Time for another mock. This one, as the title suggests, is more based on need than anything else. This is of course all a matter of opinion. Other than WR, the Packers basically have competent or serviceable starters at every position, so much of this is based on the most barren positions in terms of back-ups. I don’t really favor this way of drafting and would rather they just take the best players regardless of position, especially in the first round. I did it this way to get me to look at some different players in different spots.
#22 – WR – Chris Olave – tOSU. The most obvious need. While I’m not the biggest Olave fan, I think he’s easily worthy of this spot and the Packers did interview him at the combine and he’s a complementary player to what they already have. Some like Treylon Burks, but based on what they currently have on the roster they need a speed guy who can work deep and is a more ready, more polished route runner and that’s Olave.
#28 – S – Daxton Hill – Mich. Not that obvious since they have solid starters, but there is little to nothing after that. Hill can play deep, single-high, but can also cover in the slot. He might well fill the nickel slot role to start his career.
#53 – ILB – Chad Muma – Wyo. The signing of Campbell along with keeping Barnes means you have starters. The depth is bad though. Muma has decent size, length, speed and agility. He can cover. He could well replace Barnes as a “starter”, sooner rather than later.
#59 – WR – Alex Pierce – Cin. Yes, even with Olave, the WR position is still a big need. Pierce is a nice complement to Olave. He’s fast enough to get open deep, but bigger and stronger to make contested catches underneath and in traffic. Good hands and a solid route runner, he’s also a willing run blocker which makes him a good fit in the ML offense.
#92 – OT – Max Mitchell – Louisiana. It could be argued that this is a higher need and I couldn’t disagree. For now, I’m assuming Jenkins will be available by mid-season to play RT and that Nijman is also available and competent. Mitchell doesn’t get talked about too much but he can likely play both RT and LT as a swing tackle to start and with some added weight and strength could figure into the LT conversation in time. He’s fairly athletic and smooth on the edge.
#132 – Edge – Amare Barno – VaTach. Another position with 2 competent starters but very little else, a common theme for the Packers. Yet another position that others could easily argue as a higher need. Barno is hyper athletic, but a little light, and quite raw. He’d likely be only a situational pass rusher early on but with some added weight and development might be a starter down the road. He’s been rising up boards since the combine, so this might be too late for him.
#140 – OT/OG – Zach Tom – WakeF. The need at OG isn’t huge but that’s only because Jenkins can slide inside if needed. Tom played both LT and C in college so has some versatility, something the Packers value. Some feel he projects inside at OG/C in the NFL and the Packers love to pick college OT’s and convert them to OG.
#171 – DT – Thomas Booker – Stan. The Reed signing added some depth so it moved this position down. Personally, I’d still take one high if the right guy is there, but for the purpose of this mock I moved DT down. Booker is an athletic and versatile DT option. Sounds like he had some consistency issues at Stanford, but has the tools to be good.
#228 – TE – Daniel Bellinger – San Diego St. There are plenty of bodies in the TE room for the Packers, so it wasn’t that big of a need, though there is nothing special there right now. Bellinger is a decent athlete who’s regarded as more of a blocker than receiver. As a decent athlete, you might be able to develop him into an all-around TE.
#249 – CB – Zyon McCollum – Sam Houston St. With Douglas back, this isn’t a big need. McCollum is a long, speedy, small school CB who may not last this long after his 4.3/4.4 timing at the Combine. He looked the part at the Senior Bowl but is still a work in progress.
#258 – RB – Keaontay Ingram – USC. Packers are fine at RB for now. Still, they could use one more for the practice squad and to stay deep at the position in case this is Jones last year, for CAP reasons. Ingram has decent speed and okay size, who could do well in a zone scheme. Seems he’s a willing pass protector.
#22 – WR – Chris Olave – tOSU. The most obvious need. While I’m not the biggest Olave fan, I think he’s easily worthy of this spot and the Packers did interview him at the combine and he’s a complementary player to what they already have. Some like Treylon Burks, but based on what they currently have on the roster they need a speed guy who can work deep and is a more ready, more polished route runner and that’s Olave.
#28 – S – Daxton Hill – Mich. Not that obvious since they have solid starters, but there is little to nothing after that. Hill can play deep, single-high, but can also cover in the slot. He might well fill the nickel slot role to start his career.
#53 – ILB – Chad Muma – Wyo. The signing of Campbell along with keeping Barnes means you have starters. The depth is bad though. Muma has decent size, length, speed and agility. He can cover. He could well replace Barnes as a “starter”, sooner rather than later.
#59 – WR – Alex Pierce – Cin. Yes, even with Olave, the WR position is still a big need. Pierce is a nice complement to Olave. He’s fast enough to get open deep, but bigger and stronger to make contested catches underneath and in traffic. Good hands and a solid route runner, he’s also a willing run blocker which makes him a good fit in the ML offense.
#92 – OT – Max Mitchell – Louisiana. It could be argued that this is a higher need and I couldn’t disagree. For now, I’m assuming Jenkins will be available by mid-season to play RT and that Nijman is also available and competent. Mitchell doesn’t get talked about too much but he can likely play both RT and LT as a swing tackle to start and with some added weight and strength could figure into the LT conversation in time. He’s fairly athletic and smooth on the edge.
#132 – Edge – Amare Barno – VaTach. Another position with 2 competent starters but very little else, a common theme for the Packers. Yet another position that others could easily argue as a higher need. Barno is hyper athletic, but a little light, and quite raw. He’d likely be only a situational pass rusher early on but with some added weight and development might be a starter down the road. He’s been rising up boards since the combine, so this might be too late for him.
#140 – OT/OG – Zach Tom – WakeF. The need at OG isn’t huge but that’s only because Jenkins can slide inside if needed. Tom played both LT and C in college so has some versatility, something the Packers value. Some feel he projects inside at OG/C in the NFL and the Packers love to pick college OT’s and convert them to OG.
#171 – DT – Thomas Booker – Stan. The Reed signing added some depth so it moved this position down. Personally, I’d still take one high if the right guy is there, but for the purpose of this mock I moved DT down. Booker is an athletic and versatile DT option. Sounds like he had some consistency issues at Stanford, but has the tools to be good.
#228 – TE – Daniel Bellinger – San Diego St. There are plenty of bodies in the TE room for the Packers, so it wasn’t that big of a need, though there is nothing special there right now. Bellinger is a decent athlete who’s regarded as more of a blocker than receiver. As a decent athlete, you might be able to develop him into an all-around TE.
#249 – CB – Zyon McCollum – Sam Houston St. With Douglas back, this isn’t a big need. McCollum is a long, speedy, small school CB who may not last this long after his 4.3/4.4 timing at the Combine. He looked the part at the Senior Bowl but is still a work in progress.
#258 – RB – Keaontay Ingram – USC. Packers are fine at RB for now. Still, they could use one more for the practice squad and to stay deep at the position in case this is Jones last year, for CAP reasons. Ingram has decent speed and okay size, who could do well in a zone scheme. Seems he’s a willing pass protector.