We’ve spent a lot of time this off-season discussing what type of GM Brian Gutekunst will be, as no one really knows until he starts putting his signature on this team. To try and predict what he will do in the draft is nearly impossible. I have been looking over mock draft recently and as I expected, nearly ever one that I have seen, has the Green Bay Packers taking another defensive player with the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
It is pretty simple, new General Manager Brian Gutekunst needs to add more talent to this football team, specifically on the defensive side of the football. There numerous arguments that can be made for which position the Packers should address first in the draft. For me, any defensive positional player that will make an immediate impact would be good.
A cornerback like Iowa’s Josh Jackson and Ohio State’s Denzel Ward have been popular picks in a number of mock drafts so far this offseason. With Ward ranking as the top cornerback by many people. With that in mind, I fully expect him to be gone by the time that Packers hit clock at number 14. You never know though at Gutekunst may trade up in the 1st round or something. Either way he needs to add more talent to the defensive unit via draft and free agency to get this time back to not only playing in late January but February as well.
I am a big believer that it does not matter how good your secondary is, if your front seven can not get pressure on the quarterback. If the opposing quarterback can sit back there with 4 / 5 seconds and picking a part your secondary, it will be a long season. Your front seven needs to put pressure on the quarterback to make him get rid of the ball quicker and force him into bad decisions that your cornerbacks can capitalize on.
With that, in the latest mock drat that I have seen, it has the Packers drafting on the defensive side of the football, but a linebacker, Rashaan Evans from Alabama.
Saying that the Green Bay Packers defense was a major disappointment in 2017 is an understatement. Even with Rodgers, out for the majority of the season, if their defense was semi good, they would have made the playoffs. One problem that side of the football that has been persistent for years has been their pass rush. Under Dom Capers, this team has relied on creative blitzing and Clay Matthews to apply pressure constantly. Matthews does show up but not nearly as often as they need him too. They badly need to fortify their linebacker spots to help Matthews and strengthen the front seven. Adding Rashaan Evens may just be the player to help this unit. He’s your classic Alabama linebacker who plays downhill and who plugs gaps and blows up running backs. Someone with a little bit of nasty in him that this defense is lacking.
Right now, it is wide open as to who the Packers will take and we will know more when the NFL Combine takes place and as we get closer to the NFL draft. If the GM Brian Gutekunst decides to upgrade the defense linebacker and the cornerback position are both positions of need. Is there a prospect that you would like to or see the Packers taking at number 14 in the NFL Draft?
Anthony Haag is a writer for PackersTalk.com. He has been a Packers fan since the day he was born and truly bleeds green and gold. He makes annual visits to Lambeau Field and has attended his fair share of games. You can follow Anthony on Twitter at @anthony_haag
