Packers mock drafts: Pre-combine edition

By foxsports
Published

The Super Bowl is behind us and the NFL combine right around the corner. Yes, coverage and interest of the NFL Draft is picking up.

Players' stock will rise and fall due to their showing at the combine and it is interesting to see how they are valued before and after. Thus, we'll present the second edition of our mock draft roundup for the Green Bay Packers.

Please note that the NFL still has not yet awarded its compensatory picks for losing free agents and the Packers are expected to garner a couple of more selections.

With this roundup, if we included a mock previously (some of the ones we had before have not been updated since), we'll also include the picks from that earlier mock draft. Again, interesting to see how things change in just a short period of time.

We'll continue to provide updates leading up to the start of the draft, April 28.

And now, here's the second look of who the prognosticators think Green Bay will take in the NFL Draft:

Chad Reuter of NFL.com (Feb. 18): Round 1 -- Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State. "The Packers improve their defense instantly Lee's athleticism is still available at this point in the first round. "; Round 2 -- Thomas Duarte, TE, UCLA; Round 3 -- Joe Thuney, OL, North Carolina State; Round 4a -- Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama; Round 4b (projected compensation pick) -- Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State; Round 4c (projected compensation pick) -- Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA.  (Jan. 29 -- Round 1 --Jarren Reed, DT, Alabama; Round 2 -- Antonio Morrison, ILB, Florida; Round 3 -- Thomas Duarte, TE, UCLA; Round 4 -- Spencer Drago, OL, Baylor)

Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (Feb. 18): Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas. "The Packers need more weapons for Aaron Rodgers, but they do get Jordy Nelson back from injury and Henry offers a matchup threat as a big-bodied pass-catcher who can cause consistent matchup problems and get extra yardage after the catch. We're long past the point where we discount the idea of a tight end as a true weapon. Henry can help this offense."

Hunter Stewart of TheNewNFLDraft.com (Feb. 18): Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State. (Feb. 4: Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA)

Eric Edholm, Yahoo.com (Feb. 17): Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor. "There are some high grades out there on Billings, and he doesn't turn 21 for another month, which is viewed as both a negative and a positive. On the one hand, he's still improving and remarkably could add quickness and strength to what appears to be one of the more powerful frames in college football. But Billings is also regarded as immature and in need of guidance. A veteran Packers defensive group could help that, as could Billings being away from some of the distractions of Waco. This is a fascinating player who could play a number of positions up front but works best inside."

Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball.com (Feb. 17): Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State. "The Packers have been trying to add speed to their defense the past couple of offseasons. However, they haven't been able to find a talented inside linebacker while doing so, but perhaps that'll change this April. That would be the case with Darron Lee, who could be selected several picks earlier than this."; Round 2 -- Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford; Round 3 -- Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA; Round 4 -- Le'Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech. (Feb 3 -- Round 1 -- Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech; Round 2 -- Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford; Round 3 -- C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame; Round 4 -- Joe Haeg, OT, North Dakota State)

Eddie Brown of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Feb. 17): Round 1 -- Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA "B.J. Raji isn't getting any younger. Clark steps right in as the best run defender at the collegiate level."; Round 2 -- Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas; Round 3 -- Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers; Round 4 -- Paul McRoberts, WR, SE Missouri State. (Feb. 3: Round 1 -- Kenny Clark; Round 2 -- Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina; Round 3 -- Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State)

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (Feb. 16): Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson. "The Packers need to get younger and more athletic off the edge. Dodd is just scratching the surface of his potential."

