Packers: Defense in first round of 2020 NFL mock draft
An early 2020 mock draft has the Green Bay Packers selecting linebacker Dylan Moses in the first round.
Two positions the Green Bay Packers need to strengthen in the offseason are inside linebacker and wide receiver. In his latest 2020 mock draft for NFL Spin Zone, Randy Gurzi thinks the Packers will go with the former in the first round.
Gurzi has the Packers selecting Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses in the first round, the 29th overall pick.
Currently, inside linebacker looks to be one of the Packers’ biggest needs in the offseason. Blake Martinez is a tackling machine but he’s not having his best season. Martinez is also a free agent in the offseason.
Second-year Oren Burks has barely got on the field this season. According to Pro Football Reference, Burks has only played 6.32 percent of the Packers’ defensive snaps.
Moses is coming off a torn ACL, which could cause him to fall on draft day. But as the injury happened so early in the season, it will allow him a full year to make a recovery before the start of the 2020 regular season.
In the mock draft, Gurzi wrote about Moses’ potential in the NFL:
"“He’s not only great at finding the ball carrier, but Moses is also a good defender in zone coverage. There are very few holes in his game and there are no doubts he’s going to be a star in this league.”"
It’s about time the Packers used an early pick at inside linebacker. GM Brian Gutekunst did spend a third-round pick on Oren Burks, but Ted Thompson often waited until the later rounds, selecting both Blake Martinez and Jake Ryan in the fourth.
After selecting one of the top inside linebackers in the class on Day 1, Green Bay could then turn its attention to the offense on Day 2. With so much wide receiver talented expected to be in the 2020 class, it’s fine to wait until the second day before picking one.
While using yet another first-round pick on defense might not please too many fans, addressing the need at inside linebacker by drafting a player as talented Moses, before turning to offense on Day 2 would make sense.