With the draft less than two months away, discussion and debate over what the Packers will do in the first round is hotting up. Last year they defied expectations in trading up for Jordan Love, but this time things look a little more straight forward. There are four positions that they could plausibly target on Day 1 – tackle, corner, linebacker, and receiver. Here are four options that they may consider come draft day.
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Teven Jenkins – OT, Oklahoma State
As we progress towards the draft, offensive tackle looks more and more important for the Packers. David Bakhtiari obviously has the left side locked down, though he is likely to miss the start of the 2021 season with his torn ACL. The right side of the line isn’t so secure. Green Bay recently released Rick Wagner, leaving Billy Turner as the presumptive starter. Turner started seven games there this season but wasn’t exactly convincing. He allowed 17 pressures, including two sacks, and logged a PFF pass blocking grade of just 59.2. Turner is also set to turn 30 next season and adding some more youth at the position would be a positive move for the Packers.
It is hard to find talented tackles in the later rounds and for that reason Green Bay may look to address it at No. 29. A name to watch is Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins. At 6’6″ and 310 lbs, his game is built around his physicality and he showcases some of the most powerful hands in the draft class. His 93.6 PFF run blocking grade ranked third amongst all offensive linemen this season, and he is solid in pass protection too. Jenkins has allowed just 11 pressures across 623 pass blocking snaps since the start of 2019. He hasn’t allowed a sack in his last 22 starts.
Jenkins’ game isn’t perfect though. He isn’t the most explosive athlete and he faced a lot of three-man rushes in the Big 12. Oklahoma State’s offense is also based around the quick game and doesn’t ask their tackles to perform a lot of vertical sets that you see in the NFL. Whilst it might take him a little time to adjust to the NFL game, Jenkins would be an excellent player to develop over the next couple of years. A natural right tackle with three years as a starter, he would provide the versatility that Matt LaFleur’s offense requires.
Asante Samuel Jr. – CB, Florida State
For many Packers fans, cornerback is the glaring area of need this offseason. Outside of Jaire Alexander, the team struggled for consistency in 2020. Per PFF, Alexander graded as the best cornerback in coverage this season. The next best player on the Packers’ roster was slot corner Chandon Sullivan, who ranked 49th. The issue was most obvious on the boundary, with neither Kevin King or Josh Jackson providing a reliable presence. King’s performance in the NFC Championship Game will live long in the memory of Packers fans for the wrong reasons.
If the Packers want to invest heavily at the position, they could do far worse than Asante Samuel Jr. He would offer them an immediate upgrade on the boundary and would be a good fit in Joe Barry’s defense, which requires a lot of off-zone coverage from its corners. Samuel has followed in his father’s footsteps and is one of the best ballhawks in college football. He has logged a 19.7 per cent forced incompletion rate throughout his career. His 2020 season was particularly impressive, allowing just 179 yards on 32 targets, with three picks and five pass breakups. His passer rating allowed of 46.2 ranks third amongst draft eligible corners.
Whilst he is a little undersized at 5’10” and 184 lbs, he makes up for it with his athleticism. Samuel is one of the most fluid players in space in this year’s class and has some of the best change of direction you will find. His tools suggest he can hold up on the boundary, although he would still be incredibly valuable as slot corner. Wherever he fits, he is sure to improve this defense.
Nick Bolton – LB, Missouri
It feels like linebacker is a need for the Packers every offseason and this year is no different. Aside from rookie Kamal Martin, there were few positives to take from the position in 2020. Per PFF, starters Christian Kirksey and Krys Barnes were the 85th and 86th ranked linebackers this season. A big part of this was down to their problems in coverage. Kirksey’s five touchdowns allowed were the most by any linebacker in the NFL. Barnes allowed a completion percentage of 91.4 per cent, and a passer rating of 110.0. With Kirksey now gone, this leaves Krys Barnes and Kamal Martin as the presumptive starters in 2021 and the Packers could do with adding some more quality.
One of the names to watch will be Missouri’s Nick Bolton. He is an old-school linebacker, who loves getting downhill and making plays against the run. He is one of the best tacklers in this year’s class, with just 28 misses on 243 career attempts. His instincts are elite and he is constantly in and around the ball. His 44 defensive stops ranked second in the SEC this season, having led the conference with 54 in 2019.
What makes Bolton such a good fit is that he pairs this with genuinely impressive coverage ability. This was particularly evident last season, where he led all college linebackers with a 90.4 PFF coverage grade. Through the past two seasons, Bolton has allowed just 332 yards on 62 targets, with an incredible 13 forced incompletions. Whilst he isn’t the biggest or fastest linebacker in the draft, few can rival his instinctual playstyle and he’d be an immediate improvement for the Packers.
Rondale Moore – WR, Purdue
To the surprise of many, the Packers didn’t address receiver in last year’s draft. It didn’t seem to matter in the end though. The Packers led the NFL in EPA per dropback on the way to Aaron Rodgers’ MVP award. Allen Lazard built on a promising 2019 campaign, whilst Marquez Valdes-Scantling became a legitimate deep threat, leading the NFL in yards per reception. That said, this is a league where offense reigns and building on a strength is no bad thing. Whilst I think it is unlikely that Brian Gutekunst prioritises receiver in the first round, there is certainly quality available if he were to do so.
One of the names to watch is Purdue’s Rondale Moore. Injuries have limited him to just seven games over the last two years, but he is one of the most dynamic weapons in all of college football. He broke out as a true freshman in 2018, with 114 catches for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was super elusive with the ball in his hands, leading the FBS with 37 forced missed tackles. His form saw him become the first true freshman Consensus All-American in the history of the Big Ten.
Moore would be an excellent fit in the Packers’ offense. He was used extensively behind the line of scrimmage at Purdue and would slot in on day one in the Tyler Ervin role, with the potential to develop into a far more diverse weapon. Moore is expected to run a sub 4.3 40-yard dash and would be a genuine field stretcher in the slot. Despite his diminutive frame, Moore is a physical player who would have no problem executing the versatile assignments required in Matt LaFleur’s offense.
