Thursday, February 5, 2015

7 round Packers Mock Draft

The Packers lost in a bitter defeat in the NFC Championship Game against the Seahawks, costing them a chance at hoisting the Lombardi trophy for the fifth time in the franchise's history.



As an avid Packer fan, I will not dwell on the past and turn my head and look forward to the NFL Draft, where the Packers front office, led by Ted Thompson, will look for the NFL's next best stars to fill holes on the roster.

In this article, I will go through each Packers draft selection, and pinpoint the prospects they should try to grab in each round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

This is hard, as the draft can go in all different directions, but this will give fellow Packer fans a few names to know and keep in mind for each of the rounds.


1st Round: Linebacker Denzel Perryman, Miami


Denzel Perryman is probably the hardest hitting inside linebacker in the draft class and he uses is speed and athleticism to take down ball carriers between the hashes. He is adept at stopping runners behind the line of scrimmage and it is rare when you see a back overpower the Hurricane linebacker. He also adds a little pass rushing to the table and would be a great addition due to his proficiency at stopping mobile quarterbacks, something the Packers have struggled mightily at. He brings a level of intensity on every play that the Packers haven't had at the inside linebacker position in quite a while and Perryman will be a great candidate to captain the defense for years to come.


2nd Round: Defensive Tackle Carl Davis, Iowa



What makes me love Carl Davis so much is his motor. He gives his all on every play and is an incredible pass rusher for his size and speed. I watched him against the Badgers, and he was running all the way down the field with the running backs. He takes up a lot of space and can make impact plays in the backfield. His 6-5 321 pound frame helps him win battles up front, and take advantage of poor center play. He played in a 4-3 system in college, but I think he can make the switch to the 3-4 nose tackle position effortlessly. 

3rd Round: Cornerback Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest



Some consider Johnson to be gone by now but if he indeed falls this far the Packers should snatch him up while they can. Johnson is a great, effective tackler in space who has quick feet and uses his long strides to keep up with even the fastest receivers. At 6-1, he has the hight that Thompson loves in his corners and plays man to man about as good as any other cover man in this years class. He played off man at Wake Forest which allowed him to watch plays unfold in front of him so he would be able to pounce on the receiver or ball. Johnson doesn't do well while forced to break off of blocks and doesn't provide a whole lot of support in run defense. With some fixing, Johnson could become the next great great cover corner in Green Bay.

4th Round: Outside Linebacker Jordan Hicks, Texas



At 6-2 and a thin 241 pounds, Jordan Hicks excels at beating the offensive tackle on the edge, and reminds me a bit of a sleeker and faster Nick Perry, although the current Packer has the advantage in terms of strength. He is a flexible, balanced pass rusher, who uses his compact frame to add some pop on most of his hits. He has had some injury issues in the past, as he missed 19 games in the 2012-2013 seasons due to hip and achilles injuries. He struggles to break off of blockers once they have a firm grip on Hicks, and is a big liability in pass coverage. Hicks would fit perfectly in the Packers outside linebacker/pass rushing rotation as just a speed rusher who can force a QB to stick in the pocket and potentially force bad throws once he gets his hands on the signal- caller.

5th Round: Tight End Wes Saxton, South Alabama



The Packers may have a gem at tight end in Richard Rodgers, a rookie last season out of California, however, they may need another athlete to step up and compete at the tight end position to make the Packers already incredible offense more complete. Saxton is one of those rare prospects that have incredible upside, yet will not hear their name called until the later rounds due to going to a school who competes against lesser competition. After watching tape on Saxton, what stood out to me was in balanced athleticism. He has incredible strength, yet has unique speed for a guy of his size and has good leverage on his initial burst. One reason that Saxton will drop this late is because of rawness to the game of football. He has a tendency to drop open passes and gives up on routes to quickly. With a year or two of instruction in Green Bay, expect Saxton to be a stud. He will also be able to contribute early on special teams. 

Sixth Round: Offensive Tackle Tyrus Thompson, Oklahoma



Tyrus Thompson has a chance to rise a couple rounds if he has a good showing at his pro day and combine, however, it is his tendency to make mistakes and not utilize his strength to the full potential that is keeping Thompson from being a second day selection. He also will only be able to play right tackle effectively in the NFL, as the blind-side sacking professionals would tear Thompson a part, and that wouldn't be a reliable fit with Aaron Rodgers as your franchise signal-caller. I guess what intrigues me about Thompson is that he has unbelievable lower body strength and long arms so his problems with strength can be fixed. He also is a mauler in the run game, especially with power backs like Lacy scrapping for every yard they can get. 

Seventh Round: Defensive End Ryan Russell, Purdue



At 6-5, 267 pounds, Russell is a tall and sleek player for his position but makes up for that with his blend of power and versatility against both the run and the pass. He has great initial burst at the point of attack and holds on in gaps to gain leverage on powerful offensive linemen. Purdue University has had recent success at Russell's position as they have sent great players like Cliff Avril, Anthony Spencer, Ryan Kerrigan, and others to the League. He has displayed weaknesses in his game, however, as he needs a lot of time to develop to reach his potential as a pass rusher. 

Review

The Packers have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, and with their three headed monster of Rodgers-Lacy-Nelson and potentially add Cobb to the mix with an extension, and that equals to the most dangerous offense in the NFL. If the Packers are able to resign Bulaga as well, that would cement their offensive line as a top five machine in the NFL, as well. Most of their problems come on defense, especially along the front seven and at cornerback for depth. With a successful draft class mainly focused on the front seven talent, the Packers can make the next step and get closer to getting back to the Super Bowl. 

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