1a. Noah Fant, TE, Iowa (previous: Josh Allen)
As much as I would like Josh Allen to fall to Green Bay, I have a hard time seeing him falling outside the top 10, and Green Bay is slated to pick in the middle of the first round at the moment. The Packers need to draft a tight end of the future this year, and Fant is an outstanding prospect. Jimmy Graham is 32, and last three seasons, Green Bay has signed who many thought was the best tight end in free agency: Jared Cook, Martellus Bennett and Graham. It is about time Green Bay drafted one to be a target for Aaron Rodgers moving forward. It can’t be easy on No. 12 when he has a different tight end every year. Noah Fant could be that guy. He is a good receiving tight end, catching 39 passes for 519 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. In 2017, Fant led the Big Ten with 11 touchdown grabs. His size and athleticism are outstanding and he is a solid blocker. Green Bay sure does love drafting Iowa guys as well, having drafted Josh Jackson, Micah Hyde, Mike Daniels, Bryan Bulaga, among others in recent years.
1b. Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE, Louisiana Tech (previous: Fant)
Amazingly, Green Bay is sixth in the league in sacks with 43. Mike Pettine has done a tremendous job manufacturing pressure from what he has on the defense, but think what he could do with a premier pass rusher. In Ferguson's bowl game, he broke Terrell Suggs’ record for most sacks in a career, with 45 sacks, including 17 this season. Ferguson also had 26 tackles for loss this season and 67.5 in his Louisiana Tech career. The Packers have waited far too long to draft an edge rusher high, and they need to take one with one of their two first round picks. Clay Matthews was actually solid this year, but his days are gone as an elite pass rusher and he is a free agent following this season. Matthews would actually be better off moving to inside linebacker if retained. Nick Perry only played in nine games, and was ineffective even when on the field. Other than his game-sealing sack and forced fumble against Chicago week one, he was missing in action. Brian Gutekunst needs to rebuild the linebacking core, and this is a good start.
2. Bobby Evans, OT, Oklahoma (previous: Ferguson)
While Bryan Bulaga has played extremely well this season, he may be cut at the end of this season due to his tendency to get hurt. He has played 13 games so far this year, and could return for one more season until his contract ends at the conclusion of next season. Regardless if he is brought back for one more season or is cut this offseason, the team will need a tackle to replace him long-term. The Oklahoma product had an outstanding season in 2017 at right tackle and has followed that up with a nice 2018 season at left tackle. He has the length and athleticism to be a great offensive tackle. He could start day one or wait a year and fill in after Bulaga moves on.
3. Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State (previous: Isaiah Prince)
Randall Cobb could be on his way out, which would mean the Packers would need a new wide receiver to work in the slot. In this mock, Aaron Rodgers would be excited about the first two days, gaining two more weapons at his disposal. Last year, they drafted big and fast receivers, Equanimeous St. Brown, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and J’Mon Moore. St. Brown and Valdes-Scantling and have played well as rookies and I think will make a big jump in their second year. Geronimo Allison will also return. Campbell dominated in the slot in 2017, averaging 11.4 yards per slot target, which was fifth in the country. He caught 79 passes for nearly 1,000 yards this year and 11 touchdowns. Against rival Michigan, he hauled in six passes for a whopping 192 yards and a touchdown in the blowout victory.
4a. Kenny Willekes, EDGE, Michigan State (previous: Jon’Vea Johnson)
With Matthews a free agent, Perry unable to stay healthy and most other pass rushers ineffective, it would be wise to use multiple picks on pass rushers. After using a first on Ferguson, Brian Gutekunst takes the Michigan State pass rusher in the fourth. The former walk-on has followed up a solid sophomore season with a tremendous junior season in which he led the Big Ten (seventh nationally) in tackles for loss with 20 and his nine sacks tied for fifth in the conference. For his efforts, Willekes was named the Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. Being just a redshirt junior, it is unclear if he will declare after Michigan State battles Oregon in the Redbox Bowl. He has a tremendous motor, and would be a great pick in the middle of the fourth round.
4b. Chris Johnson, S, North Alabama (previous: N/A)
The Packers need an overhaul at safety, especially after trading Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to Washington this season. Kentrell Brice has struggled, and I doubt Tramon Williams is back in 2019. I have no doubt the Packers will sign at least one starting safety in free agency, and possibly two. Even if they were to sign two, Green Bay could use depth, especially after what happened this season. This season, Johnson registered 47 tackles to go along with three break-ups and two interceptions.
5. Alex Bars, OT/OG, Notre Dame (previous: Corbin Kaufusi)
Green Bay’s guards have not had as good of a year as many Packers fans have hoped. In the mid-rounds, count on the Packers to take an offensive lineman. Cole Madison has not played one snap for the team and may not ever play for the Packers. Bars may help make up for that. He played great against Michigan, but then in late September was lost for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. That could knock him down a bit, but he hopefully will be good by camp next summer. Bars would be a great pick if that is who they select at this spot.
6a. David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State (previous: Karan Higdon)
Green Bay traded Ty Montgomery after his fumble on the kickoff return that may have cost the Packers a win in Los Angeles. After Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, the Packers will have an open competition for the final running back spot. After a really nice sophomore campaign, he followed that up with an even better junior season. While not having as many yards as he did in 2017, he ran the ball fewer times and still had nearly 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry. He has also caught 67 passes in his Iowa State career. Montgomery is only a junior, so he will likely return to school, though.
6b. Cole Tracy, K, LSU (previous: Kaden Smith)
Mason Crosby has been a great kicker for the Packers for 12 seasons, but we are at a point in time where he is being paid too much to be as inconsistent as he has been this season. This year, he is 30-for-37 (81 percent), but missed some makeable kicks, including four field goals against Detroit and the potential game-tying field goal against Arizona. The 81 percent is actually better than his career average, and he actually has made his last eight attempts, but he will 35 by the time next regular season begins and he will get paid nearly $5 million in 2019 if kept. Cutting him would save the organization $3.6 million. Tracy came to LSU from Division II Assumption College, where he was 27-of-29 as a junior. With the Tigers, he has gone 25-of-29 with three of his four misses coming from 50 and beyond.
7. Jazz Ferguson, WR, Northwestern State (previous: Calvin Throckmorton)
I have to homer it up here. I had him taking his brother with their second first round pick, so why not take the other Ferguson brother here? Ferguson is a big body like they drafted last year. If he can run in the 4.4s, he will go higher. After leaving LSU, the former 4* wide receiver went to Northwestern State. All he did there was shatter the school record for single-season receiving yards (1,117) and receiving touchdowns (13), not to mention finishing second in receptions (66). Having more weapons come in and compete the better. He’d likely fight with J’Mon Moore and perhaps Jake Kumerow for a roster spot.
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