Pro Football Focus’ Mock Draft Addresses Major Needs for Packers

In Pro Football Focus’ first two-round mock draft of the offseason, Michael Renner hits on two major needs that the Green Bay Packers have.

It’s only February but we have already seen plenty of mock drafts being released and at this stage of the game, most have covered just the first round. In these various mocks we’ve seen the Green Bay Packers selecting wide receiver, linebacker, interior defensive lineman, tackle, and even tight end.

However, Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus just recently released his first two-round mock draft of the offseason and it addresses two major positions of need for the Packers. Come late April if the first two-rounds fall this way for Green Bay, I think fans will have to be quite excited.

Below are Renner’s selections along with his analysis and I provide my big takeaways from each pick.

Round 1, Pick 30: Kenneth Murray LB – Oklahoma

"“Mike Pettine’s defense asks their middle linebacker to cover a ton of ground with how often they run dime. Few can cover as much ground in this class as Murray can. He’s also cleaned up his missed tackles to a degree with only 13 on 109 attempts this year.”"

Takeaway: In the middle of the defense, the Green Bay Packers have a need for speed and as Renner points out, there aren’t many better options in this draft class at linebacker than Kenneth Murray. He’s shown that he can make plays in the backfield with 8.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss over his final two seasons. Not to mention that his sideline-to-sideline range will be a welcomed sight in Green Bay.

Although many mock drafts have the Packers selecting a wide receiver with this pick, given the overall depth at receiver in this year’s class, selecting Murray if he is available makes complete sense.

Notable Players still available at 30th overall: Patrick Queen, Jalen Reagor, Justin Jefferson, and Austin Jackson

Round 2, Pick 62: K.J. Hamler WR – Penn State

"“The Packers are another receiving corps that desperately needs some speed. Hamler adds that element to the Packers’ offense and can be deadly in the screen game as well. He’ll need to cut back on the drops, though, after 12 on 68 catchable last year.”"

Takeaway: The Green Bay Packers certainly need an additional dynamic presence in this offense, so I present to you K.J. Hamler, a certified playmaker. Just get Hamler the ball and watch him go to work.

During his two seasons at Penn State, Hamler averaged nearly 17 yards per catch with 13 touchdowns and totaled 1,658 receiving yards. It’s also worth noting that he was a solid return man as well, with an average of 23.5 yards per kick return and 6.0 yards per punt return. However, he is a bit undersized.

Overall, I believe that if the board actually falls this way for the Green Bay Packers, it would be a successful first two-rounds of the draft for them. They add some much needed speed to the linebacker position and find a receiver who can make plays after the catch.