Final Packers mock draft

It is draft day, everybody! This is my final mock draft for the Green Bay Packers. Not only is it draft day, but the NFL draft is in Green Bay. I love draft day and I think the Packers could take advantage of the depth of this draft. A trade down in the first (if no one the Packers love is available) before trading up in the later rounds could be in the cards, but I didn’t do any trades in this mock. Without further ado, here we go:

 

1) Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

If there is one guy who I think could fall is Will Johnson.  Green Bayneeds at least one cornerback in the draft and maybe two. He has great ball skills, and when he does pick it off, he can do some things, as evidenced by his three career pick sixes. The Packers signed Nate Hobbs from Vegas and have him along with Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon, and for the moment, Jaire Alexander. Eric Stokes is gone to the Raiders and Corey Ballentine was signed by Indianapolis.

The Packers need a front-line starter, as Valentine and Nixon are solid, but unspectacular at the position. Jeff Hafley wants turnovers and having Johnson in the secondary would help that. If he were the pick, Johnson and Nixon would man the outside with Hobbs and Javon Bullard helping in the slot.

 

2) JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State

The Packers improved many different positions during the free agency, but one position they did not address was the pass rush and the Green & Gold needs to address that since while the sack numbers weren’t terrible, Green Bay took advantage of a few terrible offensive lines to record most of them. Rashan Gary needs to produce more like his contract suggests, while it is a big season upcoming for Lukas Van Ness since he needs to take a big leap in the second season in Jeff Hafley’s defense. Green Bay needs another pass rusher to help out Gary and create a strong rotation.

After relatively modest sack numbers in his first three years, Tuimoloau brought down opposing quarterbacks 12.5 times and had 21.5 tackles for loss to finish fifth and third in the country, respectively. His biggest game came in 2022 in a top-15 matchup at Penn State with two interceptions—including one for a touchdown, two sacks, a forced fumble in which he recovered and a tipped pass in which his teammate came down with for a pick. Not a bad day.

 

3) Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State

The Packers will absolutely take advantage of this talented defensive tackle class. He has a lot of upside but still is very raw. Green Bay does love its Senior Bowl guys and he does fit the bill. Green Bay has a bunch of decent players at the position, as Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks all have their moments, but they need a stud at the position, not to mention this very easily could be Clark’s last season in Titletown as his play isn’t worth his hefty contract. I am not sure if he would come in and play immediately a lot, but the Packers hope he hits his ceiling.

4) Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State

The Packers have done a lot of homework on wide receivers in this year’s draft. Horton is a fast receiver who was a productive player at Nevada before ending up with Colorado State. In 2023, he posted 1,136 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. In 2024, he had 353 receiving yards before missing the second half of the season with an injury. The Packers need more help at wide receiver after last year and Christian Watson will miss most of the year with a torn ACL, which he suffered in week 18 against Chicago.

 

5) Caleb Rogers, OL, Texas Tech

The Packers love taking offensive linemen in the draft. As of right now, the starting five will be Rasheed Walker, Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Jordan Morgan (or Sean Rhyan) and Zach Tom. However, Jenkins has a huge cap number next season and both Tom and Walker are up for extensions. The Packers are always a team that looks to the future and what problems could arise the following season.

With both tackles in need of an extension, the Packers could look to take one—or put Morgan out at left tackle in 2026—and draft more interior linemen. He could be a good guard or tackle in the NFL, which is what Green Bay likes. He might take a year to develop, which could be perfect for Green Bay. The Packers love traits and Rogers has terrific explosion and agility traits to work with.

 

6) Caleb Ransaw, CB, Tulane

After revamping the safety room last year, Green Bay could do the same at cornerback this year. Jaire is likely gone and Stokes is already gone. With Johnson earlier, as well as Hobbs, Valentine and Nixon, Green Bay has a chance to really turn itself into a great secondary. Another high RAS (Relative Athletic Score) player who has a chance to excel in Jeff Hafley’s defense.

 

7) Cam Horsley, DT, Boston College

The Packers take another defensive tackle, taking advantage of the strong defensive tackle class. After losing TJ Slaton in free agency, Horsley fills the void of a run defender, which the Packers desperately need since. While they weren’t terrible against run defense, they need to improve still.

