Not all needs for the Green Bay Packers float to the surface, just by looking at their depth chart – make sure you read and digest it as long as it takes.
Surrounded by a ton of talent, this NFC Championship team that has failed to get over that hump two seasons in a row definitely has its holes that this year’s draft can help address – offensive center and tackle, defensive tackle, and cornerback. But there certainly are other needs that they can address, and they don’t all need to be filled up at the beginning of the draft.
This list will include players at various positions that this team has a need in, but not as pressing of a need as the previously-mentioned positions. Covering both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, here are a few options the Packers should look into.
Hamsah Nasilrideen
Safety – Florida State
Coming off a torn ACL, Florida State’s Hamsah Nasilrideen is right in the mix to be this year’s top safety prospect, alongside the likes of Trevon Moehrig and Javon Holland. For Nasilirideen, who only suited up for two games in the 2020 season after having torn his ACL at the end of the 2019 season, his abilities offer up better help in the run game, with the potential to transition to safety.
The 6’4 safety prospect is quite tall for a DB, which offers a ton in terms of his physicality. With his draft status varying anywhere from the 2nd round to the beginning of Day 3, Nasilrideen’s lack of proven pass coverage looks and Senior Bowl blown coverages certainly hurts his stock, but Green Bay could easily snag him with their third-round selection, moving Darnell Savage more into a traditional safety role and Nasilrideen holding down the traditional ‘star’ role in the box.
Daviyon Nix
Defensive Tackle – Iowa
With Mike Daniels setting quite a high bar for defensive tackles coming out of Iowa, Daviyon Nix projects to be a solid three-technique option at DT, a position that Green Bay certainly is lacking in depth.
While edge is being held down, inside is up for discussion, something that does not bode well for the playing time behind star Kenny Clark. With Nix, the former Iowa Hawkeye (who came via the junior college route from Iowa Western Community College) put up a lights-out ‘20 campaign, helping push him towards the pros.
Earning an All-American nod and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, Nix’s impact on the Hawkeye defensive front was felt throughout – 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks pushed him into the national spotlight, and he would be a solid fit behind Clark. Any sort of DT addition needs to be able to be plugged right into the lineup, and Nix’s body of work speaks to that ability, something that new defensive coordinator Joe Barry could utilize from the get-go.
With no clear-cut DT1 prospect in this class, Nix would be a great addition in the 2nd round for Green Bay, helping give Clark a running mate while grabbing a potential down-the-line starting DT.
Demetric Felton
Running Back – UCLA
I had spoken about Demetric Felton’s chance to really be a solid addition in this Green Bay offense previously, and this is just another chance to plead my case.
For Felton, his dual-threat abilities of catching and rushing the ball certainly appeal to many teams in the NFL, seeing as how offenses are switching to include more weapons to be able to do both. Felton’s size and speed certainly helps him stand out here, even if it also may mean he will need to bulk up a bit once he enters the league.
Standing just under 5’9 and weighing just under 190 lbs., Felton is a younger version of what Green Bay missed a ton last year – Tyler Ervin. The kind of role that Ervin filled in this offense, while on the smaller side, could be easily filled by Felton, as well as potentially even adding a role in the lagging return game too.
Projected to be a 4th – 5th round prospect, Felton’s impact on this team is certainly one that is being underrated, and being able to have someone like him bring competent play to both the RB and WR room would be huge for HC Matt LaFleur’s gameplan.
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Mike Johrendt has been an avid fan of the Packers ever since he can remember. He is now a writer at PackersTalk and you can follow him on Twitter at @MJohrendt23
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