Since it is April and the draft is just a week and a half away,
it is time to put out a new Packers mock. Obviously it is not as fun this year
since Green Bay is without a first round pick. However, if there is one
superpower Brian Gutekunst has, it is finding gems later in the draft. The
Packers made a few moves in free agency, but it is interesting to see where
they go with a number of different avenues they could take.
2. Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Anyone who watched the Packers all season long knows the
struggles they had at the cornerback position. Both Keisean Nixon and
Carrington Valentine had rough seasons last year and Nate Hobbs was
one-and-done in the Green & Gold. The Packers signed former (gulp) Gopher Benjamin
St-Juste, but they definitely need more. Green Bay should have a solid pass
rush when Micah Parsons comes back and Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney form
one of the best safety tandems in the league. A CB1 would be huge for the
Packers, and Johnson could be just that. Johnson had four picks and nine passes
defenses this year and can play both man and zone. He has good size and
athleticism and would be a great first pick for the Packers after not having a
first rounder.
3. Darrell Jackson Jr. DL, Florida State
The Packers have three major needs on the team—offensive
line, cornerback and defensive line. After addressing cornerback with their
first pick, I am giving the Packers defensive linemen in the third. After
Devonte Wyatt fractured his ankle on Thanksgiving Day at Detroit, the Packers’
defense was never the same. The reserves really struggled to hold their own,
and while Green Bay likes some of its new defensive linemen, the Packers need a
major rotational lineman to spell Wyatt. Green Bay added Javon Hargrave in free
agency, but it needs younger talent as well, and added depth after trading
Colby Wooden to Indianapolis. Jackson has great size at the position, not to
mention has a 7-foot-2 wingspan. He is very inconsistent, but he has untapped
potential that the Packers could very well see value in during the third round.
4. Keylan Rutledge, IOL, Georgia Tech
The Packers have a desperate need along the offensive line.
Green Bay lost the lead to Chicago in the playoffs due to the poor showing in
the second half. Also, Elgton Jenkins was released and has signed elsewhere.
The free agent signing of Aaron Banks last year hasn’t worked out as well as
they had hoped, but the Packers are hoping for a healthier and better season
from him in year two. In addition to Jenkins being gone, Rasheed Walker is also
gone, so the depth has taken a hit. Sean Rhyan did perform pretty well at
center and was given a contract extension and Jordan Morgan was solid at
tackle. More competition the better for the Packers along the offensive line
and the team has done pretty well finding mid-round offense linemen.
Rutledge is a good interior lineman who NFL.com’s Lance
Zierlein actually compared to Rhyan. He has tremendous toughness and has good
athleticism, as evidenced by his 9.53 RAS score. He could be drafted higher
than this, though.
5. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
This is a major boom or bust for
the Packers. The Packers need a backup quarterback after Malik Willis signed
elsewhere after two tremendous seasons as a backup quarterback. I wouldn’t put
it past Brian Gutekunst to once again trade a late pick for a quarterback with
talent but struggled, like an Anthony Richardson. But someway, the Packers need
to find Jordan Love’s backup.
Going into the season, Cade
Klubnik was one of the top quarterbacks and looked at as a possible first round
pick. But then 2025 happened. He is an athletic QB who is at his best when
running RPOs. He has been inconsistent, which makes him fall to the later
rounds. But he has developmental traits, and worth the gamble.
5. Charles Demmings, CB,
Stephen F. Austin
The Packers must have some level
of interest to bring him in for a top 30 visit. They also love their Senior
Bowl guys. Packers also need all the help they can get in that area. With St.
Juste and Johnson already in the fold, the Packers have revamped the cornerback
room. An FCS All-American in 2025, he posted nine career interceptions and 35
career pass breakups. He has elite athleticism, as evidenced by his 9.97 RAS.
6. Tyron Montgomery, WR, John Carroll
After taking a pair of wide receivers in last year’s draft,
my prediction is the Packers go back and take another wide receiver, and it may
be even earlier than this. Montgomery was a major winner in
Senior Bowl practices and could make a difference as a slot receiver. He is a
tremendous route runner, as his Twitter bio suggests, referring to himself as a
‘route technician.’ Against North Central, one of the best teams in Division
III, he had 10 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown. One major negative about
him is his age, as he’ll be 25 by the start of the season.
I see Green Bay taking a wide receiver in the draft considering Romeo Doubs
signed in New England and Dontayvion Wicks was just traded to Philadelphia. I
do expect Savion Williams and Matthew Golden to have bigger roles this upcoming
season, but the Packers normally let players develop for a year or two before
throwing them to the wolves. In addition to that, Christian Watson and Jayden
Reed are both free agents next offseason, and they will could lose one, so it
is good
to get ahead on that.
7. Diego Pounds, OT, Ole Miss
The Packers love taking multiple offensive linemen, which makes sense this year with losing multiple players in free agency. You can never have too much depth along the offensive line. Pounds is a terrific pass blocker who could be a wing tackle. He started all 15 games for Ole Miss at left tackle last season, earning third team all-conference honors.
7. Mason Reiger, EDGE, Wisconsin
Of course, on every Packers early
mock, I have to put the obligatory Wisconsin Badger. This time, it is Mason
Reiger. Honestly, his East-West Shrine Bowl showing, both in the game and in
the week’s practices, might have moved him up in the draft. He was phenomenal
in the game, recording three sacks and a forced fumble to earn the defensive
MVP.
Reiger proved he could come back
after missing the 2024 season due to a knee injury that required surgery. He
transferred to Wisconsin from Louisville—perhaps as the player to be named
later in the deal that sent Isaac Guerendo to Louisville. I kid, I kid. But
Reiger made a massive impact for Bucky, posting five sacks and collapsing the
pocket a number of other times to help others get sacks. The injury and age (he
will turn 24 by the start of the season) will push him down the board, but
he’ll be an impact player wherever he goes.
