Posted July 26, 2007
Packers by position: Great expectations surround Hawk, LBs
By Pete Dougherty
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The next three to five years will show whether General Manager Ted Thompson was right to choose linebacker A.J. Hawk with the fifth pick in the 2006 draft rather than tight end Vernon Davis.
The Packers think Hawk's promising rookie season suggests they have a perennial Pro Bowler in the making.
Though it's likely a stretch to project Hawk as an MVP-type defensive player similar to Chicago's Brian Urlacher, the Packers think Hawk has the tangible and intangible talents to be better than, say, Atlanta linebacker Keith Brooking, who has gone to five Pro Bowls in his six NFL seasons.
"This guy (Hawk) can run, he knows how to play, he's very strong, he's dedicated," Thompson said. "He works his tail off, and I think he sees himself as a player. So, yeah, I think he's a heck of a player."
As a rookie starter at weak-side linebacker, Hawk didn't jump out early in training camp but improved throughout camp and the season. He beat out middle linebacker Nick Barnett for the team lead in tackles (155 to 141), had 3? sacks, defended nine passes and had a hand in five turnovers (two interceptions and fumbles recovered, one fumble forced).
Making the Pro Bowl should be a realistic goal for Hawk, even early in his career. Brooking made his first Pro Bowl as a rookie, and DeMarcus Ware, an outside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment, made it as a second-year pro last season. The NFC's other two outside linebackers in last year's Pro Bowl were San Francisco's Julian Peterson and Tampa Bay's 34-year-old Derrick Brooks. Chicago's Lance Briggs would have been one of the three but couldn't play because of an injury.
"I don't have a crystal ball to say (he'll be a perennial Pro Bowler)," said Bob Sanders, the Packers' defensive coordinator.
"But certainly, he's a guy that definitely you try to build around because he's very instinctive, a hard worker, he's a very physical player. He leads by just the way he plays. Certainly, the expectation level for him to be in and around big plays is there."
