NFC North Mock Draft Part Two: Green Bay Packers
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DETROIT (PSF) — The NFL Draft is only six days away, and the Green Bay Packers have some options in the late first round and beyond. Here, we’ll do a four round mock, with no trades, for who the Packers will pick come the next week.
26th Overall Pick — Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington
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In a recent mock draft with Riley Tripp, Austin Loring, and Paul Vozzella on an episode of The Blitz, we mocked Washington left tackle Troy Fautanu falling to the Packers. In this scenario, Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean was already drafted before the Packers, who have been heavily linked to him, could take him.
The team needs a replacement on the left side due to the release of former all-pro tackle David Bakhtiari, leaving a huge need for the team and their young quarterback Jordan Love.
Great pass protection is needed for quarterbacks to succeed, and Fautanu is one of the best tackles available in this class.
He started 13 games in 2022, with 12 of those being at the tackle, with one game at guard, showing versatility in the trenches. He was named to the Second-team All-Pac 12 Conference. The next year, he started all 15 games on the left side and was awarded First-team All-Pac 12 Conference, on a Huskies team that was given the Joe Moore award, given to the nation’s top offensive line.
He has weaknesses in the run game to work on, but other than that he has no real glaring flaws. A monster in pass protection, he was one of the greatest boons for QB Michael Penix Jr.
41st Overall Pick — Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State
With the recent release of middle linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, the Packers have a need for an interior linebacker to boost a defense that has been underrated, but slowly getting older over the years. This pick the Packers acquired in the trade for QB Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets.
Enter North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson, for nearly five years with the Wolfpack, Wilson has been a monster in the front-seven.
In 2019, as a backup, he led the team in tackles while also having an interception, five tackles for loss (TFL) and three pass deflections.
His best seasons came in 2020 and 2023, the former season he had 11.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, one deflection, and two interceptions in 2020. This past year, he had six sacks, 17.5 TFL, six deflections, and three interceptions in a career season.
This past season, Wilson won the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year Award and Butkus Award, the latter which is given to the nation’s best linebacker.
His biggest weaknesses is his health which could turn the Packers and other teams away from him in favor of others such as Michigan LB Junior Colson among others. His injury history dates back to high school where he had a knee injury and hasn’t had a full season in college. In 2021, he only played two games due to a shoulder injury. He also is a bit on the older side for prospects, about to turn 24 soon after the NFL Draft. In the end, he is the best linebacker available, and the Packers have a huge need at that position.
58th overall pick — Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson
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In the pursuit of a younger, athletic defense, the Packers select a defensive lineman in Clemson defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro. The last three years have been amazing for Orhorhoro.
In 2021, in relief for future New Orleans Saints DT Bryan Breese, Orhorhoro had eight TFL, three deflections, and 2.5 sacks for the Tigers. For the next two years, he was consistently improving with eight TFL for the next two years and growing as a pass rusher with four sacks in 2022, and five in 2023.
With comparisons to Baltimore Ravens DT Justin Madubuike, Orhorhoro shows promise with his speed, he just needs to learn to convert that into power when the situation calls for it. With this pick, the Packers get a future star in the trenches.
88th overall Pick — Zak Zinter, OL, Michigan
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The next two picks for the Packers are key depth pieces for an offensive line that was battered and bruised towards the end of the season.
First up, is Michigan right guard Zak Zinter, an anchor for the Wolverines who over the last three years were the best offensive line in college for two straight years from 2021 to 2022.
In 2022, Zinter was named to First-team All-Big Ten Conference, given the same honors the next year. He has shown consistent durability for the Wolverines with the exception of this past season where he suffered a broken tibia and fibula in a win over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Zinter provides solid depth for the guard position, backing up RG Sean Rhyan, who is the only player at that position on the entire Packers roster. Zinter has been compared to Detroit Lions and fellow Wolverine left guard Graham Glasgow and will be a boon for the team’s offensive line.
91st overall pick — Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington
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In this pick acquired from the Buffalo Bills for CB Rasul Douglas, the Packers double-down with tackles from the Washington Huskies with right tackle Roger Rosengarten. He was an Honorable-Mention All-Pac 12 Conference player, one of the best players in the Pac 12, and also on the best offensive line in the nation. The Packers have durability questions on the right side after both their starter in RT Zach Tom and the backup Luke Tenuta both were hurt for a period. There’s nothing wrong with stacking up depth at the offensive line when you have a plethora of picks as the Packers do.
126th overall pick — Beaux Limmer, OL, Arkansas
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With the final pick in my four-round NFL mock draft, the Packers select Arkansas Razorbacks center Beaux Limmer.
Another depth pick due to having this time, only player in this position on the roster with C Josh Myers. Limmer has been a consistent starter for the Razorbacks for the last several years. He also has versatility in the trenches that is rarely seen.
In college, he’s played three positions. In 2021, he started as the right guard, in 2022, he remained at that position, starting for all 13 games. This past year, he started one game as the left guard, while the remaining games he was the starting center. He has shown flashes and great ability against some of the best defenses in college football in the Southeastern Conference. Against the likes of the Alabama Crimson Tide or Georgia Bulldogs, Limmer has been one of the best walls against some of the best defenses in the nation. He brings both depth and versatility to the Packers and continues to build up the trenches.
