GREEN BAY, Wis. – A three-round mock draft by Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller offered an interesting dilemma for the Green Bay Packers.
With receivers Jameson Williams, Drake London and Chris Olave off the board in the teens, the Packers had two high-quality choices at No. 22 overall: Arkansas’ Treylon Burks to provide a badly needed receiver or Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning to be a Day 1 starter at right tackle.
Take Burks, and the Packers can fill another need at No. 28. Take Penning, and the Packers can circle back to receiver.
Ultimately, Miller grabbed Burks at No. 22.
“The Green Bay Packers already needed help at wide receiver, and then they lost Davante Adams in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders,” Miller wrote. “Treylon Burks must arrive in Green Bay as a ready-made WR1, at least in his ability to eat a massive amount of targets. He’s not Adams in any way, shape, or form, but he helps Green Bay infuse some talent in an underwhelming unit.”
At No. 28, Miller filled another of the big needs with Purdue edge defender George Karlaftis.
The alternative would have been to take Penning at No. 22 and grab a receiver – Georgia’s George Pickens and Penn State’s Jahan Dotson were on the board – with the second of the first-round choices.
With the Day 2 picks, Green Bay wound up with a pair of high-caliber defenders – a linebacker and a defensive tackle – in the second round and a standout tight end in the third round.
All-Packers Mock Draft 7.0
Using the simulator at Pro Football Network, I traded back to acquire an additional second-round choice.
First Round – No. 28: Ohio State WR Chris Olave
With USC’s Drake London, Arkansas’ Treylon Burks and Ohio State’s Chris Olave on the board, I felt good about getting an impact receiver when I traded out of No. 22. Olave has the field-stretching ability that coach Matt LaFleur wants and the route-running ability of a younger Davante Adams.
First Round – No. 29: Michigan edge David Ojabo
With that extra pick, I felt good about drafting someone who might not contribute much this season. Ojabo was a legit top-20 pick before tearing an Achilles at pro day. Ojabo had 11 sacks and a whopping five forced fumbles last season. At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, he ran his 40 in a ridiculous 4.55 seconds. When he’s healthy, he’ll provide a different look than the duo of Preston Smith and Rashan Gary.
Second Round – No. 53: Georgia WR George Pickens
If I were a betting man, I’d guess Pickens will be off the board here. But there were other targets, including South Alabama’s Jalen Tolbert. At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.47 seconds. He is excellent on deep balls and is a better route-runner than a lot of tall receivers. He had a predraft visit.
Second Round – No. 59: Washington State OT Abraham Lucas
With plenty of experience protecting the quarterback and superb athleticism – at 6-foot-6 3/8 and 315 pounds, Lucas ran his 40 in 4.92 seconds and his shuttle in 4.40 producing a superb RAS, Lucas had a predraft visit.
Second Round – No. 62: Connecticut DT Travis Jones
If I were a betting man, I’d guess that Jones is long gone here, too, but there were other options, such as Texas A&M’s DeMarvin Leal and Alabama’s Phidarian Mathis who I would have happily grabbed. A bit lost in the shuffle of Georgia’s Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, Jones at 325 pounds ran his 40 in 4.92 seconds.
Third Round – No. 92: Ohio State TE Jeremy Ruckert
Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis will be free agents next offseason. Ruckert is more in the line of Lewis as the physical blocker and underneath target. The Packers have taken a lot of third-round tight ends with Richard Rodgers, Jace Sternberger and Josiah Deguara. He’s 6-foot-5 1/2; he did not test because of a foot injury.
Fourth Round – No. 132: Baylor S JT Woods
Darnell Savage (unless the team triggers the fifth-year option) and Adrian Amos will be free agents next offseason. So, there’s a long-term need. But there’s a reason why the Packers never gave Savage a shot in the slot last year. If you’re going to move your safety into the slot, someone has to play safety. The Packers didn’t have anyone else to play safety. As a senior, Woods picked off eight passes and had 4.5 tackles for losses. He’s 6-foot-2 and only 195 pounds but has 4.36 speed.
Fourth Round – No. 140: Western Kentucky edge DeAngelo Malone
The Packers need depth at outside linebacker, and Ojabo won’t provide it to start the season. So, a mid-round pick makes sense. It came against lesser competition but Malone posted 34 sacks, 60 tackles for losses and nine forced fumbles for his career. At 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.54 seconds. Imagine the potential of Green Bay’s pass rush tied to throwing into the cornerback corps of Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes.
Seventh Round – No. 228: Wisconsin OL Logan Bruss
Bruss started at right tackle and right guard for the Badgers. He allowed just one sack the last two seasons, according to Sports Info Solutions. At 6-foot-5 and 309 pounds, he’s got plus-athleticism with his 4.55 in the 20-yard shuttle. He’ll provide that versatility in the NFL. Speaking to the depth of this year’s draft, he is a better player as a seventh-rounder than fellow Badger Cole Van Lanen was a sixth-rounder last year.
Seventh Round – No. 249: Ouachita Baptist CB Gregory Junior
Junior’s work at the Division II level was good enough to get him a shot at the Senior Bowl. He measured 5-foot-11 7/8 and a sturdy 203 pounds with 4.45 speed in the 40 and a 39.5-inch vertical. He had only one interception in his career. This late in the draft, you’ve got to bet on something and that athleticism is impossible to ignore.
Seventh Round – No. 258: Georgia Tech S Tariq Carpenter
Carpenter was a four-year starter for the Yellow Jackets. As a senior, he had 65 tackles in 10 games, highlighted by a season-high 13 stops at Clemson. He added three passes defensed and one forced fumble. In 52 career games, he picked off four passes, broke up 22 and forced three fumbles. At 6-foot-2 7/8 and 230 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.47 seconds. At the Senior Bowl, he showed promise at linebacker. He had a predraft visit.
