It’s been said over and over, but while the 2013 NFL Draft lacks star power at the top, it’s extremely deep in rounds two and three. So that should make for an exciting Day 2 tonight.
You’ll notice plenty of first-round talent on the board between picks 33-62. There are even some players in the third round that had a shot at being selected in round one.
For the Packers, I’d be quite surprised if they don’t add a skill position player at some point today. Whether it’s running back, wide receiver, or both, the Packers should have plenty of options to add an impact player on Day 2. There wasn’t a single running back selected in round one, so Eddie Lacy, Giovani Bernard, Johnathan Franklin and Le’Veon Bell are all still on the board. There’s a very good chance that one of those players will fall to the Packers at No. 55.
Sorry, Mel Kiper, but Montee Ball is not a first-round talent, and I don’t think he’ll be selected in the second round at all.
But if the Packers have their choice between several running backs, they’ll probably have to decide what’s more important: Do they a running back that would play immediately, or grabbing a wide receiver to groom for the future? Of course, they could go for a more immediate need and go with a safety or center, but I believe the value will be better at the end of the third round at those positions.
Ten is a really nice and even number. So here are ten potential Packers picks to keep an eye on today: UCLA RB Johnathan Franklin, Michigan St. RB Le’Veon Bell, Louisiana Tech WR Quinton Patton, North Carolina RB Giovani Bernard, Oregon St. WR Markus Wheaton, Southern Miss LB Jamie Collins, West Virginia WR Stedman Bailey, California C Brian Schwenke, North Carolina St. S Earl Wolff and Georgia Southern S J.J. Wilcox.
Now that we’re batting 1.00 after correctly predicting the Datone Jones pick, let’s see if we can nail the team’s Day 2 selections as well. Note: It probably won’t happen.
Second Round (Picks 33-62)
33. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State
34. San Francisco 49ers: TE Zach Ertz, Stanford
35. Philadelphia Eagles: QB Geno Smith, West Virginia
36. Detroit Lions: OT Menelik Watson, Florida State
37. Cincinnati Bengals: RB Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
38. Arizona Cardinals: RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama
39. New York Jets: QB Ryan Nassib, Syracuse
40. Tennessee Titans: MLB Kevin Minter, LSU
41. Buffalo Bills: WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee
42. Oakland Raiders: DE Tank Carradine, Florida State
43. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Jesse Williams, Alabama
44. Carolina Panthers: S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International
45. San Diego Chargers: WR Keenan Allen, California
46. Buffalo Bills: LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State
47. Dallas Cowboys: RB Le’Veon Bell, Michigan State
48. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Markus Wheaton, Oregon State
49. New York Giants: OLB Sio Moore, Connecticut
50. Chicago Bears: MLB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
51. Washington Redskins: S D.J. Swearinger, South Carolina
52. New England Patriots: WR Robert Woods, USC
53. Cincinnati Bengals: DE Alex Okafor, Texas
54. Miami Dolphins: OT Terron Armstead, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
55. Green Bay Packers: WR Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech
If the board falls like this, the Packers front office will be doing jumping jacks while scratching their heads. There’s plenty of talent on the board, but that makes for a really tough decision. Le’Veon Bell and Giovani Bernard would both be great picks at running back, each bringing something different to the backfield along with DuJuan Harris. But with Bell off the board and Bernard potentially lasting a while longer, Patton makes a lot of sense. Patton is an early second-round prospect who runs precise routes and is a great fit for the Packers offense. After a couple years, he could develop into a true No. 1 receiver at the NFL level. If Patton gets to No. 55, I think he’d be too good to pass up.