 

7) Esa Pole, OT, Washington State

Pole is another traits-based offensive lineman the Packers would love. They brought him in on a top 30 visit, which means something based on recent history. The Packers like to take offensive linemen on day three and many turn into solid players.

Final mock draft

 

1) Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)

2) Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado

3) New York Giants: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

4) New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

5) Jacksonville Jaguars: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

6) Las Vegas Raiders: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

7) New York Jets: Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia

8) Carolina Panthers: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

9) New Orleans Saints: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

10) Chicago Bears: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas

11) San Francisco 49ers: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

12) Dallas Cowboys: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

13) Miami Dolphins: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

14) Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

15) Atlanta Falcons: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M

16) Arizona Cardinals: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

17) Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

18) Seattle Seahawks: Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

20) Denver Broncos: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina

21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

22) Los Angeles Chargers: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

23) Green Bay Packers: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

24) Minnesota Vikings: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

25) Houston Texans: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

26) Los Angeles Rams: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss

27) Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

28) Detroit Lions: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

29) Washington Commanders: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College

30) Buffalo Bills: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

31) Kansas City Chiefs: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

32) Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

NFL Mock Draft

 

1) Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)

2) Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

3) New York Giants: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado

4) New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU

5) Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DL, Michigan

6) Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

7) New York Jets: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

8) Carolina Panthers: Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia

9) New Orleans Saints: Shadeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

10) Chicago Bears: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

11) San Francisco 49ers: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas

12) Dallas Cowboys: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

13) Miami Dolphins: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

14) Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

15) Atlanta Falcons: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

16) Arizona Cardinals: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

17) Cincinnati Bengals: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

18) Seattle Seahawks: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

20) Denver Broncos: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina

21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

22) Los Angeles Chargers: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M

23) Green Bay Packers: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

24) Minnesota Vikings: Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State

25) Houston Texans: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

26) Los Angeles Rams: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

27) Baltimore Ravens: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College

28) Detroit Lions: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

29) Washington Commanders: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

30) Buffalo Bills: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss

31) Kansas City Chiefs: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

32) Philadelphia Eagles: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Post-FA Packers Mock

 

We are done with the first wave of free agency and the Green Bay Packers have made two big splashes, signing Nate Hobbs from the Las Vegas Raiders and Aaron Banks from the San Francisco 49ers, a cornerback and guard, respectively. The Packers have let a majority of their free agents go and while most are not impact starters, they did provide good depth. Green Bay did re-sign Isaiah McDuffie and Brandon McManus, though.

 

1.        Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

While the Packers signed a cornerback and guard this free agent cycle, one position the Team did not address was the EDGE. Green Bay needs to address it, as Rashan Gary needs to produce more like his contract suggests, while it is a big season upcoming for Lukas Van Ness since he needs to take a big leap in the second season in Jeff Hafley’s defense. Green Bay needs another pass rusher to help out Gary and create a strong rotation. There were many games the pass rush looked outstanding, but in many others, they could not get to the opposing quarterback.

Mike Green was a second team All-American and Sun Belt DPOY, leading the country with 17 sacks and second in TFL with 22.5. He is an explosive athlete and would have a chance to contribute immediately.

 

2.        Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

I had the Packers taking Revel in the first mock in the first round. He may go a bit before the Packers pick in the second round, but I will keep him here. Green Bay needs at least one cornerback in the draft and maybe two. The Packers signed Nate Hobbs from Vegas and have him along with Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon, and for the moment, Jaire Alexander. Jaire hasn’t been cut yet, which is surprising, to be honest. Maybe the Packers think they can get something of value for him in a trade. Eric Stokes is gone to the Raiders and Corey Ballentine was signed by Indianapolis.

The Packers need a front-line starter, as Valentine and Nixon are good 3-4 cornerbacks at the moment, but a CB1 is needed. Revel has good athleticism and great size at 6-3. One thing going against him is that he tore his ACL in September. While he should be fully ready for camp, it will be interesting to see how quickly it takes for him to feel back to full strength.

 

3.        Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary

Even with the signing of Aaron Banks, the Packers depth was a bit tested, not to mention we all saw what happened when the Packers were banged up along the offensive line during last season’s playoffs. As of right now, the starting five will be Rasheed Walker, Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Jordan Morgan (or Sean Rhyan) and Zach Tom. However, Jenkins is due a massive deal next season and both Tom and Walker are up for extensions. The Packers are always a team that looks to the future and what problems could arise the following season.

