Green Bay Packers: 3 Simulated 2021 NFL Mock Drafts from 3 Different Sites

NFL Mock Draft Database

Round 1: Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan

Round 2: Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

Round 3: Seth Williams, WR, Auburn

Takeaways:

– I am a much bigger fan of this first-round selection than taking the previous mock draft. Tackle is a bigger positional need for the Green Bay Packers, and it’s a premier position in the NFL, unlike LB–so addressing it in Round 1 makes much more sense.

– Mayfield doesn’t have a large sample size of games to look at compared to some of the offensive tackles in this class, with 2019 being his only full season and 2020 being shortened. However, as Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network points out, he displayed “impressive improvement from Year 1 to Year 2.”

– In 2019, Mayfield gave up one sack, 27 pressures, and was called for three penalties over 851 snaps, 458 of which were pass-blocking attempts. In only two games this past season, he didn’t allow a sack and gave up only one pressure. A very small sample size in 2020, but improvements show up on the tape. In his pre-draft scouting report, Crabbs would also call Mayfield a “high quality starting offensive lineman.”

– After hamming on the first round LB selection in the last mock draft, I have to say I’m intrigued by the Jabril Cox selection in Round 2. Joe Marino, also of The Draft Network, called Cox an “outstanding coverage linebacker,” something that the Green Bay Packers just haven’t had. This past season at LSU, he recorded 10 pressures, 52 tackles, 24 total stops, three interceptions, and a 57.0 passer rating when thrown at.

– There’s no way that the Green Bay Packers don’t take a receiver in this year’s draft, right? Many mock drafts up to this point have the Packers taking a receiver in Round 1, and while you have to take into account who is available, from a pure positional need standpoint, receiver might not even be a top-5 need in my eyes. With that said, I fully expect them to address it at some point, and if it does come early on, I’m not going to be that upset either–depending on who is on the board.

– Williams has been an integral part of the Auburn offense the last two seasons, with 100 targets or more in both of them. He’s caught just 52 percent of his career targets, however, but averaged 16.1 yards per catch with back-to-back seasons over 750 receiving yards. Williams has 17 career touchdowns and was called a “red zone nightmare” by Drae Harris of The Draft Network. Drops were also an issue, with 16 over his career–including eight in 2020.