The 2021 NFL Draft is fast approaching, and with it comes plenty of speculation about what each team will do. The Packers are sure to be an interesting watch after surprising everyone with the direction they took last year. There are some obvious needs on this roster that they will need to target in the draft, particularly at cornerback and offensive tackle. The Packers have 10 picks to work with this year, seven of which are on Day 3. I have used Expected Draft Position data from GrindingtheMocks to make these picks as realistic as possible.
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Round 1, Pick 29 – Teven Jenkins | OT, Oklahoma State
There are a number of directions the Packers could go in the first round, and offensive tackle is one of them. David Bakhtiari has the left side locked down, but things aren’t so secure at right tackle. Billy Turner is the presumptive starter, and he was less than convincing there in 2020. The Packers would be smart to draft an alternative and Teven Jenkins would be a perfect fit. A three-year starter at right tackle for Oklahoma State, Jenkins is a powerful player who excels in the running game. He posted a 93.6 PFF run blocking grade in 2020, which ranked third in the FBS. He is comfortable is pass protection too, allowing 11 pressures across 623 pass blocking snaps since the start of 2019. There will be some concerns about his athleticism and the translatability of Oklahoma State’s scheme, but Jenkins has the ability to be a starter from day one.
Round 2, Pick 62 – Elijah Molden | CB, Washington
The Packers got their fingers burned with the last Washington corner they drafted, but don’t let Kevin King’s lacklustre time in Green Bay put you off a player like Molden, who is without question the best slot corner in the class. This is an increasingly valuable position in a league where defenses are running nickel and dime as their base defense. Molden’s best traits are his instincts and intelligence. He reads the game brillianty and showcases a good understanding of route combinations. He was excellent in 2020, allowing just 65 yards on 18 targets and giving up a passer rating of 44.9. Green Bay’s new defensive coordinator Joe Barry has stressed the importance of having a reliable nickel corner in his split-safety defense and Molden would be the ideal fit.
Round 3, Pick 92 – Amari Rodgers | WR, Clemson
Green Bay’s offense was excellent in 2020, but that is not a reason to ignore this deep receiver class. The Packers are missing a genuine slot receiver and getting one would add an extra dimension to their passing attack. Amari Rodgers enters the draft off the back of an impressive senior season that saw him rack up 1,020 yards and seven touchdowns on 77 receptions. Rodgers has the straight line speed to be a vertical threat, but where he excels is on underneath routes that allow him to create after the catch. Clemson utilised him heavily on screens, with 39 per cent of his receptions coming behind the line of scrimmage. A big reason for this is how good he is with the ball in his hands. Some have even suggested that he could transition to running back in the NFL. Rodgers has the elusiveness and contact balance to make defenders miss, with 39 forced missed tackles on 181 career receptions. He could play the Tyler Ervin role from Day 1, with the potential to develop into volume receiver in the slot.
Round 4, Pick 135 – Benjamin St-Juste | CB, Minnesota
The Elijah Molden pick solved the Packers’ need for a slot corner, but they still need to replace Kevin King on the boundary. Josh Jackson is the presumptive starter right now, but has not shown any signs of being up to the task. Getting a player like St-Juste would be great value at this spot. His experience at Minnesota was limited, but the tape was definitely encouraging. St-Juste allowed a 56.5 per cent completion rate throughout his career, with an impressive 17.7 per cent forced incompletion rate. He is 6’3″ and 205 lbs with an 80-inch wingspan and speed, making him an ideal boundary corner. He also ranks as one of the best tackling corners in the class, with just two misses on 58 attempts. St-Juste provides the man/zone flexibility that would work well in Joe Barry’s pattern match-heavy defense.
Round 4, Pick 144 – Jermar Jefferson | RB, Oregon State
With Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams hitting free agency, the Packers need to replenish at running back. A.J. Dillon should shoulder more of the load in his second year, but Green Bay need a quick and shifty back to compliment Dillon’s power-running style. Jefferson is a really interesting option and is a player with plenty of upside. Through six games in 2020 he racked up 858 yards and seven touchdowns on just 133 carries. He showcases excellent vision, with a good feel for cutback lanes. He is elusive in the open field too, forcing 27 missed tackles and averaging an impressive 3.6 yards after contact this season. Jefferson isn’t the finished product. There will be some concerns about his limited receiving experience and he had issues with ball security this season. That said, he would be great value at this spot and could be a Day 1 starter for Green Bay.
