Green Bay Packers Roundtable: 2020 NFL Draft Preview

Who is one player that others are high on but you don’t want to see the Packers draft?

Mike

A lot of draft pundits have been moving Austin Jackson of USC up their board due to his youth (he won’t turn 21 until after the draft), size (6’6″ 310 lbs), and pure athleticism, but he’s got so much work to do to be a viable tackle in the NFL that he shouldn’t even be in consideration for the Green Bay Packers until 62.

There are other tackles in a similar spot on Draft boards (Ezra Cleveland, Josh Jones), but Jackson is by far the biggest risk among them. His potential is extremely enticing, but he was nowhere near as polished as other Packers first-round linemen in past years like Bryan Bulaga or even Derek Sherrod. Jackson’s potential is sky-high, and his talent is undeniable. But then again, so was Jason Spriggs’.

Brian

Tee Higgins. It’s not that I don’t think he’s a good player (he is), but I think there are a number of other receivers the Green Bay Packers could grab in the second round that are just as likely to be good despite being taken a round later than Higgins (who is projected to go at the end of the first). The Packers could easily pass on Higgins and take a similarly rated guy like Michael Pittman Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr., Bryan Edwards, Denzel Mims, KJ Hamler or Chase Claypool 32 picks later.

Kenny

Michael Pittman Jr. is the player that I just can’t get behind. I’ve watched him and I’ve seen him do some impressive things, but I just don’t see him as a second-round receiver. He is 6’4″ and his height is his major asset, but his build is a bit wiry and I don’t see him being able to consistently overpower NFL cornerbacks.

I don’t think he’s fast or quick enough to create separation and make defenses respect him enough to not bracket Davante Adams on the opposite side of the field. He is just too much like Allen Lazard for me to understand spending a high pick on him and it would just seem redundant to me. Lazard does a good job as being the big number three or four receiver. Green Bay needs a legitimate number two receiver, not another Lazard.

Jacob

While many are clamoring for Kenneth Murray, he is not someone who I am as high on. While he’s a nice player, I’m not sure how much he really upgrades the linebacker room. Murray has never played one snap of true coverage and we really have no idea what he can do in that realm.

He’s a good player in the run game, but what is that really worth in the modern NFL? Yes, I know, the Packers just got run over in their last game against San Francisco, but that’s not indicative of a larger trend in the NFL. If they’re taking a linebacker early, the only one I’m signing up for is Patrick Queen out of LSU.

Paul

After having a very good showing at the NFL Combine, offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland has been flying up draft boards and is now considered by many a first-round selection. However, I just can’t get behind the Packers taking him in Round 1.

While he’s put out some nice performances at Boise State, at the NFL level I see him having issues with his lack of functional strength and his lack of overall balance as a blocker. There is certainly the possibility that the top-5 tackles in this class are gone before the Green Bay Packers are on the clock at pick 30, and if that is in fact the case, my hope is that they go in a different direction instead of taking Cleveland if he is still available.