100 Days of Mocks: Packers Take Defensive Tackle in Sporting News Mock

The Green Bay Packers have a big need on the defensive line and a run defense that must be fixed.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC and reached the Super Bowl behind a deep and proven defensive line. The Green Bay Packers’ defensive line is neither deep nor proven.

With longtime starter Dean Lowry and productive free-agent pickup Jarran Reed headed to free agency, the Packers’ defensive line really is only three deep. There’s former Pro Bowler Kenny Clark as the anchor and flanked by promising TJ Slaton and 2022 first-round pick Devonte Wyatt.

That’s it.

The only other players under contract are 2022 seventh-round pick Jonathan Ford, who was inactive for all 17 games as a rookie, and Chris Slayton, who spent the year on the practice squad.

In response, the Packers landed Clemson’s Bryan Bresee in a post-Super Bowl mock draft by The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer.

“The Packers will have another key hole up front with Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed entering free agency,” Iyer wrote. “They got Devonte Wyatt in the draft to help Kenny Clark last season so it would make sense to round out the starting three with Bresee, a relentless solid run stuffer with great inside pass-rush upside.”

A “relentless run stuffer” would be a huge addition to a defense that has been chronically soft against the run. The Packers finished 28th in yards allowed per rushing attempt in 2022, 30th in 2021, 21st in 2020 and 24th in 2019.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds by Clemson, 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.

It was a tumultuous season for the potential-packed defender. In September, his 15-year-old sister died from brain cancer. He missed one game due to that tragedy, then missed two more following a kidney infection and one more due to strep throat.

"My beautiful sister Ella you amazed me every single day with the fight that you put up and how joyful you were constantly through this battle," he wrote on Instagram. "Never did I think I would be sitting here today saying bye to you. I want to thank you for bringing happiness to not only me but so many people."

"You are the best sister a brother could ask for and I know for a fact heaven has gained a beautiful angel today, Love you forever and always Ella bear," he added.

Bersee missed the Louisiana Tech game following the death of his sister. After the game, Tech’s coach, Sonny Cumbie, handed Clemson coach Dabo Swinney a box full of hand-written letters from his players.

"I know it's hard losing a family member," Tech receiver Julien Lewis told The News Star. " I can just only imagine what he's going though. Basically we were just letting him know we were here for them – that's all we can do, that's the least we can do."

His story was detailed on ESPN’s College Gameday.

In a bonus mock, the Packers picked a tight end in this fresh mock from NFL Draft Bible.

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’s the 100-day-countdown series.

Imagine if the #Packers drafted a receiver and a tight end in the first round of a draft in which Aaron Rodgers was traded. With 74 days until the draft, our 100 Days of Mocks series continues.https://t.co/p10YWhiXbR

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) February 12, 2023

74 days: Rodgers traded, take two pass-catchers in first round

75 days: Two NFL.com mocks, two different tight ends

76 days: Tight end and pass rusher in two-rounder by NFL Draft Bible

77 days: Rodgers traded to Raiders for No. 7 pick

78 days: A seven-round mock includes Big Ten playmakers

79 days: Rodgers traded in two-round mock

80 days: Packers take safety in ESPN mock

81 days: Aaron Rodgers traded in three-round mock

82 days: Seven mocks, including NFL.com

83 days: Two pass-catchers in first-round mocks

84 days: Aaron Rodgers traded for extra first-round pick

85 days: PFF picks a pass rusher

86 days: Tight end in NFL Draft Bible Mock

87 days: Packers trade back, get extra second-rounder

88 days: Sorry, vacation day.

89 days: A “Eureka!” moment in two-round mock

90 days: Playmaking cornerback at PFF

91 days: Three defensive backs in seven-round mock

92 days: Kiper takes a tight end

93 days: Safety first for Bucky Brooks in NFL.com mock

94 days: College Football News mocks Mayer

95 days: Two firsts if Rodgers is traded

96 days: NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah goes back to Georgia

97 days: This pick would break a long drought

98 days: Stud tight end

99 days: Trading for outside linebacker

100 days: First-round quarterback?