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It's Draft Day!: NFL Mock Draft Madness

With the NFL Draft starting today, here are 20 predictions on what the Green Bay Packers will do in the first round.
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The NFL Draft begins on Thursday. How about a mock draft roundup?

Adding to what we posted on Tuesday, here are some Draft Day mocks.

I used simulators at Pro Football Focus to get Kentucky LB Jamin Davis and Pro Football Network to get Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins.

Both players have been mentioned prominently by scouts.

NFL Draft Bible's Ric Serritella went with Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman.

Here's part of the Draft Bible scouting report: Bateman is just scratching the surface of how good he can be. With his combination of route running, soft hands and catch point productivity, Bateman has a chance to hear his name called during the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft when all is said and done.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah went with North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz. Here’s part of his summation:

Green Bay finds a fit on the offensive line in Radunz, who is one of the most underrated players in the draft. He is very similar to David Bakhtiari from a size and athletic testing perspective.

NFL Network’s Charlie Casserly, a former GM, chose Tulsa LB Zaven Collins.

Brian Gutekunst jumps at the opportunity to fill a big hole in the middle of Green Bay's defense, before going to work on finding a weapon for Aaron Rodgers on Day 2.

Staying with NFL Network, Lance Zierlein traded up for Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore.

With the Ravens and Saints lurking in front of them, the Packers might be willing to take a small jump up the draft board to give Aaron Rodgers the help he needs at receiver.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler chose Alabama T/G Alex Leatherwood.

This is a strong offensive tackle class, but the Packers might not be willing to see if the position stretches until the late second round. Leatherwood has the position flexibility to help Green Bay at both tackle and guard.

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. took Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman. Here's part of the summation.

Bateman can play outside or in the slot. Don't rule out front-seven help here, either.

Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting and the Shrine Bowl all-star game also went with Leatherwood.

Among the mocks at The Draft Network, Jordan Reid also went with Leatherwood. Here’s part of his summation:

Easily my vote for the player that the league is higher on than what we’ve seen in the media, Leatherwood is widely seen as an early starter at right or left tackle, but there are some that like him more inside. A proven track record at both tackle spots and inside at guard plus testing as a 90th percentile athlete only strengthens his resume.

Outkick.com’s Clint Lamb went with Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman. Here’s part of the summation:

Aaron Rodgers will be thrilled to learn the Packers’ front office actually tried to help him in the first round, but after watching last season, I’m not entirely sure he needs it. In fact, maybe they should take another quarterback and motivate him even more.


These drafts were added on Tuesday:

SI.com's NFL insider, Albert Breer, went with Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore.

There’s a lot of disagreement league-wide on who the fourth receiver will be (after Chase and the two Bama receivers). But I have been able to find a pretty good level of agreement that Moore’s a really clean prospect with a good amount of upside, to the point where I’d guess (and this is just a guess) NFL consensus would have Moore as the top guy in the second tier at the position. I love this NFL comp I got on him for the Packers, too: Randall Cobb.

The 33rd Team, which is led by former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum, went with linebacker Nick Bolton of Missouri.

The Packers cut Christian Kirksey this offseason and are left with UDFA Krys Barnes and [fifth-rounder Kamal Martin] at the position. Bolton is an athletic, intelligent defensive leader who can fly to the ball. While undersized, Bolton plays the position like a bulldog. He is an aggressive hard-hitting linebacker who fills the gap and can make hard tackles in small spaces.

NFL Draft Bible went with defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike of Washington.

With insufficient depth at the interior defensive line position this year, it would not surprise me if a team snaps up one of the few high-end prospects at the end of the first round. Onwuzurike has flashed huge potential while at Washington with black belt-esque hand usage and quickness that is tough for interior offensive linemen to contain. The Packers have lacked a quality running mate for Kenny Clark inside but get a chance to take a quality one here.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks went with Michigan offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield.

The Packers’ lack of depth on the front line was exposed during the playoffs. Mayfield is a natural right tackle with the potential to play inside or outside at the next level.

Expand the Box Score, which puts out a quality draft guide, went with receiver Kadarius Toney of Florida.

So did former NFL quarterback Chris Simms.

Pro Football Talk columnist Peter King went with Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis.

It’s the annual Green Bay game of How can we avoid taking a receiver in the first round again? Kadarius Toney would seem logical here. But if I’m GM Brian Gutekunst, I might go best player on the board here, then receiver in the second round (Rondale Moore? Dyami Brown?) because, in my draft scenario, lots of the good wideouts are gone. Davis is perhaps the fastest-rising defensive player in the crop over the last three months. After starting only 11 games at Kentucky, NFL teams studying his tape found the rangy sideline-to-sideline playmaker they’re valuing in linebackers these days. “Very instinctive for a guy who hasn’t played much,” one GM said. If the Packers zero in on linebackers, they may like Zaven Collins of Tulsa, but those I spoke to like Davis more.

SI.com’s Gary Gramling had the Packers trading down for Notre Dame lineman Liam Eichenberg.

There are a lot of second-tier tackle prospects to choose from, and the Packers can afford to move down if they have the opportunity. Eichenberg would at least provide needed depth early in his career, with a chance to become a starter at either tackle spot.

Pro Football Focus had a seven-round mock draft that led off with Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore.

While he played nearly exclusively in the slot in his time at Ole Miss, he has the elite athleticism and strength to feasibly play on the outside at his size. He got off Jaycee Horn's press as well as any receiver in the country this past season.

Finally, it wasn’t a mock draft, but former Packers receiver James Jones chose LSU receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.

Stories, Stats and Scouting Reports on 2021 NFL Draft Class

History Guides Look at Cornerbacks

It's the Sons Time to Shine in Loaded Cornerback Group

History Guides Look at Linebackers

Parsons, Owusu-Koramoah, Collins Lead Superb Linebacker Class

History Guides Look at Defensive Tackles

Barmore Atop Weak Class of Defensive Linemen

History Guides Look at Receivers

Toney, Bateman Part of Group Available to Packers

History Guides Look at Offensive Tackles

Loaded Class Awaits Tackle-Needy Packers

History Guides Look at Interior Offensive Line

Vera-Tucker, Humphrey and the Rest of the Interior O-Linemen

History Guides Look at Tight Ends

Pitts Leads Weak Group of Tight Ends

History and Top Prospects at Running Back

History and Top Prospects at Quarterback