In our last mock, everything fell into place – it was ridiculous and unrealistic that the guys who fell in that one (particularly the first pick), would ever fall like that. This one, however, could actually happen.
Here’s the results
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Round 1
Montez Sweat (Edge) The pick at 12 tends to come down to the same three guys: Montez Sweat, Jachai Polite, and Brian Burns, who are a rock-paper-scissors evaluation, each with pros and cons (which makes me want to trade down). In this scenario, I went with Montez Sweat. At 6’5, he’s got a great wingspan. His length, coupled with his explosion off the snap, help make up for have less athleticism and flexibility around the corner as the other two. Plus, he is easily the best run defender of the three. With a dominating week of Senior Bowl practices, he’s earned a spot here.
Jeffery Simmons (DL) You know how the Packers traded last year to pick up a first round pick this year? Well, I’m gonna flip that into a top 15 pick next year. Jefferey Simmons is a stud. He’s got power and torque and is a disruptive force… the only problem is that torn ACL that will keep him out in 2019. After grabbing a big piece of a defensive revolution at 12, I’m fine kicking the return on this gravy pick off another year if it means getting a beast like this right when Mike Daniels’s contract is up. I don’t want to hear whining about Rodger’s window, this is the right move for the team.
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Round 2
Noah Fant (TE) With two of the top three Tight Ends gone, I grabbed the best receiver of the bunch in Noah Fant. He may be the most dynamic Tight End in the history of the Packers. He gets a bad rap for his blocking, but it’s better than Jimmy Graham’s. I’d love to see what this guy could do down the seam with Rodgers.
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Round 3
Zach Allen (Edge) In a year when Edge is deep, it’s nice to see Zach Allen hanging around in the 3rd. Allen’s not a quick twitch, bendy guy, but like Sweat, he has a quick first step and sets a really tough edge in the run game. These guys across from each other are going to make for a much more physical attack from the edges.
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Round 4
Darnell Savage (FS) I have a really hard time laying off Darnell Savage in the 4th. He runs in the 4.3s and is one of, if not the best, cover safety in the draft. This is exactly what the Packers need and the value is too great this deep. I think his Combine workout is going to shoot him up some boards.
Shareef Miller (Edge) Yup, I’m going all in on Edge – this team needs a pass rush! Shareef Miller is different than Sweat and Allen – he’s that pass rush specialist that can come in on third and long and make sure the QB doesn’t have time to get the ball out. With a nice 6’5 frame, he has the bend and burst that his new teammates don’t. His problem is he’s a loss against the run. That works in this situation, though, because with Sweat and Allen, he’ll only need to come in on obvious passing downs.
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Round 5
Jace Sternberger (TE) No one is gonna confuse this guy with Noah Fant, but Jace Sternberger will make a nice complement for two Tight End sets. He’s a well-rounded prospect that can still play a role in the passing game but is also a solid blocker. I think he’d be a steal in the 5th.
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Round 6
Devine Ozigbo (RB) With a little more attention to the offense, I’m still waiting on Guard help and going with Devine Ozigbo. A big back at 5’11, 220, he exhibits really good footwork and agility for his size, making him a good fit for zone blocking.
Hunter Renfrow (WR) Looking for more weapons on offense, I grabbed Hunter Renfrow, a slippery slot guy known for good routes and sure hands – just what our QB likes.
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Round 7
Phil Haynes (RT / G) I had to eventually address offensive line. I’ve been advocating waiting until the 4th round, but this time I wanted to see what would happen if I waited even later. Phil Haynes doesn’t have eye-popping film, but he has a lot of consistency to go with smooth footwork. He only played one year prior to college and I think he’s going to continue to improve. Given what last year looked like, I think he could start at RG immediately.
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Analysis
I love what this would do for our defense now and in the future. Simmons is a great jar to put on the shelf. I also really like the Tight End tandem of Fant and Sternberger. It would help make up for the lack of offensive line investment, though Haynes actually would have a shot at starting Right Guard in Week 1. Still, free agency is probably going to need to get some more offensive line help if the cards fall like this.
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Of Note
- The big 6 Edge rushers are always dried up by 30 – it’s been a long, long time since there’s been an opportunity to double up with those guys
- Dwayne Haskins went to the Patriots at 32 – I’d love to see the fallout of that
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Check out our PFTW 2019 Mock Draft Archive to see how other scenarios played out!
Check out Packers Draft Central for all our 2019 NFL Draft coverage!
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