100 Days of Mocks: Bresee Leads Seven-Round Mock

The Green Bay Packers have a lot of needs through Week 1 of NFL free agency. Here’s how they were handled in a seven-round mock draft.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers needed to improve their defensive line, anyway. Losing Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry during the first week of NFL free agency only added to the need.

In a new seven-round mock draft by Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network, the Packers landed Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee with the 15th overall pick.

“The Packers’ value board is a bit thin here, but Bryan Bresee is a very compelling add midway through Round 1,” Cummings wrote. “Provided that his medicals check out for Green Bay, he has the explosiveness, violent hands, flexibility, and motor to be a major asset alongside Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt. That’s a front to be reckoned with in the NFC North.”

Bresee could add some needed toughness to Green Bay’s marshmallow-soft run defense. The Packers finished 28th in yards allowed per rushing attempt in 2022, 30th in 2021, 21st in 2020 and 24th in 2019.

Measuring 6-foot-5 1/2 and 298 pounds at the Scouting Combine, he destroyed his on-field workout with a 4.86 in the 40 highlighting a Relative Athletic Score of 9.59.

Bresee was the No. 1 recruit in the country, regardless of position, and made an immediate impact in 2020 by earning first-team all-ACC and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. After missing most of 2021 with a torn ACL, he returned to win second-team all-conference with 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for losses in 10 games in 2022.

The other big Packers need emerging from the start of free agency is tight end. Via some good fortune, that need was filled in the mock with Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer. Few players have been mocked to Green Bay as often at No. 15 so this would be a stunner. He’s arguably the best all-around tight end in the draft but lacks the elite athleticism of some of the other top tight ends.

“He’s not an elite testing athlete, but his functional athleticism and foot speed are very good for his size, and he’s an ultra-reliable threat at the catch point,” Cummings wrote.

The Packers also have needs at outside linebacker, receiver and safety. Those were the next three picks.

Green Bay’s pass rush predictably took a tumble following Rashan Gary’s torn ACL last season. He’ll be back, but will he be ready for Week 1? Even if he is on the field, will he be his usual dominant self?

Cummings went with Louisville’s YaYa Diaby in the third round. Like Bresee, Diaby had a money-making Scouting Combine. Measuring 6-foot-3 3/8 and 263 pounds, his 4.51 in the 40 highlighted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.85.

Diaby had nine sacks and 14 tackles for losses in 2022.

Check out the rest of the mock, with Cummings doubling-up on tight end and outside linebacker in the seventh round.

At Yardbarker, the Packers broke from their history and went with TCU receiver Quentin Johnston.

“Regardless of what happens with Aaron Rodgers, the Packers need to continue improving their receiver corps,” wrote Seth Trachtman. “Johnston could be another deep threat on top of Christian Watson, averaging 19.2 yards per reception during his career with his 6-foot-4 length.”

At College Sports Wire, Patrick Conn traded Aaron Rodgers for a first-round pick. The first was spent on Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness. The second was used on Johnston.

“Johnston would give new starting quarterback Jordan Love a go-to weapon in the passing game,” Conn wrote.

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100 Days of Mocks

Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here are the last 10 days of the series.

40 days until the #NFL Draft. That means this is Day 1,253,987 of our 100 Days of Mocks series.https://t.co/UAh9Jigf0L

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 18, 2023

40 days: A big, bad Bulldog

41 days: Trading back, helping defense

42 days: Van Ness leads off PFF three-rounder

43 days: Van Ness at No. 13 and No. 15 in new mocks

44 days: Four-rounder starts with pass rusher

45 days: Sorry, free agency

46 days: A first-round quarterback?

47 days: A fistful of tight ends

48 days: Rodgers traded; Packers take pass rusher, tight end

49 days: First-round playmakers and a seven-round mock