I am not a big fan of Mock Drafts. I always feel like they are a lot more work than they are worth. With trades and so many front office changes every year the process of putting together an accurate sample Mock Draft seems not only daunting, but highly speculative. And since I do not have inside team contacts it stacks the odds even more against my being able to project with any degree of certainty.
So as a compromise between my own needs and those of my readers/followers I will herein present a PACKERS Mock Draft for all 7 Rounds. But this is a very simplistic effort. I am going to take the Draft concept of taking the best available athlete at the pick to the extreme. Without consideration of any variable the effort below is based upon the team taking the player who falls at exactly their pick number based on my Regardless of Position prospect rankings as of March 28th.
So away we go:
Pick 21 DEE FORD/DE/OLB/AUBURN/6’2/252 If FORD is as athletic as most of us feel he is, then one would think that DOM CAPERS would be able to find multiple roles and places to move FORD around. And to the delight of many PACKERS fans the team could potentially have a superior pass-rush compliment to CLAY MATTHEWS.
Pick 53 MORGAN MOSES/OT/VIRGINIA/6’6/315 This long, lean athlete could be the answer to their long term OT quality issues because of constant injuries to BULAGA & SHERROD. Ideally this pick would be at OG, but that’s the way best available works out some times. MOSES should become a solid starter in the NFL in a year or two.
Pick 85 CRAIG LOSTON/S/LSU/6’1/215 I think LOSTON is a lot closer in talent and potential to ERIC REID, 49‘ers first rounder last year, than many people give him credit for. He’s a big hitter and if you look at his Combine numbers you realize he’s an NFL caliber athlete. He would immediately upgrade the Packers S corps.
Pick 98 JEREMY HILL/RB/LSU/6’1/235 This pick doesn’t make much sense at all since the team added young depth to its backfield in the last Draft. But when at his best he’s very similar of EDDIE LACY in running style. So much for “best available athlete” in its strictest terms.
Pick 121 CARL BRADFORD/OLB/ARIZONA STATE/6’1/250 Another pass-rush specialist deluxe who would rank higher just based on talent and skill, but is a bit of a tweener. Perhaps the Pack could convert him to an ILB slot like the PATS did with TEDY BRUSCHI well over a decade ago.
Pick 161 HOWARD JONES/LB/SHEPHERD/6’3/235 Once again a pass-rush talent and superior athlete who wowed them at the Combine. The kind of small-school player that TED THOMPSON always finds a few of each year. It might take a while, but he could be developed as an athlete to be moved all over the field in the myriad of sub-packages DOM CAPERS employs. Possesses speed the PACKERS D needs more of.
Pick 176 RYAN HEWITT/H-B/FB/STANFORD/6’4/245 This would be a fascinating Pick with the potential loss of JOHN KUHN as their FB. HEWITT isn’t the bull blocker that KUHN has been, but he’s much more athletic and in the mold of today’s NFL H-B. He’s versatile and a hard worker with better than average athleticism. In recent drafts a guy of his talent level would never have been available late in Round 5.
Pick 197 AVERY WILLIAMSON/ILB/KENTUCKY/6’1/245 Chances are this guy will be ranked higher when the actual Draft rolls around. But for now he’s a steal this late. He was a very good player on a bad team for his entire college career. He demonstrated at the Combine that he’s a better athlete than was previously believed in the scouting community. I could see him eventually starting in the PACK’s 3-4 scheme.
Pick 236 JOSH STEWART/WR/RS/OKLAHOMA STATE/5’10/180 You see, even in a blind draft like this, needs do get addressed. Again this player would have likely been a Round 5 guy in the 2013 Draft. He’s a quick, slot type receiver and an explosive returner, both of which fit the team’s needs with JENNINGS & JONES leaving Green Bay in the past two VFA periods. He’s a COBB-like player without the elite quickness. But he’d make a solid No. 4 WR and RS for the PACK.
So that is how it all pans out using a pure formula. No doubt at each and every pick of the 2014 Draft THOMPSON and his staff would have 4-6 players of fairly close talent rankings to choose from when each pick rolled around. That should be specially true this year with the quality depth that most of us perceive to be available. But for now here’s something for you to chew on for a while.
By the way, let me also add that many of these names would probably change if I did this again in 6 weeks. There will not doubt be multiple tweaks to my player rankings during that time period.
Editor’s Note: Our friend Pigskin Paul, born and raised in Wisconsin, has a long history of “DraftNikism” and studying the ways of Packers’ GMs. You can read more from Paul at his website, Pigskin Paul’s Place.
