Packers Mock Draft

Unfortunately, for the first time since I was a sophomore at UW-Marathon County, the Green Bay Packers will not participate in this year’s playoffs. That cost many people their job on the team, from Ted Thompson all the way down to many position coaches. Within the next few weeks, the organization that has been as consistent as any in the NFL will have a new general manager and two new coordinators. This has been an interesting offseason already and will continue to be. The team eliminated a few questions late in the season by re-signing free agents-to-be Davante Adams and Corey Linsley. Still, there are plenty of questions this winter and spring. What will happen with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb? What about Bryan Bulaga, Clay Matthews and Nick Perry? I think one of Nelson or Cobb will be gone, given it will be tough to keep three high-priced wide receivers, so that position will likely be addressed in the draft, as will the pass rush. Both Matthews and Perry are high-priced and while effective when playing, are often hurt. So, with that, here is my first installment of my Packers mock draft. As of right now, I will not put any compensatory picks in there. They are expected to acquire four, but I will not put them in until I see exactly which rounds they acquire picks in.

1) Marcus Davenport, DE/OLB, UT-San Antonio

Davenport may not be a top-15 type of prospect right now, but many think he will be by the time the draft rolls around. I mentioned about Matthews and Perry, but there needs to be more. Green Bay actually finished tied for 17th in sacks with 37, but that does not give the story on the Packers pass rush. Too many times in 2017, the opposing quarterback had time to sit back with all the time in the world before finding an open receiver. Davenport is a raw talent, but he has all the physical tools to be a dominant pass rusher. The UT-San Antonio product had 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks this year. It wouldn’t even surprise me if the 6-foot-7 freak of nature climbs his way into the top 10. Pass rush is easily the top need for the Packers this offseason. I could see them sign another in free agency to go along with Davenport while he finds his way in the NFL. Matthews, who turns 32 in May, is not what he once was, but he still had a solid season. His 7.5 sacks in 14 games are his most since his 11-sack season in 2014. Perry had seven sacks in just 12 games for Green Bay this past season after earning a huge contract extension last offseason. I will say, though, that Perry’s sack total was inflated due to his three sack game in Chicago. He has only appeared in at least 14 games three times in his six years in the league, which is worrisome. The team will need depth at the position, even if Matthews and Perry stay healthy next season.

2) Billy Price, OL, Ohio State

Even with the re-signing of Linsley, the Packers still have a hole at guard with the possible retirement of Jahri Evans. Lucas Patrick filled in at guard against Minnesota and held his own. However, I see him as a solid reserve, but not a long-term replacement. Price would be a big-time get if he were to fall to the mid-second round, but it may be wishful thinking on my part. Price can play both guard and center, just as he did with Ohio State. Price played guard his first three years and moved to center after current Minnesota Viking Pat Elflein graduated. As a guard in 2016, Price was an Associated Press second team All-American. He did one better as a senior this past season, earning consensus first team All-American honors, as well as winning the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the player considered to be the best center in college football. Elflein won that award in 2016. Putting Price on an offensive line with Linsley, Bulaga, David Bakhtiari and Lane Taylor would be outstanding. Like I said, it may be wishful thinking, but it is hard to predict the draft three and a half months before it happens.

3) Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis

I mentioned earlier that I believe either Nelson or Cobb will be gone. I also wonder if the Packers move Ty Montgomery back to wide receiver since Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones seem to have locked down the running back tandem. I have a hard time seeing the Packers keep three wide receivers making at at least $10 million when they could spend that money on defense. Thompson is no longer the GM, but he dominated when drafting wide receivers in the second and third round: Adams, Nelson, Cobb, Greg Jennings, James Jones. Even though Thompson is not the GM any more, Miller could be the next in that line. The former walk-on has been a monster the last two seasons, having at least 95 catches and 1,400 yards both seasons. Even when the other teams know where the ball is going, Miller still comes through. In six of Memphis’ games this year, he had at least 140 yards receiving. Against UCF in the Conference USA Championship game, he did all he could to try to help the Tigers win, catching 14 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns in the 62-55 double overtime loss. Miller has the potential to be a great slot receiver for the Green and Gold. McCarthy should look to get him the ball in different ways, much like Kansas City does with Tyreek Hill. The Memphis product has a chance to score any time he touches the ball. With this being a relatively weak wide receiver class, there is a good chance Miller is drafted before this pick. But once again, this may be wishful thinking on my part...

4) Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State

I admit, I have a serious man-crush on the big tight end from Penn State. Every time I watch him, I am impressed. He does not get a ton of targets (or as many as I think he should get), but when he does, he makes the most of them. The last two seasons, he has a combined 105 catches for 1,242 yards and 14 scores. He might not make it out of the third round, so I would love if the Packers were to draft him with their likely third round compensatory pick. Admittedly, his run blocking is a work in progress, but the 6-foot-6 Gesicki has some of the best hands in this entire draft class. Aaron Rodgers needs a big tight end who can stretch the field, and receiving-wise, he is in the mold of a Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce to me. After the Martellus Bennett experiment backfired, the Packers will need to pick up a tight end in this year’s draft. There are a number of good tight ends this year, but Gesicki is my favorite. Richard Rodgers is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and he is just an average tight end. With Bennett gone and Rodgers possibly gone, a tight end is a major question mark this offseason. Lance Kendricks may be the only tight end currently on the roster who is on the team in 2018. If Green Bay could draft a guy like Gesicki and then sign a blocking tight end, it will be a huge success.

5) Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State

After Bulaga went on Injured Reserve, the lack of a backup offensive line showed. Justin McCray can play all over the offensive line, so he will be a part of the team moving forward. Jason Spriggs, the second round pick two years ago, has been a complete bust. He has been hurt quite a bit, and even when healthy, has not been effective. I am not even sure he makes the team next year unless he improves dramatically. Jones will come in and push for Spriggs’ spot behind Bulaga. Jones, a teammate of Price at Ohio State, was named a first team All-Big Ten this past year. He has talent, but is a giant question mark, and will likely slide into the later rounds because of them.

6) Michael Joseph, CB, Dubuque

As Green Bay found out this year, you can never have too much depth at cornerback. With their top four cornerbacks either out or playing at around 50 percent, they were shredded in Detroit to end the season. Joseph won this year’s Cliff Harris Award, which honors the nation’s top small-college defensive player, and became the first Division III player to ever win the award. Joseph, at 6-feet tall and 180 pounds, has nice size for the position. Joseph had eight interceptions this past year and twice had three picks in a single game. Joseph is a sleeper in this year’s draft, and like all small school players, there will be questions about the competition he faced while with Dubuque. If invited to the combine, he will have a chance to answer those.

7) Drew Bailey, DE, Louisville

He has perfect size for a 3-4 defensive end at 6-foot-5 and 294 pounds. Obviously, a seventh round pick is just a stab in the dark, and I think at least one defensive lineman will be drafted by the Packers. He had a very solid year as a junior, but his production fell off in 2017, having no tackles for loss and just a half a sack this past season after having nine and two, respectively, the year before. The Packers could use some depth for Dean Lowry and Mike Daniels.