Matt Miller’s new 7-round mock draft for ESPN sent the Green Bay Packers a bunch of help for the offensive line and a few new weapons for each level of Jeff Hafley’s defense.
The Packers got offensive linemen with two of their first five picks, plus a slot corner, a productive edge and a versatile down lineman.
Here’s a quick break down of the Packers’ picks in Miller’s mock:
1.25: OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Height: 6-8
Weight: 322
RAS: 9.70
PFF rank: 29
From Miller: “The Packers love drafting premium positions early, and Guyton could be a starter for them at left tackle or right guard after they lost Jon Runyan and David Bakhtiari this offseason. He started 14 games for the Sooners over the past two seasons after transferring from TCU and could thrive at multiple positions in the pros. The 6-foot-8, 322-pounder has great length and moves like a tight end.”
Breakdown: Guyton is becoming a more popular pick for the Packers in mocks. He’s big, young and athletic (9.7 RAS), and the Packers clearly need to build out a long-term developmental plan at offensive tackle. The former Sooner has incredible size and movement ability, but he may need time to develop into a starter in the NFL. That’s perfect for the Packers, who are comfortable with Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom at the two tackle positions entering 2024. Tom’s incredible versatility (can play all five positions) would provide Guyton a path to a starting spot.
2.41: CB Ennis Rakestraw, Missouri
Height: 5-11
Weight: 183
RAS: 7.18
PFF rank: 42
From Miller: “New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley brings a press-man scheme to the secondary, and the Packers need more personnel to run it. Rakestraw is elite at the line of scrimmage with feisty play, making him a fit. A core muscle injury that required surgery in December is the only reason he’s available in Round 2 here; he’s ranked No. 20 on my board.”
Breakdown: Rakestraw is on the smaller side for the Packers at cornerback, but his combination of coverage ability in a vision-based zone scheme and tenacity as a run-supporting tackler would be appealing for the Packers. Do teams think Rakestraw can play on the perimeter and in the slot? The Packers brought back Keisean Nixon to play nickel, but Rakestraw would provide immediate competition at an increasingly important position.
2.58: OL Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
Height: 6-4
Weight: 309
RAS: 9.96
PFF rank: 94
From Miller: “One of my favorite sleeper picks in this draft, McCormick can be a starting guard or center despite not getting the attention he deserves in the pre-draft process. He would push right guard Sean Rhyan in Green Bay while also providing depth at center behind Josh Myers.”
Breakdown: The Packers struck gold when they took an elite athlete from South Dakota State last year (Tucker Kraft). With short- and long-term needs along the interior of the offensive line, taking a swing on McCormick makes a lot of sense. He’s a top athlete who was a dominant player at left guard the last two seasons at SDSU. If selected by Green Bay, McCormick could be a real option to start at right guard right away or eventually take over at center for Josh Myers, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
3.88: DL Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
Height: 6-3
Weight: 283
RAS: 9.08
PFF rank: 73
From Miller: “Dorlus is an ideal scheme fit in Green Bay’s three-man front. He’s a solid rotational pass-rusher with the ability to bump inside to 3-technique in passing situations.”
Breakdown: Miller is forgetting the Packers are switching to a 4-3, but Dorulus could still make sense as either a big edge or a 3-technique. He did both at Oregon and was disruptive against both the run and pass. Dorlus is a bit of a tweener, and the Packers are in good shape at 3-technique, but a good defense can never have enough disruptive players up front.
3.91: Edge rusher Gabriel Murphy, UCLA
Height: 6-2
Weight: 247
RAS: 8.97
PFF rank: 81
From Miller: “Three picks ago, I got Green Bay some versatility on the defensive line. Now I’m landing the Packers a valuable standup edge rusher with 21 career sacks.”
Breakdown: Murphy is almost certainly too small for the Packers as an edge player, but he is coming off a season in which he produced 61 total pressures and has three years of good tape at UCLA. Good testing numbers in the 40-yard dash and the jumps help his case. But again, at 6-2 and under 250 pounds, Murphy might be too small for what the Packers want on the edge. Brian Gutekunst prefers big edges.
4.126: QB Michael Pratt, Tulane
Height: 6-2
Weight: 217
RAS: 8.22
PFF rank: 89
Breakdown: The Packers want to get back into drafting quarterbacks every season, but the fourth round might be a little rich for a team that took Sean Clifford in the fifth round last year. Pratt was a four-year starter and is a good athlete in and out of the pocket. The Packers would have to see him as a potential future starter worth developing — and potentially later trading away for assets — to take him here. A Day 3 pick at quarterback is certainly possible.
5.169: CB Kamal Hadden, Tennessee
Height: 6-1
Weight: 196
RAS: N/A
PFF rank: 191
Breakdown: Hadden has good length and was excellent in coverage during his final collegiate season in 2023. The Packers like their depth at cornerback but must continue building out the long-term depth at the position. It’s possible Hadden could eventually develop into a starter on the perimeter.
6.202: CB Qwan’tez Stiggers, CFL
Height: 6-0
Weight: 197
RAS: N/A
PFF rank: N/A
Breakdown: Stiggers didn’t play football at the collegiate level, but he was a ball hawk during his one season in the CFL and impressed at the East-West Shrine Game. Producing five interceptions last season earned Stiggers recognition as the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie.
6.219: WR Johnny Wilson, Florida State
Height: 6-7
Weight: 231
RAS: 9.68
PFF rank: 79
Breakdown: The Packers don’t have a need at receiver, but Wilson is so unique at 6-7 that he could make sense here. He averaged 2.42 yards per route run last season and then ran 4.52 at the combine. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Wilson to former Packers receiver Devin Funchess. Could Matt LaFleur find a way to use him in the Allen Lazard role, or possibly as a tight end convert?
Nov 18, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs running back Emani Bailey (9) in action during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Baylor Bears at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Height: 5-7
Weight: 202
RAS: 2.74
PFF rank: N/A
Breakdown: He’s short and didn’t test well, which will hurt his chances of being drafted, especially in Green Bay. But Bailey is explosive in short areas and can catch and block, so he has a chance. The Packers swapped out Aaron Jones for Josh Jacobs and re-signed A.J. Dillon, but finding a developmental running back in this draft is probably a priority.
7.245: RB Emani Bailey, TCU
Height: 6-4
Weight: 235
RAS: N/A
PFF rank: 317
Breakdown: The Packers offered Daniel Whelan an exclusive rights tender, so he’ll be back in 2024 after beating out Pat O’Donnell to win the punting job in 2023. Will Brian Gutekunst want competition at punter for camp? Using a draft pick to create the competition seems unlikely unless the Packers see a real opportunity to upgrade a specialist position. Rehkow has a big leg and is the younger brother of former NFL punter Austin Rehkow.