With both tackles in need of an extension, the Packers could look to take one—or put Morgan out at left tackle in 2026—and draft more interior linemen. He could be a good guard or tackle in the NFL, which is what Green Bay likes, as well as his wrestling background, as Kenny Clark was a high school wrestler as well. He might take a year to develop, which could be perfect for Green Bay.

 

4.        Ty Hamilton, DT, Ohio State

The defensive tackle group in this draft might be the best group in the entire draft. Much like the Packers with tight ends two years ago, I could see them going multiple defensive tackles in the first two days to capitalize on that strong position group. Green Bay has a bunch of decent players at the position, as Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks all have their moments, but they need a stud at the position, not to mention this very easily could be Clark’s last season in Titletown as his play isn’t worth his hefty contract.

Hamilton is a good run defender and with T.J. Slaton gone via free agency, a run stuffer is needed. He is a strong and quick defensive tackle and has the potential to be a good pick at this spot for the Packers.

 

5.        LaQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse

Another position that is one of the best in the draft is running back. Even with drafting Marshawn Lloyd in last year's draft, I expect another one to be picked this time around as well. The Packers still really like Emanuel Wilson and I could easily see them keep four running backs. Allen is still just 20 years old and doesn’t turn 21 until August, so there is room to grow. He is a solid receiver out of the back field, leading all FBS running backs with 64 receptions, turning those catches into 521 yards and four touchdowns. He also has the ability to cover kicks and return punts, both of which Green Bay is looking for.

 

6.        Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M

The Packers love to take their offensive linemen and develop them. He is a mountain of a man, standing 6-foot-7, but is super athletic, as evidenced by his 9.44 RAS score. He has been a left tackle, but despite his age, will need a year to develop. There are not many better spots to land and develop than Green Bay, as the projected two starting offensive tackles for the Packers were day three selections. That includes projected starting left tackle Rasheed Walker, who was a seventh-round selection.

 

7.        Zeek Biggers, DT. Georgia Tech

Green Bay should want to capitalize on the strength of this defensive tackle class. After drafting Hamilton in the fourth round, the Packers go back to defensive tackle. With Slaton gone and Kenny Clark getting up there in age, Green Bay needs to replenish the defensive tackle room. His RAS of 9.80 will be intriguing. He was honorable mention All-ACC in each of his final two seasons at Georgia Tech. Hamilton had 3.5 tackles for loss last season and was one of the nation’s best at blocking kicks, recording two.

Green Bay Packers Mock Draft

 

We are closing in on the conclusion of the regular season, and I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the Packers potential draft needs with my first in-season 2025 mock draft. The Packers have already improved upon their 2023 record with 11 victories so far, compared to last year’s nine.

 

1.        Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

The Packers have a huge hole at cornerback. Keisean Nixon has played a lot better recently and Carrington Valentine has had a real nice sophomore campaign. However, Jaire Alexander’s body is failing him and Eric Stokes is a free agent. Alexander has missed most of the season once again and no one knows when he’ll be back. Packers can’t have their highly-paid top corner hardly ever pay. I have no idea if they’ll let him go or not. Stokes, on the other hand, has been pretty disappointing. He has played better recently, but I don’t know if that will be enough to bring him back. If they move on from both Alexander and Stokes, corner goes from a big need to a dire need. Revel has good athleticism and great size at 6-3. One thing going against him is that he tore his ACL in September. While he should be fully ready for camp, it will be interesting to see how quickly it takes for him to feel back to full strength.

 

2.        J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State

You can never have enough edge rushers. For much of the year, the Packers were not able to heat up opposing quarterbacks, but recently, the rushers have started to get it going. Next season, the Packers hope to have Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness starting. Green Bay would like to have another fierce pass rusher off the bench with Kingsley Enagbare and Brenton Cox. Tuimoloau has improved each season with this year being an 8-sack campaign. He hasn’t necessarily lived up to his massive hype coming out of high school, but he has a lot of talent and Jeff Hafley could bring out the best in him. It is well worth the selection.

