2018 NFL mock draft: Packers address defense in first round

I really wanted to mock Maurice Hurst here, the defensive lineman from Michigan, but with a heart condition, I have a feeling many teams will be pass on picking Hurst in the first round, regardless of doctors clearing him to play football.

Hernandez is someone that shot up draft boards after the Senior Bowl. He is a huge guard at 6-foot-2, 348 pounds, but his size does not restrict his athleticism. He has the perfect stocky build for a guard, elite strength and power, and can help Atlanta in both the run and passing game. Hernandez has the makeup and work ethic to be a premier guard in this league for quite some time.

The Saints could opt to take a possible QB of the future with the 27th overall pick, such as Lamar Jackson or Mason Rudolph, but they would have to be pretty high on one of those quarterbacks to spend a first round pick on them. Drafting a quarterback to learn behind Drew Brees for a year or two could prove to be a very smart idea, but I think they address their defensive line here.

The Saints fielded one of the most improved defenses in the NFL last season, but their defensive line still needs work.

Harrison Phillips was an animal along the defensive line for Stanford. In his senior season, his stat line read: 98 tackles, 17 TFL and 7.5 sacks. Phillips is a severely underrated defensive lineman in this draft, and his film shows just how much havoc he can wreak for an offensive line.