The Packers made a considerable splash in free agency again, much alike March 2019, when they signed Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Adrian Amos, and Billy Turner. All ended up, not only, being starters, but added considerable improvement to the team. Jacobs and McKinney should do the same. While the departure of fan-favorite, Aaron Jones, Josh Jacobs is a better pure runner and should be more available. McKinney joins a secondary that was misused, and brings much-needed ball-hawking to the Safety position.
What Does This All Mean for the Draft?
Keep in mind, drafting for need is a loser’s play. Rookies are NOT the difference between a Super Bowl-winning team, and not. However, if a team approaches the draft by taking the Best Player Available, that almost always works in their favor. I’ve covered it many times, and I’ll summarize again:
- Rule 1: Overpay no one. Meaning, regardless of how good a player is, do not overpay them. It will always cost you.
- Rule 2: Do NOT draft for need. If you draft for need, you’ll continue to have more needs than you would should you fill your roster with the best players available. *Needs should be addressed by free agency, ideally with role players or spot-starter caliber players.
- Rule 3: Do not draft the following positions in the 1st round: Wide Receiver; Running Back; Tight End; (most of the time) Interior Offensive Line (Guards and Centers).
Who Will/Should Green Bay Select?
There are a ton of prospects that Packer Nation wants. The best part is, much like the “experts,” fans are clueless as to who their team is actually targeting, and almost always way off on the prospect turning out in the league. The best bet is to look at trends, and the trends, especially for the 1st round are highlighted in my rules above. Another trend is that Iowa Hawkeyes tend to turn into great pro players. Their program must do a great job at preparing their prospects to succeed in the NFL. There are countless examples, even just in recent Packer history, of Hawkeyes producing at a high level. Therefore, before all of the hype, I wanted the Packers to select CB Cooper DeJean, from Iowa. These Hawkeyes all seem to have the right mindset to approach being a rookie in the NFL, couple that with the fact they’re incredibly athletic and smart, regardless of position. It’s demanded of them in their program, and it shines at the next level.
Potential 1st Round Selections by Green Bay (and some names to keep in mind).
- CB Cooper DeJean – Iowa
- OT Taliese Fuaga – Oregon St.
- OT Amarius Mims – Georgia
- OT JC Latham – Alabama
- OT/OG Graham Barton – DUKE
- OT Tyler Guyton – Oklahoma
- DL Byron Murphy II – Texas
- DL Jer’Zhan (Johnny) Newton – Illinois
- DL Braden Fiske – Florida State
- DL Ruke Orhorhoro – Clemson
- EDGE Jared Verse – Florida State
- EDGE Laiatu Latu – UCLA
- EDGE Chop Robinson – Penn State
This is a list of players that could easily be taken by the Packers in the 1st round. Some could even fall to their 2nd round selection (41 or 58). Any of these players would be a solid addition to the roster, and any of the Tackles (OT) could/should start from day 1.
What Will It Look Like?
This is one of the many mock drafts I’ve completed, but should Latu fall to the Packers at 25, it’s a safe bet GM Brian Gutekunst would pull the trigger and take him. Also, depending on his grading and what’s available, he could trade back to add another couple of picks later in the draft or in future drafts. It’s likely Green Bay adds all of these positions, early, as the talent of this draft is fairly balanced and loaded with talent. Don’t be surprised if the Packers finish the draft (not just the 1st round) taking EDGE, OT, iOL, TE, and HB. The Packers have 2 solid HBs currently rostered (Jacobs and Dillon), but will likely add another 1-2 players that could turn out to be the eventual #2 behind Jacobs as early as this year.
GO PACK GO!!!