 

3.        Patrick Jenkins, DT, Tulane

The defensive tackle group has improved quite a bit this season, especially with the emergence of Devonte Wyatt. However, the Packers could always use more depth, especially since T.J. Slaton is a free agent. Also, while Kenny Clark just received a contract extension, he might only have a few great years left in him and the Packers would benefit to try to find a long-term replacement should his production drop off significantly in 2025. Jenkins is a 3x All-AAC selection and is an integral part of that defense and could step in and make an impact from day one.

 

4.        Gus Hartwig, C, Purdue

It will be interesting to see what the Packers do at center next season if Josh Myers leaves via free agency. One could be Jacob Monk or a rookie. They really like Zach Tom if he were the center, but they will likely keep him at right tackle. Another thing would be moving Elgton Jenkins to center since he was a center at Mississippi Stare and then put 2024 first round pick Jordan Morgan at guard and have an offensive line of Rasheed Walker/Morgan/Jenkins/Sean Rhyan/Tom. Regardless, expect the Packers to take an offensive lineman or two.

 

5.        Ricardo Hallman, CB, Wisconsin

Even though I have the Packers taking a cornerback to begin the draft, it really would not surprise me to see the Green & Gold select multiple cornerbacks. The one bad thing is that the Packers struggle mightily at taking impact corners early (see: Josh Jackson and Eric Stokes, to name a few). Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon are mainstays, but I don’t know how you can count on Jaire Alexander and Stokes is a free agent. Hallman didn’t have as good of a season last year for the Badgers, but Wisconsin’s pass rush was not good, to say the least, which affected the secondary. However, he was an All-American in 2023, and has a chance to be a good pick at this spot.

 

6.        Ashton Grable, OL, Florida A&M

Another thing the Packers love is versatile linemen. He moved to right guard this season and played well. He has things the Packers would like and be able to work with. The Packers love to take offensive linemen on the third day of the draft and have been wildly successful doing so. Another thing the Packers love is versatile linemen. He moved to right guard this season and played well. He has things the Packers would like and be able to work with.

 

7.        Caleb Etienne, OT, BYU

I have them bringing in another offensive lineman for the Packers. The line has been pretty good, for the most part, but the Packers need to keep replenishing the offensive line with hopes to make it dominant. He has developmental traits the Packers could like working with.

Top 20 current coaches who have yet to reach the Final Four

Honorable Mentions:

Ben Jacobsen, Northern Iowa (354-233, four NCAA Tournament appearances, one Sweet 16)

Fran McCaffery, Iowa (531-368, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances)

Andy Enfield, SMU (261-175, six NCAA Tournament appearances, one Sweet 16, one Elite 8)

Chris Holtmann, DePaul (251-171, seven NCAA Tournament appearances, one Sweet 16)

Penny Hardaway, Memphis (133-62, two NCAA Tournament appearances)

 

20. Steve Pikiell, Rutgers (329-297, three NCAA Tournament appearances)

Rutgers had a down season this past year but did make or would have made the postseason in each of the previous four seasons, which includes three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers had not made the Big Dance since 1991 prior to his arrival. Pikiell has turned around the program in a big way. In 2021, he led the Scarlet Knights to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1983 and nearly upset No. 2 seed Houston in the second round. He had three below .500 seasons with Rutgers to start his career, but then it all came together. Rutgers had only once made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (1975-76) before making it to two straight seasons in 2021 and 2022. Before going to New Jersey, he had a big turnaround at Stony Brook, winning just four games in his first year to a program that reached the postseason in six of his final seven seasons, culminating with an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016.

 

19. Steve Alford, Nevada (683-357, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet 16s)

Alford and Nevada had a fantastic season this past year, but it ended with a dud, losing in its first game in the conference tournament and then again in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The team has rebounded after a few down years. He has made a huge difference for the Wolfpack. He has had a successful stint at all of his mid-major or lower conference schools. Alford led Southwest Missouri State to a Sweet 16 opponent, including a 30-point blowout of Tennessee in the second round. Prior to Nevada, he was fired mid-season at UCLA, but he did guide the Bruins to three appearances in the Sweet, including one in which he led them to 31 wins. That came after a sensational run at New Mexico, where he compiled a record of 155-52. It would be tough to make it at a school like Nevada, but I would not put it past him.

