Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; A general view as members of the military are honored during the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The pre-Super Bowl edition of the FanSided 2013 NFL Mock Draft has been released.

The fine folks over at FanSided.com do a new mock draft every week right up until the actual draft in April, and while we at LombardiAve.com have the end of the regular season and playoffs to worry about, it’s just about the start of draft season for most teams. We Packer fans have our own opinions about what needs the Packers should try to fill using the 2013 draft. In this article we’ll explore some possibilities for the Packers first pick.

Draft positions are set save for the Super Bowl participants. Barring a trade, the Green Bay Packers will make their first selection with the 26^th pick.

Oct 27, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jonathan Cooper (64) on the field in the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

According to FanSided, with the 26^th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Jonathan Cooper, Offensive Line, North Carolina

Analysis: Jeff Saturday is calling it a career, so the Packers need to find a replacement in the middle of their offensive line. Cooper is a player who would bring the ability to play both center and guard, so his versatility will be attractive to NFL front offices.

This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about Jonathan Cooper. Here’s what I wrote earlier this month about the possibility of the Packers selecting him:

From a talent standpoint, Cooper would be a tremendous value at pick 30 (the Packers projected draft slot at the time). Despite this, he doesn’t make a ton of sense for Green Bay. Cooper’s best position is left guard where they’ve just invested long-term in T.J. Lang. Cooper does have the ability to play center, but if that’s why you’re drafting him you’re just better off with Barrett Jones.

Three weeks later and not a lot has changed. Jonathan Cooper is still a very good player who probably should go before the Packers select at 26. If we pretend for a moment that the only options are Cooper and Alabama’s Barrett Jones, the question becomes where you plan to play the draft pick? Both players are extremely versatile, and while Jones is the only one that can play on the outside, chances are both will end up playing along the interior. If we compare each player at their best position – Cooper at left guard and Jones at center – Cooper is the superior prospect.

T.J. Lang Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

So should the Packers draft Cooper? He’s definitely the better value in the vacuum, but he may not be the best value to Green Bay. I say “may” because the determining factor is T.J. Lang. Lang’s performance this year has drawn some criticism. He was merely passable at right tackle after Bryan Bulaga went down and couldn’t get back to his 2011 form when he returned to left guard. A big reason for this was a serious elbow injury that no one – not even Lang – gave enough attention to during the season. Lang will be healthy come training camp, but has his 2012 season caused the team to reconsider his role? Recall that after center Scott Wells left Green Bay for St. Louis, the team openly considered moving Lang to center to replace him. Lang is a pretty sizable at guard, but he’d be near gargantuan at center. If the Packers still feel Lang can make that transition, perhaps they could maximize Jonathan Cooper’s value by keeping him at left guard.

So who else out there might interest Green Bay?

Nov 23, 2012; Fayetteville, AR, USA; LSU Tigers safety Eric Reid (1) during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. LSU defeated Arkansas 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

As was the case the past month, LSU safety Eric Reid presents a very intriguing possibility. Green Bay is still reeling from the loss of Nick Collins, and while Morgan Burnett made strides in 2012, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that he’ll become the field-tilter Collins was. The moment Reid joins the NFL he’ll become one of the fastest players at his position. He’s also a tremendous tackler, finishing with 91 tackles this past season. While he hasn’t recorded a sack, Reid’s 4.5 tackles for loss demonstrate an ability to play the run. Finally, Reid has 6 career interceptions and 2 forced fumbles, demonstrating his ability to be a ballhawk and playmaker.

Louisiana Tech Bullldogs wide receiver Quinton Patton Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

I’ve discussed for months now that Green Bay needs to bring in some new blood at receiver. We’ve dissected players like USC’s Robert Woods, West Virginia’s Tavon Austin, and Tennessee’s Cordarrelle Patterson. All would be great contributors.

The name I’m hearing most now is Quinton Patton. Patton isn’t likely to come off the board in the first round, but he could go early on the second day. Patton has good but not great speed being clocked between 4.42 and 4.52 in the 40. Similarly, at 6-0 Patton possesses good but not great size. His college production at a mid-major has been off the charts, catching over 100 passes for just a tick under 1,400 yards his senior year alone.

Sound familiar?

It should, because that’s a remarkably similar resume to former second round pick Greg Jennings. The offense Patton played in was a bit “gimmicky,” but he proved at the senior bowl that he has the tools to be a factor at the NFL level. If the Packers don’t go receiver in the first round, Patton should be seriously considered in the second.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn.

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The Wildcard edition of the FanSided 2013 NFL Mock Draft has been released.

