2015 NFL Draft: Early Look at Green Bay Packers Team Needs

By Vincent Frank on Thursday, February 26th 2015
2015 NFL Draft: Early Look at Green Bay Packers Team Needs

1. Tight End

Andrew Quarless is a solid second-tier starting tight end in the NFL. He's solid in the blocking game and can provide something in the passing game. In addition to this, 2014 rookie Richard Rodgers possesses a decent amount of upside at that position. However neither is the type of players that is going to scare defenses. Just imagine Aaron Rodgers with a top-flight tight end. He would be even more unstoppable in the passing game. 

A lot has been made about the Packers targeting tight ends in past drafts. In fact, this one scribe has previously mocked the likes of Tyler Eifert and Jace Amaro to the Packers. And while it might be a stretch to assume this team will look to draft one in the first round, there are a couple solid top-end options in an otherwise lackluster tight end class. 

At 6'4" and 249 pounds, former Minnesota standout Maxx Williams would be a tremendous fit in the Packers offense. He has the straight-line speed to beat linebackers and safetieis over the top, which would come in hand used off tackle under Mike McCarthy. That said, the Packers are between a rock and a hard place here. Williams would be overdrafted with the 30th pick and won't be available towards the bottom of the second round. A more likely scenario here would be Notre Dame's Ben Koyack at some point on Day 2. Not only is he 6'5" And 255, the young tight end is probably a better all-around tight end than most of his counterparts in this draft class. With a solid run-blocking ability and the athleticism to beat defenders down the seam, Koyack would also be a solid fit in Green Bay's offense. 

2. Defensive End

With Josh Boyd, Mike Daniels and Datone Jones as the team's top-three defensive ends right now, Green Bay has the necessary depth to avoid defensive end in the middle rounds come draft time. However, the Packers lack a true play-maker at defenside end. None of these three players really stood out as being an anchor along the defensive line. 

If Green Bay were to look for a 3-4 end in the first round, there's a few different options that might be available towards the bottom of the first round. The player that stands out the most opposite Datone Jones is Oregon's Arik Armstead. Still extremely raw in terms of technique, the 320-pound defensive end would be a tremendous fit as an initial run stuffer and gap filler in front of the Packers EDGE players. There's also some flexibility there. If Armstead were to add a few poinds and gain some muscle, he'd potentially be able to play inside in the 3-4. While not overly impressed with him, Ohio State's Michael Bennett would be a scheme fit on Day 2. 

3. Inside Linebacker

Green Bay released both Brad Jones and A.J. Hawk this offseason. That leaves Carl Bradford, Sam Barrington and Jamari Lattimore as three potential replacements next to Clay Matthews at inside linebacker. While there is definitely some talent here, there's no clear cut answer to replace Hawk. Green Bay could look to move Nick Perry inside, but that's not necessarily going to work without much coverage ability. 

It's unlikely that the Packers would address this position in the first round given that they just released a former top-five pick and have the aforementioned players set to compete for the job. With that said, the best value pick towards the end of the first round might be at inside linebacker. UCLA's Eric Kendricks and Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney are top-20 talents that could very well be available at 30. If Green Bay were to go mid round with this position—a real likelihood—Georgia's Ramik Wilson and Penn State's Mike Hull would be solid fits. 

4. Cornerback 

Tramon Williams and Davon House are likely going to depart in free agency. This would leave Sam Shields and Casey Hayward as the only two Packers cornerbacks with extensive experience in the NFL. Shields is slotted in at one starting position, and has to be considered a Pro Bowl caliber player. On the other hand, Hayward has dealt with injuries over the past couple seasons and seemed to top out as a rookie in 2012. 

This is the position Green Bay is most likely to address early in the draft. As noted above, Shields is a budding star in the secondary, but there isn't much more to look at here. Green Bay's scheme should call for a bigger-bodied corner, which makes someone like Stanford's Alex Carter an under-the-radar option at 30. While he may be considered a reach right now, expect the physical corner to rise up draft boards between now and April. When looking at later-round options Miami's Ladarius Gunter and Western Kentucky's Cam Thomas seem to fit the bill. Though, depth is not what the Packers should be going for here. Instead, they need an immediate starter opposite Shields. 

 

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