Green Bay Packers: Reviewing The Draft Network's 7 round mock draft

Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network has put together his post free agency, seven round mock draft for the Green Bay Packers.

Unlike previous offseasons under former General Manager Ted Thompson, the Green Bay Packers addressed a few of their major needs in free agency. However, as they hope to return to their winning ways, they still have some gaps to fill heading into the draft.

With three picks in the top 50 and six inside the top 120, the Green Bay Packers are in a great position to infuse this roster with some young, talented playmakers that will hopefully contribute sooner rather than later.

Due to their activity in free agency, the Packers have gained much more flexibility in the draft and do not have to feel locked into a certain position at a particular spot. With the NFL combine and most pro-days complete, as well as most major names off of the open market, Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network put together his most recent seven-round mock draft for the Green Bay Packers taking all of those factors into consideration.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the selections and my takeaways from this mock draft.

Round 1

No. 12: Ed Oliver, Defensive Line – Houston

No. 30: Noah Fant, Tight End – Iowa

Round 2

No. 44: Deebo Samuel, Wide Receiver – South Carolina

Round 3

No. 75: Michael Deiter, Offensive Line – Wisconsin

Round 4

No. 114: Sione Takitaki, Linebacker – BYU

No. 118: Justin Hollins, EDGE – Oregon

Round 5

No. 150: Bobby Evans, Offensive Line – Oklahoma

Round 6

No. 185: Armon Watts, Defensive Line – Arkansas

No. 194: Devine Ozigbo – Running Back – Nebraska

Round 7

No. 226: Hjalte Froholdt, Center – Arkansas

Observation #1

I would be absolutely thrilled as a Green Bay Packers fan if in the first round they landed both Ed Oliver and Noah Fant. If available at pick number 12, Oliver is a must take in my opinion. His athleticism will allow him to lineup anywhere on the defensive front if needed and whether it’s his quickness or strength, he will find his way into the backfield. With the signings of Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, along with Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels and potentially Ed Oliver, what was a weakness in 2018 has now become a strength. Quarterbacks beware.

Landing Fant at 30th overall would be a steal for the Green Bay Packers. He tested spectacularly at the combine and would be an immediate weapon for Aaron Rodgers. Fant runs a diverse route tree, can stretch the field, as well as make contested catches. There is no doubt that new Head Coach Matt LaFleur would love to have a player of Fant’s abilities at the tight end position and he would use him very effectively.

Observation #2

Selecting Deebo Samuel at pick 44 is a nice option for Green Bay. Outside of Davante Adams, there was plenty of inconsistency at the wide receiver position in 2018. While I expect the Packers’ young receivers to make a big jump this season, adding an early round prospect to the mix is not a bad idea.

Samuel played most of his snaps at South Carolina in the slot and would be an immediate replacement for Randall Cobb. He was able to put up big numbers in college despite inconsistent quarterback play during his time at South Carolina. In this Green Bay Packers offense, with his quickness and ability in the open field, Samuel would be a YAC monster.

Observation #3

We never know how the draft board will fall, but I find it surprising that Crabbs didn’t have the Green Bay Packers selecting a safety within the first four rounds of the draft or at all for that matter. Even with the addition of Adrian Amos, safety is still a need as the in-house options aren’t spectacular. It would appear that Green Bay wants to move Tramon Williams back to cornerback, while Josh Jones can’t be relied on, and Raven Greene is still unproven. This leaves us still with some uncertainty at the position, especially if not addressed early on in the draft.

Observation #4

I love how this mock draft addressed the offensive line position at three different points. Outside of David Bakhtiari and Corey Linsley, there are question marks on this current roster. Lane Taylor had a down season in 2018, and while we hope he bounces back, we don’t know that he will. With only 25 career starts in five seasons, there are still unknowns surrounding the newly acquired Billy Turner. And although Bryan Bulaga is very effective when on the field, we really can’t assume he will play in all 16 games. Also, this is the final year of his contract and currently, his replacement isn’t on the roster.

Of the draft picks, Michael Deiter is the most NFL ready of the bunch and could step in right away at guard if needed. Then we have Bobby Evans who is a true tackle that may not be ready to start immediately, but with a year of development he could end up being Bulaga’s replacement.

Observation #5

The Green Bay Packers have shored up the defensive line portion of the front-seven, but inside linebacker is still an issue. Blake Martinez has proven to be a solid and reliable player, but he is in the final year of his contract and the position lacks depth. Then we have third-rounder Oren Burks who struggled to grasp the defensive scheme last season, specifically with his coverage responsibilities and as a result, he saw little playing time. Josh Jones could be an option to take snaps, but given safety is still a need after this draft, he may be needed more there.

Enter one of the best names in the draft in Takitaki. He is a high effort, physical player that will be in the correct position. He also does well shooting the gaps as a blitzer or as a run-stopper. However, he does struggle in coverage, both in man and in zone. Realistically, Takitaki wouldn’t make much of an impact in 2019, but he could develop into an early down linebacker.

Observation #6

In today’s NFL, you can never have too many edge rushers, so even with their free agent signings, spending a middle round pick, or even an early one isn’t a bad idea. Hollins has plenty of potential and with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.67, he is the exact kind of player the Green Bay Packers would love to draft. Being able to learn for a season or two will help him immensely and could turn him into a solid contributor.

Next. Will Rodgers be a problem for LaFleur?. dark

Overall, if the draft worked out this way for the Green Bay Packers I would be fairly happy. They landed some immediate playmakers in round one, brought in another slot receiver weapon for Rodgers and added some much-needed depth to the offensive line, edge rusher and inside linebacker positions.

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Green Bay Packers: Reviewing The Draft Network’s 7 round mock draft

By Paul Bretl | Apr 6, 2019