Green Bay Packers: Plenty of Variety in Final Mock Draft Roundup

In the final Mock Draft Roundup of the 2020 offseason, we see plenty of variety when it comes to who the analysts have the Green Bay Packers selecting.

Well, we made it! We are now just a few hours away from the first round of the NFL Draft kicking-off. To help us get to this point, I’ve been doing a weekly Mock Draft Roundup to keep tabs on who the draft analysts have the Green Bay Packers selecting.

While the Packers have several positional needs to address, as expected, wide receiver has dominated many of these Mock Draft Roundups. Although there has been a slew of different players mentioned.

However, this week there has been much more variety. We still see plenty of receivers selected with two, in particular, making multiple appearances. But overall, as draft analysts get their final predictions in we saw some new names pop-up this week.

So without further ado and for the last time this offseason, here is your Mock Draft Roundup & Big Takeaways.

Tony Pauline – Pro Football Network

Round 1, Pick 30: Denzel Mims WR – Baylor

"“Mims was a consistent threat for the Baylor offense and had an exceptional week of practices at the Senior Bowl. He’s a big-bodied receiver who can be an effective third-down or red-zone target and possesses all the skills necessary to develop into a number one wideout.”"

Round 2, Pick 62: Jordyn Brooks LB – Texas Tech

"“Brooks is a quick, explosive linebacker who plays with an aggressive mentality. He shows an appetite for physical contact, but he must round out his game and learn to play to his computer numbers.”"

Takeaway: Mims is the exact type of receiver that the Green Bay Packers love to draft. He has a big body, he tested extremely well at the combine, and he can make contested catches. Not to mention that he can be a reliable third down and red zone target as Tony pointed out. Then we see Jordyn Brooks to Green Bay in Round 2, which makes much more sense to me than taking him in Round 1 as we saw a few times a week ago.

Peter King – Pro Football Talk

Round 1, Pick 30: Michael Pittman Jr. WR – USC

"“Professional receiver. Most have him in the second round. But the Packers don’t pick again till 62, and they see a solid but unspectacular disciplined route-runner and competitive 50-50-ball player. “He’s so reliable,” one coach told me Saturday. “He might get lost in a crop of receivers this good, but he shouldn’t. He’ll be a good receiver in the league for a long time.” Speaking of competitive receivers who were a quarterback’s best friend: Jordy Nelson, 6-3, 220 — Michael Pittman, 6-4, 222.”"

Takeaway: Pittman is another receiver who fits the Packers’ mold, but his skill-set compared to a few other current Green Bay receivers seems a bit redundant. He’s a big-bodied, possession receiver, that isn’t known for picking up yards after the catch. We know that Green Bay is going to take a receiver early on, and I hope that it is Jalen Reagor, Brandon Aiyuk, or Justin Jefferson, all of which would give this offense a presence that they didn’t have in 2019.

R.J. White – CBS Sports

Round 1, Pick 30: Jordyn Brooks LB – Texas Tech

"“Brooks is another guy who has gained steam as a potential first-round pick, and considering the depth at receiver, it could make sense for the Packers to snap him up here to pair with FA addition Christian Kirksey and solidify the middle of the defense.”"

Takeaway: More Jordyn Brooks in Round 1. Over the last week or so he has been gaining a lot of momentum around the draft community as the buzz about him continues to grow. At 30th overall I’m not sure that I am in favor of this pick, but last year Gutey surprised us with the Rashan Gary selection. So this is definitely something to keep our eyes on.

Mel Kiper – ESPN

Round 1, Pick 30: Cole Kmet TE – Notre Dame

"“Kmet is the only tight end with a chance to go in Round 1, and the Packers could get Aaron Rodgers some help in a pass-catcher and blocker. Did you know that Rodgers was the most recent skill position player Green Bay picked in the first round? And that was 2005. If Tee Higgins is still on the board, he could be another option.”"

Takeaway: This is a pick that I just can’t get on board with. For one, this is a weak tight end class and two, we rarely see tight ends contribute their rookie seasons. This is a loaded receiver class and Green Bay should be looking to boost their passing game with one of the many options at that position, and not with a tight end. The earliest they should consider drafting a tight end is in Round 4.

Ryan Wilson CBS Sports

Round 1, Pick 30: Denzel Mims WR – Baylor

"“Mims had a strong season for Baylor, balled out at the Senior Bowl, and then set the combine on fire with his performance there. He’s still raw but he’s the type of playmaker that could quickly grow into an Aaron Rodgers-led offense.”"

Round 2, Pick 62: Damon Arnette CB – Ohio State 

"“Arnette is NFL ready, and at 24, he’ll be ready to step into a prominent role on Day 1.”"

