Draft Focus for Packers and Bears

It is time for me to strap on the GM hat and gloves and pick the entire drafts for the Packers and Bears. Unlike in the past, I am allowing for the projection of one trade here with the Bears. With that said, I am pretty sure one or both teams will move around a little bit. This represents what players I think each team should pick and some players that I clearly like in this draft.

Packers (CB, OLB, TE, S, WR, OL, LB)

The Packers need to continue to bring in help for their defense so a large defensive haul would serve them well. The good news is that they have a lot of picks so they can bring in a lot of talent. They also need to continue to bring in weapons for Aaron Rodgers, though rookie WR and TEs rarely produce for them. Finally, some help on the offensive line is needed mostly due to injuries but I am still holding out hope that a health Kyle Murphy can start at RT until Bulaga is healthy. There is also the outside chance that Jason Spriggs does not turn out to be a bust and puts it together but I will not hold my breath on that one.

1^st Round (14) – Denzel Ward CB Ohio State – I know Ward may go higher but I keep looking at the way that the boards are falling and Ward could really get pushed down very easily. Ward is the best CB in this draft. If Ward is not available, then they go CB Josh Jackson.

2^nd Round (45) – Dallas Goedert TE South Dakota State – Mike Gesicki really helped the Packers by running a fast 40 and pushing Goedert down a little bit. I was a bit overzealous with pushing him up to the middle of the first but I really like him a lot and this is where he should go. I know he went against a lower level of competition but he just looks so much like Jason Witten to me. This is an excellent pick here for the Packers.

3^rd Round (76) – I am cheating here a little bit as I would love one of two players here:

3a. Lorenzo Carter OLB Georgia – I really like what I see with Carter. He seems to really have a knack for using his long arms. I could see somebody jumping on him earlier than this but this is a good spot for him if he is available and he would be a major upgrade over the pass rushers behind Clay Matthews and Nick Perry. Give him some time and make use of him as a rotational player and this turns out to be a really good pick.

3b. Alex Cappa OT Humboldt State – I know this is a lower level of competition here, but I just love this guy’s mean streak and potential. He showed that he can take a step up in competition at the Senior Bowl. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of David Bakhtiari when he was coming out of college.

4^th Round (101) – Jessie Bates III S Wake Forest – Bates needs some seasoning and likely a little bit more bulk but he has good instincts and you cannot teach those. The good news is that he will not be pressured to start right away and can just be a contributor for the time being. He can develop into a starter and push Jones and Clinton-Dix.

4^th Round (133) – Hercules Mata’afa DL/LB – The fourth round is a great time to take a shot on a player who has a lot of skills but you project to another spot. The pass-rushing skills of Mata’afa are pretty remarkable. That first step off the snap is pretty crazy but what do you do with a not quite 6-2, 205 pound DT? The Packers have hired a creative Defensive Coordinator that can figure out where to use him but my guess is a developmental OLB. Sometimes you have to realize that a good football player is a good football player.

5^th Round (138) – Arrion Springs CB Oregon – Top end speed may be a little average but I really like the way that he plays and uses the sidelines. Opinions of him vary a little bit but I think he is a good pick at this point. At the very least they will get a feisty CB.

Backup: Parry Nickerson CB Tulane – Nickerson is skinny and needs to put on a little muscle to fill out a bit more and handle the stronger receivers. With that said, his other skills are very good and he is willing to stick his nose in. He is feisty and should be able to contribute in the slot as a rookie.

5^th Round (172) – Trey Quinn WR SMU – I am not sure where Quinn falls in this draft exactly. Some may say this is too early or right where he should go. Quinn is an X-Factor type player with good hands, routes, and sneaky quickness. One of the other WRs that is under the radar is WRs in this draft is Justin Watson from Penn. I compared both tapes, and I prefer Quinn.

5^th Round (174) – Tyler Conklin TE Central Michigan – He was one of the earlier guys who I watched tape on and I just kept thinking about how there is something about him I really like on the field. You have to go beyond stats sometimes. He is a bit short but it just feels like he could be an x-factor and he can also line up as an H-back. It is also possible that he is a guy who has yet to reach his potential. Maybe 5^th is a little high for him? I know Wisconsinites want Fumagalli (who I also like) but Conklin gets the edge for me.