 

18. Mike Young, Virginia Tech (391-310, seven NCAA Tournament appearances)

Mike Young will need a good season or two more to continue to stay on this list because he is coming off back-to-back 19-15 seasons at Virginia Tech, both seasons ending in the NIT. In his five seasons, the Hokies have made the tournament twice. While his first season was the year cut short due to COVID, Virginia Tech finished 16-16 and would not have made it even if the tournament was held. He only once has finished better than seventh in the ACC and has not made it past the first round of the tournament with the Hokies. Prior to heading to Blacksburg, he helped lead Wofford to become a force as a small school, as the Terriers were 30-5 his final season and pushed Kentucky before falling in the second round in 2019. That was one of six 20-win seasons at Wofford. But he will need some strong seasons coming up.

 

17. Danny Sprinkle, Washington (109-50, three NCAA Tournament appearances)

It has been a meteoric rise for Danny Sprinkle. Just over a year ago, Sprinkle was the head coach of his alma mater, Montana State, and was fresh off back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament. In April of 2023, he was hired at Utah State, where he led the Aggies to the second round of the tournament, defeating TCU in the first. After just one season in Logan, he was hired at the University of Washington, a program that has only made one NCAA Tournament since 2012 and has not made the Final Four since 1953. The Huskies now head into the Big Ten (still weird for me to type) and aim to make noise in a really difficult conference, as they are joined in heading to the conference from the Pac 12 with USC, UCLA and Oregon.

 

16. Leonard Hamilton, Florida State (643-491, 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet 16s, one Elite 8)

After a few really strong seasons in which it looked like he and his Seminoles were on the cusp of breaking through into the Final Four, Leonard Hamilton and Florida State have had a few down seasons, going just 43-53 with no NCAA Tournament appearances in the last three years. Prior to that, the Seminoles made it to the second weekend the previous three NCAA Tournaments, excluding 2019-20. His head coaching career began in 1986 with Oklahoma State, and he lasted four seasons with a 47 percent winning percentage. He went to Miami for 10 years, turning around the program, making the NCAA Tournament his final three seasons with the Hurricanes. In 2002-03, he went to Tallahassee and turned things around once again. In 2018, he led them to their first Elite 8 in 25 years. However, at 75, I wonder when he’ll decide to call it quits.

 

15. Will Wade, McNeese (216-98, six NCAA Tournament appearances, one Sweet 16)

Coming back into coaching, Will Wade found a good fit to elevate himself into a top coach once again. In his first season with the Cowboys, he led them to a 22-2 record (he was suspended for the first 10 games and McNeese went 8-2) and were a trendy upset pick as a 12-seed against Gonzaga. While that didn’t come to fruition, the Cowboys are in good hands, especially since he is staying in Lake Charles for at least one more season. Prior to his firing from LSU, he led the Tigers to 105 in not quite five full seasons, including an SEC championship and Sweet 16 appearance in 2019. Between McNeese and LSU, he would have led his teams to NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his last five seasons, as the Tigers would have made it in during the COVID season. He’ll be back in the power 5 soon.

 

14. Ed Cooley, Georgetown (343-245, seven NCAA Tournament appearances, one Sweet 16)

Cooley made a surprising move by going from Providence to Georgetown, trying to resurrect a complete train wreck left by NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing. The two conference victories in year one was as many as the Hoyas had in the previous two seasons combined. Granted, their only two wins came against a DePaul team that went 0-20 in league play by a combined four points. In his first five tournament appearances, his team only advanced past the first round once, but made it to the second weekend in 2022 and put a scare into eventual national champion Kansas and actually had the lead with under six minutes to play. I imagine Georgetown will not be a Big East bottom feeder for long under Cooley.

 

13. Mark Pope, Kentucky (187-108, two NCAA Tournament appearances)

Pope earned the job at his alma mater after a successful stint at BYU, where he led the Cougars to five 20-win seasons, including 23 victories and an NCAA Tournament berth last year in the school’s first season in the Big 12, the best conference in America. Pope takes over for John Calipari, who left Lexington for the University of Arkansas. While Pope has had strong success during his coaching career, he has not had postseason success as of yet. During both seasons his teams made the Big Dance, his teams fell flat and lost as the No. 6 seed to the No. 11 seed in the first round—UCLA in 2021 and Duquesne in 2024. He will aim to bring the Wildcats back to glory after not having reached the second weekend since 2019. Included in that stretch are losses to No. 14 Oakland (2024) and No. 15 St. Peter’s (2022). It will be interesting to see how he fares at his alma mater. He definitely has a chance to move up quickly (if not advancing to the Final Four and leave the list).

