The Green Bay Packers have a huge offseason ahead of them, and this year’s draft can make or break their future. With several key veterans having their futures up in the air, the Packers will need to address some major holes on the roster. The top needs heading into the draft are receiving threats (WR/TE), offensive line (preferably a tackle), and edge rushers. After the fifth selection, I won’t be doing any scouting reports on the players, as at that point these guys are just for depth. This seven-round mock draft, with no trades, will hopefully give a blueprint of what the Packers need to do to be successful in the future.
Round 1 Pick 15: WR Jordan Addison
Jordan Addison is without a doubt the most refined route runner in the draft with killer speed that blows the top off of defenses. I would personally rather have JSN, but the Packers need a slot guy to line up with Watson and Doubs. He plays like a mix of Cobb and Adams with both abilities to get wide open with his route running and the possibilities of getting jump balls. He has a minor drop issue, but so did Adams as a rookie. Adding him to the team would create a scary three-headed monster for our receiving corp for the future.
Round 2 Pick 45: ED Mike Morris
Mike Morris is a much-needed addition to the Packers pass rush. He’s a versatile pass rusher, who can do almost everything on the field. This suits the defense well since Joe Barry just loves dropping Preston Smith into coverage. Morris is a super strong, physical player and more players like that will help solidify the Packers defense as a top-10 unit. He’s got long arms and a quick burst off the line that allows him to beat the line and get to the quarterback. He does have a high posture off the snap and needs to improve on staying low while rushing. Outside of that, having him and Gary rushing the passer would be a nightmare for opposing teams.
Round 3 Pick 78: T Blake Freeland
The Packers offensive line needs some work, especially with the possibility of losing David Bakhtiari this offseason or the next. Blake Freeland could be a very solid tackle for us due to his 6’8 frame and the fluidity of a 6’3 guard. He doesn’t let his height slow his movements and is a stud for run blocking. His pass-blocking needs improvement, but with a year of sitting behind Bak, he could be groomed into an all round tackle. We do have a ton of young guys waiting for their chance to get their time to shine, especially Zach Tom who had a promising rookie year, but Tom could easily be moved around the line like Elgton Jenkins.
Round 4 Pick 116: TE Cade Stover
Cade Stover is an extremely well-rounded player and will fill our immediate need for a tight end this offseason. We only have Josiah Deguara left in that room, with Lewis and Tonyan expected to leave this year. Stover can do it all, being a consistent receiving threat and an impactful blocker. The blocking part is the biggest factor for the Packers drafting him as they love tight ends that can practically be offensive linemen when given the chance. He’s a solid route runner and can create space for easy catches, but struggles greatly with contested catches and being aware of the ball on shorter passes.
Round 5 Pick 151: RB Deuce Vaughn
With Aaron Jones’ future up in the air, I have the Packers taking Deuce Vaughn out of Kansas State. Deuce Vaughn is an undersized running back that can’t pick up blocks or really run inside the tackles, but he excels in everything else. He is an elite receiver for a running back, being able to run crisp routes and catch better than most receiving prospects in the draft. He’s a super physical guy that has insane acceleration and can bounce a run out for a big gain. Again, his size is pretty detrimental, but having AJ Dillon as a polar opposite from Deuce would allow for him to possibly line up in the slot while Dillon blocks.
Round 5 Pick 171: S Chamarri Conner
Round 7 Pick 234: LB Drake Thomas
Round 7 Pick 237: ED Habakkuk Baldonado
Round 7 Pick 244: TE Brenton Strange
Round 7 Pick 256: CB Carrington Valentine
Round 7 Pick 259: RB Travis Dye
Conclusion
Although in my humble opinion, this is a very solid draft for the Packers, the whole draft could be flipped on its head with an Aaron Rodgers trade. That trade would most likely land us two first-rounders in this draft and allows us to land even better talent earlier on to speed up the retooling phase. I hope that the Packers lay down the law and trade Rodgers regardless of whether or not he wants to stay. That probably won’t happen, and this draft would put us in the best position to try and stay competitive with Rodgers at QB while also preparing for the future.
