I want to make a few things clear before we kick this beast off. First of all, this is a best case scenario draft. While it is unlikely that all of the players that I have selected will be available when they are selected in this mock it is at least possible. In fact if I have made the pick I’ve at least seen this player available in a different “expert’s” rankings and or mock at the position they’ve been selected. Also, even though I know without a shadow of a doubt that there is no way that the nine selections I make below will be the nine positions the Packers pick in. Ted will trade at some point in this draft, but for now we work with what we’ve got.
1st round (21)- CJ Mosley, ILB, Alabama
Analysis: The lack of value of the inside linebacker position will allow Mosley (one of the best 8 or 9 players in this draft) to fall. This is an excellent selection for Green Bay and will provide them the day 1 starter that the Packers have failed to get in the past 3 drafts (Perry’s health hasn’t allowed him to start regularly). Mosley’s athleticism will fill the “soft underbelly” of the middle of the pass defense that has caused the Packers so many problems over the years. He’s the best coverage linebacker I’ve seen in college in the past 10 years. His sideline to sideline speed will also give the Packers the ability to deal with running QBs.
NFL Comp: Navorro Bowman, 49ers
2nd Round (53)- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
Analysis: Ideally one would have the biggest hole on the team (safety) dealt with by the 53rd pick. Players like Jimmie Ward and Deone Bucanon are possible targets, but if a player with ASJ’s talent slips, Ted might have to pounce. One of the great regrets of Ron Wolf’s career as Packers GM was admittedly failing to get Brett Favre enough weapons to win a second title. I honestly can’t imagine Ted Thompson making the same mistake. Seferian-Jenkins is a very good receiver and a solid in-line blocker. He has tremendous size at 6’6″ 270, and could bring a different dimension to the offense, taking pressure off of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. ASJ’s selection could really make the tight end group one of the better ones in the league with Andrew Quarless being a very solid player and Brandon Bostick brimming with potential.
NFL Comp: Martellus Bennett, Bears
3rd Round (85)- Terrence Brooks, FS, Florida St.
Analysis: I believe I’m higher on Brooks than most. He lacks ideal size at 5’11” 200 lbs but is by no means too small. His skill set is what makes him such an ideal fit with Green Bay. Morgan Burnett is nothing more than “capable” in coverage, but is a very good tackler (an astonishing 123 tackles in 2012) and takes good angles in the run game. Brooks is more of a pure coverage free safety than Burnett. Brooks is not blessed with exceptional hands (one of the reasons he plays safety) but at this point I think Packers fans would be ecstatic with balls being knocked down from the safety position as opposed to pass after pass being completed against it. I really believe that if the draft fell this way you would have the rare occurence of a playoff team finding 3 new immediate starters in one draft and I, for one, would be doing jumping jacks.
NFL comp: A poor man’s Eric Weddle or a rich man’s Brandon Meriweather
3rd Round (98 comp)- Josh Huff, WR Oregon
Analysis: Josh Huff was an extremely productive collegiate receiver that played in a wide open offense at Oregon against Pac-12 competition. He fits in to what the Packers need as a player that can contribute in the slot or outside. He is not overly big, but his size is certainly adequate. His strengths are agility, acceleration and route running. The thing that I appreciate the most from Josh Huff is how fast he transitions from receiver to runner. He does a fantastic job after the catch and that is a key part of the Packers’ offense. Huff would slide right into the competition for the 4th WR spot with Harper, White and Dorsey and could provide the Packers with some return ability.
NFL comp: Greg Jennings, Vikings
4th Round (121)- Trevor Reilly, OLB Utah
Analysis: Ted Thompson continues his flair for the Pac 12. Plenty of the Packers’ staples hail from this conference (Rodgers, Matthews, Perry, Bakhtiari, Datone Jones, Brad Jones) and Reilly could transition nicely into an OLB position for the Packers. Reilly possesses fantastic size at 6’5″ 250 pounds and has played linebacker and defensive end all throughout high school and college so he will not be lost in space. He had an insanely productive senior season, moving all around the line of scrimmage and notching 100 tackles, including 16 TFL and 8.5 sacks. His ability to be versatile make him a very attractive option for the Packers this late in the proceedings.
NFL comp: Koa Misi, Dolphins
5th Round (161)- Zach Kerr, DT, Delaware
Analysis: With it being unsure whether or not BJ Raji will be a Green Bay Packer in 2015, the Packers may want to look at options at NT. the 6’1″ 335 pound Kerr would sure fit the bill if he gets a season to adjust from FCS competition to the NFL. He has the frame that 3-4 teams covet and was very productive as a transfer from Maryland. His 55 tackles, 5.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks give hope that he could offer more than somoene who takes up space, but in round 5, someone who effectively takes up space is an aboslute bargain.
NFL comp: Brodrick Bunkley, Saints
5th round (176 comp)- Mike Davis, WR Texas
Analyisis: I choose to believe in Mike Davis’ abilities and chalk up a lot of his failures in college to his surrounding cast. He really did not play with a great group of QBs at Texas and although he has had a difficult time staying healthy, it’s rare to find a player of his caliber this late in the draft. Davis could develop into a very good player, and at this point late in the 5th round that’s really all you can ask for is a half decent roll of the dice.
NFL comp: Stevie Johnson, Bills (a 7th round pick, mind you)
6th Round (197)- James Hurst, OT North Carolina
Analysis: Ted Thompson loves him some guys that have played left tackle in college. He also loves him some guys that he feels he can get a bargain on because of some injury history. Sometimes it works (Eddie Lacy), sometimes it doesn’t (Justin Harrell and Andrew Datko). Hurst played a lot of football at UNC setting a record with 49 career starts, all at left tackle. I think if he falls this far, it makes him a hell of a value.
NFL comp: Rodger Saffold, Rams
7th Round (236)- Brock Jensen, QB, North Dakota State
Analysis: Jensen has fantastic size at 6’2″ 220 and more than adequate arm strength. He is also a very mobile quarterback. He has won more games than any other QB at the FCS level, compiling a 47-5 (!) record as a starter. Jensen has compiled those numbers against FCS competition, sure, but also engineered wins against Minnesota of the Big Ten, Colorado State of the Mountain West and defending Big 12 champion Kansas State in his senior season of 2013. The Packers have been in contact with Jensen on a number of occasions, and he would appear to be a possible UDFA target. His interest level from other teams, including but not limited to Cincinnati will lead the Packers to use their final draft pick on him.
NFL comp: (Taller) Russell Wilson, Seahawks
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Ross Uglem is a writer at PackersTalk.com.
You can follow Ross on twitter at RossUglem
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7 responses to “Ross’s First (and Last) Packers 7 Round Mock”
Really liking this mock Ross, great job!
Love the first 3 picks and the Kerr pick. There are some outside linebackers I would prefer over Reilly, just because of his age and injury history, but other than that I would be happy if the draft went this way.
It was between him and Morgan Breslin from USC. 3-4 OLB isn’t a particularly deep position (especially relative to this draft) and I think that if Reilly was a 22 year old prospect with his tape he’d be considered a early day 2 pick. It would suck that he probably only gets one contract with the Packers but he fills a need.
Really liking this mock Ross, great job!
Great picks! You must have channelled Ozzie Newsome….
Great picks! You must have channelled Ozzie Newsome….
Thanks for the feedback Jay. I admitted in the open that this was a bit of a “best case scenario” type of mock and the ravens were picking 4 spots ahead of us. Maybe if we had been picking at 17 it might have fallen like this. I will say that I am very excited about the draft that we were able to have and I think we’ll be in very good shape heading in to 2014 especially offensively.