16 Days Until NFL Draft: Payton Wilson to Packers in ex-NFL Players’ Mock Draft
In a fresh batch of mock drafts, Payton Wilson, Cooper DeJean, Nate Wiggins, Amarius Mims, Graham Barton, Tyler Guyton and Jackson Powers-Johnson were sent to the Green Bay Packers.
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Former NFL players and current CBS Sports analysts Brady Quinn and Leger Douzable put together a first-round mock draft via Instagram in which they sent NC State linebacker Payton Wilson to the Green Bay Packers.
CBS’s Chris Trapasso was not a fan, despite Wilson winning the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker and then having a monster Scouting Combine. He gave the pick a C-plus due to Wilson’s extensive injury history (two ACL tears, surgery on both shoulders).
“Athleticism galore, plus coverage, tackling reliability. It's all there,” Trapasso said. “There are some concerns that dip the grade on this pick. He has a lengthy injury history, and a severe length deficiency, which could hamper his ability to beat blocks at the next level. And he'll turn 24 the week before the draft.”
Cooper DeJean went 22nd to the Eagles. Cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Kool-Aid McKinstry directly after No. 25, and the Detroit Lions took safety Tyler Nubin at No. 29.
USA Today: Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton
One player who did not go in the Quinn-Douzable mock was Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton. He was the pick here by Nate Davis.
“The former tight end would bring high-end potential and flexibility to a line that’s lost LT David Bakhtiari and G Jon Runyan Jr.,” Davis wrote.
Cooper DeJean went 27th and Kool-Aid McKinstry went 29th to the Lions.
The Athletic (3 Rounds): Iowa DB Cooper DeJean
As expected, DeJean had a strong pro day at Iowa on Monday. He was the choice in Nick Baumgardner’s mock.
“Can DeJean play outside corner? Maybe, depending on the scheme and situation. Can he play safety? Absolutely, yes,” Baumgardner said. “DeJean is a versatile nickel with high-level return skills, and he’d fill a need for Green Bay.”
With the second-round picks, Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe solved the depth issue on the interior and Rutgers cornerback Max Melton would join brother Bo Melton in Green Bay, which would lead to some great training camp battles.
The really intriguing picks came in the third round. The Packers need a linebacker and grabbed Jeremiah Trotter, who’s not big and not super-athletic but was incredibly productive. A few picks later, they got their home-run-hitting running back with Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright.
PFF: Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson
The focus on Green Bay’s offensive line has been on the offensive tackles, and rightly so. But the interior could use a lift, too, as they break in a new starting right guard (Sean Rhyan) and have just one player for depth (Royce Newman). Moreover, center Josh Myers and Newman will be free agents after this season.
In Max Chadwick’s mock, the Packers solidified the interior with Powers-Johnson, who was PFF’s top-ranked center in 2023 and third-ranked guard in 2022.
“He has the upper-body strength to bench press 300-pound defensive linemen and the density to anchor quickly and effectively,” reads a snippet of his PFF scouting report. “He is light on his feet for his size, can climb to the second level and has good balance from his wrestling days.”
Cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Kool-Aid McKinstry were available, as were offensive lineman Graham Barton and Tyler Guyton.
NFL.com: Georgia OT Amarius Mims
Adam Rank’s mock is based on what he would do. And what he would do is give Jordan Love a massive, athletic lineman. Mims started only eight games in college but would have time to settle in with Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom onboard.
“I'd go with Mims here because he offers truly rare tools. He could eventually develop into a force in this league, and you have time to let that happen,” Rank said.
The Draft Network (4 Rounds): Duke OL Graham Barton
Damian Parson cut to the chase. “Josh Myers is not the answer” at center, he said in leading off his four-round mock with Barton, a three-year starting left tackle for the Blue Devils who is destined for life at center (where he started his college career) or guard.
“He can mirror and match rushers along with opening lanes in the run game. Jordan Love gets an upgrade on the IOL and the run game does, as well,” Parson wrote.
Barton doesn’t do anything to solve the problem at offensive tackle. No problem. At No. 41 of the second round, the pick was Arizona’s Jordan Morgan, though his 32 7/8-inch arms fall short of the 34-inch threshold teams prefer. A three-year starting left tackle, he allowed two sacks in 2023 and one in 2022.
It was back to the offensive line in the third round with Arkansas center Beaux Limmer. Limmer put up a whopping 39 reps on the 225-pound bench press and is an explosive athlete. However, he gave up seven sacks the last two years, with three when he played mostly center in 2023 and four when he played mostly right guard in 2022.
Two big-time college players were added in the secondary with Florida State cornerback Renardo Green in the second round and Miami safety Kam Kinchens in the third round. Kinchens posted disappointing athletic numbers but was a premier ballhawk with 11 interceptions the last two years.
An elusive, pass-catching running back rounded out the story.
Pro Football Network (3 Rounds): Clemson CB Nate Wiggins
In Anthony Miller’s three-round mock, the lightning-fast Wiggins – the fastest corner in the draft – was the choice over Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry and Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton. Wiggins, who allowed just 18-of-41 passing in 2023, according to PFF, will help a cornerback in which Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes (apparently) lead the way.
Three of the four Day 2 picks were dedicated to the defense with Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin, NC State linebacker Payton Wilson and Texas A&M defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson. Nubin had 12 interceptions the last three seasons, Wilson was voted the best linebacker in the college game in 2023 and the 326-pound Jackson had five sacks and 12.5 tackles for losses his final two seasons.
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