Round 5, Pick 175 – Milton Williams | IDL, LA Tech
The Packers clearly need to upgrade their interior defensive line and improve against the run. The bad news is that this a very weak positional class. A number of mid-round picks would be developmental options, and that is the case with Williams. He is an incredibly explosive player, recently running a 4.63 40-yard dash at 278 lbs. Williams showcases great power at the point of attack and was incredibly productive in 2020. He finished the year with 30 pressures and six sacks on just 248 pass rushing snaps. His 21.8 per cent pass rush win rate is the best at the position in this year’s draft and would actually rank fifth amongst this year’s edge rushers. He was stout against the run too, posting a PFF run defense grade of 88.4 that ranked fifth amongst draft-eligible defensive linemen. The problem is that at just 278 lbs he is something of a tweener. Williams will struggle to translate his success to the NFL at his current size and needs to fill out his frame. If he can, he has shown he has all of the talent to produce.
Round 5, Pick 179 – Justin Hilliard | LB, Ohio State
With Christian Kirksey gone, the Packers are left with Krys Barnes and Kamal Martin as their starting linebackers. Both showed promise in their rookie seasons, but it still makes sense to invest at the position. If they want value on Day 3, they should look no further than Justin Hilliard. A former five-star recruit, Hilliard’s career at Ohio State has been disrupted by injuries, but the talent is all there. He is incredibly explosive, with great sideline-to-sideline speed. He is comfortable defending the run and the pass and plays much bigger than his 231 lbs. His injury history presents a definite risk, but he offers incredible upside for a fifth round pick.
Round 6, Pick 215 – Simi Fehoko | WR, Stanford
The Packers are known for loving bigger-bodied physical receivers and Fehoko fits that bill. At 6’4″ and 227 lbs he is capable of dominating defenders at the catch point. What makes him special though is his sub 4.4 speed, a real rarity for a player of his size. He wasn’t heavily utilised by Stanford, but showed that he could be productive when called upon. Fehoko averaged 18.5 yards per reception throughout his career and finished with a 230-yard showing against UCLA. He is still a very raw player, but that is to be expected from someone with just four starts and 62 career catches. He offers a rare combination of traits and that is well worth a sixth round pick.
Round 6, Pick 221 – Shemar Jean-Charles | CB, Appalachian State
If the Packers want depth at corner, a player like Jean-Charles would make a tonne of sense. He is coming off an incredible 2020 season for App State, leading the nation with 17 forced incompletions. The next nearest draft-eligible prospect was Patrick Surtain with 10. The rest of his numbers are similarly impressive. He allowed a 32.7 per cent completion rate and gave up just 198 yards on 52 targets. He also allowed fewer than 20 yards in nine of his 12 games and gave up a passer rating of just 50.0. Jean-Charles showcases excellent instincts and timing at the catch point and is a more physical player than his 5’11” and 190 lbs would suggest. He isn’t the most fluid athlete and his lack of length is a concern, but he has tools to work with. This is a player who would bring immediate special teams value, with potential to develop into a starter.
Round 7, Pick 258 – Christian Uphoff | S, Illinois State
Safety is not a major need for the Packers, but getting a player like Uphoff wouldn’t be a bad move. As an FCS player we didn’t get to see him in 2020, but he put out some promising tape in 2019. He was also one of the biggest winners from the Senior Bowl, where he was named as the top safety on the National Team. What separates Uphoff from most safeties is his speed and movement skills. He runs a 4.4 40-yard dash and is comfortable playing man coverage in the slot. It is a testament to his agility that Illinois State even used him as their kick returner. His biggest problem is his processing and reading of the game. He will need to develop the mental side of the game, but the traits are there to be an immediate impact player on special teams.
