Two Days Until NFL Draft: Guyton, DeJean, Huge Trade for Packers

With two days until the NFL Draft, here are a dozen red-hot mock drafts predicting what the Green Bay Packers will do in the first round on Thursday night.

Author:
Bill Huber
Apr 23, 2024

In this story:

Cooper DeJean

Tyler Guyton

Green Bay Packers

Packers Mock Draft

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will be on the clock with the 25th pick of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft in two days. Who will they take?

Here are the latest predictions, including a huge trade and what a pair of former NFL general managers think. But first, we’ll kick it off with the home team.

Sports Illustrated: Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton

In Conor Orr’s mock, the Packers landed the potential-packed Guyton, who has elite measurables but a relative lack of experience. Even if the Packers are in love with Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker, they badly need to address the depth after releasing David Bakhtiari and losing valuable Yosh Nijman.

“The Packers have a lot of flexibility at the back end of this draft, but I do think that they need to address the offensive line if they’re seriously planning to make a deep run in 2024,” Orr stated.

“I like that many analysts have pegged Guyton as an athlete first, which seems to not only fit the team’s profile of drafting for potential and skill, but within the offense itself, which requires being able to move quickly and laterally. The Matt LaFleur coaching staff has done a great job of teaching the system’s complexities to young offensive linemen so far. “

Guyton was the seventh lineman off the board, though Troy Fautanu and Graham Barton were available. Cooper DeJean went to the Eagles a few slots earlier.

CBS Sports: Big Trade

In R.J. White’s mock, the Packers made a huge move from No. 25 to No. 15 to get Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy. The cost was giving up their second-round pick at No. 58.

“Murphy is the type of athletic freak the Packers love to draft, and GM Brian Gutekunst has a track record of prioritizing the defensive trenches in the draft,” White wrote. “The Texas product will give them a true pass-rushing threat from the interior of the defense as they move to a one-gap scheme under new DC Jeff Hafley and bring the attack mentality he's focused on building around.”

33rd Team (Former General Managers): Cooper DeJean

The 33rd Team’s resident executives, former GMs Rick Spielman and Mike Tannenbaum, tag-teamed their first-round mock. Spielman selected DeJean “because they might project him as a nickel or safety. General manager Brian Gutekunst has talked about wanting a young safety next to Xavier McKinney this offseason.”

NFL.com: Iowa DB Cooper DeJean

Eric Edholm made an excellent point. Last year, the Packers could have drafted Alabama’s Brian Branch but traded that pick to the Lions, who did draft Branch. Branch was excellent. The Packers under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley could use that type of player.

“I think DeJean can play a similar role for the 2024 Green Bay defense,” Edholm said. “He's capable of playing safety, nickel or outside corner, all three of which are positions of need for the Packers; DeJean also has special-teams value. I considered both lines of scrimmage here, but DeJean makes sense.”

Seven offensive tackles were off the board before Green Bay was up.

Pro Football Network: Iowa DB Cooper DeJean

A cornerback at Iowa, DeJean would play safety alongside Xavier McKinney, Adam Caplan said.

Pro Football Network (3 Rounds): Iowa DB Cooper DeJean

Will Helms also selected DeJean in a three-round mock that saw the Packers move back from No. 41 to No. 48 while gaining a fourth-round pick.

“I’ve agonized over a lot of these picks so far,” Helms said, “but this is easy with Cooper DeJean on the board. An athletic corner — or safety — with great college production, the Iowa Hawkeyes standout is as pro-ready as any defensive back in the draft. DeJean could start at any number of defensive alignments for Green Bay.”

A couple of the Day 2 picks would spark conversation. At No. 44, the choice was NC State linebacker Payton Wilson, a terrific player with a mile-long injury history. At No 88, the selection was too-short cornerback Mike Sainristil.

NBC Sports: Iowa DB Cooper DeJean

Chris Simms cast another vote for DeJean. “You look at their team, they don’t need a ton. He can play safety, strong safety and nickel, and he can cover tight ends like T.J. Hockenson, Sam LaPorta and Cole Kmet in the NFC North.”

Los Angeles Times (beat writers): Georgia OT Amarius Mims

Sam Farmer’s annual beat writers mock draft had The Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Pete Dougherty serving as Brian Gutekunst. He went with Mims, who has “big upside” to potentially challenge for the starting job at left tackle. DeJean went to the Lions at No. 29.

CBS Sports (Eric Galko): Georgia OT Amarius Mims

Galko runs the East-West all-star game. “The Packers seem to want to add an offensive tackle this offseason, and they get to snag Mims, who has one of the highest ceilings of any in this class and has every reason to still be ascending as a prospect.”

The Ringer: Penn State edge Chop Robinson

Sheil Kapadia’s unique blow-by-blow of how the first round is going to play out says the Packers are going to “bet on a prospect with elite athletic traits.”

PFF: Duke OL Graham Barton

In Gordon McGuinness’ mock, the choice was Barton, who started at left tackle the last three years but opened his career at center. He could start “immediately” at right guard ahead of Sean Rhyan, he said.

33rd Team: Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton

Ari Meirov said the Packers “have always gone the developmental route with their offensive line and have been historically successful. While still a product, Tyler Guyton possesses raw pro undeniable size and skills, making this pick very much in line with the Packers' strategic style.”