Packers Tackle Big Positions of Need in 4 Round NFL.com Mock Draft
By Paul Bretl
Green Bay Packers Pick 132: Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State
The Packers did just re-sign De’Vondre Campbell, and they’ll have Krys Barnes back as well, but that doesn’t mean the depth of this unit can’t be upgraded. Also, the draft is about planning ahead, and the linebacker room looks quite thin at the moment in 2023.
Smith is a very gifted athlete, scoring a 10.0 on the RAS table after his combine performance. This past season, Smith would record16 pressures, including two sacks and 73 total tackles, along with 36 stops. In coverage, he held pass-catchers to just 6.7 yards per catch on 35 receptions.
Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network notes in his scouting report that Smith will be at his best in space and in obvious coverage situations, although Crabbs is unsure if he will develop into a three-down linebacker with the run game, in particular, giving him potential issues.
With his athleticism, Smith could become a core special teams player for the Green Bay Packers–something they need more of.
Green Bay Packers Pick 140: Zach Carter, DL, Florida
The addition of Zach Carter would give Joe Barry a very versatile chess piece along his defensive front. During his time at Florida, Carter would line up as a traditional edge rusher on 704 snaps, as a defensive end on 404 snaps, and another 473 snaps along the interior.
At 6’4″ – 282 pounds, Carter is kind of stuck in between being a big edge rusher or a smaller interior defensive lineman, although as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein points out, some evaluators expect him to put on weight and primarily play inside–which, of course, is an are that this Green Bay Packers defense could use help.
Over the last two seasons, Carter logged 62 pressures, 11 of which were sacks, 27 stops, and 20.5 tackles for loss, per PFF.