 

12. Greg Gard, Wisconsin (186-107, six NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16s)

This will be an interesting season for Greg Gard and Wisconsin. Gone are All-Big Ten First Team selection A.J. Storr and three-year starting point guard Chucky Hepburn, as well as the consistent Tyler Wahl. They brought in three transfers recently. Many think the Badgers will take a big step back. For Gard, that is when he does his best coaching. Wisconsin struggled down the stretch and lost in the first round in the NCAA Tournament to James Madison. Still, from missing the tournament to earning a No. 5 is a huge improvement.  The Badgers have not reached the second weekend since 2017, so that is why he is not higher. This is a big year for him, especially with the expanded Big Ten.

 

11. Buzz Williams, Texas A&M (350-217, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Sweet 16s, one Elite 8)

After two seasons in which Buzz’s group recorded a record of 24-24, his Aggies have posted three consecutive seasons of at least 20 wins, with the last two ending in the NCAA Tournament. However, neither of those seasons reached past the first weekend. He came to A&M after a successful stint at Virginia Tech. With the Hokies, he led them to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1966-67 and nearly knocked off Duke. Before Virginia Tech, he averaged more than 23 wins per season with Marquette and made the Sweet 16 twice and an Elite 8. The former Mike McConathy assistant has Texas A&M headed in the right direction and it would not shock me to see him lead the Aggies to a great run that ends in a Final Four berth.

 

10. Randy Bennett, St. Mary’s (533-216, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, one Sweet 16)

Bennett has been a mainstay in college basketball for years and has put together one of the most consistently good programs in the country. He is coming off leading the Gaels to one of their best seasons ever, winning 26 games and the West Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles. Unfortunately for him and St. Mary’s, it didn’t translate to NCAA Tournament success, as the Gaels lost to Grand Canyon in the first round of the Big Dance. That has been a theme for Bennett. With the exception of the COVID-shortened season, SMC has won at least 20 games every year since 2007-08, including at least 25 wins on 13 occasions in that time period. However, the Gaels have reached the Sweet 16 just once in that time—in 2009-10. He has been a remarkable regular season coach, but will he be a coach who can’t win the big one or finally make a run and make the trip to the Final Four after so many misses like Tony Bennett or Bo Ryan. When Bennett arrived in 2001, he inherited a program that went 2-27, and has turned it into one of top mid-major programs in the country. It will be interesting to see if he can finally make that run.

 

9. Jamie Dixon, TCU (488-233, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16s, one Elite 8)

Dixon has been a great coach for a number of years, from Pittsburgh to TCU. After 328 wins at Pitt, he took his talents to his alma mater and has not skipped a beat. He has won at least 20 games in each of the last three seasons and has done that six out of eight years, brining relevance to a program that was a dumpster fire before he got there. Making the tournament the last three seasons, it is the first time the Horned Frogs have done that in their history. He took over a dormant program after Trent Johnson couldn’t win in his four years with the program. TCU only had one winning season and was a combined 8-64 in conference play, never finishing higher than ninth in the conference under Johnson. Prior to Dixon, TCU had not made either the NCAA Tournament or NIT since 2005, and not made the Big Dance this millennium. One thing he does need to do, though, is finish above .500 in the Big 12, something he has not done quite yet.

 

8. Greg McDermott, Creighton (325-160, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16s, one Elite 8)

McDermott has turned Creighton into a legitimate power in the Big East, reaching 20 wins in all but one of his seasons in Omaha. In the four seasons since the COVID year, he has led the Blue Jays to an Elite 8 appearance and two berths in the Sweet 16, including this past year. Oddly enough, they were slated to get a high seed in the COVID year and tallied a 24-7 record, the best mark since his son Doug played for him in 2014. He took a leap and coached Iowa State for five seasons, leading the Cyclones to a 59-68 record and before that, led Northern Iowa to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances to round out his career in Cedar Falls. The future is bright for McDermott and he will continue to be in the upper echelon of the Big East.

