The NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, PA! The Green Bay Packers’ first pick doesn’t come until number 52 in the second round. Even with such a late first selection, things couldn’t be more exciting! So, amid that excitement, my friend (a Chiefs fan) and I met virtually a week before the draft to conduct our seventh annual dual mock draft. Click here to see how last year went.
This year, we completed two mock drafts in one night. The first was our more serious, traditional run. In this version, we didn’t allow trades—just a simple stick-and-pick format. Because the Packers don’t make a selection until Round 2, my friend agreed to bend tradition and let us continue into the second round. We stopped after I made the Packers’ selection at pick No. 52. Since the Chiefs have two first-round picks with odd-numbered selections, my friend handled the odd picks while I selected the evens.
Here’s how that mock draft played out:
*Note: This mock draft took place before the blockbuster trade between the Giants and the Bengals in which Dexter Lawrence was sent to the Bengals for their tenth overall pick.
Mock Draft: Interesting Nuggets and Packers Selection
Last year’s draft and this year’s class have one thing in common: there’s really only one top-tier quarterback. Last year it was Cam Ward; this year, it’s Fernando Mendoza. Everyone expects the Raiders to select the Indiana quarterback.
The Ohio State Buckeyes were loaded last season, and it shows in this draft. We had four Buckeyes selected in the top 10: Arvell Reese went No. 2, Sonny Styles went to the Giants at No. 5, Caleb Downs became a Commander at No. 7, and wide receiver Carnell Tate landed with the Saints at No. 8. That kind of rhymed, didn’t it?
Finally—and to the detriment of the Packers—there was a run on cornerbacks late in the first round and into the early second. Four corners were selected between picks 29 and 33. One of them was Chris Johnson (a player many Packers fans love), who went to the Dolphins at No. 30, just missing Green Bay’s pick at No. 52.
The Packers Select
After about an hour and a half, I finally made the Packers’ selection. I’ll just say it: it’s unlikely the Packers take a defensive tackle or cornerback with their first pick. And they’re especially not taking Avieon Terrell, Mel Kiper.
My guess is edge rusher.
Micah Parsons is expected to miss the start of the season, Lukas Van Ness hasn’t been extended or given his fifth-year option yet, and Kingsley Enagbare is now a New York Jet.
The depth in the edge room has taken a hit, and the Packers have a clear need for someone opposite Parsons. Yes, Green Bay has Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver from last year’s draft, but that doesn’t feel like enough. The Packers need another edge defender, and I believe they’ll address it in the second round.
So, in this mock draft, that player was the extremely athletic and versatile edge rusher from Penn State: Dani Dennis-Sutton (DDS).
Dani Dennis-Sutton
DDS is an athletic specimen. He stands 6-foot-5½ and weighs around 260 pounds, yet he ran a 4.63-second 40-yard dash at the combine. That wasn’t his only standout performance—he also posted a sub-7.0-second three-cone drill, which is phenomenal, and looked excellent in the explosive drills as well.
Here is his RAS from RAS.football:
And he’s not just a traits-based prospect. He produced at a high level at Penn State. Over the past two seasons, he recorded 17 sacks and 84 total tackles. So, the production is there, and he has the ability to contribute right away.
Give me DDS.
Here is how the whole first mock went:
A Second Mock Draft
For the past few years, we wouldn’t only do just the one mock draft, nope, we would also do a fun one too. This, of course, entails a wheel, this wheel specifically:
Now with this one, we didn’t go all the way to the Packers pick, but it was fun nonetheless and things definitely got crazy! Here is how this draft turned out:
Conclusion
Last year, with our main mock draft, we got nine selections correct! I believe that was our record. Of course, we are aiming for more this year! Super excited for Thursday and of course Friday!
But regardless of what happens,
As always,
Go Pack Go!
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Damon is a diehard, fully-immersed cheesehead who currently lives in southern Missouri. He teaches at a local high school and has a family YouTube channel about all things Packers. You can follow him on twitter at @packersfamily and on YouTube at The Packers Family.
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