The Green Bay Packers moved back in the second round, from No. 55 to No. 61, and selected arguably the best running back in the draft, Alabama’s Eddie Lacy.
At 6-0, 220, Lacy is the type of bruising back the Packers coveted.
Many thought Lacy would be a first-round pick including, presumably, the league, since he was one of the players invited to hang out in the green room on day one of the draft. That didn’t happen and Lacy tumbled. He was ultimately the fourth back selected behind North Carolina’s Giovani Bernard (Cincinnati, No. 37), Michigan State’s Le’Veon Bell (Pittsburgh, No. 48) and Wisconsin’s Montee Ball (Denver, No. 58).
In 2012, Lacy ran for 1,322 yards and 17 TDs. He averaged an impressive 6.5 per rush. In the national championship game, Lacy gouged Notre Dame for 140 and averaged seven yards per carry.
Lacy is the type of runner who can move the pile. He’s not a burner, but he’s quick in the hole and reads blocks well. Lacy can catch the ball out of the backfield and also blocks, so he’s a true three-down back.
The knocks on Lacy and probably the reason he fell are injuries. He’s had ankle and foot injuries. He also had a mediocre pro day, running 4.58 and 4.62 in the 40. Some people translated that to laziness, saying he was out of shape. Lacy, in fact, admitted that he hadn’t trained properly for the event.
So, someone will have to whip this boy into shape.
As for the trade, the Packers swapped second-round picks with the 49ers and also received a sixth-round pick as part of the deal, No. 173 overall.
Trader Ted strikes again!
Here are the obligatory highlights.