Round 3, Pick 94: Logan Wilson LB – Wyoming

"“Wilson excels in coverage, which makes him a three-down player in the NFL.”"

Takeaway: Overall this is a solid mock draft. We are all familiar with Denzel Mims by now and landing Logan Wilson in Round 3 is a very good value pick. I also like that Ryan addressed cornerback in the second round as it is an underrated need for the Green Bay Packers. However, despite a nice season at Ohio State for Arnette, athletically, I don’t think he is on Green Bay’s radar.

Charles Davis – NFL.com

Round 1, Pick 30: Brandon Aiyuk WR – Arizona State

"“Explosive and tough, Aiyuk would be a great addition to Aaron Rodgers’ arsenal. But what if the Packers decide to plan for the future and go QB here? Could Green Bay make a bold move for Jalen Hurts?”"

Takeaway: I actually think that there is a good chance that Green Bay takes Aiyuk in Round 1. We know the top-3 receivers will be off the board, at this point, it’s hard to envision Justin Jefferson making it to 30, and Mims has been receiving a lot of buzz this past month. Ayiuk tested better than Jalen Reagor, and his ability to pick up yards after the catch will be a welcomed sight in Green Bay.

And in regards to Charles’ comment about picking Jalen Hurts here, well, I’m going to pretend I didn’t read that.

Rhett Lewis – NFL.com

Round 1, Pick 30: Brandon Aiyuk WR – Arizona State

"“I love this pick and so will Aaron Rodgers. The Packers upgrade their receiver room with a player unlike any currently on their roster. A Swiss Army knife receiver, who’s a stud with the ball in his hands, Aiyuk gives coach Matt LaFleur a ton of options in his offense.”"

Takeaway: More Brandon Aiyuk and I am all the way on board. So here’s an Aiyuk touchdown for you.

John Clayton – Washington Post

Round 1, Pick 30: Denzel Mims WR – Baylor

"“Other than Davante Adams, the Packers are thin at wide receiver. They have to take the best available pass catcher here.”"

Takeaway: Denzel Mims appears to be the favorite for Green Bay among many draft analysts in these final days leading up to the draft.

Corey Parson – Sports Illustrated

Round 1, Pick 30: Austin Jackson OT – USC

"“I think the Packers could be looking for a wide receiver in this spot, but will take a hard look at some offensive line depth. Jackson is the best tackle left on the board at this point of the draft.”"

Takeaway: I am all for the Green Bay Packers taking an offensive tackle early in the draft but Austin Jackson in Round 1 isn’t the answer. While he has the athleticism NFL teams look for in tackles, he needs to get stronger, his technique needs a lot of work, and he’s still very inconsistent.

Daniel Jeremiah – NFL.com 

Round 1, Pick 30: Brandon Aiyuk WR – Arizona State

"“This could be the spot for Jordan Love. If the Packers pass on him, though, Aiyuk is a perfect fit in their offense.”"

Takeaway: I hope this is not the spot for Jordan Love, but yes, Aiyuk would be a tremendous fit in Green Bay.

Rob Demovsky – ESPN

Round 1, Pick 30: Ross Blacklock IDL – TCU

Takeaway: With Jalen Reagor, Denzel Mims, and Brandon Aiyuk still available, Rob decides to take Ross Blacklock from TCU. We saw this Packers run defense get gashed for much of the season, especially in the NFC Championship game, so finding Kenny Clark some help inside is a must. Blacklock is long, athletic, and fits a number of defensive schemes. He sounds just like the type of player that Green Bay likes to draft and according to Tony Pauline of PFN, the Packers are quite interested.

Chris Collinsworth – Pro Football Focus

Round 1, Pick 30: Justin Jefferson WR – LSU

Takeaway: All I have to say is, please let this happen. In my eyes, this is the best-case scenario for the Green Bay Packers in Round 1.

Steve Palazzolo – Pro Football Focus

Round 1, Pick 30: A.J. Epenesa EDGE – Iowa

"“While Epenesa doesn’t have the bend and explosiveness of elite edge rushers, he’s similar to the Detroit Lions’ Trey Flowers in that he wins with power, length and excellent hand usage. He can handle duties on the inside as well, bringing a versatile piece to Green Bay’s defensive front. Epenesa finished with a strong 87.8 pass-rush grade last season after a 90.4 mark in 2018.”"

Takeaway: While I can see why Epenesa will be an appealing first-round pick for some team, given the needs that the Green Bay Packers have elsewhere coupled with the fact that they signed The Smiths and drafted Rashan Gary at 12th overall in 2019, I’d rather see them address a different position in Round 1.