NFL.com Mock Draft: Packers Might ‘Run This Card to Podium’

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein addressed one of the Green Bay Packers’ glaring needs in his post-Scouting Combine mock draft.

Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jaire Alexander? He could be traded or released. Former first-round pick Eric Stokes? He’s headed to free agency, as are backups Robert Rochell and Corey Ballentine.

So, the Green Bay Packers need talent at cornerback, period, and high-end talent, preferably, to supplement the playoff trio of Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine at cornerback and Javon Bullard in the slot.

In his new mock draft for NFL.com following the Scouting Combine, Lance Zierlein selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron for the Packers.

“With CB Jaire Alexander seemingly on the way out, the Packers might run this card up to the podium,” Zierlein explained.

In his scouting report, Zierlien imagined Barron as a “big nickel,” though that wouldn’t necessarily address the Packers’ need at corner. Alexander and Stokes were perimeter corners. Picking Barron would mean it would be Barron vs. Bullard in the slot and Bullard vs. Evan Williams at safety.

“The size and tape work in his favor as a physical nickel who can be an early contributor and future starter, with the potential to cross-train as a safety,” Zierlien wrote.

Barron played mostly in the slot in 2022, when he had two interceptions and 12 tackles for losses, and 2023, when he had one interception and seven passes defensed. In 2024, Texas moved him to corner, where he thrived with an SEC-leading five interceptions along with 16 passes defensed.

He was a first-team All-American and won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, when allowed a completion rate of 54.4 percent and just 4.18 yards per target, according to PFF.

“Me knowing and understanding all the positions, it benefits me just to be out there to communicate with other people, to understand the route concepts, to understand what’s the stress when I’m in slot, what’s the stress when I’m in corner. I’m most definitely comfortable playing outside, safety or in the slot.”

The question in general about Barron is whether a slot defender is worth a first-round pick. As NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said during a pre-Combine conference call, Brian Branch fell into the second round in 2023 and Cooper DeJean fell into the second round in 2024.

“The league collectively blew it on Cooper DeJean and let him fall to the second round. Is this going to happen again?” Jeremiah said. “Are we going to let Barron fall because we’re not going to give credit to someone who is going to be on the field the whole game as someone who is going to be a nickel or going to play in that different role.

“He can play and be your dime linebacker, your nickel. I think he could survive outside if you needed him to. That’s not going to be where his specialty is, but somebody that is a sure tackler, that has instincts, that takes the football away, that’s an outstanding blitzer.”

If this mock turns into reality, it would be fascinating to measure Barron’s career alongside some of the other top corners in the draft.

Barron was the second cornerback off the board behind Michigan’s Will Johnson. The Minnesota Vikings traded back and picked the fastest cornerback in the draft at No. 27. Another top cornerback prospect went to the Detroit Lions at No. 28