Green Bay Packers 2 Round Mock Draft Battle 2.0
By Kenny Jilek
With the 2021 NFL Draft tomorrow night, we decided to fit in one last mock draft battle. Both me and fellow Dairyland Express writer Matt Levene put on our general manager hats and make the picks for the Green Bay Packers spots in the first two rounds of the draft.
The board always falls a little bit differently, but we make our own independent decisions on who we like at each spot and it will be up to you on Twitter to vote for the winner. Let’s get into it.
Round 1, Pick 22 for the Green Bay Packers (via LV)
Matt’s Pick: Zion Johnson, G, Boston College
This is not the “flashy” or “sexy” pick many people may expect the Packers to make with the 22nd overall pick, but it is a necessary one. Zion Johnson is one of the most physically imposing specimens in this draft class. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches, weighing 312 pounds, Johnson has the build of a starting guard in the NFL. The Packers need depth on the offensive line, and this pick fills that need instantly.
Johnson is a phenomenal run blocker, something that should also entice the Packers to choose him at 22. The Packers boast arguably the best running back tandem in the NFL. I can say with almost certainty that both AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones would jump at the opportunity to have Zion Johnson up front opening holes for them. The moral of the story is that this pick instantly fills a need, and locks in a potential starting guard for the next decade. Zion Johnson is the pick at 22.
Kenny’s Pick: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
To some, safety might not be the position that immediately comes to mind as a big need for the Green Bay Packers, but both starting safeties are on the last year of their current contracts, with Savage having a team option for a fifth year. We all remember before the offseason when both Amos and Savage were brought in how bad the Packers’ situation was at safety and how it cost them multiple games. We don’t want that again.
Not only that, Cine could be an instant day one contributor. He could take some snaps playing deep, letting Darnell Savage play in the slot, something he’s wanted for years. He has the strength and size to play in the box and the speed, with a 4.37 40-time to play over the top and loves to come downhill for run support. His extremely impressive athletic talents, shown by his 9.92 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), are something that Green Bay has historically looked for and he fits a big need on this defense extremely well, while shoring up the future of the safety position.