Got enough Green Bay Packers Draft analysis yet? Still need more Packers draft previewing? Well, my former Packers and Wisconsin Badgers writer Nick Grays agrees with me that this NFL Draft has been the most over-blown of all time. I guess moving it back two weeks has given us two extra weeks to….let’s just get to our Packers draft talk:
Via Nick Grays:
In the most hyped up NFL Draft EVER the Green Bay Packers most likely have no idea who will be available when they pick at No. 21. The lesson in 2014 is that this was probably the worst year to have the draft pushed back two weeks because Johnny Manziel and the other average quarterback class has made the first round projection particularly murky.
Nonetheless, the Packers are looking at three pressing needs this year. Safety, linebacker and tight end are three positions the Packers didn’t really address in free agency. General Manager Ted Thompson has shown in the past that it’s possible Green Bay goes “Best Player Available” (BPA), regardless of positional need.
Lots of mock drafts have Alabama’s LB C.J. Mosley falling back to the Packers, but I find this highly unlikely. Top notch safeties Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (Alabama) and Calvin Pryor (Louisville) would be nice too, but again most likely gone. Also count on tight end Eric Ebron (North Carolina) being off the board too.
And that is why I could see the Packers taking Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier to play beside fellow-Buckeye alum A.J. Hawk. Shazier would be a natural fit in the Packers 3-4 defense and his speed and instincts would instantly make him a contributing starter.
Solid analysis Nick, here’s what I have Green Bay doing in my mock draft, and why:
21. Green Bay Packers, Jimmie Ward, SS, Northern Illinois
You haven’t heard of him, but you’ve heard of two high profile quarterbacks that he’s played with: AJ McCarron (in youth Pop Warner football) and Jordan Lynch, the NIU Heisman finalist. However Ward is the only guy out of these three players that has a chance of being picked before Saturday. Placing Ward here might have been a stretch, but did you hear about his Pro Day? it was astronomical. Ted Thompson is a “value GM,” so he usually picks value-based, but this is also fills a need.
You can flip a coin here between Pryor and Ward. Go here for more on Ward
Also, here’s our FULL 7 Round 2014 NFL Mock Draft
Our 2015 NFL mock draft
Also our 2014 NBA Mock Draft, and 2015 NBA Mock Draft.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. A frequent analyst on national talk radio, Banks is a former contributor to NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, He’s even been featured on the History Channel. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)