All-Packers Mock Drafts 7.0 and 8.0
It’s exactly one week until the NFL Draft. With the Green Bay Packers on the clock in seven days, here is our seventh all-Packers mock draft. And eighth.
The first was done with Pro Football Network’s simulator. Usually, I ignore the trades. If a draft simulation isn’t random enough, how about simulated trades? This time, the simulator pitched a trade: Green Bay’s picks at Nos. 29 of the first round and 178 of the fifth round to Kansas City for Nos. 31 of the first and 94 of the third. That was a no-brainer. In what’s overall a weak draft class, I’d happily take an extra third to move back a couple slots. That was especially true with offensive tackle Teven Jenkins, center Creed Humphrey and some good cornerbacks on the board. So, I took the trade and …
First round – Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: Jenkins didn’t allow any sacks in 2019 and 2020 and helped fuel Chuba Hubbard’s 2,000-yard rushing season in 2019. At 6-foot-6, he beat 5.0 seconds in the 40 and put up 36 reps on the bench. If nothing else, he’ll provide needed insurance at tackle, where last year’s No. 3, Rick Wagner, decided to retire after playing almost 60 percent of the defensive snaps last season.
RELATED: GET TO KNOW TEVEN JENKINS
Second round – Iowa DT Daviyon Nixon. With size and length, Nixon is the prototype for a defensive lineman in a 3-4 front. The Kenosha native had a strong 2020 season should be an upgrade over Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster.
RELATED: GET TO KNOW DAVYION NIXON
Third round – Oklahoma State WR Tylan Wallace. I’ve taken Wallace in four or five of these mocks. So, instead of reading what I’ve written, check out Rob Rang.
Third round – Stanford CB Paulson Adebo: I’m late to the Abedo party. At 6-foot-1 and with 4.44 speed, Adebo has the size to be a nice running-mate with Jaire Alexander. You want a nose for the football? In 13 games in 2018, he had four interceptions and led the nation with 24 passes defensed. In nine games in 2019, he had four interceptions and had 14 passes defensed. Adebo, who opted out of 2020, misses too many tackles and can be overaggressive but the Packers have always valued ball skills.
Fourth round – Stanford C Drew Dalman: In 22 starts in three seasons, Dalman allowed one sack, according to Sports Info Solutions. He’s got a zone-scheme skill-set, ranking third in Relative Athletic Score among this year’s centers.
Fourth round – Texas Tech, CB, Zech McPhearson: A Penn State transfer, McPherson finished among the national leaders with four interceptions in 2020. He could be the long-term piece in the slot. He’s from a family of athletes; his father played for the New York Giants, a brother played in the Milwaukee Brewers’ minor-league organization and a sister plays soccer at Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Fifth round – Tennessee WR Josh Palmer: In four seasons, he caught 99 passes for 1,514 yards and seven touchdowns. His stats won’t blow you away, nor will his size (6-1 1/4) or speed (4.51 in the 40). He caught 33 passes with zero drops in 2020. For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus compared him to a “less physical Jordy Nelson.”
Sixth round – Texas A&M OT Dan Moore: The Packers have three offensive tackles on the roster: the starting tandem of David Bakhtiari and Billy Turner with only Yosh Nijman in reserve. You can never have enough good tackles. Moore, who gave up two sacks in 2020 in the rugged SEC, checks the boxes from a height/length/athleticism perspective.
Sixth round – Buffalo edge Malcolm Koonce: Koonce doesn’t check the boxes. He’s 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds. Compared to the Smith Bros. and Rashan Gary, he’s a runt. But he had 14 sacks, 17.5 TFLs and four forced fumbles in 19 games the past two seasons.
Seventh round – Cincinnati RB Gerrid Doaks: A one-year starter, he checks all the boxes from the Packers’ perspective.
Packers Mock Draft, Round 2
Earlier, I used the simulator at Fan Speak. With that simulator, you can customize your draft rankings. Here’s the quick rundown on how that draft turned out.
First round – Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: This would be an ideal scenario. The Packers need offensive line depth with left tackle David Bakhtiari coming off a torn ACL and Rik Wagner no longer on the roster. Jenkins can be the right guard of today – there would be a hole if Lucas Patrick shifts to center – and the right tackle of the future.
Second round – Aaron Robinson, CB, Central Florida: I keep going back to the one and only time that defensive coordinator Joe Barry has spoken to reporters. “I’m from the school that I think you can’t have enough guys that are potential nickels,” Barry said. While Chandon Sullivan was given a restricted free agent tender, Robinson would be an upgrade as a cover guy and a physical presence.
Third round – Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State: Johnson had huge seasons in 2018 and 2019, accumulating 139 receptions for 2,554 yards and 25 touchdowns. The traditional FCS season was wiped out due to COVID and Johnson opted out of the spring season to focus on the draft. SI.com’s NFL Draft Bible calls Johnson “arguably the top kick returner in the draft class.”
In Day 3:
Fourth round – UCLA DT Osa Odighizuwa is undersized but has the length and explosiveness to bring some pass-rush juice, and Michigan WR Nico Collins has an elite combo of size and speed.
Fifth round – Minnesota CB Benjamin St-Juste has Kevin King-style size and athleticism, and Pittsburgh S Damar Hamlin could step in at safety if Darnell Savage winds up playing in the slot.
Sixth round – Iowa edge Chauncey Golston fits the Packers’ big-guy mold at outside linebacker, and Central Florida CB Tay Gowan is a project but, with King, Sullivan and Josh Jackson headed to free agency next offseason, this seemed like a good value.
Seventh round – Michigan RB Chris Evans fell off the face of the earth in Ann Arbor but is a top athlete and worthy of a final-pick Hail Mary.
