Green Bay Packers: A.J. Hawk Better Than Advertised

His team's 6-10 record wouldn't show it, but A.J. Hawk is pretty good.

Fifth pick overall in the 2006 draft, good? If this new 3-4 works out as it should, possibly.

Hawk has never had too much going for him ever since he was drafted by Green Bay three years ago.He walked onto a team that was yearning for an elite defensive presence, anointing Hawk as their "savior".

However, because Nick Barnett had cemented himself in as the starting middle linebacker, Hawk had to play outside of his position and man the outside. While Hawk's athleticism made him a threat on blitzes, his weak coverage skills were constantly exposed.

Still, Hawk continued to be a sideline-to-sideline defender, usually being seen on every play, regardless if he made the tackle or not. But after three years of only average play-making ability (7.5 sacks, 3 int, and 2 FF), Hawk is finally getting his shot in the middle.

The question is, in his fourth season, with talent around him, and a new scheme that should benefit him, what can we expect?

The answer isn't greatness. Not yet.

But a more polished linebacker who makes more plays, is something we definitely can hope for. Hell, it should be demanded.

After Nick Barnett went down with a knee injury in week 10, Hawk took over for the rest of the season, and performed admirably. Hawk compiled 44 tackles in seven games as the starter, while trying his best to hold an injury-riddled defense above water.

By being the starter inside, Hawk was also exposed even more as only an average pass-defender. However, he displayed good instincts-those reminiscent of college, and showed the coaching staff that the middle of the field is where belonged, no matter the scheme.

With the new 3-4, Hawk is guaranteed a spot in the middle with Nick Barnett, where he schematically should be free to roam the field. Hawk is an imposing and aggressive defender, that, if given the time, could wreak havoc on opposing offenses.

But like almost every other Packer defender heading into 2009, there is no real certainty.