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Green Bay Packers Draft: Pre-Free Agency Rankings for Positions of Need

By Dan Dahlke

Feb 29, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston defensive back William Jackson goes through a workout drill during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 29, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston defensive back William Jackson goes through a workout drill during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Need #3 – Defensive Line

Top-10 DLs

  1. DeForest Buckner, Oregon (6-7, 291, 5.05)
  2. Andrew Billings, Baylor (6-1, 311, 5.05)
  3. Sheldon Rankins, Louisville (6-1, 299, 5.03)
  4. A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama (6-4, 307, 5.20)
  5. Jarran Reed, Alabama (6-3, 307, 5.21)
  6. Kenny Clark, UCLA (6-3, 314, 5.06)
  7. Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss (6-3, 294, 4.87)
  8. Vernon Butler, Louisiana Tech (6-4, 323, 5.33)
  9. Austin Johnson, Penn St (6-4, 314, 5.32)
  10. Chris Jones, Mississippi State (6-3, 310, 5.03)

Risers: Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Sheldon Rankins
Fallers: Adolphus Washington, Robert Nkemdiche, Shawn Oakman

Clark and Rankins are both top prospects that really furthered their cause in getting selected in the first or early second round. They showcased good movement, athleticism, and explosion at the combine, and as I study more of their film, it’s hard not to imagine what they could bring to the Packers defense if they land in Green Bay.

Washington’s stock continues to plummet with awful workout numbers in Indianapolis. Once considered one of the top defensive lineman in college football, now it appears the OSU product will fall to day three of the draft.

Nkemdiche put up fantastic workout numbers at the combine, but from every report coming out of Indy, he was awful in team interviews, coming across as arrogant and unprofessional. With several off-the-field concerns looming, this does not look good for the former Ole Miss defensive tackle. He may have dropped himself out of the first round.

The hype on Oakman is beginning to deflate. The workout warrior just doesn’t look like that great of an athlete, and his film would back this up. While he makes splashes at times, he doesn’t possess the elite athleticism or size to feel confident he’ll excel in the NFL. His 123-inch broad jump might have been the only thing of note he did in Indy.

New Names: Javon Hargrave (6-1, 309, 4.97), Dean Lowry (6-6, 296, 4.87), Matt Ioannidis (6-3, 299, 5.03)

Hargrove, Lowry, and Ioannidis are all players I’m going to try to find more film on this spring. From the little I’ve seen, Lowry reminds my of Henry Anderson from last year’s draft–a natural five-technique defensive end. He could be a possible fit with Green Bay in the early to mid rounds.

I’ve heard nothing but great things about Hargrave, but I still haven’t seen him play and don’t feel comfortable evaluating him at this point.

Next: Need #4 - Edge

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