Rotoworld: "The Packers rebuilt their beleaguered running back room in the span of two days. By scooping up Eddie Lacy at No. 61 and now Franklin, they've added the two backs many scouts felt were the top-two players available at their position... Pound for pound the best runner in this class, Franklin is a darting back with deceptive lower-body power who excels both inside and outside the tackle box. His acceleration through tight spaces jumps off the screen. With 4.49 speed and a legit three-down skill set, Franklin's game is similar to Ray Rice. He's an ideal complement to Lacy." "Draft insider Tony Pauline has been told a number of teams prefer UCLA RB Johnathan Franklin over Alabama RB Eddie Lacy. This isn't a surprise. The makeup of team's boards varies dramatically...The two have different styles, with Lacy winning with breaking first contact and Franklin using great vision to find home run lanes." According to Walker Rhodes of Optimum Scouting, Eddie Lacy compares to Frank Gore: "it’s almost impossible to not compare Eddie Lacy to the 49ers running back. Both players are thick bodies that will not be slowed down by arm tackles. Their powerful running styles are quite similar and both are more than capable of handling large workloads." "According to NFL Draft insider Tony Pauline, some NFL teams are comparing UCLA RB Johnathan Franklin to Frank Gore." Franklin, who had a 4.49 forty, was an All-American after he averaged 6.2 yards per carry while running for 1,734 yards, plus catching for 323 yards. in the Pac-12 Championship he ran for 194 yards on 19 carries against Stanford
A draft pundit names Lacy the steal of Day 2 Best Value Pick Day 2: Green Bay Packers: RB Eddie Lacy This was a steal for Green Bay. If the organization had taken Eddie Lacy in the first round, it would have been understandable, but to trade down into the second round and land Lacy is pure theft. The Packers needed a feature back to help take the pressure off of Aaron Rodgers and landed a work horse. Lacy is a physical back and will add a needed dimension to the Green Bay offense. He will help them in short-yardage and close out games with a strong second-half running game. Being able to move back and still land Lacy was some masterful drafting by Ted Thompson. ... Lacy can be the lead back that Green Bay has been missing. He will be excellent to close out wins late in games as he runs over tired defenders who have been chasing the Packers' passing attack for three quarters. Fourth-round running back Johnathan Franklin will be a nice change of pace and be an asset in the passing game. The duo should provide an immediate upgrade for the team. Green Bay needed to upgrade its offensive line depth, too, and did so with David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter. Both were college tackles who could play guard, center or tackle in the NFL. If injuries hit the Packers' line in 2013 like they did last year, Bakhtiari and Tretter will provide more talent off the bench. ... The Packers could be primed for another championship run in 2013, and it wouldn't be surprising if Green Bay's rookies played an integral role in it.
