Cooking up mock-draft prospects for Packers
We’re officially three weeks out from the NFL draft, so what better time to peruse the web to see which prospects various esteemed draft gurus have in mind for the Packers.
We’ll start with the latest offerings from ESPN, with both Mel Kiper and Todd McShay giving the Packers some intriguing (and head-scratching) selections in their “dueling” mock drafts.
Their first-round selections:
Kiper:Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
I love this fit for the Packers, who would get a home run hitter as both a runner and receiver. Ty Montgomery is slated to start for now, but Cook would be an instant upgrade. He has 38 rushing touchdowns the past two seasons.
McShay:Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
A twitched-up athlete, Harris is like a Tasmanian devil off the edge. He wins with speed and an elite first step. Harris also shows great range against the run, but he needs to get stronger to improve his play at the point of attack.
And their second-round selections:
Kiper:Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington
Kupp is ready to play right away -- don't let his competition level fool you. He caught more than 400 passes in his career. At 6-foot-2, 204, he's not a speedster (4.62 40 at the combine), but he has fantastic hands.
McShay:Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
Moreau, who started 40 games at UCLA, needs to improve his ball skills, but he has top-tier coverage ability and physical tools. At the combine, he recorded a 4.35 40, 4.21-second short shuttle, 38-inch vertical and 11-foot-4 broad jump. His pro-day pectoral injury looms as a wild card.
NFL.com draft expert and former Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens scout Daniel Jeremiah released his latest mock draft earlier this week.
His first round selection for the Packers:
No. 29: Quincy Wilson - CB, Florida
Wilson didn't run quite as fast as many expected, but he is a physical player on tape with excellent ball skills.
Jeremiah’s colleague (and Wisconsin native) Chad Reuter recently released his latest five-round mock draft, which features plenty of interesting options for the Packers.
No. 29: T.J. Watt - LB, Wisconsin
Watt could play inside or outside for the Packers , wreaking havoc for Dom Capers when he decides to blitz.
No. 61: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
No. 93: Danny Isidora, G, Miami
No. 134: Joe Williams, RB, Utah
No. 172: Richie Brown, LB, Mississippi St.
No. 182: DeAngelo Yancey, WR, Purdue
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has the Packers addressing cornerback with their first-round selection:
No. 29: Chidobe Awuzie - CB, Colorado
The Packers re-signed Davon House and have Damarious Randall , but Quinten Rollins has been a disappointment and the team let Micah Hyde walk in free agency. Awuzie can fill Hyde’s role and add some much-needed depth to a unit that struggled with injuries a season ago.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report swings the other way and echos Mel Kiper by having Ted Thompson address the offensive side of the ball in the first round at No. 29 by taking Dalvin Cook, the running back out of Florida State.
Another NFL.com analyst has the Packers going running back as well. Bucky Brooks apparently isn’t buying the noise that a certain Stanford prospect is going in the Top 10.
No. 29: Christian McCaffrey - RB, Stanford
Can you imagine how much fun Mike McCarthy would have creating big-play opportunities for McCaffrey as a runner, receiver and returner?
Finally, Emory Hunt of Football Gameplan goes all-in with a seven-round Packers mock draft: