The day has arrived! The NFL Draft will begin tonight and for the first time in the history of the Draft, it will take place in Green Bay, WI. The Packers will welcome the rest of the NFL to town this weekend. The draft always generates a lot of excitement but this year the excitement is unlike any other. Packer fans are not only excited for the incoming class of rookies, but they are excited to display the magic of Green Bay and Lambeau Field.
For the past few months, all the talk of the offseason has been mock drafts. The Packers have been linked to several different players. From a position standpoint, these players seem to be following a similar trend. It is no secret that that Green Bay is looking to improve their defensive line, both on the interior and the edge, the wide receiver room, and the cornerback room. On top of those positions, Green Bay will always keep an eye on the offensive line group.
Last year, the Packers selected OT Jordan Morgan. Green Bay proceeded to sign G Aaron Banks to a four year deal in free agency so if the Packers add to the offensive line, it will be on Day 2 or 3 of the draft. The likely scenario for Green Bay is either cornerback or defensive line. However, no one really knows how the board will turn out until the draft actually takes place.
The Packers First Round Choice Betting Odds
As of this morning, the bettings odds for the Packers first round choice were the following:
- Defensive Lineman/Edge: +115
- Cornerback: +145
- Wide Receiver: +470
- Offensive Lineman: +1000
These betting odds can be found at FanDuel Sportsbook and Sports Illustrated. Over the past few days, the name that has generated a lot of buzz is Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston. Green Bay has been linked to two Ole Miss players that fit the betting odds, CB Trey Amos and DT Walter Nolen. The other defensive lineman to keep an eye is Texas A&M Shemar Stewart. The last time the Packers selected a player from Texas A&M, it seemingly worked out well (LB Edgerrin Cooper).
The mock draft that has caught some people’s attention is ESPN’s Peter Schrager. In recent years, Schrager has produced some of the most accurate mock drafts. Despite the strong betting odds for defensive linemen and cornerback, Schrager has the Packers selecting Texas WR Matthew Golden at the 23rd overall pick. It is safe to say that most Packer fans would be pleased with a cornerback or defensive lineman but if the Packers selected a WR like Matthew Golden or Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan, assuming he falls, it would receive a lot of praise.
With all that being said, the best piece of advice for Packer fans is to truly enjoy this unique experience. Cherish the opportunity that Green Bay has to host the NFL Draft! But most importantly, be excited to welcome this new class of rookies to this historic franchise!