6^th Round (186) – Scott Quessenberry C/G UCLA – I really like this guy a lot and his versatility just adds to his value. I think he is flying just a bit under the radar and that his issues are easily correctable. You need nasty guys like this on the interior of the line.

6^th Round (207) – Janorian Grant RS/WR Rutgers – There have been some injury concerns here but he is incredibly slippery as a returner and his cuts are a thing of beauty on returns. Medical needs to be evaluated after having some injury issues but at this spot, he is worth the risk. The Packers need a player like this.

7^th Round (232) – Troy Apke S Penn State – Apke is super raw and may never be a starting caliber safety in the NFL but he could be a great special teams player as he develops. With the loss of Jeff Janis, Apke has similar skills and could replace him. With that said, some team could go nuts over Apke’s measurable and take him much sooner; similar to Dezmen Southward getting picked in the 3^rd when he really was more like a 6^th in 2014.

7^th Round (239) – Darius Jackson OLB Jacksonville State – He is not perfect as he is a little undersized and could be a little faster but he sure does look good on the football field. I think his best position may be bouncing inside but he has shown pass-rush ability as well.

Undrafted Target: John Wolford QB Wake Forest – Okay, I guess they do not need a QB and Wolford will never be a starter, but gosh I really like the way this guy plays and the Packers can stash him on the practice squad and he can be a reliably back-up that can rally an offense in the future.

Bears (OL, WR, EDGE, ILB)

The Bears have some similar needs to the Packers but need to make a strong push to help and protect Trubiski with OL and bringing in a few weapons, though free agency helped them quite a bit with the latter. From there, bringing in some depth or players to push current starters on defense becomes important. I am projecting that the Bears will trade down with the Cardinals so I am including that trade which gives the Bears the 15^th and 47^th.

1^st Round (15 projected from Cardinals) – Mike McGlinchey OT Notre Dame – This is a projected trade but if the Bears stand pat, they will likely do the same thing and grab McGlinchey to strengthen their line.

2^nd Round (39) – Anthony Miller WR Memphis – Miller is not the flashiest WR in this draft but he has very good hands and will be a nice 3rd or 4th receiver in his rookie year and could push to be a nice slot option down the road.

2^nd Round (47^th projected from Cardinals) – Josey Jewell ILB Iowa – Jewell is going to be very good in the NFL. Middle Linebackers do not always need to be elite athletes but they need instincts and I really like the way Jewell plays particularly how he reads the offense; those are the types of things that make up for not being an elite athlete.

4^th Round (105) – Isaac Yiadom CB Boston College – There are varying opinions on Yiadom and while he is a bit skinny, he can bulk up a bit. He plays aggressively and would be a solid developmental guy while he plays in the nickel for the Bears.

4^th Round (115) - Colby Gossett G Appalachian State – He has solid feet and is an aware player. May not quite have the heavy hit to him but has a strong base. The Bears can be a little patient with him and need some depth based on the injury history of their line.

5^th Round (145) – Simmie Cobbs Jr. WR Indiana – It is tough to say where Cobbs will go exactly but he feels like a 5^th rounder. He has some really great moments and then some head scratching moments. With that said, he is a big strong receiver that may turn out to be a steal if some of the rough edges get polished. Indiana receivers have not fared well in the NFL minus Antwaan Randal-El (mostly a QB in college so it is hard to lump him in) so Cobbs has that working against him. Still, it is worth the risk here and the Bears need to reload the WRs through the draft instead of getting castoffs.

6^th Round (181) – Joe Ostman OLB Central Michigan – Ostman is not a flashy player and a bit blue collar. However, it is players like these that are good rotational players that will surprise opposing offenses when not accounted for. He should also be a good special teamer.

7^th Round (224) – Curtis Cothran DL Penn State – An interesting player that has some skills but not a lot of pop in his play. He should be able to play DE for the Bears and add some depth. He almost looks like he could drop a few pounds and learn to play OLB in a 3-4. Might be worth the pick on potential at this point.

Stay tuned as this weekend represents the 5^th running of the André and Chris Live Mock Draft but the first that will not be over the internet and in person (not that it changes anything but it makes me happy). We are going to add a new rule to this year’s mock draft. See you then!