I’m glad you are not really drafting for the Packers:)
Dee Ford was flagged for a back injury at the combine — no way are the Packers going to spend a 1st rd pick on a guy who can join Sherrod in the training room. Ford also has the same build as Trent Murphy, also a DE/OLB that the Packers are reportedly very high on.
Yeah, I am not sure that I like many of these picks. With Cobb and Nelson coming due, Finley on his way out and some projects at TE, I am sure that we will see a WR and TE somewhere higher in the mix. I also don’t see a running back until very late in the process, if at all. Still, you never know with Ted and his bargain shopping approach to the draft.
I will give Pigskin Paul a hats off for trying to give us something to hold us over. It has been a long winter and the football lull is a little too long as well.
I think you guys completely missed the point.
I concur. Like all mock drafts, there is no point.
Such a LB heavy draft would be one way to finally give the Packers the kind of talent at LB that is necessary to play effectively in the 3-4. Probably not a good idea, tho.
Still, it was an interesting read.
Thanks for the comments. When I did it I found it amazing that the majority of the Picks actually did provide things the team needed. Not what I really expect but it wouldn’t be the worst Draft they’ve ever had by a long shot, IMO.
I like it but we need a te 3 or4 round.
I like it but we need a te 3 or4 round.
Archie’s Mock:
(1) C Pryor (S) or K Ealy (OLB)
(2) D Bucannon (S) or Marcus Smith (OLB)
(3A) T Niklas (TE) or CJ Fiedorowicz(TE)
(3B) C Kirksey ILB
Obviously pick 2 would depend on pick 1. Pack needs a good 2-way TE. Pack also needs an ILB that run all over the place and cover. Two Iowa picks is a good thing too.
Alternative mock:
(1) Su’a-Filo (OG) – can play C too. Best interior OL in this draft.
(2) A Robinson (WR) or C Latimer (WR)
(3A) Same two TEs as above.
(3B)DaQuan Jones (NT) – life after Raji
Tremendous value in alternative mock but can Pack afford to eschew defense till pick 3B??? I don’t think so. We got the passing attack, we got the running attack, let’s go get me some DEFENSE! A balanced team with a super star QB is as good as it gets!
Love the Pryor pick, Archie. That guy is a sledgehammer in cleats! 😉
I like Pryor “the sledgehammer in cleats” too, but those sledgehammers are becoming more and more obsolete with the ever-changing rules, give me a good, solid defender any day.
Is no one a fan of Jeremiah attaochu? (Lb, Georgia Tech)
Can anyone pronounce Jeremiah attaochu?
Does anyone like Brent urban? (De, Virginia)
I actually like Craig loston. If we didn’t take a safety in the first, I could settle for some Craig.
I like Attaochu. Getting him in the 3rd would be good value, not 1st or 2nd IMO. Definitely not in the 1st. Personally think he could play either OLB or ILB for the Packers.
Urban would be good value in the 5th or 6th. Not much pass rush ability, but has good 34 DE traits as a run stuffer.
I’m not a fan of Loston at all. JMO but think he’s slow and heavy footed. THink he would be exposed in coverage badly.
I really like Bucannon, S from Wash. St.. If he dropped to the third round he would be a great pick….maybe a slight reach in the 2nd. Gotta believe that our first pick will be a Safety, ILBER, dlineman, or TE.
Let’s just be honest. Willie Wood, as of today, would dramatically upgrade our safety position.
The TT theory of best available player is debatable. Show me one person in the first few rounds that we didn’t need. Consequently, there will be a wide receiver or tightend in the first three rounds. Dee Ford is a guy WD could use as we are bad on D when Mathews is ailing. This is a good read.
arron Rodgers…..u said `1
Love the Loston Pick in the 3rd Paul. That guy, combined with Hyde would make our S corps MUCH better. Good value too.
ILB/TE/S. Repeat.
Ideally, I think the Pack should trade back a bit and grab some more picks. There’s going to be a ton of talent in rounds 2-5.
Hopefully, Johnny Football falls, and Jacksonville, Oakland, Houston etc. want to trade up to grab him. Accumulate picks and raise Hell in the mid rounds.
Carr’s the guy we gotta watch.
Hope one of the QB needy teams passes on a qb with their top pick and then tries to jump back up to get Carr.
What a weird mock draft. Safe to say that the Packers will not make any of those picks.