Biegel recorded 21 1/2 sacks, 191 total tackles, five pass breakups, and three forced fumbles in his four-year career. You could tell his passion for the game.
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Despite many pundits expecting the team to draft a running back early amidst all the defensive picks, the Packers elected to wait until the third day of the draft to land a runner. But at the time, head coach Mike McCarthy was happy about getting a Wisconsinite, saying, “It’s nice to come up here and say, ‘about time we finally drafted one.’ There’s been a number (of Badgers players) over the years we felt we were going to draft”.
Whether that type of versatility translates to the next level remains to be seen, but the Packers’ decision to pull the trigger on Biegel indicates their faith in his ability to become an all-around player at outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense, the same scheme Biegel played at UW.
That changed with the Packers’ 5th pick. The 6-foot, 212-pound running back is the 50th BYU player to be taken in one of the first four rounds and the 14th former Cougar to be a fourth-round pick.
Jones fell into a ideal situation with the storied Packers organization, playing along side a potential future Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rogers, and joins a young backfield competition with no clear leader sitting months away from training camp. “But then it took a huge turn, and I was never really able to overcome the injuries”.
In the fifth round with the 182nd overall pick, Green Bay added another back in Texas El-Paso’s Aaron Jones. “I remember seeing Ty after a game, and talking with him and just kind of living the moment”. Yancey was one of the only vertical threats at Purdue, and brings size, speed, and range to the position. After rushing for 966 yards as a junior and opening his senior year with a 208 yard, three touchdown day, Mays suffered knee and ankle injuries that he thought might derail his career but he’ll get a chance to continue it in Green Bay. In fact, he’s the Green Bay Packers’ starting running back. In 2008, Thompson traded back from No. 30 in a deal with the New York Jets and selected Kansas State wide receiver Jordy Nelson with the 36th overall pick.
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Three months later, general manager Ted Thompson tried to fix their putrid unit by using seven of their eight draft picks on defensive players. It’s just the way it worked out. “Of course we’re different, but we share some of the same traits, I feel like”. “The goal is to have the most competitive 90-man roster as you possibly can and you want that competition as high as it possibly can be in each position room”.
