100 Days of Mocks: Tackle Before Tight Ends

In a new mock draft for Sports Illustrated, the Green Bay Packers went back to the University of Georgia. With 22 days before the draft, here are six fresh mock drafts.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – You’ve got to appreciate the honesty that Gilberto Manzano used to start his sixth mock draft for Sports Illustrated.

“It’s mock draft season, which also means its guessing season.”

Indeed. Most mock drafts have been destroyed within the first five or 10 picks. Nonetheless, Manzano might be onto something when he selected Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones for the Green bay Packers.

The Packers have a long-term need at offensive tackle, with longtime standout David Bakhtiari’s 2024 cap number moving past $40 million and Yosh Nijman set to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Jones, who didn’t allow a sack as the Bulldogs’ redshirt sophomore left tackle in 2022, could step in at either spot.

“I think his best football is still ahead of him,” NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah told reporters before the Scouting Combine. “He is incredibly strong. He is incredibly athletic. What he can do in the second level stuff and the run game, as well as in the screen game, is outstanding.

“He sets a little bit of a unique set where he sets a little bit flat, so there are times where guys can get upfield on him, but then he shows you the ability to recover and hang in there. Maybe a little top-heavy at times (and) gets a little overaggressive. He is a pretty physical player. I think there's a lot to really like about him. I think he could play either side. I think he could play right tackle (and) could play left tackle.”

With Eric Stokes in 2021 and Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt in 2022, Green Bay’s last three first-round picks have been used on Georgia players.

Most mock drafts have focused on tight end for the Packers. That was the starting point for NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, too. Given the choice of the best all-around tight end in Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and the best receiving tight end in Dalton Kincaid, Zierlien went with Kincaid.

The free-agent defection of Robert Tonyan to the Bears left a big hole in Green Bay’s offense. Kincaid caught 70 passes in 2022 and is coming off back-to-back seasons of eight touchdowns. He’s got some of the best hands in the draft, regardless of position.

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco also focused on tight end in selecting Mayer. He’s the “best one” in a strong tight end class, Prisco wrote.

Dalton Miller’s three-round mock for Pro Football Network also started with Mayer.

“Going TE-WR in the first two rounds could be the best of both worlds for the Packers,” Miller wrote.

Sure enough, Miller got a receiver in the second round with Nebraska’s Trey Palmer.

“Matt LaFleur knows how to utilize speed, and Palmer has that in droves,” Miller said of Palmer, who at 6-foot and 192 pounds ran his 40 in 4.33 seconds.

After catching 41 passes in three seasons at LSU, Palmer transferred to Nebraska for his senior campaign and caught 71 passes for 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns. He doesn’t have a wealth of return experience but returned a punt for a touchdown in 2019 and a kickoff for a touchdown in 2020.

The third-round pick was used on an offensive tackle.

It was another vote for Mayer at Fantasy Pros.

Make it another at Audacy.

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.

23 days: On the offensive (includes Todd McShay)

24 days: A 10-mock Monday

25 days: The Wright tackle?

26 days: A “plug-and-play” tight end

27 days: NFL.com picks Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Packer Central’s fifth seven-round mock draft

28 days: An “Energizer bunny”

Breaking down ESPN.com’s seven-round mock

29 days: Tannenbaum takes a tackle

30 days: Three mocks, three different first-round tight ends

31 days: First-round receiver streak in Jeopardy

32 days: A Rodgers trade and a short story