Impact draft picks: NFC North

Yesterday, I touched on the NFC East and NFC South, but today I will be examining the NFC South and the division who really falls off after the Green Bay Packers. This year could be the year where the NFC North turns back into the mean defense and cold weather division that it once was. With the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings defense getting older, they are in need of some help, but did they fulfill their needs and get an impact in the draft? Find out what players I have as impact players for the NFC North.

Green Bay Packers - Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State, Andrew Datko was a stud Left tackle and would have been a first round pick if he wasn’t injured last year. Datko is a very special player and should have been selected in the first round. Because of an injury to his shoulder his stock dropped, and to me the Green Bay Packers were able to get one of the best offensive lineman in the seventh round. We will hear this name before the end of the year, because this kid is very smart and will be a rotational guy if someone gets hurt. I love the Datko pick, great kid with tons of upside.

Detroit Lions - Dwight Bentley, CB, Louisiana – Lafayette, Bentley was the first corner back taken in a long time for the Detroit Lions. Good thing they drafted him, because former Lion Aaron Berry was recently released due to dumb mistakes and arrests off the field. Fifth rounder Chris Greenwood was also drafted by the Lions but has been injured. Watch out for Bentley to man the corner back position in nickel packages right away and could end up on the right side of the secondary. Bentley has ball hawking skills and could be a huge asset to the lack luster Lions defense.

Chicago Bears - Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina, This kid is a big boy, but took some plays off at South Carolina. Let’s not forget the dumb incidents on the field with the fights and the talk of him showing up over weight, because those are irrelevant now. This is the NFL and this kid is hungry, he will be a huge asset for Jay Cutler in Chicago, across from Brandon Marshall. If the Bears can get both Marshall and Jeffrey playing up to their ability they they will have one of the best passing attacks in the NFL this year.

Minnesota Vikings – Josh Robinson, CB, UCF, With their corner backs getting old and their team getting younger, the Vikings were able to lock down not just a stud corner back, but a beat punt returner in Josh Robinson. Robinson has went up against some of the best players in D-1, and has kept them under his wing. He had a huge bowl game a few years ago going up against A.J Green where he was able to lock him down. He was the combines fastest player and that will help on punt and kick returns.