The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.
Up next is Texas A&M DL Justin Madubuike:
What he can do
– Solid initial quickness. Won’t overwhelm many offensive linemen with burst alone, but when he bends under them and gets off the snap as quickly as he can, he’s tough to block
– Very good long speed. Ran a 4.83 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine
– Impressive ability to bend and redirect. Reduces surface area with shoulder dip and knives through gaps to apply pressure or make plays in the backfield. Has the potential to wreak havoc as a stunting defender
– Flashes of hand-fighting skill. Effective push-pull and forklift moves. Has won reps with swipe-rip and club-swim moves as well
– Keeps pads low and plays with leverage at all times to maximize play strength. Offensive linemen rarely get underneath him
– Effective speed-to-power pass rusher. Collapses the pocket with power moves. Makes the jobs of his edge-rusher teammates much easier by limiting a quarterback’s ability to step up
– Draws frequent double teams as a pass rusher. Teams often slid a guard over to help on his side of the field or chipped him with a running back or tight end
– Rock-solid run defender. Always plays with leverage, lands hands inside consistently and typically stacks and sheds without issue. Will work to refit hands if he gives up his chest early in the rep. Holds up well versus single blocks. Sets a firm edge when deployed at defensive end
– Posted two consecutive years of good production in the SEC. Tallied 5.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons and a combined 85 tackles and 22 tackles for loss over that time
– Lacks consistent secondary pass-rush moves. Will struggle to free himself from blockers if his initial move is countered. Could use more variety in initial pass-rush plans
– Can get uprooted and displaced by combo blocks. Doesn’t have the mass (6’3″, 293 lbs.) or lower-body strength needed to handle consistent two-gap responsibilities
– Can get outreached at times and turned out of gaps by longer-limbed offensive linemen
– Has room for improvement with snap count anticipation
– Motor comes and goes. Doesn’t show much hustle if a quarterback escapes the pocket. Won’t always work hard to free himself from blocks if he’s stalled after the initial move
How he fits
Madubuike is much better in a one-gap penetrating defensive tackle role than he is in a two-gap space-eating role. Because of his skill set, he’s not an ideal fit for the Packers’ base 3-4 defense. However, since defensive coordinator Mike Pettine likes to deploy nickel and dime packages so frequently, Madubuike could still be an asset to the defense on the majority of downs at his most natural position, 3-technique defensive tackle.
The Packers already have a very good 1-technique defensive tackle in Kenny Clark, but they could still use a new 3-technique to replace Mike Daniels. Madubuike could be what they’re looking for.
NFL comp
It’s not a perfect comparison, but I see some similarities to New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. Both Rankins and Madubuike are slightly undersized one-gap defensive tackles with an impressive blend of quickness, fluidity, flexibility and power. Both players play with excellent leverage and both lacked consistent pass-rush counters as college players.
Where Packers could get him
Madubuike is commonly viewed as a top-five interior defensive line prospect in this draft class behind Auburn’s Derrick Brown and South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw. Some pundits also rank him behind one or both of the Big 12 defensive line standouts: TCU’s Ross Blacklock and Oklahoma’s Neville Gallimore.
If Madubuike is the third, fourth or fifth player off the board at his position like many analysts are projecting, then his draft ceiling probably resides near the end of Round 1.
After dazzling at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.83-second 40-yard dash, 7.37-second 3-cone and 31 bench reps, the former Aggie likely solidified himself as a top-50 pick.
To secure Madubuike’s services, the Packers would likely need to draft him at pick No. 30 (at which point he might be a slight reach), trade down into the second-round or make a significant move up the board from No. 62. Madubuike may or may not be the top target at pick No. 30, but at the very least, he’d be a strong trade-down target.
Previous Prospects for the Pack
WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson
TE Harrison Bryant
WR Denzel Mims
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR/TE Chase Claypool
LB Zack Baun
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
OT Josh Jones
OT Austin Jackson
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
DL Raekwon Davis
DB Xavier McKinney
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
DL A.J. Epenesa
TE Hunter Bryant
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Zack Moss
WR Michael Pittman
WR K.J. Hamler
WR John Hightower
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Troy Dye
LB Willie Gay Jr.
OT Jack Driscoll
WR Devin Duvernay
OT Ezra Cleveland
WR Van Jefferson
OT Andrew Thomas
S Grant Delpit
TE Cole Kmet
OT Tristan Wirfs
QB Jordan Love
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
DB Jeremy Chinn
RB/WR Antonio Gibson
DL Jordan Elliott
DB K’Von Wallace
WR Bryan Edwards
DL Ross Blacklock
LB Logan Wilson