 

7. Jon Scheyer, Duke (54-18, two NCAA Tournament appearances, one Elite 8)

While no one can fully replace Coach K, Jon Scheyer is not only keeping the train on the tracks, but has kept Duke rolling along. He has led his alma mater to back-to-back 27-9 seasons and is coming off a year where he led the Blue Devils to a second-place finish in the ACC and trip to the Elite 8. With that program, it really is just a matter of time before Scheyer gets his program to the Final Four. It is inevitable. His recruiting has still been top-notch. Under his tutelage, I expect Duke to be good for a while.

 

6. Brad Underwood, Illinois (252-115, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, 1 Elite 8)

Underwood has had strong season after strong season with the Illini, but this year, he finally had a bit of a breakthrough, advancing to the Elite 8 after posting a dominant performance against Iowa State in the Sweet 16. Underwood’s Illinois squad finished only behind Purdue in the Big Ten regular season standings but won the conference tournament. In the past five years, his Illini have won 117 games and 70.5 percent. After an incredible run at Stephen F. Austin in which he led the Lumberjacks to an 89-14 record and an incredible 53-1 conference record, he led the Oklahoma State Cowboys to the tournament in 2017. It feels like just a matter of time for Underwood to break through, although I say it with a lot of the coaches on this list.

 

5. T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State (169-98, five NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16s)

Nobody has sky-rocketed up these charts in recent years than Otzelberger. He led the Cyclones to a Big 12 Tournament title and No. 2 seed this past year, and perhaps if he was in a different region, he would have had Iowa State in the Final Four. He has won 70 games in his first three seasons in Ames, including 29 this past year. Otzelberger has led ISU to the NCAA Tournament in all three years with two appearances in the Sweet 16. I say this quite a bit, but it just seems it is a matter of time before T.J. breaks through with a Final Four berth.

 

4. Chris Mack, College of Charleston (278-133, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, three Sweet 16s, one Elite 8)

Chris Mack has been all over the place recently. He was fired from Louisville after a successful stint at Xavier before being hired by the College of Charleston this offseason, as he tries to build on the success from Pat Kelsey, who led the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament. Kelsey took a job this offseason with, oddly enough, Louisville. His two best years at Xavier, in 2015-16 and 2017-18, were spoiled before the second weekend by Wisconsin and Florida State, respectively. Despite his failure at Louisville, Mack is a heck of a coach who will be back with a power program soon.

 

3. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona (88-20, three NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16s)

The good news is that Lloyd has led the Wildcats to 88 wins in 108 games in his first three seasons at the helm, including a pair of Sweet 16 berths. The bad news is that Arizona has lost to three lower seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament, including an embarrassing loss to Princeton in the first round in 2023. Still, the Wildcats have been a tremendous team since his arrival and will continue to be a strong program. Arizona was in a bit of turmoil when Sean Miller was fired. All Tommy Lloyd did was lead the Wildcats to a conference regular season and tournament title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and has won two regular season crowns in his three years. He was looked at as a rising star in the coaching profession at Gonzaga and the possible heir apparent once Mark Few retired. It just seems like it is a matter of time before he reaches the Final Four. I will say, though, I said that about Sean Miller a number of times, so we’ll see.

 

2. Eric Musselman, USC (221-93, six NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16s, two Elite 8s)

Musselman moves up to No. 2 on this list after Matt Painter took his Boilermakers to a tournament title game appearance. After a successful stint in Fayetteville, he packed up and moved to the west coast and a move to……the Big Ten. His Razorbacks had a down year last year, going just 16-17 in 2023-24 and missed the NCAA Tournament. In the last two years, he has finished 11th and 9th in the SEC, but still led his team to the Sweet 16 in 2023. But prior to that, he led Arkansas to back-to-back Elite 8 performances. Before landing in Fayetteville, he turned around a Nevada program that posted just nine wins in the season prior to his arrival. In his first season there, he led Nevada to a 15-win increase in 2015-16 and a CBI championship. In his next three seasons, he led them to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and a berth in the Sweet 16 in 2018. Being at USC, he should have a lot of resources to be able to push USC to a possible Final Four berth in the coming years.