Dan Kadar of SBNation/Mocking the Draft (Feb. 15): Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State. "With Mike Daniels and Letroy Guion both getting locked up on new contracts, the Packers don't need to address defensive line in the first round. That turns the attention to middle linebacker. Lee isn't the biggest, but he makes up for it with speed and range." (Feb. 1 -- Shilique Calhoun, DE/OLB, Michigan State)

Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com (Feb. 15): Round 1 -- Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas. "The Packers need an upgrade over Richard Rodgers. Henry would help invigorate their rushing offense as well as the passing attack."; Round 2 -- Devontae Booker, RB, Utah; Round 3 -- Willie Beavers, OL, Western Michigan; Round 4 -- Deion Jones, LB, LSU. (Feb. 1 -- Round 1 -- Scooby Wright, ILB/OLB, Arizona; Round 2 -- Austin Johnson, DT, Penn State; Round 3 -- Josh Ferguson, RB, Illinois)

Alex Khvatov of NFLDraftBlitz.com (Feb. 15):  Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson. "The Packers have moved Clay Matthews around for too long, and they need to add a player on the edge too make a difference as a pass rusher. Kevin Dodd has the ability to play in both a 3-4 and a 4-3, and if he can continue to build on his success he had at Clemson he can contribute from day one." (Feb. 1 -- Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech)

Matt LaPan of DraftBreakdown.com (Feb 15): Jarran Reed, DL, Alabama.

Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com (Feb. 14): Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA. "Veterans Julius Peppers and B.J. Raji remained effective for the Packers in 2015 but they aren't getting any younger. General manager Ted Thompson is always on the lookout for pro-ready tough guys like Clark." (Feb. 2 -- Kenny Clark)

Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com (Feb. 14): Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama. "Even with Mike Daniels locked up long-term, Reed is worthy of this pick with his versatility that fits Green Bay's odd front." (Feb. 1 -- Jarran Reed)

DraftTek (Feb. 12): Round 1 -- Kevin Dodd, LB, Clemson; Round 2-- Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas; Round 3 -- Dominique Alexander, LB, Oklahoma; Round 4 -- Jarron Jones, DT, Notre Dame; Round 5 -- Romeo Okwara, DE, Notre Dame; Round 6 -- Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OT, TCU; Round 7 -- Trae Elston, S, Mississippi. (Jan. 29 -- Round 1 -- Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida; Round 2 -- Kentrell Brothers, ILB, Missouri; Round 3 -- Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford; Round 4 -- Sheldon Rankins, DE, Louisville; Round 5 -- Le'Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech; Round 6 -- Vincent Valentine, DT, Nebraska; Round 7 -- Thomas Duarte, WR, UCLA)

Chris Burke of SI.com (Feb. 11): Round 1 -- Leonard Floyd, LB, Georgia. "Listed at 231 pounds, Floyd probably is not going to overpower many (or any?) blockers as a pass rusher. He still gets home with regularity thanks to his technique. In addition, he also has experience in all phases of the game at LB, including dropping in coverage."; Round 2 -- Nick Vannett, TE, Ohio State.

Josh Norris of Rotoworld.com (Feb. 11): Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama. "Who knows what the Packers are doing... They could go with an inside linebacker to allow Clay Matthews to move to the edge. Or they could continue to add bodies up front with a few impending free agents along the defensive interior. We know Reed holds up well against the run, and he has more upfield ability than his teammate A'Shawn Robinson."

Jonathan Valencia of BreakingFootball.com (Feb. 11): Su'a Cravens, LB, USC. "There's no doubt that Cravens is undersized, but I could see Green Bay buying into how the Cardinals utilized Deone Buchanon and trying to implement that into their own defense. Cravens does a little bit of everything and would bring a breath of fresh air to Green Bay's defense."

Nate Davis of USAToday.com (Feb. 8): Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky. "Substance abuse issues led to his demise at Ohio State, but Spence swears he's grown up now. There is no question about his ability, and he might be worth the roll of the dice for Green Bay's so-so defense."

Pete Fituak of collegefootballnews.com (Feb. 8): Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas. "The Green Bay offensive line needs a big boost after almost got Aaron Rodgers killed late in the season, but as it turned out, the offense needed more weapons. Henry is the No. 1 tight end by far and an instant best friend of No. 12."

Jeff Risdon of DraftBreakdown.com (Feb. 8): Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech; Round 2 -- Xavien Howard, CB, Baylor.

MyNFLDraft.com (Feb. 8): Noah Spence, DE/LB, Eastern Kentucky.

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