New NFL Mock Drafts Have Packers Building Around Jordan Love
It's not quite the season for mock drafts. Some of you might roll your eyes at the notion that someone would even read one with the start of the 2024 NFL Draft just less than 150 days away.
(But you are reading this, so clearly that’s not you.)
The draft has become a yearlong point of interest. Earlier in the year, the conversation surrounding the Green Bay Packers was whether they'd pull the rug out from under quarterback Jordan Love and pull the trigger on one of the top signal-callers.
With Love putting together four consecutive high-level performances, those conversations have died down quite a bit.
The mock drafts that have recently emerged have the Packers using their picks to build around Love.
Here's a look at what some of those mocks had to say.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
The Packers’ cornerback situation has been in flux, making it a position the organization might look to upgrade this offseason. Green Bay prioritizes athletic traits and competitiveness, which is why Arnold is the pick here, despite some undisciplined tendencies. Arnold will be ranked higher on some draft boards than his Alabama teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Jaire Alexander has missed time this year with back and shoulder injuries, Eric Stokes has not played one snap at cornerback this year, and Keisean Nixon is slated to be a free agent.
While Carrington Valentine has put together a nice stretch of games, the Packers likely will need some help at cornerback.
Brugler mentions the Packers' preference for athletic traits, and that's especially true in the cornerback room. From a height perspective, they bent their thresholds slightly for Jaire Alexander, but typically have strictly stuck to those thresholds since bending them for colossal bust Terrell Buckley.
Listed at 6-foot, Arnold has five interceptions this season.
NFL Draft Central's Luke Easterling (3 Rounds): JC Latham, OT, Alabama
David Bakhtiari will turn 33 next year, and he's struggled to stay healthy in recent years, so it's time for the Packers to find his replacement. It's been more than a decade since Green Bay spent a first-rounder on an offensive tackle, but it's time for them to invest a premium pick at the position, and Latham has the size, power, and athleticism to be a worthy candidate.
Offensive tackle may be at the top of Green Bay's draft wish list.
With Bakhtiari playing one game in 2021, 11 games in 2022 and just one game in 2023, it’s fair to wonder if he will be in Green Bay beyond this season.
Right tackle Zach Tom has been arguably Green Bay's best player on offense, but Gutekunst has said the team thought his best position was center. Could the Packers make a move like that?
Latham, a massive 360-pounder with surprising athleticism, has allowed just one sack in two years of full-time duty, according to Pro Football Focus.
Apart from the offensive line, the names that will grab the attention are the two third-round picks the Easterling made for the Packers, Treyveon Henderson and Orande Gadsden.
Henderson, with 2,673 rushing yards in three seasons at Ohio State, could replace AJ Dillon, Aaron Jones or both, depending on how the Packers navigate that position this offseason.
Receivers always garner a lot of attention, especially in Green Bay. If the Packers are going to build around Love, adding another weapon wouldn't be a bad idea. Gadsden, listed at 6-foot-5 and playing out of position at tight end, caught 61 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 but has missed most of this season with a foot injury.
33rd Team's Connor Livesay: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
David Bakhtiari has played in only 13 games in the past three years and it sounds like both parties are ready to move on. Amarius Mims has played in limited games in 2023 due to injury, but when on the field he’s been dominant for the Bulldogs. Mims is a high-ceiling LT prospect who has the size, length and athleticism to develop into a dynamic blind-side protector for Jordan Love and a Green Bay Packers offense that is coming off its best game in 2023.
Another offensive lineman. It makes sense. The Packers could move on from Bakhtiari this offseason. Even if they keep him, they will likely look to find a long-term replacement.
Mims, who in two years as a starter has allowed zero sacks and six pressures, is a massive human at a listed 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds. That would represent the heaviest offensive lineman that Gutekunst has drafted. Would they do that?
That remains to be seen.
Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema (5 Rounds): Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
Whatever happens with offensive tackle David Bakhtiari and his contract this offseason, the Packers need to operate under the impression that they'll need new offensive line talent in 2024.
With the need at tackle well-established, Fuaga has allowed zero sacks in two years as a starter but has given up 14 pressures and been penalized eight times in 2023, according to PFF. However, the 6-foot-6, 334-pounder brings a “ton of power” and a “punisher” mentality at right tackle.
The draft continued with a defensive lineman and safety in the second round and a cornerback in the third round. With their final Day 2 pick, Sikkema went with USC running back Marshawn Lloyd.
Lloyd went from one USC (South Carolina) to another (Southern Cal) and has rushed for 820 yards (7.1 average) and nine touchdowns this season. According to PFF, he’s averaging more than 4.0 yards after contact.
CBS Sports' Josh Edwards: Laiatu Latu, edge, UCLA
Green Bay can save a little money by moving on from Preston Smith this offseason. The platoon of Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness and Laiatu Latu would allow the Packers to cycle fresh pass-rushers into and out of the game.
It feels like every year since 2020 has allegedly been Smith's last in Green Bay.
Regardless of if Smith is around, there is no such thing as too many good pass rushers. Van Ness has not provided instant impact as a rookie. Adding another talented rusher like Latu could allow the Packers to continue to rotate their edge players as they have all season.
A transfer from Washington, Latu in two seasons at UCLA has 23.5 sacks, two interceptions and five passes defensed.
