Packers Select Bernard Pierce and Ron Brooks in Fourth Round of #MockFour

The Packers used their fourth-round compensatory picks on RB Bernard Pierce and CB Ron Brooks.

With its two compensatory picks in the fourth round of #MockFour, Green Bay selected Temple running back Bernard Pierce and LSU cornerback Ron Brooks.

The Packers received the two picks after losing Cullen Jenkins and Daryn College in free agency last offseason.

Brian Carriveau and I agreed on both selections.

Pierce (6-0, 218 lbs) was the top rated running back left on our board and represented good value at the end of the fourth round. While Pierce had some trouble staying on the field and was rarely used in the passing game at Temple, he has the kind of vision and cutback ability that should translate well to the Packers' ground game. Veteran Ryan Grant remains unsigned, so Pierce becomes his de facto replacement.

With Pierce, James Starks, Brandon Saine and Alex Green on the roster, Green Bay could feel comfortable with its situation at running back both for 2012 and beyond. Each player is young and brings something different to the table.

Selecting Brooks (5-10, 192) was a case of athletic ability and versatility overcoming what GM Ted Thompson usually looks for in height at the cornerback position.

A player who covered the slot almost exclusively as the LSU's third cornerback, Brooks has experience playing in the box and blitzing off the edge. He also saw time at free safety during his four years at Baton Rouge. He obviously isn't Charles Woodson, but there's some parallels between the two players.

A number of strong areas stand out for Brooks. For starters, Brooks was an accomplished tackling cornerback at LSU, which is something that will immediately appeal to the Packers' brass. He was also a special teams standout, which would help outset the loss of Pat Lee in free agency.

His athletic measurables were outstanding, with Brooks clocking in at the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine. He also registered a vertical leap of 38 inches.

The Packers #MockFour draft so far...

1.28––Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower

2.28––Clemson defensive lineman Brandon Thompson

3.28––Cincinnati defensive lineman Derek Wolfe

4.28––Baylor center Philip Blake

4.37––Tempe running back Bernard Pierce

4.38––LSU cornerback Ron Brooks

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Comments (11)

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jeremy's picture

April 19, 2012 at 11:13 am

Zack and Brian appear to be outdrafting the other bloggers.

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Zach Kruse's picture

April 19, 2012 at 11:17 am

We appreciate that Jeremy, and we certainly think we've gotten good value at every pick so far.

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lmills's picture

April 19, 2012 at 12:00 pm

I'd be pretty happy with that draft if it actually falls this way. any chance you're looking at Miles Burris in the later rounds?????

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Shootz's picture

April 19, 2012 at 03:29 pm

The guys are emulating Ted Thompson, so there's no way they'll ever answer your question.

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Sha's picture

April 19, 2012 at 01:07 pm

I think Ted T. will go the route of the TE last year and draft 3 Centers. It is the future

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Evan's picture

April 19, 2012 at 01:18 pm

I don't really get drafting a RB with Starks, Saine and Green (and I guess Kuhn) already on the roster.

You can say none of them are established, and I'd agree. But it's not like a 3rd or 4th round pick is going to come with any sort of certainty. And I definitely don't want to see a RB taken in round 1 or 2 - not with all the needs on defense. So, it's sort of a catch-22.

I guess I'd just like to see the Pack re-sign Grant for another year or two.

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Brian Carriveau's picture

April 19, 2012 at 02:38 pm

For what it's worth, and this is only one man's opinion, I think Pierce is a younger and faster version of Ryan Grant, but with the same injury history. I'll take younger and faster over older and slower. But maybe others value experience. To each their own.

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aussiepacker's picture

April 20, 2012 at 06:48 am

Would you be confident with Starks as your no.1 and three young blokes backing him up?

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aussiepacker's picture

April 20, 2012 at 06:49 am

For what it's worth i would and i think that is the way they should go, Just wondering your take?

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PackMatt's picture

April 19, 2012 at 05:24 pm

I have to agree with Evan that I don't think RB is as much a need as people might think, even though we will probably lose Grant. Remember, we can always throw the freezer in the backfield too....

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BubbaOne's picture

April 20, 2012 at 11:14 am

Zack and Brian,
Overall good draft. I was looking at Brooks' numbers. His 4.38 says he has great straight line speed but his 20 yd shuttle time of 4.56 suggests his lateral speed is lacking and his 3 cone of 7.23 is high.

What did you see on tape?

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