Optimism reigns supreme in Green Bay Wisconsin through nine weeks of the NFL’s 100th season. The Packers sit at 7-2, with an intriguing Sunday afternoon match-up with the Carolina Panthers on the docket. In 2019, the Green Bay Packers have been a much improved football team. However, as last week’s game in Los Angeles showed, there is always room for improvement.
Who Could the Packers target in the 2020 NFL Draft?
Round 1: Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado: The theme in Packers losses so far this season has been the lack of depth on the outside. Excluding perennial Pro Bowl receiver Davante Adams, and former 5th rounder Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Pack have a group of undrafted, unproven receivers. A new toy is needed for Aaron Rodgers. A big, explosive receiver, Laviska Shenault is everything this Packers team needs. Think Randall Cobb with more juice.
Round 2: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama: One thing comes to mind for the Packers while watching McKinney’s tape. He is strong in man-coverage. Coming from the DB factory that is Nick Saban’s Alabama, McKinney is a disciplined defender in a variety of roles on the back end. He’s also a fantastic athlete, but more importantly for the Packers, McKinney excels while traveling downhill and in covering tight ends. A crucial point of emphasis for the Packers defense to improve on this off-season. Think of Xavier McKinney as a souped-up Ibraheim Campbell, he’ll play the sub package linebacker role in Mike Pettine’s defense.
Round 3: Trey Adams, OT, Washington: Adams in the third round would represent far too much value for the Packers to pass up. As tenacious and tough in the trenches as they come, the 6’8 behemoth was mentioned in some first round conversations as early as 2018, before returning to school and being hindered by injuries. He demonstrates fantastic patience in pass sets, and seems completely unbothered by pass rushers, trusting his exceptional technique. Adams displays outstanding timing in both his kick slide, and while first contacting rushers to hinder forward momentum. He could replace Bryan Bulaga at right tackle in 2020, or become the swing tackle Green Bay so desperately needs.
Round 4: Paddy Fisher, LB, Northwestern: Fisher would seamlessly transition into Blake Martinez’s role in the middle of the Packers defense. A physically imposing linebacker (6’3, 245), he is often dominant at the point of attack, while also displaying the speed to chase ball carriers to the sideline. Fisher has the ability to take on blockers at the line of scrimmage, and the instincts to make the stop. He understands offensive sets and diagnoses quickly. Number 42 is the heart and soul of the Wildcats program, and would bring that same poise and leadership to Green Bay. Just what the doctor ordered for the Packers struggling run defense.
6 responses to “Mid-Season Green Bay Packers 4 Round Mock Draft”
Why is everyone yelling “WIDE RECEIVER” all the time? Sure, they need a solid, true #2 receiver, but if you’ve been watching the same games I have a legitimate ILB or run stuffer DT would be first on my list.
Twice in recent history they’ve screwed this up, first in moving back to take Kevin King (leaving TJ Watt for the Steelers), and then this past spring when the Steelers leapfrogged GB in the draft to take Devin Bush. rneed to be able to cover these days and the fourth round could be too late.
Because it’s the position the Packers need help at the MOST right now. It’s far harder to get a quality, NFL ready WR’er than it is to get a space eating run stuffing DL and MLB’er is almost like RB. It’s one of the easiest positions to replace. Zach Brown is a FA right now. You can find those elsewhere. You can’t find WR’ers early.
And they are desperately missing Randall Cobb this year. I’ll go back to 2 weeks ago since this is when you posted, but it’s been obvious all season they need another threat across from Adams.
WR’er/OT are the 1st and 2nd biggest priorities right now and it’s not even close. Remember, Raven Greene looked like a stud early this year before the broken ankle, they’ve got Bolton, Summers, and Burks at MLB’er. They can find one on the scrap heap. Same with a run stuffer, a space eater.
Also, if you want to complain about the Packers not taking TJ Watt with the benefit of hindsight…that’s fine. It made sense why they moved back, they had 4 guys on their board all evenly rated according to them(King, Watt, I believe Jones IV and whoever else).
But you can hardly complain that they didn’t move up HIGHER to get Devin Bush. You move up to get Bush, you likely don’t get Savage and I’ll take Savage over Bush any day of the week.
Kyle, you’re not wrong, but neither am I.
If you want to “go back 2 weeks’ which is when I wrote that post it was after they were coming off a few games when they had done well throwing to the backs and giving up huge yardage across the middle (which they did again last night vs the 9ers, mostly by the D-Backs). I agree that we seriously miss Cobb, and I fear there could be a little bit of TT in Gutekunst, not seeing the forest from the trees. Not saying Cobb woulkd have been a ‘Fix-all’, but he’d be an upgrade over what we’ve seen recently.
Unfortunately, if the Pack was 5-6, or 6-5 none of this would be relevant as we wouldn’t be expecting (or hoping for) as much. Maybe my frustration sparks from years without a real ‘threat’ on the defense, we could sure as hell use one.
No disrespect to the Smith Bros or anyone else but I still believe a ‘thumper’ behind them would be a big help.
They need a run stuffing D-lineman..
Yeah, but those are easier to find. You can only address so many needs. You don’t take a run stuffer in the 1st round when Bulaga is near the end and you absolutely have to get Rodgers some help. The Packers need Tonyan to develop….the best TE talent athletically since Finley(unless you count Lyrela and I don’t). They get back ST. Brown next year and Lazard, MVS, but they need a #2 option, a quicke threat who can get open and make those touch catches over the middle.
IF they do go DL in the first round, they really need to get a complete player. Raekwon Davis from Alabama has absolutely dominated in the post-season for ‘Bama the last two years as a True Frosh and Soph.
Shenault would be a great pick up, perfect fit. I feel as though there’s quality depth a WR, so I’m thinking a defensive or offensive lineman would be more prudent