The Green Bay Packers offseason makes it clear that the front office believed they had the talent on the roster to win the Super Bowl last year. With the entire starting defensive unit returning, there is going to be added pressure on new DC Joe Barry and ST Coordinator Maurice Drayton. This mock draft looks to gives the new coaches a fresh crop of talent to work worth.
Round 1, Pick 29: LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa
Collins was a freakish athlete in college. Can that translate to the NFL is the real question. The only knock on the Tulsa LB is getting caught being too aggressive. That’s like answering the interview question, ‘what is your biggest weakness’ by saying, ‘I care too much’. The Packers are in a good position where they won’t have to throw any of their rookies into the fire, so Collins will be a great depth piece with future stardom. Collins has the potential to be a three-down LB who excels in the run game, pass-rush and pass coverage.
Round 2, Pick 62: WR Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
The Packers love their big-bodied WRs, but they nab a unique talent in Elijah Moore. The Packers have used the veteran-FA market to add guys like Tyler Ervin and Tavon Austin to add the gadget piece in Lafleur’s offense, but this time they have a young prospect to fit the role. Moore’s 4.35 40-time makes him a steal at the end of the second round.
Round 3, Pick 92: S Ar’Darius Washington TCU
Barry wants to play fast and aggressive. Enter: Washington. Washington can play anywhere in the secondary, and can be a dynamic playmaker while doing so. Let this kid learn from the Packers secondary and the sky is the limit.
Round 4, Pick 135: CB Paulson Adebo, Stanford
Adebo’s decision to opt-out of 2020 hurt his draft stock. However, the Packers would gladly snatch him up if he slips this far. Adebo also comps himself to his favorite corner of all-time: Charles Woodson. This kid has to be a Packer.
Round 4, Pick 142: EDGE Shaka Toney, Penn State
Shaka Toney is an athletic freak. He used this advantage to succeed in college, but he will need significant work to refine his pass-rushing abilities. The floor is much lower for Toney than it was for Rashan Gary, but I think their ceilings are similar.
Round 5, Pick 173: CB Kary Vincent Jr., LSU
If you have been following my mock draft you will find a common theme: Kary Vincent Jr. in the 5th round. Vincent is like the little brother in a family of D1 athletes. Everyone forgets about him, but he has been grinding against the best competition since his freshmen year at LSU. I think Vincent can have bright future if he falls into the right situation.
Round 5, Pick 178: WR Josh Imatorbhebhe, Illinois
The Packers got their gadget-WR in the 2nd round. But with every WR contract off the books after the 2021-2022 season (barring Adams extension), the Packers need to add some depth. Imatorbhebhe fits the mold of the tall, athletic WRs that the Packers are known for.
Round 6, Pick 214: LB Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
Round 6, Pick 220: LB Tuf Borland, Ohio State
This is a new theme developing in most of my mocks. I love both of these guys. They are hard-nosed, classic football guys. But their skillsets just don’t translate to NFL defenses. Nonetheless, I think both of these guys would provide an immediate impact on the ALL of Green Bay’s special team units. Fisher and Borland can give Drayton some energy to work with as Green Bay tries to improve at all three phases.
Round 7, Pick 256: OG Tommy Kraemer, Notre Dame
The Packers are great at molding late round linemen into serviceable NFL players. Kraemer has the potential to be that type of player. The Packers have good depth on the OL but adding to that is never a bad idea.
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Kirien is a big fan of the Packers, Beer, and Battlestar Galactica. You can follow him on twitter at @KirienSprecher.
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