Mock drafts during this time of year are often an exercise in identifying needs. It’s all about matching a team’s top needs to a top player at the need positions.
National mock drafts are certain the Green Bay Packers need linebackers and receivers. The vast majority of picks in post-Super Bowl mock drafts have the Packers taking a linebacker – such as Kenneth Murray or Patrick Queen – or one of the many talented receivers in the class.
No one can know for sure if the Packers also view linebacker and receiver as the team’s top needs, and no one can know for sure if the Packers will use free agency – which begins next month – to address those perceived needs. The combine is still a few weeks away. And there’s another huge variable: No one knows how the Packers are grading the players.
It’s a crapshoot, but that’s what makes mock draft season so fun. The possibilities are endless. So are the combination of potential draft picks. The next few months are all about sorting through all the prospects and attempting to find which players fit teams the best.
Keep in mind: when we did this exercise around this time last year, edge rusher was the early and heavy favorite. The Packers ended up picking edge rusher Rashan Gary, but not a single one of the national mock drafts connected Gary with the Packers at this point in the process.
Here’s a roundup of the players going to the Packers in the first round of national mock drafts:
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: LB Patrick Queen, LSU
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: WR Jalen Reagor, TCU
Luke Easterling, Draft Wire: LB Patrick Queen
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado
Mel Kiper, ESPN: WR K.J. Hamler, Penn State
Todd McShay, ESPN: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
Eric Edholm, Yahoo Sports: LB Patrick Queen, LSU
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
Mike Renner, Pro Football Focus: LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
Jordan Reid, The Draft Network: LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
Dan Kadar, SB Nation: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
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