The fine folks over at FanSided.com do a new mock draft every week right up until the actual draft in April, and while we at Lombardiave.com have the playoffs to worry about, it’s the start of draft season for most teams. We Packer fans have our own opinions about what needs the Packers should try to fill using the 2013 draft. In this article we’ll explore some possibilities for the Packers first pick.

Draft positions will shuffle some the remainder of the season, so the Packers position in round 1 will probably move around a bit. Here’s hoping that it ends up being the 32^nd pick in round 1!

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive linesman Barrett Jones (75) before the 2013 BCS Championship game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

According to FanSided, with the 30^th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Barrett Jones, Center, Alabama

Analysis: The Packers picked up Jeff Saturday in the offseason, but it was Saturday that approached Mike McCarthy this season and painfully admitted that he just can’t hack it like he used to anymore. As a result, Green Bay has been rolling with Evan Dietrich-Smith at center and it’s been a wild ride. Green Bay’s offensive line has allowed Aaron Rodgers to be sacked more than any quarterback in the NFL and anyone could be replaced. Jonathan Cooper is an option here, but If he continues to fall, Green Bay could trade up and get him in round two.

Let me start by saying I love this selection for the Packers. I love it so much that I pined for it three weeks ago when I broke down Fansided’s week 15 mock. At that time, Jeff Saturday was still the starter, and an upgrade at the position during the offseason seemed like a necessity.

Back to the present, Evan Dietrich-Smith is now the starting center. He’s had moments where he’s obviously outperformed Saturday. However, he hasn’t yet proven he can play at that level consistently. He has up to three more games this season to prove he can hold down the position, so his grade as of the moment is incomplete.

That said, even if he earns next year’s starting center job, I still like the selection of Barrett Jones. Jones can and has played all positions on the offensive line. Not only that, but Jones has played those positions well. His massive 6-5 frame allows him to bring power to any position he lines up in. He’s dominating in pass protection, and rarely requires a second blocker to help on elite defensive linemen.

In addition to the positive effect Jones could have on the pass protection, he could also be the clincher for the Packers’ run game. It’s been awhile since Green Bay had a truly dominate run game, 2003 to be precise. That was the year Ahman Green set all the meaningful Packers’ single season running records. What gets lost in the shuffle is just how good that offensive line was in the interior. From left guard to right guard, that year’s Packers featured Mike Wahle, Mike Flanagan, and Marco Rivera. Having that kind of a run mauling interior line makes picking up 3rd and shorts a cinch, and completely changes the way defenses approach you in the redzone.

Not only could Jones pick up the torch left by Flanagan, but there is no better player comp available for Jones. It’s extraordinarily rare for any offensive lineman to have Jones’ versatility, let alone being able to play all the positions the way Flanagan did. Even if this wasn’t a Packers site, this is the comparison I’d draw.

Nov 10, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jonathan Cooper (64) on the field in the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Because it’s customary, there are alternatives the Packers should at least consider. Fansided suggests Jonathan Cooper. From a talent standpoint, Cooper would be a tremendous value at pick 30. Despite this, he doesn’t make a ton of sense for Green Bay. Cooper’s best position is left guard where they’ve just invested long term in T.J. Lang. Cooper does have the ability to play center, but if that’s why you’re drafting him you’re just better off with Barrett Jones.

Sticking with the offensive line, the Packers could also take a look at the tackle position. The projected starter at right tackle, Bryan Bulaga, is expected to make a full recovery, but hip injuries are always tricky and nothing’s for certain. On the other side, Marshall Newhouse has steadily improved in his second year starting, but he continues to struggle with elite pass rushers and often requires a tight end or running back to chip. The best remaining tackle on the board in this mock draft was Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews. As you might know, Matthews is the son of Hall of Fame tackle Bruce Matthews, which would also make Clay Matthews III his cousin. Bloodlines aside, Jake Matthews is a ferocious blocker who could anchor either side of an offensive line.

October 20, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Robert Woods (2) runs for a touchdown in the first half of the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

As I’ve suggested previously, the Packers could also look at wide receivers. Greg Jennings and Donald Driver are unlikely to return to Green Bay in 2013, and James Jones is a free agent after next season. Packers GM Ted Thompson has a track record of drafting wide receivers a year or two ahead of when they’ll be needed. There are many fantastic options that may still be available at this point, USC’s Robert Woods being chief among them. He has good but not great speed to go along with his similarly good but not great height. What he does have are fantastic hands and is far ahead of most draft prospects in terms of route running. He should be able to contribute early, and can take on a big role as early as 2014.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn. Also Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow Lombardiave on Twitter.