I’ve seen a lot of things I haven’t liked over the last 12 months that have been said about some young Green Bay Packers players.  Specifically I haven’t enjoyed the way that Datone Jones and Jerel Worthy have been unfairly labeled as busts.  I’ve been concerned about Davante Adams being pimped as a possibly OROY candidate.  I was proved right last season when I proclaimed that David Bakhtiari would be just fine.  There are certain positions that it’s easier for rookies to play in the NFL and there are a few positions in which it either requires the addition of strength or the refinement technique that takes a season or two to master.  I’m going to break these down for you as best I can and provide you with examples from Packers lore as well as some of the best players in the league.  Just because a player that was drafted isn’t drafted at a “year one impact position” doesn’t mean that the pick was wasted or that the player won’t turn out.

Positions to be excited about in year one: 

Running back- this one is a no-brainer.  In 12 of the last 20 years the offensive rookie of the year has been a running back.  Eddie Lacy was only the most recent success story at the position.  Running back is certainly a young man’s game.  More often than not a running back’s career as a feature back expires around the age of 30.  Backs certainly become more refined, certainly in the passing game (both blocking and receiving) but as pure runners elite prospects pretty much enter the NFL ready to plug n’ play.  They don’t always stay very long.  Read more... (1802 words, estimated 7:12 mins reading time)