{"id":18075,"date":"2025-03-20T12:22:39","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T12:22:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=18075"},"modified":"2025-03-20T12:22:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T12:22:39","slug":"breaking-explaining-packers-pick-in-on-si-beat-writers-nfl-mock-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=18075","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Explaining Packers\u2019 Pick in On SI Beat Writers\u2019 NFL Mock Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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\"Oregon<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

GREEN BAY, Wis. \u2013 With NFL free agency essentially in the rear-view mirror, the Green Bay Packers have several holes to address in next month\u2019s NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

With quality prospects available at each of those positions, I selected Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with the 23rd pick in the second On SI beat writers\u2019 mock draft.<\/p>\n

Why? First, focusing on the likelihood that general manager Brian Gutekunst will select the best available player at a position of need, here was my best-available list.<\/p>\n

Defensive tackle:<\/strong> Derrick Harmon, Oregon; Darius Alexander, Toledo.<\/p>\n

Edge:<\/strong> Mykel Williams, Georgia; James Pearce, Tennessee; Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M; Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College.<\/p>\n

Cornerback:<\/strong> Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky; Azareye\u2019h Thomas, Florida State; Trey Amos, Ole Miss; Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame; Shavon Revel, East Carolina.<\/p>\n

Receiver:<\/strong> Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State.<\/p>\n

Offensive line:<\/strong> T\/G Kelvin Banks, Texas; T Josh Simmons, Ohio State; T\/G\/C Grey Zabel, North Dakota State.<\/p>\n

Picking Egbuka was tempting. Everyone knows the Packers\u2019 first-round history at receiver, with none selected since Javon Walker in 2002. That\u2019s an entire generation of Packers fans.<\/p>\n

Just because they haven\u2019t taken a receiver in the first round doesn\u2019t mean they wouldn\u2019t. In 2020, general manager Brian Gutekunst traded up to select Jordan Love after the Vikings selected Justin Jefferson and the 49ers traded up for Brandon Aiyuk. So, I do think receiver is a realistic option here.<\/p>\n

Great quarterbacks don\u2019t necessarily need great receivers to win games. Love hasn\u2019t proven himself a great quarterback, though. Last year\u2019s passing attack wasn\u2019t good enough. There\u2019s no way the Packers can be considered a credible championship contender by running it back with the same group and hoping some Day 2 pick pays dividends.<\/p>\n

Cornerback was an enormous need entering the offseason. While Gutekunst signed Nate Hobbs in free agency, he has a history of doubling-up or even tripling-up at positions of need. In 2019, he signed Za\u2019Darius Smith and Preston Smith before drafting Rashan Gary in the first round. Also in 2019, he signed Adrian Amos before drafting Darnell Savage in the first round. In 2024, he signed Xavier McKinney and drafted Javon Bullard in the second round (and Evan Williams in the fourth).<\/p>\n

So, don\u2019t rule out cornerback, where a playmaker like Hairston or Morrison would fit defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley\u2019s style.<\/p>\n

The Packers could double-dip on the offensive line, as well, after signing guard Aaron Banks. Right tackle Zach Tom and left tackle Rasheed Walker are entering their final season under contract. Simmons could replace Walker next season, Banks has tackle-guard versatility and Zabel might have every-position ability.<\/p>\n

Improving a pass defense is the chicken-or-the-egg dilemma. Do you improve a pass defense by finding cornerbacks who prevent receivers from getting open? Or do you improve a pass defense by finding pass rushers who can get to the quarterback before the receivers get open?<\/p>\n

Gutekunst tends to fix big problems with big people.<\/p>\n

Green Bay\u2019s pass rush was a model of inconsistency last season. While the Packers were in the top 10 in sacks and sack percentage, they also were 16th in pressure rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to be able to get after the quarterback with four,\u201d Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to affect the quarterback more with just four players. How we do that will probably evolve and we\u2019ll see how that goes, but those guys have to get a little better and be more consistent.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were several inviting options. At edge\/defensive end, Williams and Stewart are right out of Central Casting. They are big, powerful and explosive. Stewart\u2019s production was almost nonexistent, though, with 1.5 sacks each of his three seasons at Texas A&M. With all-time great tools, the Packers brought him in for a predraft visit and he was my pick in the first On SI mock. Williams had a career-high five sacks in 2024 despite an ankle injury. The Packers love Georgia prospects.<\/p>\n

Pearce was an electric pass rusher at Tennessee but, at 6-foot-5 1\/4 and 245 pounds, doesn\u2019t fit Green Bay\u2019s big-guy mold. Neither does Boston College\u2019s Ezeiruaku, who is only 6-foot-2 1\/2 and 249 pounds.<\/p>\n

That brings us to defensive tackle, where Oregon\u2019s Harmon and Toledo\u2019s Alexander were the last men standing.<\/p>\n

Both prospects have superior traits. Harmon is 6-foot-4 1\/2 and 313 pounds with 34 3\/8-inch arms. Alexander is 6-foot-3 7\/8 and 305 pounds with 34-inch arms. Both players broke 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Combine.<\/p>\n

Harmon put up better numbers against better competition. He had five sacks and 11 tackles for losses in 2024, and had 11 more pressures than any interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus. And with T.J. Slaton, who started all 34 games the past two seasons, leaving in free agency, the Packers are a man down at an important position.<\/p>\n

In his draft profile at NFL.com, one scout told Lance Zierlein that Harmon \u201creminds me of a young Cam Heyward but bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Kenny Clark coming off a dismal season and Devonte Wyatt potentially entering his final season under contract, the Packers need to add an impact player to the middle of their defensive line. Harmon would be that player.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the full mock.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GREEN BAY, Wis. \u2013 With NFL free agency essentially in the rear-view mirror, the Green Bay Packers have several holes to address in next month\u2019s NFL Draft. With<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-green-bay-packers"],"yoast_head":"\nBREAKING : Explaining Packers\u2019 Pick in On SI Beat Writers\u2019 NFL Mock Draft - Breaking News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=18075\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING : Explaining Packers\u2019 Pick in On SI Beat Writers\u2019 NFL Mock Draft - Breaking News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GREEN BAY, Wis. \u2013 With NFL free agency essentially in the rear-view mirror, the Green Bay Packers have several holes to address in next month\u2019s NFL Draft. 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