56. Seattle Seahawks: DT Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
57. Houston Texans: CB Jamar Taylor, Boise State
58. Denver Broncos: DE Damontre Moore, Texas A&M
59. New England Patriots: CB Robert Alford, Southeastern Louisiana
60. Atlanta Falcons: OLB Jamie Collins, Southern Miss
61. San Francisco 49ers: CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
62. Baltimore Ravens: WR Da’rick Rogers, Tennessee Tech
Third Round (Picks 63-95)
63. Kansas City Chiefs: DT Kawann Short, Purdue
64. Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Corey Lemonier, Auburn
65. Detroit Lions: DB David Amerson, North Carolina State
66. Oakland Raiders: QB Matt Barkley, USC
67. Philadelphia Eagles: WR Stedman Bailey, West Virginia
68. Cleveland Browns: DE Margus Hunt, Southern Methodist
69. Arizona Cardinals: DB Sanders Commings, South Carolina
70. Tennessee Titans: CB Logan Ryan, Rutgers
71. St. Louis Rams: S Baccari Rambo, Georgia
72. New York Jets: TE Travis Kelce, Cincinnati
73. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Kiko Alonso, Oregon
74. Dallas Cowboys: OG Larry Warford, Kentucky
75. New Orleans Saints: OLB Cornelius Washington, Georgia
76. San Diego Chargers: CB Darius Slay, Mississippi State
77. Miami Dolphins: RB Giovani Bernard, North Carolina
78. Buffalo Bills: OG Brian Winters, Kent State
79. Pittsburgh Steelers: RB Montee Ball, Wisconsin
80. Dallas Cowboys: DE Sam Montgomery, LSU
81. New York Giants: TE Gavin Escobar, San Diego State
82. Miami Dolphins: CB Dwayne Gratz, Connecticut
83. New England Patriots: OG David Bakhtiari, Colorado
84. Cincinnati Bengals: LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
85. Washington Redskins: DT John Jenkins, Georgia
86. Indianapolis Colts: RB Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina
87. Seattle Seahawks: OLB Zaviar Gooden, Missouri
88. Green Bay Packers: S J.J. Wilcox, Georgia Southern
Coming into the draft, the Packers’ two biggest needs were arguably on the defensive line and at safety. They could opt to take Brian Schwenke and plug him in at center, but the need at safety trumps that of a center in the short-term. After taking UCLA DE Datone Jones with their first pick and going offense in round two, the Packers take J.J. Wilcox in hopes that he can develop into a high-level starter at the NFL level. Wilcox is a former wide receiver and running back, and he now claims he’s the “best safety in the draft.” Getting him in third round–where they once drafted Morgan Burnett–could be an absolute steal for the Packers. Green Bay has shown plenty of interest in Wilcox throughout the draft process, and his skill set would complement Burnett nicely on the back end of the defense. I like Jerron McMillian as a project moving forward, but Wilcox would be too good to pass up.
89 . Houston Texans: DT Brandon Williams, Missouri Southern State
90 . Denver Broncos: S Earl Wolff, North Carolina State
91 . New England Patriots: WR Ryan Swope, Texas A&M
92 . St. Louis Rams: RB Christine Michael, Texas A&M
93 . San Francisco 49ers: CB Jordan Poyer, Oregon State
94 . Baltimore Ravens: MLB Jon Bostic, Florida
95 . Houston Texans: WR Aaron Dobson, Marshall
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Marques is a Journalism student, serving as the Sports Editor of UW-Green Bay\'s campus newspaper The Fourth Estate and a Packers writer at Jersey Al\'s AllGBP.com. Follow Marques on Twitter @MJEversoll.
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Jags passing on a QB three rounds in a row?
If you don’t love one, don’t take one.
There’s no law that says every draft must have a franchise quarterback.
I like it for Green Bay. Baltimore with Torrey Smith, Da’rick Rogers, and Flacco’s 70 yard arm? That would be scary.
Would be dangerous. I see Keenan Allen as the perfect replacement for Anquan Boldin, but he was already off the board.
I could live with this. Patton, I like. I like Wolff, too, but Wilcox seems to be a popular developmental pick.
Wouldn’t be too upset to see Brandon Williams in the #88 spot.
Williams would be a nice option too. That’s who we went with in #MockSix on Twitter. Jones in the 1st, Gio Bernard in the 2nd, Williams in the 3rd.
Would love the Patton pick. For whatever reason, I think the Pack is optimistic about McMillan for the upcoming season. I think an O-lineman is about due at pick 88. I don’t know enough about Brandon Williams at #88 but I am all for reloading the D-line. GoPack!
I will throw up if the Packers draft a WR (which has just guaranteed that they will). If things go down like you’re projecting, would rather see TE Gavin Escobar if we’re talking about receiving weapons. NFP gives him an 8.05 I grade. By all accounts, the best receiving TE available. Al’s guy loves him.
I thought the Pack would skew towards d-line in the first, but after that I have no inkling as to what position group is next. I like a lot of the players above, but just as in the first round – no Te’o.
I know they’ve taken their share of criticism, but I wouldn’t mind if the Pack considered Hunt, Hankins or Short before Patton. Nonetheless, still would be a nice pick.
Hope the Packers stick to Defense in the 2nd. I just don’t know if I like many of the options on D in the 2nd. Maybe Short, but that’s another 34 DE after just taking one in the 1st. Still he would be the BPA.
I’m not a big fan of the Safeties at this point. Looking at Wolff a little later.
I would be interested in Teron Armstead and his athletic talent. Could be a possibility. Is Schwenke worth a 2nd? Don’t know.
Honestly lets move down in 2nd and get a couple more 3rds. I would love to see Schwenke and Lemonier in the 3rd and Wolff a little later along w/ Cobi Hamilton.
I do like Aaron Dobson. He would be my next WR instead of Patton.