Draft Preview: Mock 1.0

I‘ve never been a big fan of mock drafts, but people seem to love them. So here’s my first effort at predicting what will happen in exactly three weeks. The Packers pick 22nd and 28th, and while Brian Gutekunst will talk about taking the best player available, the reality is he’s going to try to fill needs – just like all GMs do every year. That means expect a big guy and a fast guy to be the choices when Commissioner Roger Goodell steps to the podium in Las Vegas.

The following are the 21 players I project to be off the board when the Packers make their pick at No. 22. Of course, there’s also a pretty good chance Gutekunst will trade up or down in the first round for the fourth time in the past five Aprils:

Assuming the 21 players listed above are no longer options for the Packers at 22, here are 16 more players who would be:

It’s really difficult to predict what Gutekunst might do without knowing exactly which players will be available at 22 and 28. That’s why I dislike mock drafts, especially ones done in early April. But for the sake of this particular exercise, let’s assume the 21 players listed above are the first 21 players off the board. Let’s also assume the Packers don’t trade up or down with either of their picks. Now that we’ve agreed to suspend reality, let’s take an educated guess at what could happen.

Wide receiver is obviously the No. 1 need for Green Bay but why take the fifth-best player at that position when better prospects are available? Wyatt would be difficult to pass up if he gets to 22, which is far from a certainty. Gutekunst hasn’t drafted a single defensive lineman before Day 3 since taking over as general manager in 2018, so it’s well past time.

If Wyatt isn’t available, Gutekunst could take the best available receiver, but is either Burks or Dotson worth the 22nd pick? I don’t think so. If the man that matters feels the same way, Raimann, Ebiketie, and Mafe could enter the picture. The former is a tackle who tests extremely well, and the latter two are edge rushers who test even better. Gutekunst loves to take athletic freaks in the first round, and these three intriguing prospects play positions that could use more depth.

If Gutekunst doesn’t take a wide receiver at 22, he almost has to take one with his next pick, whether at 28 or early in the second round following a trade down. This is where Burks or Dotson would make a lot more sense. If a receiver goes at 22, Raimann, Ebiketie, and Mafe would be in play at 28. I’d lean toward Ebiketie, who reminds me of Rashan Gary.

AND THE PACKERS SELECT… Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt and Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

Aside from Pro Bowl nose tackle Kenny Clark, the Packers haven’t had much success drafting D-linemen in the early rounds in recent years. But Wyatt is a better prospect than Justin Harrell, Mike Neal, Jerel Worthy, Khyri Thornton, Datone Jones, and Montravius Adams. Unlike some of those busts, Wyatt would actually be a good fit in the current scheme.

Based on Gutekunst’s love of big wide receivers who can run fast but have little wiggle, I’m skeptical whether he’d take Dotson (5-10 1/2, 186) over Burks, Watson, and Pickens. That said, the tape doesn’t lie. Dotson is the fifth-best wide receiver in this class, and the gap from No. 5 to No. 6 is pretty substantial. He’s also polished enough to be an instant contributor.




IF I WERE THE GM…

I’d trade a Day 2 pick for the best veteran wide receiver available at that price – someone like Seattle’s Tyler Lockett or Houston’s Brandin Cooks. I’d spend the 22nd pick on a talented big guy like Wyatt, Raimann, Ebiketie, or Mafe. And I’d trade down from 28 for more picks, including one early in round 2 that I’d use on Pickens, Watson, or Cincinnati’s Alec Pierce.

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