With the 9th pick in the NFL draft, the Green Packers have selected Boston College’s B.J. Raji, a defensive tackle.

The move comes as the Packers look to switch to a 3-4 defense next year. Raji’s strength, size and speed could make him a vital piece of the puzzle going forward.

That’s the only local pick in the top 10 so far.

As expected, the Lions took Georgia QB Matthew Stafford #1. Another big pick is Darrius Heyward-Bey going to the Raiders at #7, adding a big time wide receiver to the corps of young offensive potential in Oakland.

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John Guilfoil is the editor-in-chief of Blast: Boston's Online Magazine. He can be reached at guilfoil.j@blastmagazine.com.