Pro Football Focus decided to have the Green Bay Packers answer their question mark at inside linebacker during the site’s first post-Super Bowl mock draft.
Mike Renner of PFF sent Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray to the Packers with the 30th overall pick.
The Packers, who got gashed on the ground by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game, could use an athletic, three-down linebacker capable of chasing downs plays sideline to sideline.
From Renner: “Mike Pettine’s defense asks their middle linebacker to cover a ton of ground with how often they run dime. Few can cover as much ground in this class as Murray can. He’s also cleaned up his missed tackles to a degree with only 13 on 109 attempts this year.”
As a junior, Murray broke out as a top draft candidate by producing 102 tackles, 17 tackles for losses, four sacks and four pass breakups for the Sooners defense.
The Packers could be looking at a complete rebuilt at inside linebacker. Blake Martinez and B.J. Goodson are both free agents. Athleticism continues to be an issue at the position, and 2018 third-round pick Oren Burks can’t be considered a reliable replacement should Martinez or Goodson depart.
Although many early mock drafts are sending a receiver to the Packers at No. 30, the pass-catching class is deep and might afford GM Brian Gutekunst an opportunity to grab a defense-changing off-ball linebacker before addressing the passing game.
PFF sent LSU linebacker Patrick Queen to the Kansas City Chiefs with the 32nd pick, so there’s a chance several athletic linebacker options could be available to the Packers at the end of the first round.
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