Green Bay Packers 2015 NFL Draft: Breaking down the defensive line prospects

Tier Three

13. Gabe Wright, Auburn (6-3, 300)
14. Marcus Hardison, Arizona State (6-3, 307)
15. Ellis McCarthy, UCLA (6-5, 338)
16. Derrick Lott, TN-Chattanooga (6-4, 319)
17. Christian Covington, Rice (6-2, 295)
18. David Parry, Stanford (6-1, 308)
19. Letterius Walton, Central Michigan (6-5, 319)

The Skinny: There will still be plenty of talent available in the middle rounds of the draft. This is where I expect the Packers to add depth to their defensive line and maybe take a chance on a guy with good upside they can develop behind their starters.

McCarthy is a brick-wall to move on the inside and could be a developmental nose tackle at the next level. His game is a bit rough around the edges right now, but with some good coaching, he could be a good player in a few years.

Hardison is a mid-round sleeper with good measurables and strength to play five-technique defensive end in the Packers scheme. He uses his length well to seal the edge against the run and is a guy with decent burst off the line.

Lott and Walton are small-school prospects who could develop into solid 3-4 ends in the NFL. They’re both tough competitors who still have room to grow in their game. They could be options for the Packers in the fourth or fifth round.

Parry is a tough run stopper who plays bigger than his size and has 3-4 nose tackle experience. He takes a blue-collar approach to the game and will battle double-teams all day long.

Both Covington and Wright are highly talented and would be rated higher in this ranking, but they seem like better fits as 4-3 defensive tackles at the next level.

Next: Tier Four