Green Bay Packers 2021 NFL Draft Superlatives

The NFL Draft is just a few weeks away and after countless mock drafts and player profiles, I thought it would be fun to switch it up a bit with some Green Bay Packers draft superlatives.

As the dictionary defines superlative in this instance, it is “an exaggerated or hyperbolical expression of praise.“ So I’ve chosen some Packers draft-related superlatives to share my thoughts on and I hope you do as well.

Biggest Need: Offensive Tackle

I imagine cornerback is going to be the popular selection here, but as I wrote about in my positional rankings, for me, it’s the offensive tackle. With David Bakhtiari out, Billy Turner and Elgton Jenkins are your tackles, with Yosh Nijman as the only backup. Additionally, with Jenkins at tackle, that means either Simon Stepaniak or Ben Braden are one of your guards.

Perhaps I should have more confidence in Stepaniak, Braden, and Nijman, but from the outside looking in, we just haven’t seen much of them–and relying on them comes with obvious risks. However, if Green Bay can land a starting right tackle, then that adds depth but also allows Jenkins to move back inside. Even if the incoming rookie can’t start right away, you have a swing tackle for 2021 and your right tackle of the future moving forward.

Cornerback is a very close second choice, but in a secondary with Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, Adrian Amos, and Darnell Savage, I’m not as concerned.

Best Case Scenario in Round 1: Landing Caleb Farley at Pick 29

There are some concerns about Farley’s injury history that could cause him to slide down boards. He battled an injury in 2019, opted out of the 2020 season, and recently had back surgery. So, yes, there are some risks involved in taking him, but at pick 29 this is an absolute steal.

From a pure football standpoint, Farley is considered one of the top cornerbacks in this class and without the injury concerns would be a borderline top-10 pick. He can play man or zone coverages, he has excellent size, and athleticism, and from Day 1, he would be CB2 on this Green Bay Packers team. The value is just too much to pass up at this point.

Worst Case Scenario in Round 1: Any IDL not Named Christian Barmore

I don’t have an exact player here, but more so a position group. The Green Bay Packers need help and depth at the interior defensive line position, but this is unfortunately a very weak class. It’s Christian Barmore and pretty much everyone else. While I’d certainly be happy with Barmore, I don’t feel that there is anyone else who should be selected in the first round. At that point, it’s a major reach regardless of who the Packers could take and poor value.

Most Likely Pick for the Green Bay Packers: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas

Cosmi checks off a lot of the boxes that the Packers look for. He’s a very experienced player, with over 2,600 career snaps, and he has shown that he is effective as both a run-blocker and a pass-blocker–grading exceptionally well at both throughout his career by PFF’s metrics ($$). Cosmi also tested very well athletically, has excellent size, plays a premier position, and he fills an important need at tackle. It seems like only a matter of time before he’s in Green Bay.

Which prospect feels like a Green Bay Packer: Nico Collins, WR, Michigan

It’s obvious that the Green Bay Packers have a type at the receiver position; someone who has great size, is athletic, and can win downfield. Well, that’s Nico Collins in a nutshell. Collins stands 6’4″ and weighs 215 pounds. At his Pro-Day he posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.56 out of 10 and he will stretch the field. With the Green Bay Packers in need of a wide receiver — or two — Collins fits their mold almost perfectly.

Which position will the Green Bay Packers draft 3 of?

Since the 2017 draft, the Packers have selected three players of the same position on three occasions. So if they are going to do that again, which position will it be?

I see two likely options, either cornerback, for obvious reasons, or receiver, because currently there is no one under contract beyond the 2021 season. But if I have to choose — and of course I do — I’ll go cornerback. In terms of positional importance, cornerback gets the nod there, but also, Jaire Alexander is the only player that can be counted on.

Kevin King is a wildcard, Chandon Sullivan is okay, but there’s no guarantee either is back next season– and odds are that they aren’t. Then after those two, it’s just a whole lot of question marks. While there is no one under contract in 2022 at receiver, beyond Davante Adams there is still talent that could be re-signed. Other than Alexander, I can’t say that at cornerback. So use this deep draft to load up.

Probably won’t be a Packer but you wish they would: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

With Moore being only 5’7″ — well below their threshold of 6’0″ — and playing in only seven games the last two seasons, I find it hard to believe he is on the Green Bay Packers’ board–or at least not very high. With that said, Moore is a perfect fit for the Matt LaFleur offense.

He would give the Packers a true slot receiver, would fill that gadget role being used as the motion man, on jet sweeps, and on bubble screens as well. Just get him the ball in space and let him do the rest. Moore would add an element to this offense that they just don’t have and make it downright scary.

Mid-round pick who will contribute right away: Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa

While not to the same extent as Moore, Smith-Marsette can bring that gadget ability to Green Bay as well. At Iowa, he found the end zone four times as a ball carrier and was used as the motion man along with manufactured touches around the line of scrimmage.

Smith-Marsette can line up in the slot or on the boundary — a must in LaFleur’s offense — and stretch the field vertically as well. On top of that, he also has 53 career kick return attempts, potentially providing a boost to this stagnant Packers return game. Yes, his game still needs development, but with all that he does, he is someone who would contribute right away.

Potential boom or bust pick: Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky

Joseph really has just one year of experience and it came this past season at Kentucky after transferring from LSU. As was to be expected, there was a lot of inconsistency in Joseph’s game but he had some big moments as well, including four interceptions, but perhaps most notably his performance against Alabama where he didn’t allow a reception.

It’s this potential and upside that will get Joseph drafted in the early rounds and if recognized, we would look back on this pick saying it was a no-brainer–that’s the beauty of hindsight, right? But he is still very inexperienced and there is still plenty of rawness to his game that very well may never develop and he remains inconsistent. If that’s the case, then a few years from now everyone will be wondering, why in the heck the Packers made that pick?