Seven-Round Packers Mock 10.0: Addressing ‘Sneaky Need’

In his latest seven-round mock draft, Jacob Westendorf used his top five picks on a defensive lineman, linebacker, offensive tackle, cornerback and running back.

Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

 

With eight days until the 2024 NFL Draft, some things are starting to come into focus for the Green Bay Packers.

ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that the Packers believe Zach Tom could be a Hall of Fame-level center.

That’s a hefty amount of praise for the third-year pro. It could mean that they would look to draft a tackle next week with the goal of moving Tom inside to replace Josh Myers.

It is also lying season. With the draft on the horizon, any information that emerges should be taken with caution.

In Bill Huber’s most recent mock, he took the approach as if the Packers were moving Tom inside to center. This mock looks at the draft as if the Packers were proceeding with Tom at tackle.

Here’s a look at how the Packers could attack their needs with the help of Pro Football Network simulator.

First Round: Byron Murphy, DL, Texas

A defensive lineman in the first round? Maybe that is not on a lot of people’s radars, but it is a sneaky need for the long-term future of the team.

Kenny Clark is playing on an expiring contract. Ditto for TJ Slaton. Devonte Wyatt was a first-round pick two years ago. While he has progressed, he cannot be considered a reliable three-down player at this stage of his career.

Murphy could be a replacement for any of the aforementioned players or help the Packers form a dynamic defensive line featuring Clark, Murphy and Karl Brooks.

Murphy is not just a pass rusher, either. At Texas, he combined with T’Vondre Sweat to form one of the best run defenses in the country.

This pick could be a surprise, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has surprised all of us before.

Second Round: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M

A surprise in the first round leads to a pick that feels a little more obvious.

Cooper, the athletic, havoc-creating linebacker, was one of Green Bay’s first reported predraft visits. The interest is there. The need is also there. Cooper could be an interesting fit with Quay Walker, who the Packers are hoping takes a big leap in his third year with the team.

Second Round: Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

With the thought of the exercise being that the Packers are keeping Tom at tackle, that pushes the need at tackle down the board a little bit.

With Green Bay on the clock in the first round, the only big offensive tackles that were available were Amegadjie and Tyler Guyton.

In this case, Amegadjie would become the team’s swing for the fences at finding a tackle for the future. The question would be if Amegadjie would have his long-term future at left or right tackle. For the 2024 season, he’d likely enter the season as the swing tackle behind Rasheed Walker and Tom.

If Amegadjie develops and finds some of his limitless potential, the Packers will have plenty of options for the 2025 season, with Myers’ contract expiring at season’s end.

Third Round: Renardo Green, CB, Florida State

Green is one of two cornerbacks the Packers could have interest in from Florida State. Green, who led the ACC with 14 passes defensed in 2023, is the boundary corner that could help push Eric Stokes or Carrington Valentine for a starting spot opposite Jaire Alexander.

Third Round: Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee

Running back may not be the most pressing need with AJ Dillon and Josh Jacobs under contract for 2024, but Wright is a perfect complement for both of those players with the home-run hitting ability the backfield does not possess.

Wright’s speed and pass-catching ability could help him find the field early, and potentially usurp Jacobs as the team’s top back as soon as the 2025 season.

Fourth Round: Cole Bishop, S, Utah

The Packers need a safety to slot in next to Xavier McKinney, and Bishop was the best available one getting into the third day of the draft. His size and physicality would be an ideal complementary fit to McKinney.

Fifth Round: Braiden McGregor, edge, Michigan

With Kingsley Enagbare likely on the shelf to start the season following last year’s torn ACL, the Packers need to add more punch to their pass rush.

McGregor got better each season he was at Michigan and finished his season with strong performances against both Alabama and Washignton in the College Football Playoff, including two sacks against the Crimson Tide.

Sixth Round: Tanor Bortolini, OL, Wisconsin

Bortolini may not make it to the sixth round, but I was not going to argue with the simulator.

Bortolini has been mocked to the Packers several times through this process. His versatility and athleticism likely are desirable traits for the Packers. He’ll compete at guard and center early in his career, with a chance to displace Royce Newman as the team’s primary backup offensive lineman as a rookie.

Sixth Round: Ty’Ron Hopper, LB, Missouri

The Packers need linebacker help, and they likely need more than one from this draft class for the present and future.

Hopper was one of Green Bay’s predraft visits, and could be someone that slots behind Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper and Isaiah McDuffie if this were the scenario to play out. McDuffie, along with Eric Wilson and Kristian Welch, will be free agents at the end of the season.

Gutekunst has said the team will need to carry more linebackers going into 2024 due to their new scheme requiring more linebackers in their base defense.

Seventh Round: Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State

Oladapo was on a pre-draft visit with the Packers and has experience on special teams. He’s also an extra body at the safety position, where the Packers don’t have a lot of depth after not re-signing Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens or Rudy Ford.

Seventh Round: Deantre Prince, CB, Mississippi

The last pick of the draft goes to a project cornerback with special teams experience. Valentine was picked with a similar profile a season ago. Prince was a special teams staple for the Rebels throughout his career. At 6-foot- and with 4.38 speed, he has enough size to be intriguing as a potential developmental cornerback on the boundary. 

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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