Bulaga Will Begin at Left Tackle, Thompson Says
By Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel
Green Bay — Iowa's Bryan Bulaga lacks the enormous wingspan and ham hock-sized hands that scouts rhapsodize about for their future left tackles.
A sizable number of National Football League personnel people question whether Bulaga even can be a left tackle.
If the Green Bay Packers have concerns on either issue, they're not letting on. Their selection of Bulaga with the 23rd choice in the first round of the draft Thursday night was the safe play, at least in the eyes of evaluators across the league.
"He's a tough football player," general manager Ted Thompson said. "He likes to play football. Plays hard. He's gung-ho. He wants to be a good player."
Bulaga, 6 feet, 5 1/2 inches and 316 pounds, is a third-year junior who didn't turn 21 until last month. He started at guard as a true freshman in 2007, then at left tackle the past two years.
Although left guard is the most unsettled position on the offensive line, Thompson said Bulaga would begin his career at left tackle, where Chad Clifton has held sway since 2000 but is nearing the end of his distinguished career.
