Green Bay Packers: Mock Draft Battle 2.0
By Paul Bretl
Mike: Ezra Cleveland OT – Boise State
With Bryan Bulaga likely to ply his trade in a new city in 2020, a young offensive tackle is a must-pick for Brian Gutekunst, and if Jared Veldheer returns to start for one more year, then Cleveland is the perfect fit to develop under a guy who was one of the more athletic tackles in his prime.
A lot of technique work is needed with Cleveland, as it would with most Day 2 offensive tackle prospects, but studying under Veldheer and David Bakhtiari (who has the best technique of any tackle in football) can only help him grow as a player.
Either way, the Green Bay Packers need to get some more talent in the offensive line room, especially at tackle, and Cleveland has such a high ceiling that he’s worth a Top-100 pick.
Kenny: Davon Hamilton IDL – Ohio State
Neglecting the defensive side of the ball for the first two rounds may not be a wise choice, but Davon Hamilton could make it all ok. We all know the Green Bay Packers need some guys to stop the run and Hamilton would be just what the doctor ordered. At 6’4″ 327 pounds, he’s a huge body to try to move in the middle. With him next to Kenny Clark, teams would have a lot tougher time trying to run between the tackles.
Hamilton isn’t just some big body, though. He has a ton of strength. He did 33 bench reps at the combine, most of any defensive lineman. This upper body strength allows him to get his arms extended and get away from blocks, even when they beat him at the snap. He could also play nose tackle, if the Packers wanted to slide Clark to one of the end spots.
Getting Hamilton would do a lot for this defense in terms of plugging gaps in the trenches and not allowing opposing running backs to get five or ten yards up the field before their first contact with a defender.
Paul: Prince Tega Wanogho OT – Auburn
With it looking more and more likely that Bryan Bulaga is heading elsewhere this offseason, my hope is that Green Bay can sign a veteran like Jared Veldheer for example, but even so, finding their long-term solution at right tackle in the draft is still a top priority. And if I could have selected one sooner than Round 3, I certainly would have, the opportunity just didn’t present itself.
However, I was thrilled to land Prince Tega Wanogho in the third round. Now if he has to be the Week 1 starter, the Packers could be in trouble, but at 6’5″ – 307 pounds he has the size, athleticism and the tools the be a very good tackle in this league for a long time.
Bulaga's Price Tag Likely Out of Packers' Range. dark. Next
His game is still quite raw but he has a high ceiling and it’s easy to see that the potential is there. Sign a veteran for a season or two, draft Tega Wanogho to develop, and the Green Bay Packers could very well have their right tackle of the future.