Three Days Until NFL Draft: National Seven-Round Mock Drafts

The Green Bay Packers will be on the clock with 11 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Here are those selections in the latest and greatest mock drafts.

Author:
Bill Huber
Apr 22, 2024

In this story:

NFL Draft

Green Bay Packers

Packers mock draft

Nate Wiggins

Graham Barton

Kool-Aid McKinstry

Cooper DeJean

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The 2024 NFL Draft starts on Thursday. The draft is a puzzle to be assembled piece by piece, which is why the seven-round mock drafts are so much more valuable than mocking only Round 1.

Here is a look at the Green Bay Packers’ draft hauls in several fresh seven-round mocks.

Pro Football Focus: Clemson CB Nate Wiggins

Here’s a realistic scenario: The Packers need a cornerback and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins and Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry are on the board. Which way would Gutekunst go?

In PFF’s seven-round mock, the choice was Wiggins.

“The Packers get a lengthy, athletic outside cornerback to pair with Jaire Alexander in new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system,” said PFF analyst Jon Macri, who made the pick. “Wiggins consistently improved his coverage ability in college, and his combination of size and speed gives the Packers an intimidating duo to challenge on the perimeter.”

The next two picks filled more needs on defense with Georgia safety Javon Bullard and Michigan linebacker Junior Colson.

Bullard played mostly in the slot in 2022 and mostly safety in 2023. He’s not big but he packs a punch. “He provides physicality as a smaller player and strong coverage instincts to make an impact on the field.”

Colson is the best middle linebacker in the draft. “Colson has the experience, leadership and talent to be a long-term answer next to former first-round pick Quay Walker.”

Both third-round picks addressed the interior of the offensive line, and the draft concluded with a quarterback, but the draft whiffed on getting an offensive tackle.

ESPN.com: Duke OL Graham Barton

Jordan Reid’s seven-round mock draft for ESPN.com started with Barton, the All-American offensive tackle who is likely to shift to center or guard in the NFL.

“One of the most impressive non-QB prospects that I saw out on the pro-day circuit was Barton,” Reid said. “He's an easy mover at 6-foot-5, 313 pounds. Barton spent last season at tackle, but he's projected to move inside at the next level, and he's my top-ranked center. Barton would be a gritty plug-and-play option for a Packers team that has had a lot of success drafting offensive linemen over the past decade.”

Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean went to the Lions at No. 29.

The second-round picks were home runs with Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and Utah safety Cole Bishop. There is a “clear lack of depth” beyond Quay Walker at linebacker, and the Packers suffered through “inconsistent safety play” last season.

In the third round, the choices were Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson and Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright.

“The Packers signed Josh Jacobs in free agency to replace Aaron Jones, but Wright would bring a different element,” Reid said of Wright, who is our No. 2 back. “He's a home run hitter who averaged 7.4 yards per carry (third in the FBS) and had 35 runs for 10-plus yards last season.”

Back-to-back edge defenders started Day 3, and Oregon State safety Kitan Oladapo and Pitt cornerback M.J. Devonshire highlighted the final choices.

The Athletic: Trade Up

In Packers beat writer Matt Schneidman’s final mock, the Packers gave up fourth- and sixth-round picks to move up four spots to pick Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims.

“Green Bay found its franchise quarterback,” Schneidman said. “Priority No. 1 now is protecting him … This draft is about finding a couple more with perhaps higher upside than Rasheed Walker, Josh Myers and Sean Rhyan, whom the organization still seems high on for the short term.”

In the second round, the choices were Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe and Georga safety Javon Bullard. Beebe started at right tackle in 2020, left tackle in 2021 and left guard the past two years. As mentioned before, Bullard played mostly slot in 2022 and mostly safety in 2023.

The third-round picks landed key depth at defensive end and a starter at linebacker. Without a fourth-rounder as part of the Mims trade, the fifth-round choice was Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary. Leary spent five years at NC State before transferring to Kentucky for his final season, where he completed 56.3 percent of his passes with 25 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Pro Football Network: Trade Down

The Packers traded back from 25th to 28th in Ian Cummings’ seven-rounder and selected Missouri defensive end Darius Robinson.

“At around 6-foot-5 290 pounds, Robinson is a hybrid lineman in a similar mold to Denico Autry — who can play 5-tech on running downs and also rotate inside with his power,” Cummings wrote.

In the second round, Connecticut’s Christian Haynes can “grow into an all-league guard” while Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace is “an aggressive attack presence who can also erase RBs in coverage.”

In the third round, Washington state safety is the “perfect fit” alongside Xavier McKinney and TCU lineman Brandon Coleman “has all the traits … coveted by the Packers.”

In Day 3, Memphis running back Blake Watson was the noteworthy pick. He rushed for 1,152 yards and caught 53 passes as a sixth-year senior.

PFF: Iowa CB Cooper DeJean

On Saturday, Trevor Sikkema put out an all-Packers mock. Batting leadoff: DeJean.

“He doesn’t have much experience in press coverage but can succeed in that role. DeJean is likely the best run-defending cornerback in the class. There aren’t many holes, if any, in his game,” he said as part of a much longer report.

Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie and Michigan linebacker Junior Colson were the picks in the second round, and USC safety Calen Bullock and Kentucky running back Ray Davis were the choices in the third.

“Bullock has top-tier range and does his best work from a single-high alignment. He has the long speed, hip fluidity and footwork to break on the ball and cover a ton of ground,” Sikkema wrote. “He is slender and currently lacks NFL-level strength/density to be reliable there. Though his movement skills are cornerback-like and can translate to slot coverage, his strength is an issue when playing near the line of scrimmage or against tight ends in man coverage.”

The Day 3 picks were highlighted by the aforementioned Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace in the seventh.

DraftTek: Trade Up

The Packers traded No. 25 and No. 58 to the Jaguars for No. 17 and an additional pick in the fourth to grab Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean.

“He's an ideal fit for Jeff Hafley's description of a safety with the range and sure tackling to erase big plays and the ballhawking skills to make plays on the ball. Still just 21 years old, DeJean could be a true field tilter in Green Bay's secondary for years to come.”

The lone second-round pick grabbed BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia, who played right tackle in 2022 and left tackle in 2023. Two players mentioned previously, Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright and Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace, were the picks in the third.

Additional linemen were added in the fourth and fifth round, with TCU’s Brandon Coleman and Wisconsin’s Tanor Bortolini, and the draft was rounded out by a defensive lineman, linebacker, quarterback and edge.

Sports Illustrated: Trading Up and Down

I did four seven-rounders over the weekend – two trade-down mocks and two trade-up mocks, one that pushed the Packers almost into the Top 10 and another that gave the team a pair of first-round selections. The point was to show the give-and-take of such decisions.