Looking at the Green Bay Packers in 2013 some people will say there was really only one problem with that team: injuries. Unfortunately the problem was much deeper than that. Literally speaking, the second problem Mike McCarthy and the boys had last year had to do with depth.
Clay Matthews went down and it doesn’t take a whole lot of consideration to realize that there are few linebackers in the league, let alone on the Packers’ second string, who can bring the kind of pressure he can.
Similarly, Green Bay’s passing game on offense suffered terribly when Aaron Rodgers suffered his broken collarbone. Seneca Wallace lasted just a few plays and then Scott Tolzien showed up, making decent plays but throwing too many interceptions and ultimately not winning games. Matt Flynn was signed in November and looked alright. The comeback against the Cowboys was fantastic, but we can’t overlook Tony “The other team’s MVP” Romo’s contribution to that victory.
Overall, what was demonstrated was that Green Bay has a reliable backup in Matt Flynn, a third who needs some polishing in Scott Tolzien, but ultimately these two were not enough to salvage the season and cover for Aaron Rodgers.
Maybe things could be different this year. Coach McCarthy has said that he wants to balance out the offense and develop more of a running game after seeing the way the duo of Eddie Lacy and James Starks clicked as they did in 2013. With such a plan, an injured primary quarterback (though still a huge disadvantage) would be less likely to blow a season.
The quarterback fiasco of the Packers’ 2013 season now brings me to Brock Jensen, one of the recent college graduates to visit Green Bay, Wisconsin. If you haven’t heard of him it’s because he is from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as NCAA Div I-AA. Generally speaking, the media ignores these schools and this part of the league because it’s not the Bowl Series Subdivision, which is home to the likes of Pac-12, SEC, and so on. But as anyone who knows their football will tell you, solid players come out of FCS every year, and even from Division II.
The bottom line, with regard to Jensen is that Green Bay needs to have more options at quarterback and Coach McCarthy has wisely indicated that he wishes to have four quarterbacks at this year’s training camp. Bringing in a drafted quarterback to fill that fourth spot could provide two solutions to Green Bay’s quarterback concerns; one short-term and one long-term. The short term solution would of course be, better depth for Green Bay’s offense at the QB position, something that is needed. Additionally, having a new guy at training camp could very well light a fire under Flynn and Tolzien. Healthy competition will never hurt a training camp.
The other consideration to be addressed in this draft, with regards to quarterbacks and the Packers, is the possibility of looking for a future QB to be groomed to replace Aaron Rodgers. He will be 31-years-old this year. It’s almost unquestionable that Rodgers will stay solid for another four to five years, but beyond that, as with all quarterbacks who reach their mid-30’s, is anyone’s guess. Four to five years from now, if Jensen were taken this year, he’d be 28 or 29 and, with that amount of time spent learning from Rodgers, he could possibly take over the team. Obviously I’m not saying he’s the next big thing or the Packers’ Messiah, but he could be an option. If you don’t believe me yet, let’s take a stroll down statistics lane and consider the numbers.
Jensen led the North Dakota State Bison for three years, from sophomore to senior. Not coincidentally, those three years saw his team win back-to-back-to-back Divisional National Championships. He’s 6’3 and roughly 220 lbs. That’s a good sized quarterback! He also ran a 4.70 forty yard dash, which ranks him just out of the top ten quarterbacks in terms of speed in this draft class. Still, 4.70 is no slouch in the speed department. But enough of the simple measurements, let’s get into some real numbers.
On top of his three seasons leading North Dakota State to championships, he started half of his freshman year. That equals three and a half years of starting experience. In his sophomore to senior years, he threw between 320 and 340 passes each year, with a completion rating between 62% (Lowest, in JR) and 67% (highest, in senior). In those three years his touchdown – interception numbers were 14-4, 17-8, and finally, 34-7 respectively, for a three year total of 65 touchdowns to 19 interceptions. Rushing is a similar story, I already said Jensen has some speed; piling up an average of 3.5 yards per carry and 31 rushing touchdowns throughout his three championship years. Bottom line: he can lead a team and has done so since his freshman year, he can throw the ball, and can run it when necessary too.
Finally, for those who think his being from the FCS subdivision is a drawback, look to his success against decent schools from the FBS subdivision. In recent years North Dakota State have been able to beat Minnesota by a score of 37-24 and Kansas State by a score of 24-21. Both of these are reputable FBS programs from decent conferences. It’s not like they shut out the Crimson Tide or rolled over Texas A&M but look at the facts, he and his former team were a solid unit and beat FBS teams, indicating that this quarterback is not one to overlook. Any quarterback with the stats Brock Jensen brings to the table and three championship years isn’t there by pure luck. Talent is everywhere in NCAA. Call me an optimist.
He is expected to be a late round selection if he is selected at all. Either way, he would not be a bad acquisition for the Packers in rounds six or seven. As I’ve said, I question whether Matt Flynn is the best backup the Packers could field, and as far as I’m concerned, neither he nor Tolzien are the Packers’ quarterback of the future. If they are looking to start grooming a solid backup or possible future replacement for Rodgers, and want to do so with a late round pick, Brock Jensen may be the man for the job.
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