Packers Scout Small-School Outside Linebacker
A Packers scout reportedly met with James Madison's D.J. Bryant, a college defensive end that would likely play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
Projecting college defensive ends to professional 3-4 outside linebackers is always guesswork.
And it's once again that time of year when the Packers are trying to determine whether players from this year's Draft class can make that transition.
A scout from the Packers reportedly met with James Madison University's D.J. Bryant, a 6-3, 245-pound defensive end that would very likely play outside linebacker in Green Bay's defensive scheme, according to Stephen Proffitt of James Madison's student newspaper, The Breeze.
The contact was made sometime during the week of the Players All-Star Classic, a college all-star game held in Little Rock, Arkansas on Feb. 4 where general manager Ted Thompson was said to be in attendance by Cecil Lammey of ESPN Denver.
Bryant had 48 tackles, seven sacks and a fumble his senior season at James Madison, a performance that made him an All-Colonial Athletic Association first-team selection. He is rated as the 49th best defensive end in this year's class by NFLDraftScout.com.
Since switching to a 3-4 defense under defensive coordinator Dom Capers in 2009, the Packers have attempted making college defensive ends into professional outside linebackers to varying degrees of success.
Those that have made the switch and are still on the Packers' roster are Frank Zombo of Central Michigan, a starter in last year's Super Bowl, and Vic So'oto of Bringham Young, an undrafted rookie that made the 2011 53-man roster.
Among the failed experiments were Ricky Elmore of Arizona, a sixth-round draft choice this past year that was cut before the season began, and John Russell of Wake Forest, an undrafted rookie signing from 2010.
Outside linebacker is one of the biggest needs facing the Packers this offseason following a year in which they failed to find an effective running mate to Clay Matthews. No player among a group that included Erik Walden, Brad Jones, Jamari Lattimore, Zombo and So'oto distinguished themself.
Bryant will next perform in front of scouts at James Madison's pro day on Friday March 16.
Comments (5)
February 14, 2012 at 09:31 pm
Nothing against TT, as we all know if anyone would find a diamond in the rough, it would be him. But I didn't hear many positives out of the All-Star Game in LR. I live here in LR and have a "friend of a friend situation" with an NFL player and the coaches at this game. And from what he told me, even the best player at this game was likely to end up in Canada.
Brian Carriveau
February 14, 2012 at 09:40 pm
I think that's an exaggeration. No doubt about it, it's not the Senior Bowl or the Shrine Game. But I was actually pretty impressed with the rosters they put together for that All-Star game. They're not going to be high-round draft choices by any means, but there will be guys in the NFL who played in that game.
February 15, 2012 at 05:20 am
No way TT drafts this guy. We already have two DJ's to go along w/ an AJ, BJ, CJ, and TJ. My money is on GJ Kinne or at worse another BJ in BJ Coleman.
February 15, 2012 at 08:17 am
The Packers need a CD to match CHTV's own.
February 15, 2012 at 10:09 am
TT is simply"initializing" his roster.