 

1. Sean Miller, Xavier (465-184, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, five Sweet 16s, four Elite 8s)

Sean Miller is back on top, and likely will be until he either loses his job or makes the Final Four. It is long overdue. From 2017-20, Sean Miller took home the top spot on this list before being let go by Arizona. After being hired by Xavier once again, he is back on top in this unfortunate list. Before being fired by Arizona, he was a monster there, going 302-109 in 12 seasons, winning at least 30 games four times. He led the Wildcats to the Elite 8 on four occasions. Arguably his two best teams ran into Frank Kaminsky in both 2014 and 2015. It seems like it is just a matter of time, but it is tougher to make the Final Four at Xavier than at a power school like Arizona. Before being relegated to the NIT this past year, he led the Musketeers to a Sweet 16 appearance as a No. 3 seed in 2023. At some point he has to make it to the Final Four, right?

Way-too-early Packers 2025 mock draft

We are just days removed from the 2024 NFL Draft and while Green Bay was able to fill a number of needs, but still a few were not able to be filled. That and three defensive linemen may not be on the team in 2025. So, why not take an early, early look stab at the 2025 Packers draft:

1.      1. Mason Graham, DL, Michigan

The Packers will have a big need along the defensive line going into 2025. Both Kenny Clark and T.J. Slaton will be free agents after next season and this is likely Preston Smith’s final season in Green Bay. The Packers will need to add defensive linemen, and more than likely a bunch of them. Graham may very well get taken before the Packers pick, but he would be a great pick for the Green & Gold if he was there. He is an athletic force and would instantly improve the Packers defense along the front.

2. Trey Moore, EDGE, Texas

Preston Smith is likely playing his final season in Green Bay. Next year, the Packers will hopefully start Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness with Kingsley Enagbare rotating in. However, a fourth guy rotating in would be extremely beneficial. Moore is a transfer from UTSA and was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. Last season in 12 games, Moore totaled 45 tackles with a whopping 17.5 TFL and 14 sacks. He could very easily have a huge season in his first year with the Longhorns and become a first round pick.

3. Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin

You had to know there was going to be a Badger in this mock, didn’t you? The Packers love their versatile offensive linemen and Nelson started at guard before becoming the Wisconsin left tackle. Green Bay could always use offensive linemen. If Jordan Morgan works out at left tackle, they still could take a tackle and move Zach Tom to center after Josh Myers leaves via free agency next offseason. Nelson is an athletic tackle who is quick, a guy who I think could see himself in Green Bay. It is always great to see former Badgers stay in Wisconsin.

4. Akheem Mesidor, DL, Miami

Same thing with the Graham pick. If Green Bay loses both Clark and Slaton, it will need multiple interior defensive linemen for the 4-3. I really like Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden, but they will need a bit more from Devonte Wyatt and then depth behind them. His 2023 season was crushed by injury, but he tallied seven sacks in 2022. Mesidor has durability issues, but he can be a really solid pass rusher for the Packers. He’ll have to prove he is back to normal in 2024 after dealing with injury issues last year.

5. Zy Alexander, CB, LSU

Many were surprised that the Packers did not take a cornerback early in this year’s draft. When Terrion Arnold and Cooper DeJean were slipping, a lot of people thought the Green & Gold would trade up for one of the cornerbacks. They never did. As a matter of fact, Green Bay didn’t even take a corner before the seventh round. Brian Gutekunst stated that Eric Stokes looks great coming back from injury, but after a promising rookie season, he has been hit with the injury bug, Green Bay is not picking up his fifth-year option, so it is a make-or-break year for the former Georgia Bulldog. After transferring to LSU, Alexander had four pass breakups, two interceptions and surrendered QB rating when targeted of 96.5.

6. Power Echols, LB, North Carolina

Packers always like to take linebackers late, mainly for special teams. Echols would be just a depth piece. Green Bay took two linebackers on day two of the draft, as it transforms from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense. Outside of having an awesome name, he is a good coverage backer, but he is a liability against the run. He’ll need to put on weight if he wants to be an every-down linebacker.

7. Jalen Travis, OT, Princeton

Green Bay likes drafting offensive linemen on day three, and I doubt there are any teams in the league where day three linemen develop as well as in Green Bay. The Packers have a type, preferring versatile linemen who can play multiple positions along the line. Travis can do just that. When picking a player in the seventh, you just hope to bring in some depth, but hopeful he can turn into a player like Rasheed Walker.