24th overall pick out of Cal and that one selection has masked many a deficiency in recent years.
The early returns are positive on Clinton-Dix so maybe the worm has turned for Thompson, who starts this year's process with the 30th overall selection.
Surprisingly the Packers brought back both B.J. Raji and Letroy Guion at defensive tackle so if you read the tea leaves Green Bay will likely shift its focus toward the secondary to bolster a cornerback group that needs reinforcements.
From a pure football perspective, Washington's Marcus Peters is regarded by some as the best corner prospect in this draft class and the top man- to- man coverage option in the process. He comes with plenty of baggage, though, problems which become far more palatable late in the first round.
2014 Record: 12-4
Top Needs: LB, CB, DL
First Three Picks: No. 30, No. 62, No. 94
Number of Selections: 9 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7)
RECENT FIRST ROUND HISTORY: 2014 - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S, Alabama); 2013 - Datone Jones (DE, UCLA); 2012 - Nick Perry (OLB, USC); 2011 - Derek Sherrod (OT, Mississippi State); 2010 - Bryan Bulaga (OT, Iowa); 2009 - B.J. Raji (DT, Boston College), Clay Matthews (OLB, USC); 2008 - none; 2007 - Justin Harrell (DT, Tennessee); 2006 - A.J. Hawk (LB, Ohio State); 2005 - Aaron Rodgers (QB, California)
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